The Recognition

           Fromthisintenseconsciousnessofbeingtheobjectofsevereanduniversalobservation,thewearerofthescarletletterwasatlengthrelieved,bydiscerning,ontheoutskirtsofthecrowd,afigurewhichirresistiblytookpossessionofherthoughts.AnIndianinhisnativegarbwasstandingthere;buttheredmenwerenotsoinfrequentvisitorsoftheEnglishsettlementsthatoneofthemwouldhaveattractedanynoticefromHesterPrynneatsuchatime;muchlesswouldhehaveexcludedallotherobjectsandideasfromhermind.BytheIndian’sside,andevidentlysustainingacompanionshipwithhim,stoodawhiteman,cladinastrangedisarrayofcivilizedandsavagecostume.

           Hewassmallinstature,withafurrowedvisage,whichasyetcouldhardlybetermedaged.Therewasaremarkableintelligenceinhisfeatures,asofapersonwhohadsocultivatedhismentalpartthatitcouldnotfailtomouldthephysicaltoitselfandbecomemanifestbyunmistakabletokens.Although,byaseeminglycarelessarrangementofhisheterogeneousgarb,hehadendeavouredtoconcealorabatethepeculiarity,itwassufficientlyevidenttoHesterPrynnethatoneofthisman’sshouldersrosehigherthantheother.Again,atthefirstinstantofperceivingthatthinvisage,andtheslightdeformityofthefigure,shepressedherinfanttoherbosomwithsoconvulsiveaforcethatthepoorbabeutteredanothercryofpain.Butthemotherdidnotseemtohearit,

           Athisarrivalinthemarket-place,andsometimebeforeshesawhim,thestrangerhadbenthiseyesonHesterPrynne.