The Child at the Brookside

           "Thouwillloveherdearly,"repeatedHesterPrynne,assheandtheministersatwatchinglittlePearl."Dostthounotthinkherbeautiful?Andseewithwhatnaturalskillshehasmadethosesimpleflowersadornher!Hadshegatheredpearls,anddiamonds,andrubiesinthewood,theycouldnothavebecomeherbetter!Sheisasplendidchild!ButIknowwhosebrowshehas!"

           "Dostthouknow,Hester,"saidArthurDimmesdale,withanunquietsmile,"thatthisdearchild,trippingaboutalwaysatthyside,hathcausedmemanyanalarm?Methought—oh,Hester,whatathoughtisthat,andhowterribletodreadit!—thatmyownfeatureswerepartlyrepeatedinherface,andsostrikinglythattheworldmightseethem!Butsheismostlythine!"

           "No,no!Notmostly!"answeredthemother,withatendersmile."Alittlelonger,andthouneedestnottobeafraidtotracewhosechildsheis.Buthowstrangelybeautifulshelookswiththosewildflowersinherhair!Itisasifoneofthefairies,whomweleftindearoldEngland,haddeckedherouttomeetus."

           Itwaswithafeelingwhichneitherofthemhadeverbeforeexperienced,thattheysatandwatchedPearl’sslowadvance.Inherwasvisiblethetiethatunitedthem.Shehadbeenofferedtotheworld,thesesevenpastyears,asthelivinghieroglyphic,inwhichwasrevealedthesecrettheysodarklysoughttohide—allwritteninthissymbol—allplainlymanifest—hadtherebeenaprophetormagicianskilledtoreadthecharacterofflame!AndPearlwastheonenessoftheirbeing.