THE	O
SCARLET	O
LETTER	O
I	O
.	O

THE	O
PRISON	O
DOOR	O
A	O
throng	O
of	O
bearded	O
men	O
,	O
in	O
sad-coloured	O
garments	O
and	O
grey	O
steeple-crowned	O
hats	O
,	O
inter-mixed	O
with	O
women	O
,	O
some	O
wearing	O
hoods	O
,	O
and	O
others	O
bareheaded	O
,	O
was	O
assembled	EVENT
in	O
front	O
of	O
a	O
wooden	O
edifice	O
,	O
the	O
door	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
heavily	O
timbered	O
with	O
oak	O
,	O
and	O
studded	O
with	O
iron	O
spikes	O
.	O

The	O
founders	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
colony	O
,	O
whatever	O
Utopia	O
of	O
human	O
virtue	O
and	O
happiness	O
they	O
might	O
originally	O
project	O
,	O
have	O
invariably	O
recognised	O
it	O
among	O
their	O
earliest	O
practical	O
necessities	O
to	O
allot	O
a	O
portion	O
of	O
the	O
virgin	O
soil	O
as	O
a	O
cemetery	O
,	O
and	O
another	O
portion	O
as	O
the	O
site	O
of	O
a	O
prison	O
.	O

In	O
accordance	O
with	O
this	O
rule	O
it	O
may	O
safely	O
be	O
assumed	O
that	O
the	O
forefathers	O
of	O
Boston	O
had	O
built	O
the	O
first	O
prison-house	O
somewhere	O
in	O
the	O
Vicinity	O
of	O
Cornhill	O
,	O
almost	O
as	O
seasonably	O
as	O
they	O
marked	EVENT
out	O
the	O
first	O
burial-ground	O
,	O
on	O
Isaac	O
Johnson	O
's	O
lot	O
,	O
and	O
round	O
about	O
his	O
grave	O
,	O
which	O
subsequently	O
became	O
the	O
nucleus	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
congregated	O
sepulchres	O
in	O
the	O
old	O
churchyard	O
of	O
King	O
's	O
Chapel	O
.	O

Certain	O
it	O
is	O
that	O
,	O
some	O
fifteen	O
or	O
twenty	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
settlement	EVENT
of	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
the	O
wooden	O
jail	O
was	O
already	O
marked	EVENT
with	O
weather-stains	O
and	O
other	O
indications	O
of	O
age	O
,	O
which	O
gave	O
a	O
yet	O
darker	O
aspect	O
to	O
its	O
beetle-browed	O
and	O
gloomy	O
front	O
.	O

The	O
rust	O
on	O
the	O
ponderous	O
iron-work	O
of	O
its	O
oaken	O
door	O
looked	O
more	O
antique	O
than	O
anything	O
else	O
in	O
the	O
New	O
World	O
.	O

Like	O
all	O
that	O
pertains	O
to	O
crime	O
,	O
it	O
seemed	O
never	O
to	O
have	O
known	O
a	O
youthful	O
era	O
.	O

Before	O
this	O
ugly	O
edifice	O
,	O
and	O
between	O
it	O
and	O
the	O
wheel-track	O
of	O
the	O
street	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
grass-plot	O
,	O
much	O
overgrown	O
with	O
burdock	O
,	O
pig-weed	O
,	O
apple-pern	O
,	O
and	O
such	O
unsightly	O
vegetation	O
,	O
which	O
evidently	O
found	O
something	O
congenial	O
in	O
the	O
soil	O
that	O
had	O
so	O
early	O
borne	EVENT
the	O
black	O
flower	O
of	O
civilised	O
society	O
,	O
a	O
prison	O
.	O

