The New England Holiday

           BetimesinthemorningofthedayonwhichthenewGovernorwastoreceivehisofficeatthehandsofthepeople,HesterPrynneandlittlePearlcameintothemarket-place.Itwasalreadythrongedwiththecraftsmenandotherplebeianinhabitantsofthetown,inconsiderablenumbers,amongwhom,likewise,weremanyroughfigures,whoseattireofdeer-skinsmarkedthemasbelongingtosomeoftheforestsettlements,whichsurroundedthelittlemetropolisofthecolony.

           Onthispublicholiday,asonallotheroccasionsforsevenyearspast,Hesterwascladinagarmentofcoarsegraycloth.Notmorebyitshuethanbysomeindescribablepeculiarityinitsfashion,ithadtheeffectofmakingherfadepersonallyoutofsightandoutline;whileagainthescarletletterbroughtherbackfromthistwilightindistinctness,andrevealedherunderthemoralaspectofitsownillumination.Herface,solongfamiliartothetownspeople,showedthemarblequietudewhichtheywereaccustomedtobeholdthere.Itwaslikeamask;or,ratherlikethefrozencalmnessofadeadwoman’sfeatures;owingthisdrearyresemblancetothefactthatHesterwasactuallydead,inrespecttoanyclaimofsympathy,andhaddepartedoutoftheworldwithwhichshestillseemedtomingle.

           Itmightbe,onthisoneday,thattherewasanexpressionunseenbefore,nor,indeed,vividenoughtobedetectednow;unlesssomepreternaturallygiftedobservershouldhavefirstreadtheheart,andhaveafterwardssoughtacorrespondingdevelopmentinthecountenanceandmien.