Some years later, Pearl was running around. One day, she gathered a bundle of wildflower. She then began pitching them at the letter on her mother’s breast dancing up and down with when one of them the scarlet letter.
Hester’s first instinct was cover the letter with her arms. But she resisted, considering each flower’s painful strike against her heart to be part of her penance. To her mother’s obvious pain, Pearl only laughed, her eyes flashing a demonic glow.
“Are you really my child?” Hester asked her playfully. “Who made you, and who sent you here?”
“You tell me,” replied Pearl, who became very serious. “Do tell me.”
The Heavenly Father sent you,” Hester answered after a pause.
But her hesitation was not lost on the child’s keen intelligence. “He did not send me,” cried Pearl. “I have no Heavenly Father!”
“Oh please,” cried Hester. “You mustn’t say that. He created all of us!”
“No, you must tell me,” laughed Pearl, who danced about. “Do tell me!”
Hester shuddered, unable to answer her question.