But	O
on	O
one	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
portal	O
,	O
and	O
rooted	O
almost	O
at	O
the	O
threshold	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
wild	O
rose-bush	O
,	O
covered	O
,	O
in	O
this	O
month	O
of	O
June	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
delicate	O
gems	O
,	O
which	O
might	O
be	O
imagined	O
to	O
offer	O
their	O
fragrance	O
and	O
fragile	O
beauty	O
to	O
the	O
prisoner	O
as	O
he	O
went	O
in	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
the	O
condemned	O
criminal	O
as	O
he	O
came	O
forth	O
to	O
his	O
doom	O
,	O
in	O
token	O
that	O
the	O
deep	O
heart	O
of	O
Nature	O
could	O
pity	O
and	O
be	O
kind	O
to	O
him	O
.	O

This	O
rose-bush	O
,	O
by	O
a	O
strange	O
chance	O
,	O
has	O
been	O
kept	O
alive	O
in	O
history	O
;	O
but	O
whether	O
it	O
had	O
merely	O
survived	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
stern	O
old	O
wilderness	O
,	O
so	O
long	O
after	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
the	O
gigantic	O
pines	O
and	O
oaks	O
that	O
originally	O
overshadowed	O
it	O
,	O
or	O
whether	O
,	O
as	O
there	O
is	O
fair	O
authority	O
for	O
believing	O
,	O
it	O
had	O
sprung	O
up	O
under	O
the	O
footsteps	O
of	O
the	O
sainted	O
Ann	O
Hutchinson	O
as	O
she	O
entered	O
the	O
prison-door	O
,	O
we	O
shall	O
not	O
take	O
upon	O
us	O
to	O
determine	O
.	O

Finding	O
it	O
so	O
directly	O
on	O
the	O
threshold	O
of	O
our	O
narrative	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
now	O
about	O
to	O
issue	O
from	O
that	O
inauspicious	O
portal	O
,	O
we	O
could	O
hardly	O
do	O
otherwise	O
than	O
pluck	O
one	O
of	O
its	O
flowers	O
,	O
and	O
present	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
reader	O
.	O

It	O
may	O
serve	O
,	O
let	O
us	O
hope	O
,	O
to	O
symbolise	O
some	O
sweet	O
moral	O
blossom	O
that	O
may	O
be	O
found	O
along	O
the	O
track	O
,	O
or	O
relieve	O
the	O
darkening	O
close	O
of	O
a	O
tale	O
of	O
human	O
frailty	O
and	O
sorrow	O
.	O

II	O
.	O

THE	O
MARKET-PLACE	O
The	O
grass-plot	O
before	O
the	O
jail	O
,	O
in	O
Prison	O
Lane	O
,	O
on	O
a	O
certain	O
summer	O
morning	O
,	O
not	O
less	O
than	O
two	O
centuries	O
ago	O
,	O
was	O
occupied	EVENT
by	O
a	O
pretty	O
large	O
number	O
of	O
the	O
inhabitants	O
of	O
Boston	O
,	O
all	O
with	O
their	O
eyes	O
intently	O
fastened	EVENT
on	O
the	O
iron-clamped	O
oaken	O
door	O
.	O

Amongst	O
any	O
other	O
population	O
,	O
or	O
at	O
a	O
later	O
period	O
in	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
New	O
England	O
,	O
the	O
grim	O
rigidity	O
that	O
petrified	O
the	O
bearded	O
physiognomies	O
of	O
these	O
good	O
people	O
would	O
have	O
augured	O
some	O
awful	O
business	O
in	O
hand	O
.	O

It	O
could	O
have	O
betokened	O
nothing	O
short	O
of	O
the	O
anticipated	O
execution	O
of	O
some	O
noted	O
culprit	O
,	O
on	O
whom	O
the	O
sentence	O
of	O
a	O
legal	O
tribunal	O
had	O
but	O
confirmed	O
the	O
verdict	O
of	O
public	O
sentiment	O
.	O

But	O
,	O
in	O
that	O
early	O
severity	O
of	O
the	O
Puritan	O
character	O
,	O
an	O
inference	O
of	O
this	O
kind	O
could	O
not	O
so	O
indubitably	O
be	O
drawn	O
.	O

