Home › The Scarlet Letter › The Scarlet Letter: Hester

The Scarlet Letter: Hester

A small, intelligent appearing man on the outskirts of the crowd attracted Hester's attention, and he in his turn eyed her till, seeing that she seemed to recognize him, he laid his finger on his lips.

Then, speaking to a townsman, he said, "I pray you, good sir, who is this woman, and wherefore is she here set up to public shame?" "You must needs be a stranger, friend," said the townsman, "else you would have heard of Mistress Hester Prynne. She hath raised a great scandal in godly Master Dimmesdale's church. The penalty thereof is death, but the magistracy, in their mercy, have doomed her to stand a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory, and for the remainder of her life to wear a mask of shame in her bosom." "A wise sentence!" remarked the stranger. "It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not at least stand by her side. But he will be known--he will be known!"