at it had so faithfully performed itsoffice。 The glow； which they had just before beheld burning on hischeek； was extinguished； like a flame that sinks down hopelessly amongthe late…decaying embers。 It seemed hardly the face of a man alive；with such a deathlike hue； it was hardly a man with life in him；that tottered on his path so nervelessly； yet tottered； and did notfall！ One of his clerical brethren… it was the venerable John Wilson…observing the state in which Mr。 Dimmesdale was left by the retiringwave of intellect and sensibility； stepped forward hastily to offerhis support。 The minister tremulously； but decidedly； repelled the oldman's arm。 He still walked onward； if that movement could be sodescribed； which rather resembled the wavering effort of an infant；with its mother's arms in view； outstretched to tempt him forward。 Andnow； almost imperceptible as were the latter steps of his progress； hehad e opposite the well…remembered and weather…darkened scaffold；where； long since； with all that dreary lapse of time between；Hester Prynne had encountered the world's ignominious stare。 Therestood Hester； holding little Pearl by the hand！ And there was thescarlet letter on her breast！ The minister here made a pause； althoughthe music still played the stately and rejoicing march to which theprocession moved。 It summoned him onward… onward to the festival！… buthere he made a pause。 Bellingham； for the last few moments； had kept an anxious eye uponhim。 He now left his own place in the procession； and advanced to giveassistance； judging； from Mr。 Dimmesdale's aspect； that he mustotherwise inevitably fall。 But there was something in the latter'sexpression that warned back the magistrate； although a man not readilyobeying the vague intimations that pass from one spirit to another。The crowd； meanwhile； looked on with awe and wonder。 This earthlyfaintness was； in their view； only another phase of the ministers'celestial strength； nor would it have seemed a miracle too high tobe wrought for one so holy； had he ascended before their eyes；waxing dimmer and brighter； and fading at last into the light ofheaven！ He turned towards the scaffold； and stretched forth his arms。 〃Hester；〃 said he； 〃e hither！ e； my little Pearl！〃 It was a ghastly look with which he regarded them； but there wassomething at once tender and strangely triumphant in it。 The child；with the bird…like motion which was one of her characteristics； flewto him； and clasped her arms about his knees。 Hester Prynne… slowly；as if impelled by inevitable fate； and against her strongest will…likewise drew near； but paused before she reached him。 At thisinstant； old Roger Chillingworth thrust himself through the crowd… or；perhaps； so dark； disturbed； and evil was his look； he rose up outof some her region… to snatch back his victim from what he soughtto do！ Be that as it might； the old man rushed forward； and caught theminister by the arm。 〃Madman； hold！ what is your purpose？〃 whispered he。 〃Wave backthat woman！ Cast off this child！ All shall be well！ Do not blackenyour fame； and perish in dishonour。 I can yet save you！ Would youbring infamy on your sacred profession？〃 〃Ha； tempter！ Methinks thou art too late！〃 answered the minister；encountering his eye； fearfully； but firmly。 〃Thy power is not what itwas！ With God's help； I shall escape thee now！〃 He again extended his hand to the woman of the scarlet letter。 〃Hester Prynne；〃 cried he； with a piercing earnestness； 〃in the nameof Him； so terrible and so merciful； who gives me grace； at thislast moment； to do what… for my own heavy sin and miserable agony… Iwithheld myself from doing seven years ago； e hither now； and twihy strength about me！ Thy strength； Hester； but let it be guided bythe will which God hath granted me！ This wretched and wronged oldman is opposing it with all his might！… with all his own might； andthe fiend's！ e； Hester； e！ Support me up yonder scaffold！〃 The crowd was in a tumult。 The men of rank and dignity； who stoodmore immediately around the clergyman； were so taken by surprise；and so perplexed as to the purport of what they saw… unable to receivethe explanation which most readily presented itself； or to imagine anyother… that they remained silent and inactive spectators of thejudgment which Providence seemed about to work。 They beheld theminister； leaning on Hester's shoulder； and supported by her armaround him； approach the scaffold； and ascend its steps； while stillthe little hand of the sin…born child was clasped in his。 