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　A　lane　was　forthwith　opened　through　the　crowd　of　spectators。Preceded　by　the　beadle；　and　attended　by　an　irregular　procession　ofstern…browed　men　and　unkindly…visaged　women；　Hester　Prynne　set　forthtowards　the　place　appointed　for　her　punishment。　A　crowd　of　eager　andcurious　schoolboys；　understanding　little　of　the　matter　in　hand；　exceptthat　it　gave　them　a　half…holiday；　ran　before　her　progress；　turningtheir　heads　continually　to　stare　into　her　face；　and　at　the　winkingbaby　in　her　arms；　and　at　the　ignominious　letter　on　her　breast。　Itwas　no　great　distance；　in　those　days；　from　the　prison…door　to　themarket…place。　Measured　by　the　prisoner's　experience；　however；　it　mightbe　reckoned　a　journey　of　some　length；　for；　haughty　as　her　demeanourwas；　she　perchance　underwent　an　agony　from　every　footstep　of　thosethat　thronged　to　see　her；　as　if　her　heart　had　been　flung　into　thestreet　for　them　all　to　spurn　and　trample　upon。　In　our　nature；　however；there　is　a　provision　alike　marvellous　and　merciful；　that　thesufferer　should　never　know　the　intensity　of　what　he　endures　by　itspresent　torture；　but　chiefly　by　the　pang　that　rankles　after　it。　Withalmost　a　serene　deportment；　therefore；　Hester　Prynne　passed　throughthis　portion　of　her　ordeal；　and　came　to　a　sort　of　scaffold；　at　thewestern　extremity　of　the　market…place。　It　stood　nearly　beneath　theeaves　of　Boston's　earliest　church；　and　appeared　to　be　a　fixture　there。　　In　fact；　this　scaffold　constituted　a　portion　of　a　penal　machine；which　now；　for　two　or　three　generations　past；　has　been　merelyhistorical　and　traditionary　among　us；　but　was　held；　in　the　old　time；to　be　as　effectual　an　agent；　in　the　promotion　of　good　citizenship；as　ever　was　the　guillotine　among　the　terrorists　of　France。　It　was；in　short；　the　platform　of　the　pillory；　and　above　it　rose　the　frameworkof　that　instrument　of　discipline；　so　fashioned　as　to　confine　the　humanhead　in　its　tight　grasp；　and　thus　hold　it　up　to　the　public　gaze。　Thevery　ideal　of　ignominy　was　embodied　and　made　manifest　in　thiscontrivance　of　wood　and　iron。　There　can　be　no　outrage；　methinks；against　our　mon　nature…　whatever　be　the　delinquencies　of　theindividual…　no　outrage　more　flagrant　than　to　forbid　the　culprit　tohide　his　face　for　shame；　as　it　was　the　essence　of　this　punishment　todo。　In　Hester　Prynne's　instance；　however；　as　not　unfrequently　in　othercases；　her　sentence　bore；　that　she　should　stand　a　certain　time　uponthe　platform；　but　without　undergoing　that　gripe　about　the　neck　andconfinement　of　the　head；　the　proneness　to　which　was　the　mostdevilish　characteristic　of　this　ugly　engine。　Knowing　well　her　part；she　ascended　a　flight　of　wooden　steps；　and　was　thus　displayed　to　thesurrounding　multitude；　at　about　the　height　of　a　man's　shouldersabove　the　street。　　Had　there　been　a　papist　among　the　crowd　of　Puritans；　he　might　haveseen　in　this　beautiful　woman；　so　picturesque　in　her　attire　and　mien；and　with　the　infant　at　her　bosom；　an　object　to　remind　him　of　the　imageof　Divine　Maternity；　which　so　many　illustrious　painters　have　vied　withone　another　to　represent；　something　which　should　remind　him；　indeed；but　only　by　contrast；　of　that　sacred　image　of　sinless　motherhood；whose　infant　was　to　redeem　the　world。　Here；　there　was　the　taint　ofdeepest　sin　in　the　most　sacred　quality　of　human　life；　working　sucheffect；　that　the　world　was　only　the　darker　for　this　woman's　beauty；and　the　more　lost　for　the　infant　that　she　had　borne。　　The　scene　was　not　without　a　mixture　of　awe；　such　as　must　alwaysinvest　the　spectacle　of　guilt　and　shame　in　a　fellow…creature；　beforesociety　shall　have　grown　corrupt　enough　to　smile；　instead　ofshuddering；　at　it。　The　witnesses　of　Hester　Prynne's　disgrace　had　notyet　passed　beyond　their　simplicity。　They　were　stern　enough　to　lookupon　her　death；　had　that　been　the　sentence；　without　a　murmur　at　itsseverity；　but　had　none　of　the　heartlessness　of　another　social　state；which　would　find　only　a　theme　for　jest　in　an　exhibition　like　thepresent。　Even　if　there　had　been　a　disposition　to　turn　the　matterinto　ridicule；　it　must　have　been　repressed　and　overpowered　by　thesolemn　presence　of　men　no　less　dignified　than　the　Governor；　andseveral　of　his　counsellors；　a　judge；　a　general；　and　the　ministers　ofthe　town；　all　of　whom　sat　or　stood　in　a　balcony　of　the　meetinghouse；looking　down　upon　the　platform。　