A spell was broken. The great scene of
grief, in which the wild infant bore a part had developed all
her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father's cheek,
they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and
sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in
it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl's errand as a messenger of
anguish was fulfilled.
"Hester," said the clergyman, "farewell!"
"Shall we not meet again?" whispered she, bending her face down
close to his. "Shall we not spend our immortal life together?
Surely, surely, we have ransomed one another, with all this woe!
Thou lookest far into eternity, with those bright dying eyes!
Then tell me what thou seest!"
"Hush, Hester--hush!" said he, with tremulous solemnity. "The
law we broke!--the sin here awfully revealed!--let these alone
be in thy thoughts! I fear! I fear! It may be, that, when we
forgot our God--when we violated our reverence each for the
other's soul--it was thenceforth vain to hope that we could meet
hereafter, in an everlasting and pure reunion. God knows; and He
is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my
afflictions.
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