traits, and
have given them a far darker coloring. But now the idea came strongly into
Hester's mind, that Pearl, with her remarkable precocity and acuteness, might
already have approached the age when she could be made a friend, and intrusted
with as much of her mother's sorrows as could be imparted, without irreverence
either to the parent or the child. In the little chaos of Pearl's character,
there might be seen emerging - and could have been, from the very first - the
stedfast principles of an unflinching courage, - an uncontrollable will, - a
sturdy pride, which might be disciplined into self-respect, - and a bitter scorn
of many things, which, when examined, might be found to have the taint of
falsehood in them. She possessed affections, too, though hitherto acrid and
disagreeable, as are the richest flavors of unripe fruit. With all these
sterling attributes, thought Hester, the evil which she inherited from her
mother must be great indeed, if a noble woman do not grow out of this elfish
child.
    Pearl's inevitable tendency to hover about the enigma of the scarlet letter
seemed an innate quality of her being. From the earliest epoch of her conscious
life, she had entered upon this as her appointed mission. Hester had often
fancied that Providence had a design of justice and retribution, in endowing the
child with this marked propensity; but never, until now, had she bethought
herself to ask, whether, linked with that design, there might not likewise be a
purpose of mercy and beneficence. If little Pearl were entertained with faith
and trust, as a spirit-messenger no less than an earthly child, might it not be
her errand to soothe away the sorrow that lay cold in her mother's heart, and
converted it into a tomb? - and to help her to overcome the passion, once so
wild, and even yet neither dead nor asleep, but only imprisoned within the same
tomb-like heart?
    Such were some of the thoughts that now stirred in Hester's mind, with as
much vivacity of impression as if they had actually been whispered into her ear.
And there was little Pearl, all this while, holding her mother's hand in both
her own, and turning her face upward, while she put these searching questions,
once, and again, and still a third time.
    »What does the letter mean, mother? - and why dost thou wear it? - and why
does the minister keep his hand over his heart?«
    »What shall I say