It	O
might	O
be	O
that	O
a	O
sluggish	O
bond-servant	O
,	O
or	O
an	O
undutiful	O
child	O
,	O
whom	O
his	O
parents	O
had	O
given	O
over	O
to	O
the	O
civil	O
authority	O
,	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
corrected	O
at	O
the	O
whipping-post	O
.	O

It	O
might	O
be	O
that	O
an	O
Antinomian	O
,	O
a	O
Quaker	O
,	O
or	O
other	O
heterodox	O
religionist	O
,	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
scourged	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
or	O
an	O
idle	O
or	O
vagrant	O
Indian	O
,	O
whom	O
the	O
white	O
man	O
's	O
firewater	O
had	O
made	O
riotous	O
about	O
the	O
streets	O
,	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
driven	O
with	O
stripes	O
into	O
the	O
shadow	O
of	O
the	O
forest	O
.	O

It	O
might	O
be	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
that	O
a	O
witch	O
,	O
like	O
old	O
Mistress	O
Hibbins	O
,	O
the	O
bitter-tempered	O
widow	O
of	O
the	O
magistrate	O
,	O
was	O
to	O
die	O
upon	O
the	O
gallows	O
.	O

In	O
either	O
case	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
very	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
solemnity	O
of	O
demeanour	O
on	O
the	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
spectators	O
,	O
as	O
befitted	O
a	O
people	O
among	O
whom	O
religion	O
and	O
law	O
were	O
almost	O
identical	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
whose	O
character	O
both	O
were	O
so	O
thoroughly	O
interfused	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
mildest	O
and	O
severest	O
acts	O
of	O
public	O
discipline	O
were	O
alike	O
made	O
venerable	O
and	O
awful	O
.	O

Meagre	O
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
and	O
cold	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
sympathy	O
that	O
a	O
transgressor	O
might	O
look	O
for	O
,	O
from	O
such	O
bystanders	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
scaffold	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
a	O
penalty	O
which	O
,	O
in	O
our	O
days	O
,	O
would	O
infer	O
a	O
degree	O
of	O
mocking	O
infamy	O
and	O
ridicule	O
,	O
might	O
then	O
be	O
invested	O
with	O
almost	O
as	O
stern	O
a	O
dignity	O
as	O
the	O
punishment	O
of	O
death	O
itself	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
circumstance	O
to	O
be	O
noted	O
on	O
the	O
summer	O
morning	O
when	O
our	O
story	O
begins	O
its	O
course	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
women	O
,	O
of	O
whom	O
there	O
were	O
several	O
in	O
the	O
crowd	O
,	O
appeared	O
to	O
take	O
a	O
peculiar	O
interest	O
in	O
whatever	O
penal	O
infliction	O
might	O
be	O
expected	O
to	O
ensue	O
.	O

The	O
age	O
had	O
not	O
so	O
much	O
refinement	O
,	O
that	O
any	O
sense	O
of	O
impropriety	O
restrained	O
the	O
wearers	O
of	O
petticoat	O
and	O
farthingale	O
from	O
stepping	O
forth	O
into	O
the	O
public	O
ways	O
,	O
and	O
wedging	O
their	O
not	O
unsubstantial	O
persons	O
,	O
if	O
occasion	O
were	O
,	O
into	O
the	O
throng	O
nearest	O
to	O
the	O
scaffold	O
at	O
an	O
execution	O
.	O

