第27部分(第3/7 頁)

he　assumed　afreedom　of　speculation；　then　mon　enough　on　the　other　side　of　theAtlantic；　but　which　our　forefathers；　had　they　known　it；　would　haveheld　to　be　a　deadlier　crime　than　that　stigmatised　by　the　scarletletter。　In　her　lonesome　cottage　by　the　seashore；　thoughts　visited　her；such　as　dared　to　enter　no　other　dwelling　in　New　England；　shadowyguests；　that　would　have　been　as　perilous　as　demons　to　theirentertainer　could　they　have　been　seen　so　much　as　knocking　at　her　door。 It　is　remarkable；　that　persons　who　speculate　the　most　boldly　oftenconform　with　the　most　perfect　quietude　to　the　external　regulationsof　society。　The　thought　suffices　them；　without　investing　itself　in　theflesh　and　blood　of　action。　So　it　seemed　to　be　with　Hester。　Yet；　hadlittle　Pearl　never　e　to　her　from　the　spiritual　world；　it　might　havebeen　far　otherwise。　Then；　she　might　have　e　down　to　us　in　history；hand　in　hand　with　Ann　Hutchinson；　as　the　foundress　of　a　religioussect。　She　might；　in　one　of　her　phases；　have　been　a　prophetess。　Shemight；　and　not　improbably　would；　have　suffered　death　from　the　sterntribunals　of　the　period；　for　attempting　to　undermine　the　foundationsof　the　Puritan　establishment。　But；　in　the　education　of　her　child；the　mother's　enthusiasm　of　thought　had　something　to　wreak　itself　upon。Providence；　in　the　person　of　this　little　girl；　had　assigned　toHester's　charge　the　germ　and　blossom　of　womanhood；　to　be　cherished　anddeveloped　amid　a　host　of　difficulties。　Everything　was　against　her。　Theworld　was　hostile。　The　child's　own　nature　had　something　wrong　in　it；which　continually　betokened　that　she　had　been　born　amiss…　theeffluence　of　her　mother's　lawless　passion…　and　often　impelled　Hesterto　ask；　in　bitterness　of　heart；　whether　it　were　for　ill　or　good　thatthe　poor　little　creature　had　been　born　at　all。 Indeed；　the