e　scarlet　letter；　cameand　thrust　their　sunburnt　and　desperado…looking　faces　into　the　ring。Even　the　Indians　were　affected　by　a　sort　of　cold　shadow　of　the　whiteman's　curiosity；　and；　gliding　through　the　crowd；　fastened　theirsnake…like　black　eyes　on　Hester's　bosom；　conceiving；　perhaps；　that　thewearer　of　this　brilliantly　embroidered　badge　must　needs　be　a　personageof　high　dignity　among　her　people。　Lastly　the　inhabitants　of　the　town（their　own　interest　in　this　worn…out　subject　languidly　revivingitself；　by　sympathy　with　what　they　saw　others　feel）　lounged　idly　tothe　same　quarter；　and　tormented　Hester　Prynne；　perhaps　more　than　allthe　rest；　with　their　cool；　well…acquainted　gaze　at　her　familiar　shame。Hester　saw　and　recognised　the　self…same　faces　of　that　group　ofmatrons；　who　had　awaited　her　forthing　from　the　prison…door；　sevenyears　ago；　all　save　one；　the　youngest　and　only　passionate　amongthem；　whose　burial…robe　she　had　since　made。　At　the　final　hour；　whenshe　was　so　soon　to　fling　aside　the　burning　letter；　it　had　strangelybee　the　centre　of　more　remark　and　excitement；　and　was　thus　madeto　sear　her　breast　more　painfully；　than　at　any　time　since　the　firstday　she　put　it　on。 While　Hester　stood　in　that　magic　circle　of　ignominy；　where　thecunning　cruelty　of　her　sentence　seemed　to　have　fixed　her　for　ever；　theadmirable　preacher　was　looking　down　from　the　sacred　pulpit　upon　anaudience；　whose　very　inmost　spirits　had　yielded　to　his　control。　Thesainted　minister　in　the　church！　The　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter　in　themarket…place！　What　imagination　would　have　been　irreverent　enough　tosurmise　that　the　same　scorching　stigma　was　on　them　both！ XXIII。 THE　REVELATION　OF　THE　SCARLET　LETTER。 THE　eloquent　voice；　on　which　the　souls　of　the　listening　audience　hadbeen　borne　aloft