Morally	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
materially	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
coarser	O
fibre	O
in	O
those	O
wives	O
and	O
maidens	O
of	O
old	O
English	O
birth	O
and	O
breeding	O
than	O
in	O
their	O
fair	O
descendants	O
,	O
separated	O
from	O
them	O
by	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
six	O
or	O
seven	O
generations	O
;	O
for	O
,	O
throughout	O
that	O
chain	O
of	O
ancestry	O
,	O
every	O
successive	O
mother	O
had	O
transmitted	O
to	O
her	O
child	O
a	O
fainter	O
bloom	O
,	O
a	O
more	O
delicate	O
and	O
briefer	O
beauty	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
slighter	O
physical	O
frame	O
,	O
if	O
not	O
character	O
of	O
less	O
force	O
and	O
solidity	O
than	O
her	O
own	O
.	O

The	O
women	O
who	O
were	O
now	O
standing	O
about	O
the	O
prison-door	O
stood	O
within	O
less	O
than	O
half	O
a	O
century	O
of	O
the	O
period	O
when	O
the	O
man-like	O
Elizabeth	O
had	O
been	O
the	O
not	O
altogether	O
unsuitable	O
representative	O
of	O
the	O
sex	O
.	O

They	O
were	O
her	O
countrywomen	O
:	O
and	O
the	O
beef	O
and	O
ale	O
of	O
their	O
native	O
land	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
moral	O
diet	O
not	O
a	O
whit	O
more	O
refined	O
,	O
entered	O
largely	O
into	O
their	O
composition	O
.	O

The	O
bright	O
morning	O
sun	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
shone	EVENT
on	O
broad	O
shoulders	O
and	O
well-developed	O
busts	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
round	O
and	O
ruddy	O
cheeks	O
,	O
that	O
had	O
ripened	O
in	O
the	O
far-off	O
island	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
hardly	O
yet	O
grown	O
paler	O
or	O
thinner	O
in	O
the	O
atmosphere	O
of	O
New	O
England	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
,	O
moreover	O
,	O
a	O
boldness	O
and	O
rotundity	O
of	O
speech	O
among	O
these	O
matrons	O
,	O
as	O
most	O
of	O
them	O
seemed	O
to	O
be	O
,	O
that	O
would	O
startle	O
us	O
at	O
the	O
present	O
day	O
,	O
whether	O
in	O
respect	O
to	O
its	O
purport	O
or	O
its	O
volume	O
of	O
tone	O
.	O

"	O
Goodwives	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
a	O
hard-featured	O
dame	O
of	O
fifty	O
,	O
"	O
I	O
'll	O
tell	O
ye	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
my	O
mind	O
.	O

It	O
would	O
be	O
greatly	O
for	O
the	O
public	O
behoof	O
if	O
we	O
women	O
,	O
being	O
of	O
mature	O
age	O
and	O
church-members	O
in	O
good	O
repute	O
,	O
should	O
have	O
the	O
handling	O
of	O
such	O
malefactresses	O
as	O
this	O
Hester	O
Prynne	O
.	O

What	O
think	O
ye	O
,	O
gossips	O
?	O

If	O
the	O
hussy	O
stood	O
up	O
for	O
judgment	O
before	O
us	O
five	O
,	O
that	O
are	O
now	O
here	O
in	O
a	O
knot	O
together	O
,	O
would	O
she	O
come	O
off	O
with	O
such	O
a	O
sentence	EVENT
as	O
the	O
worshipful	O
magistrates	O
have	O
awarded	O
?	O

Marry	O
,	O
I	O
trow	O
not	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
People	O
say	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
another	O
,	O
"	O
that	O
the	O
Reverend	O
Master	O
Dimmesdale	O
,	O
her	O
godly	O
pastor	O
,	O
takes	O
it	O
very	O
grievously	O
to	O
heart	O
that	O
such	O
a	O
scandal	EVENT
should	O
have	O
come	O
upon	O
his	O
congregation	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
The	O
magistrates	O
are	O
God-fearing	O
gentlemen	O
,	O
but	O
merciful	O
overmuch	O
--	O
that	O
is	O
a	O
truth	O
,	O
"	O
added	EVENT
a	O
third	O
autumnal	O
matron	O
.	O