When　such　personages　couldconstitute　a　part　of　the　spectacle；　without　risking　the　majesty　orreverence　of　rank　and　office；　it　was　safely　to　be　inferred　that　theinfliction　of　a　legal　sentence　would　have　an　earnest　and　effectualmeaning。　Accordingly；　the　crowd　was　sombre　and　grave。　The　unhappyculprit　sustained　herself　as　best　a　woman　might；　under　the　heavyweight　of　a　thousand　unrelenting　eyes；　all　fastened　upon　her　andconcentrated　at　her　bosom。　It　was　almost　intolerable　to　be　borne。　Ofan　impulsive　and　passionate　nature；　she　had　fortified　herself　toencounter　the　stings　and　venomous　stabs　of　public　contumely；wreaking　itself　in　every　variety　of　insult；　but　there　ore　terrible　in　the　solemn　mood　of　the　popular　mind；　that　shelonged　rather　to　behold　all　those　rigid　countenances　contorted　withscornful　merriment；　and　herself　the　object。　Had　a　roar　of　laughterburst　from　the　multitude…　each　man；　each　woman；　each　littleshrill…voiced　child；　contributing　their　individual　parts…　HesterPrynne　might　have　repaid　them　all　with　a　bitter　and　disdainfulsmile。　But；　under　the　leaden　infliction　which　it　was　her　doom　toendure；　she　felt；　at　moments；　as　if　she　must　needs　shriek　out　with　thefull　power　of　her　lungs；　and　cast　herself　from　the　scaffold　downupon　the　ground；　or　else　go　mad　at　once。　　Yet　there　were　intervals　when　the　whole　scene；　in　which　she　wasthe　most　conspicuous　object；　seemed　to　vanish　from　her　eyes；　or　atleast；　glimmered　indistinctly　before　them；　like　a　mass　ofimperfectly　shaped　and　spectral　images。　Her　mind；　and　especially　hermemory。　was　preternaturally　active；　and　kept　bringing　up　otherscenes　than　this　roughly　hewn　street　of　a　little　town；　on　the　edgeof　the　Western　wilderness；　other　faces　than　were　lowering　upon　herfrom　beneath　the　brims　of　those　steeple…crowned　hats。　Reminiscences；the　most　trifling　and　immaterial；　passages　of　infancy　and　school…days；sports；　childish　quarrels；　and　the　little　domestic　traits　of　hermaiden　years；　came　swarming　back　upon　her；　intermingled　withrecollections　of　whatever　was　gravest　in　her　subsequent　life；　onepicture　precisely　as　vivid　as　another；　as　if　all　were　of　similarimportance；　or　all　alike　a　play。　Possibly；　it　was　an　instinctivedevice　of　her　spirit；　to　relieve　itself；　by　the　exhibition　of　thesephantasmagoric　forms；　from　the　cruel　weight　and　hardness　of　thereality。　　Be　that　as　it　might；　the　scaffold　of　the　pillory　was　a　point　of　viewthat　revealed　to　Hester　Prynne　the　entire　track　along　which　she　hadbeen　treading；　since　her　happy　infancy。　Standing　on　that　miserableeminence；　she　saw　her　native　village；　in　old　England；　and　her　paternalhome；　a　decayed　house　of　grey　stone；　with　a　poverty…stricken　aspect；but　retaining　a　half…obliterated　shield　of　arms　over　the　portal；　intoken　of　antique　gentility。　She　saw　her　father's　face；　with　its　baldbrow；　and　reverend　white　beard；　that　flowed　over　the　old…fashionedElizabethan　ruff；　her　mother's；　too；　with　the　look　of　heedful　andanxious　love　which　it　always　wore　in　her　remembrance；　and　which；even　since　her　death；　had　so　often　laid　the　impediment　of　a　gentleremonstrance　in　her　daughter's　pathway。　She　saw　her　own　face；glowing　with　girlish　beauty；　and　illuminating　all　the　interior　ofthe　dusky　mirror　in　which　she　had　been　wont　to　gaze　at　it。　There　shebeheld　another　countenance；　of　a　man　well　stricken　in　years；　a　pale；thin；　scholar…like　visage；　with　eyes　dim　and　bleared　by　thelamplight　that　had　served　them　to　pore　over　many　ponderous　books。Yet　those　same　bleared　optics　had　a　strange；　perating　power；　whenit　was　their　owner's　purpose　to　read　the　human　soul。　This　figure　ofthe　study　and　the　cloister；　as　Hester　Prynne's　womanly　fancy　failednot　to　recall；　was　slightly　deformed；　with　the　left　shoulder　atrifle　higher　than　the　right。　Next　rose　before　her；　in　memory'spicture…gallery；　the　intricate　and　narrow　thoroughfares；　the　tall　greyhouses；　the　huge　cathedrals；　and　the　public　edifices；　ancient　indate　and　quaint　in　architecture；　of　a　Continental　city；　where　a　newlife　had　awaited　her；　still　in　connection　with　the　misshapenscholar；　a　new　life；　but　feeding　itself　on　time…worn　materials；　like　atuft　of　green　moss　on　a　crumbling　wall。　