Old RogerChillingworth followed； as one intimately connected with the dramaof guilt and sorrow in which they had all been actors； and wellentitled； therefore； to be present at its closing scene。 〃Hadst thou sought the whole earth over；〃 said he； looking darkly atthe clergyman； 〃there was no one place so secret… no high place norlowly place； where thou couldst have escaped me… save on this veryscaffold！〃 〃Thanks be to Him who hath led me hither〃 answered the minister。 Yet he trembled； and turned to Hester with an expression of doubtand anxiety in his eyes； not the less evidently betrayed； that therewas a feeble smile upon his lips。 〃Is not this better；〃 murmured he； 〃than what we dreamed of in theforest？〃 〃I know not！ I know not！〃 she hurriedly replied。 〃Better？ Yea； so wemay both die； and little Pearl die with us！〃 〃For thee and Pearl； be it as God shall order；〃 said the minister；〃and God is merciful！ Let me now do the will which He hath madeplain before my sight。 For； Hester； I am a dying man。 So let me makehaste to take my shame upon me！〃 Partly supported by Hester Prynne； and holding one hand of littlePearl's； the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale turned to the dignified andvenerable rulers； to the holy ministers； who were his brethren； to thepeople； whose great heart was thoroughly appalled； yet overflowingwith tearful sympathy； as knowing that some deep life…matter… which；if full of sin； was full of anguish and repentance likewise… was nowto be laid open to them。 The sun； but little past its meridian；shone down upon the clergyman； and gave a distinctness to hisfigure； as he stood out from all the earth； to put in his plea ofguilty at the bar of Eternal Justice。 〃People of New England！〃 cried he； with a voice that rose over them；high； solemn； and majestic… yet had always a tremor through it； andsometimes a shriek； struggling up out of a fathomless depth of remorseand woe… 〃ye； that have loved me！… ye； that have deemed me holy…behold me here； the one sinner of the world！ At last！… at last！… Istand upon the spot where； seven years since； I should have stood；here； with this woman； whose arm； more than the little strengthwherewith I have crept hitherward； sustains me； at this dreadfulmoment； from grovelling down upon my face！ Lo； the scarlet letterwhich Hester wears！ Ye have all shuddered at it！ Wherever her walkhath been… wherever； so miserably burdened； she may have hoped to findrepose… it hath cast a lurid gleam of awe and horrible repugnanceround about her。 But there stood one in the midst of you； at whosebrand of sin and infamy ye have not shuddered！〃 It seemed； at this point； as if the minister must leave theremainder of his secret undisclosed。 But he fought back the bodilyweakness… and； still more； the faintness of heart… that was strivingfor the mastery with him。 He threw off all assistance； and steppedpassionately forward a pace before the woman and the child。 〃It was on him！〃 he continued； with a kind of fierceness； sodetermined was he to speak out the whole。 〃God's eye beheld it！ Theangels were forever pointing at it！ The Devil knew it well； andfretted it continually with the touch of his burning finger！ But hehid it cunningly from men； and walked among you with the mien of aspirit； mournful； because so pure in a sinful world！… and sad； becausehe missed his heavenly kindred！ Now； at the death…hour； he stands upbefore you！ He bids you look again at Hester's scarlet letter！ Hetells you； that； with all its mysterious horror； it is but theshadow of what he bears on his own breast； and that even this； his ownred stigma； is no more than the type of what has seared his inmostheart！ Stand any here that question God's judgment on a sinner？Behold！ Behold a dreadful witness of it！〃 With a convulsive motion； he tore away the ministerial band frombefore his breast。 It was revealed！ But it were irreverent to describethat revelation。 For an instant； the gaze of the horror…strickenmultitude was concentred on the ghastly miracle； while the ministerstood； with a flush of triumph in his face； as one who； in thecrisis of acutest pain； had won a victory。 Then； down he sank upon thescaffold！ Hester partly raised him； and supported his head against herbosom。 Old Roger Chillingworth knelt down beside him； with a blank；dull countenance； out of which the life seemed to have departed。 〃Thou hast escaped me！〃 he repeated more than once。 〃Thou hastescaped me！〃 〃May God forgive thee！〃 said the minister。 〃Thou； too； hast deeplysinned！〃
End
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