"	O
At	O
the	O
very	O
least	O
,	O
they	O
should	O
have	O
put	O
the	O
brand	O
of	O
a	O
hot	O
iron	O
on	O
Hester	O
Prynne	O
's	O
forehead	O
.	O

Madame	O
Hester	O
would	O
have	O
winced	O
at	O
that	O
,	O
I	O
warrant	EVENT
me	O
.	O

But	O
she	O
--	O
the	O
naughty	O
baggage	O
--	O
little	O
will	O
she	O
care	O
what	O
they	O
put	O
upon	O
the	O
bodice	O
of	O
her	O
gown	O
!	O

Why	O
,	O
look	O
you	O
,	O
she	O
may	O
cover	O
it	O
with	O
a	O
brooch	O
,	O
or	O
such	O
like	O
heathenish	O
adornment	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
walk	O
the	O
streets	O
as	O
brave	O
as	O
ever	O
!	O
"	O

"	O
Ah	O
,	O
but	O
,	O
"	O
interposed	EVENT
,	O
more	O
softly	O
,	O
a	O
young	O
wife	O
,	O
holding	EVENT
a	O
child	O
by	O
the	O
hand	O
,	O
"	O
let	O
her	O
cover	O
the	O
mark	O
as	O
she	O
will	O
,	O
the	O
pang	O
of	O
it	O
will	O
be	O
always	O
in	O
her	O
heart	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
What	O
do	O
we	O
talk	O
of	O
marks	O
and	O
brands	O
,	O
whether	O
on	O
the	O
bodice	O
of	O
her	O
gown	O
or	O
the	O
flesh	O
of	O
her	O
forehead	O
?	O
"	O

cried	EVENT
another	O
female	O
,	O
the	O
ugliest	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
most	O
pitiless	O
of	O
these	O
self-constituted	O
judges	O
.	O

"	O
This	O
woman	O
has	O
brought	O
shame	EVENT
upon	O
us	O
all	O
,	O
and	O
ought	O
to	O
die	O
;	O
is	O
there	O
not	O
law	O
for	O
it	O
?	O

Truly	O
there	O
is	O
,	O
both	O
in	O
the	O
Scripture	O
and	O
the	O
statute-book	O
.	O

Then	O
let	O
the	O
magistrates	O
,	O
who	O
have	O
made	EVENT
it	O
of	O
no	O
effect	O
,	O
thank	O
themselves	O
if	O
their	O
own	O
wives	O
and	O
daughters	O
go	O
astray	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Mercy	O
on	O
us	O
,	O
goodwife	O
!	O
"	O

exclaimed	EVENT
a	O
man	O
in	O
the	O
crowd	O
,	O
"	O
is	O
there	O
no	O
virtue	O
in	O
woman	O
,	O
save	O
what	O
springs	O
from	O
a	O
wholesome	O
fear	O
of	O
the	O
gallows	O
?	O

That	O
is	O
the	O
hardest	O
word	O
yet	O
!	O

Hush	O
now	O
,	O
gossips	O
for	O
the	O
lock	O
is	O
turning	O
in	O
the	O
prison-door	O
,	O
and	O
here	O
comes	O
Mistress	O
Prynne	O
herself	O
.	O
"	O

The	O
door	O
of	O
the	O
jail	O
being	O
flung	EVENT
open	O
from	O
within	O
there	O
appeared	EVENT
,	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
place	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
black	O
shadow	O
emerging	O
into	O
sunshine	O
,	O
the	O
grim	O
and	O
grisly	O
presence	O
of	O
the	O
town-beadle	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
sword	O
by	O
his	O
side	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
staff	O
of	O
office	O
in	O
his	O
hand	O
.	O

This	O
personage	O
prefigured	O
and	O
represented	O
in	O
his	O
aspect	O
the	O
whole	O
dismal	O
severity	O
of	O
the	O
Puritanic	O
code	O
of	O
law	O
,	O
which	O
it	O
was	O
his	O
business	O
to	O
administer	O
in	O
its	O
final	O
and	O
closest	O
application	O
to	O
the	O
offender	O
.	O