Lastly；　in　lieu　of　theseshifting　scenes；　came　back　the　rude　market…place　of　the　Puritansettlement；　with　all　the　townspeople　assembled　and　levelling　theirstern　regards　at　Hester　Prynne…　yes；　at　herself…　who　stood　on　thescaffold　of　the　pillory；　an　infant　on　her　arm；　and　the　letter　A；　inscarlet；　fantastically　embroidered　with　gold　thread；　upon　her　bosom！　　Could　it　be　true？　She　clutched　the　child　so　fiercely　to　herbreast；　that　it　sent　forth　a　cry；　she　turned　her　eyes　downward　atthe　scarlet　letter；　and　even　touched　it　with　her　finger；　to　assureherself　that　the　infant　and　the　shame　were　real。　Yes！…　these　wereher　realities…　all　else　had　vanished！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　III。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　RECOGNITION。　　FROM　this　intense　consciousness　of　being　the　object　of　severe　anduniversal　observation；　the　wearer　of　the　scarlet　letter　was　atlength　relieved；　by　discerning；　on　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd；　afigure　which　irresistibly　took　possession　of　her　thoughts。　AnIndian；　in　his　native　garb；　was　standing　there；　but　the　red　men　werenot　so　infrequent　visitors　of　the　English　settlements；　that　one　ofthem　would　have　attracted　any　notice　from　Hester　Prynne；　at　such　atime；　much　less　would　he　have　excluded　all　other　objects　and　ideasfrom　her　mind。　By　the　Indian's　side；　and　evidently　sustaining　apanionship　with　him；　stood　a　white　man；　clad　in　a　strangedisarray　of　civilised　and　savage　costume。　　He　was　small　in　stature；　with　a　furrowed　visage；　which；　as　yet；could　hardly　be　termed　aged。　There　was　a　remarkable　intelligence　inhis　features；　as　of　a　person　who　had　so　cultivated　his　mental　partthat　it　could　not　fail　to　mould　the　physical　to　itself；　and　beemanifest　by　unmistakable　tokens。　Although；　by　a　seemingly　carelessarrangement　of　his　heterogeneous　garb；　he　had　endeavoured　to　concealor　abate　the　peculiarity；　it　was　sufficiently　evident　to　HesterPrynne；　that　one　of　this　man's　shoulders　rose　higher　than　the　other。Again；　at　the　first　instant　of　perceiving　that　thin　visage；　and　theslight　deformity　of　the　figure；　she　pressed　her　infant　to　her　bosomwith　so　convulsive　a　force　that　the　poor　babe　uttered　another　cry　ofpain。　But　the　mother　did　not　seem　to　hear　it。　　At　his　arrival　in　the　market…place；　and　some　time　before　she　sawhim；　the　stranger　had　bent　his　eyes　on　Hester　Prynne。　It　wascarelessly；　at　first；　like　a　man　chiefly　accustomed　to　look　inward；and　to　whom　external　matters　are　of　little　value　and　import；　unlessthey　bear　relation　to　something　within　his　mind。　Very　soon；　however；his　look　became　keen　and　perative。　A　writhing　horror　twisted　itselfacross　his　features；　like　a　snake　gliding　swiftly　over　them；　andmaking　one　little　pause；　with　all　its　wreathed　intervolutions；　in　opensight。　His　face　darkened　with　some　powerful　emotion；　which；nevertheless；　he　so　instantaneously　controlled　by　an　effort　of　hiswill；　that；　save　at　a　single　moment；　its　expression　might　havepassed　for　calmness。　After　a　brief　space；　the　convulsion　grew　almostimperceptible；　and　finally　subsided　into　the　depths　of　his　nature。When　he　found　the　eyes　of　Hester　Prynne　fastened　on　his　own；　and　sawthat　she　appeared　to　recognise　him；　he　slowly　and　calmly　raised　hisfinger；　made　a　gesture　with　it　in　the　air；　and　laid　it　on　his　lips。　　Then；　touching　the　shoulder　of　a　townsman　who　stood　next　to　him；he　addressed　him；　in　a　formal　and　courteous　manner。　　〃I　pray　you；　good　sir；〃　said　he；　〃who　is　this　woman？…　andwherefore　is　she　here　set　up　to　public　shame？〃　　〃You　must　needs　be　a　stranger　in　this　region；　friend；〃　answeredthe　townsman；　looking　curiously　at　the　questioner　and　his　savagepanion；　〃else　you　would　surely　have　heard　of　Mistress　HesterPrynne；　and　her　evil　doings。　She　hath　raised　a　great　scandal；　Ipromise　you；　in　godly　Master　Dimmesdale's　church。〃　　〃You　say　truly；〃　replied　the　other。　〃I　am　a　stranger；　and　havebeen　a　wanderer；　sorely　against　my　will。　I　have　met　with　grievousmishaps　by　sea　and　land；　and　have　been　long　held　in　bonds　among　theheathen　folk；　to　the　southw