The Scarlet Letter - Page 131/161

"Not now, my child," answered Hester. "But in days to come he

will walk hand in hand with us. We will have a home and fireside

of our own; and thou shalt sit upon his knee; and he will teach

thee many things, and love thee dearly. Thou wilt love him--wilt

thou not?"

"And will he always keep his hand over his heart?" inquired

Pearl.

"Foolish child, what a question is that!" exclaimed her mother.

"Come, and ask his blessing!"

But, whether influenced by the jealousy that seems instinctive

with every petted child towards a dangerous rival, or from

whatever caprice of her freakish nature, Pearl would show no

favour to the clergyman. It was only by an exertion of force

that her mother brought her up to him, hanging back, and

manifesting her reluctance by odd grimaces; of which, ever since

her babyhood, she had possessed a singular variety, and could

transform her mobile physiognomy into a series of different

aspects, with a new mischief in them, each and all. The

minister--painfully embarrassed, but hoping that a kiss might

prove a talisman to admit him into the child's kindlier

regards--bent forward, and impressed one on her brow. Hereupon,

Pearl broke away from her mother, and, running to the brook,

stooped over it, and bathed her forehead, until the unwelcome

kiss was quite washed off and diffused through a long lapse of

the gliding water. She then remained apart, silently watching

Hester and the clergyman; while they talked together and made

such arrangements as were suggested by their new position and

the purposes soon to be fulfilled.

And now this fateful interview had come to a close. The dell

was to be left in solitude among its dark, old trees, which,

with their multitudinous tongues, would whisper long of what had

passed there, and no mortal be the wiser. And the melancholy

brook would add this other tale to the mystery with which its

little heart was already overburdened, and whereof it still kept

up a murmuring babble, with not a whit more cheerfulness of tone

than for ages heretofore.