Stretching	EVENT
forth	O
the	O
official	O
staff	O
in	O
his	O
left	O
hand	O
,	O
he	O
laid	EVENT
his	O
right	O
upon	O
the	O
shoulder	O
of	O
a	O
young	O
woman	O
,	O
whom	O
he	O
thus	O
drew	EVENT
forward	O
,	O
until	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
threshold	O
of	O
the	O
prison-door	O
,	O
she	O
repelled	EVENT
him	O
,	O
by	O
an	O
action	EVENT
marked	O
with	O
natural	O
dignity	O
and	O
force	O
of	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
stepped	EVENT
into	O
the	O
open	O
air	O
as	O
if	O
by	O
her	O
own	O
free	O
will	O
.	O

She	O
bore	EVENT
in	O
her	O
arms	O
a	O
child	O
,	O
a	O
baby	O
of	O
some	O
three	O
months	O
old	O
,	O
who	O
winked	EVENT
and	O
turned	EVENT
aside	O
its	O
little	O
face	O
from	O
the	O
too	O
vivid	O
light	O
of	O
day	O
;	O
because	O
its	O
existence	O
,	O
heretofore	O
,	O
had	O
brought	O
it	O
acquaintance	EVENT
only	O
with	O
the	O
grey	O
twilight	O
of	O
a	O
dungeon	O
,	O
or	O
other	O
darksome	O
apartment	O
of	O
the	O
prison	O
.	O

When	O
the	O
young	O
woman	O
--	O
the	O
mother	O
of	O
this	O
child	O
--	O
stood	O
fully	O
revealed	EVENT
before	O
the	O
crowd	O
,	O
it	O
seemed	O
to	O
be	O
her	O
first	O
impulse	O
to	O
clasp	O
the	O
infant	O
closely	O
to	O
her	O
bosom	O
;	O
not	O
so	O
much	O
by	O
an	O
impulse	O
of	O
motherly	O
affection	O
,	O
as	O
that	O
she	O
might	O
thereby	O
conceal	O
a	O
certain	O
token	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
wrought	O
or	O
fastened	O
into	O
her	O
dress	O
.	O

In	O
a	O
moment	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
wisely	O
judging	EVENT
that	O
one	O
token	O
of	O
her	O
shame	O
would	O
but	O
poorly	O
serve	O
to	O
hide	O
another	O
,	O
she	O
took	EVENT
the	O
baby	O
on	O
her	O
arm	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
a	O
burning	O
blush	EVENT
,	O
and	O
yet	O
a	O
haughty	O
smile	EVENT
,	O
and	O
a	O
glance	EVENT
that	O
would	O
not	O
be	O
abashed	O
,	O
looked	EVENT
around	O
at	O
her	O
townspeople	O
and	O
neighbours	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
breast	O
of	O
her	O
gown	O
,	O
in	O
fine	O
red	O
cloth	O
,	O
surrounded	O
with	O
an	O
elaborate	O
embroidery	O
and	O
fantastic	O
flourishes	O
of	O
gold	O
thread	O
,	O
appeared	O
the	O
letter	O
A	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
so	O
artistically	O
done	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
so	O
much	O
fertility	O
and	O
gorgeous	O
luxuriance	O
of	O
fancy	O
,	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
all	O
the	O
effect	EVENT
of	O
a	O
last	O
and	O
fitting	O
decoration	O
to	O
the	O
apparel	O
which	O
she	O
wore	O
,	O
and	O
which	O
was	O
of	O
a	O
splendour	O
in	O
accordance	O
with	O
the	O
taste	O
of	O
the	O
age	O
,	O
but	O
greatly	O
beyond	O
what	O
was	O
allowed	O
by	O
the	O
sumptuary	O
regulations	O
of	O
the	O
colony	O
.	O