[Comprehensive Classics] Killing the Classics

"Mrs. Hester Prynne" is the most concerned person in this colony.She is young and beautiful, with a graceful figure and black hair. She looks slender, gentle, stable and dignified.She was originally from a good background, and had a scholar husband; although he was old and not handsome, he had nothing to criticize about her.

However, for a woman, not being able to be with someone who is connected with her heart may already be regarded as a kind of torture.Therefore, when Mrs. Prynne's husband sent her across the ocean to Massachusetts, but she hadn't heard from her for two years, it seems pardonable to think about the young and lonely Mrs. Prynne's derailment.

The governors of Massachusetts really showed great tolerance and mercy to this little woman, so they didn't directly execute her; according to the laws of this era, the crimes committed by Hester should really be punished by death .Considering that she is young and beautiful, and her husband is very likely to be buried in the sea, the authorities can be forgiven for being seduced by others in the past two years.Therefore, even if she communicated with others and gave birth to a girl, the officials did not execute her, but ordered her to wear a bright red letter a (adultery, communication) to show vigilance.

When Anya regained consciousness again, this was all she could detect from her surroundings.Now she is just a baby, with a huge spirit squeezed into a small body, but this shell fits her very well, even comparable to Esmeralda's body... She has to Not enduring the severe pain every day, almost no time to take care of other things.

This is the world she was supposed to come to?But why did she turn into a baby!Is it going to be like Benedetto's time again, needing to sleep for ten or twenty years, and then find someone to help her get out of this body...

The newborn's body is very fragile, and the environment in the dungeon is dark, so it is not easy to see the light.When Anya was conscious, the only thing she could pay attention to was Hester who was embroidering and sewing under the candlelight.

Hester was sewing her A-letter.This badge of shame was destined to hang on her heart for life, a reminder of her own wrongdoing.Every time a person sees this letter, her shame increases.This punishment is no better than execution, but even though it was painful, Hester still gritted her teeth, unwilling to speak out about her accomplice.

Anya has too much spiritual power now, and she has to spread it out every day.So, she does know who her "father" is.On the surface, the pale young pastor didn't look like someone who could do such a thing at all... However, the magic of love allowed them to fuse together until Anya's current body was born.

Not to mention that there is no soul in this body, even if there is, it may have been crushed by Anya's mental power.Now she had no choice but to admit that she was the lover's daughter... Besides, Hester's appearance was so familiar that she vaguely recalled something.

The young clergyman, named Dimmesdale, happened to be in charge of the parish.He looks talented, knowledgeable, and very charismatic.There is nothing wrong with Hester falling in love with him.However, logically speaking, if the pastor is a responsible person, he should find a way to marry Hester instead of having sex with a possible widow.After she was imprisoned, he didn't take the initiative to stand up and admit that he was the one who seduced her...

On the one hand, Anya sympathized with Hester, but on the other hand she hated Dimmesdale.If he can show some manly courage, even if he is as decisive as St. John, Hester will not be reduced to the current situation...

Baby's time always flies by.After several ups and downs in consciousness, Anya saw the first sunshine in her life.Hester wore the bright red A letter and walked out of the cell holding her.A jailer grabbed her by the shoulders, but when she walked to the door, as if out of dignity, she pushed the jailer away and walked into the sunlight by herself.

Anya buried her head in Hester's arms, not letting her eyes accept the bright sunshine too quickly.She knew what was coming—Hester had to hold her, wear her badge of infamy, and stand on that gallows for everyone to see her bright red A.However, she was not afraid, and stood on the high platform calmly.

This courage did not last long.After recalling all the memories of her young life in her mind, her fingers involuntarily touched the bright red letter a.Due to her exquisite craftsmanship, the embroidery on the letter a is also gorgeous, which can be called a work of art.Yet it was so scorching, it was as much a symbol of shame as the baby she held in her arms.She looked away, but saw a familiar figure on the periphery of the crowd.

Anya was already about to fall asleep, and falling asleep under the warm sun was an experience she hadn't enjoyed for a long time.But Hester suddenly hugged her tightly, with great force.Anya cried impatiently, expressing her discomfort, but Hester hugged her tightly without any relaxation.

During the time they spent together, Hester's love for her daughter was still very obvious, and it was really unusual to have such a behavior.Anya followed her gaze to diverge her perception, and soon found the person Hester had noticed—a man in a strange costume, short in stature, wrinkled, very intelligent, with his left shoulder The right shoulder should be high.While Hester was staring at him, he was also staring at Hester.

Who is this guy?Anya was a little puzzled.She noticed that Hester's body was becoming more rigid, and she was suddenly very puzzled.

After a while, someone called Hester's name from the top of his head: "Listen to me, Hester Prynne!"

The person who called her was an old and respected clergyman in Boston, and he spoke very kindly.There is nothing new about what he said, but just to persuade Hester again, trying to get her to confess who her lover is.He even asked the Reverend Dimmesdale, who was standing nearby, to persuade Hester.

Dimmesdale's face was pale, his lips trembled, and every word he uttered seemed to be in great torment.His heart was indeed not peaceful, but none of the people present noticed that he was strange.

"Hester Prynne." He leaned out of the balcony and gazed firmly into Hester's eyes.The latter was not calmer than him, but still kept that stubborn look on his face.His voice was trembling, and his voice was intermittent, advising her to speak out about her accomplice, because even though she kept silent out of pity and warmth, the other party's mood did not feel much better because of it!He asked her to speak his name, not to stop him from going to that kind of trial—

Anya suddenly laughed in Hester's arms, her small body trembling slightly.The prestige of Reverend Dimmesdale in this parish can be seen just by looking at the expressions on the faces of the people present.And these people—these people—including Hester, and even the pastor himself, couldn't understand how hypocritical and dirty the person standing on the balcony really was!

Dimmesdale's voice is gripping, and the painful emotions contained in it are naturally conveyed to Hester's ears.Anya turned her head, stared in the direction of the pastor, waved her tender arms, trying to question angrily.If he really wanted to stand with Hester, why was he standing on the balcony!He should have stood up bravely when Hester was arrested and told everyone that he was the one who induced the poor woman to fall!When Hester was holding her on the gallows, he should have come down from the balcony, stood with Hester, and told everyone that he, too, was a sinner who was being ashamed!

No matter what he did, even pretending to be deaf and dumb and ignoring Hester, Anya would not be so angry.However, he put on a painful and sad look, and begged Hester to tell his name—he knew that his words and words would be like steel knives, cutting scars on Hester's soft heart !He even said, "What use is your silence to him? It is nothing more than to lure him—no, to force him, to impose a layer of hypocrisy on his own sin!"

If you were really aware of your sin, why didn't you stand up and force Hester to make a decision instead!Hester is determined to bear the pain of being humiliated with all her strength, and it’s fine if you can’t share it with her. Why force her to betray her lover? !

The anger in Anya's heart was getting deeper and deeper. She couldn't see the pastor's face clearly, but tried to look at him with those baby eyes.Her fingers grasped the scarlet letter on Hester's breast, and she murmured.Hester... say his name, name the hypocrite, and let him stand with you...

The hint of the overflowing spirit tempts Hester to utter Dimmesdale's name.Everyone believed that Hester would name the sinner after hearing that touching speech; but she shook her head.

Pastor Wilson was very surprised by this, and even used Anya to persuade her: "Your little baby uses her god-given voice to echo and affirm the advice you have heard! Say the name of that person." !"

But Hester shook her head: "I will never say it!"

At this time, the short man standing on the periphery of the crowd suddenly shouted: "Speak up, woman! Speak up: let your child have a father!"