The Forest
Hester remained strong in her resolve to tell the reverend just who Roger knew that the reverend would be passing through the forest, she set out to cross his path, taking along little Pearl. As they entered the forest, Pearl cried out, “Mother, the sunshine doesn’t love you! It runs away and hides because of the A on your bosom!”
“Then you had better run away and try to catch it!” answered her mother. The little girl actually did catch the sun, standing amid its brilliant splendor.
As they passed deeper into the forest, Pearl asked her mother to sit and rest for a while. “Tell me a story.” She demanded. “A story about what?” asked Hester. “A story about the Black Man who haunts the forest with his big, heavy, black book with iron clasps And tell me about how he makes people w rite their names in his book using their own blood! Did you ever meet the Black Man, Mother?”
“Who told you about this?” Hester asked. “Last night, when we were at the house you were watching, the old woman thought I was asleep while she spoke of it. She said that the scarlet letter was the Black Man’s mark on you.”
“I’ll tell you a story about the Black Man if you won’t ask me any more afterward’” said Hester. “I met the Black Man once, and this scarlet letter is his mark.”
Suddenly, Hester heard footsteps coming through the forest.
“Pearl, run along now, and play. I want to speak with the man who’s coming toward us.”
“Is it the Black Man” inquired Pearl.
“Of course not, silly child. It is the reverend.”
“It is,” said Pearl, who could now see the reverend coming through the darkened forest. “And he has hand over his Heart. That’s because he wrote his name in the book and the Black Man put his mark over the reverend’s heart. But why doesn’t he wear it on the outside like you?”
“Now go child!” cried Hester. “Stay near the stream, and don’t go too far!” Pearl walked away, singing to herself. Hester saw the reverend coming down the path. He looked weaker and more depressed than ever.
“Arthur Dimmesdale,” she called out to him. “Reverend Dimmesdale!”