第14部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

　it　on　their　scarfs；　and　the　minister　onhis　hand；　it　decked　the　baby's　little　cap；　it　was　shut　up；　to　bemildewed　and　moulder　away；　in　the　coffins　of　the　dead。　But　it　is　notrecorded　that；　in　a　single　instance；　her　skill　was　called　in　aid　toembroider　the　white　veil　which　was　to　cover　the　pure　blushes　of　abride。　The　exception　indicated　the　ever　relentless　vigour　with　whichsociety　frowned　upon　her　sin。 Hester　sought　not　to　acquire　anything　beyond　a　subsistence；　of　theplainest　and　most　ascetic　description；　for　herself；　and　a　simpleabundance　for　her　child。　Her　own　dress　was　of　the　coarsest　materialsand　the　most　sombre　hue；　with　only　that　one　ornament…　the　scarletletter…　which　it　was　her　doom　to　wear。　The　child's　attire；　on　theother　hand；　was　distinguished　by　a　fanciful；　or；　we　might　rathersay；　a　fantastic　ingenuity；　which　served；　indeed；　to　heighten　the　airycharm　that　early　began　to　develop　itself　in　the　little　girl；　but　whichappeared　to　have　also　a　deeper　meaning。　We　may　speak　further　of　ithereafter。　Except　for　that　small　expenditure　in　the　decoration　ofher　infant；　Hester　bestowed　all　her　superfluous　means　in　charity；　onwretches　less　miserable　than　herself；　and　who　not　infrequentlyinsulted　the　hand　that　fed　them。　Much　of　the　time；　which　she　mightreadily　have　applied　to　the　better　efforts　of　her　art；　she　employed　inmaking　coarse　garments　for　the　poor。　It　is　probable　that　there　wasan　idea　of　penance　in　this　mode　of　occupation；　and　that　she　offered　upa　real　sacrifice　of　enjoyment；　in　devoting　so　many　hours　to　suchrude　handiwork。　She　had　in　her　nature　a　rich；　voluptuous；　Orientalcharacteristic…　a　taste　for　the　gorgeously　beautiful；　which；　save　inthe　exquisite　productions　of　her　needle；　found　nothing　else；　in　allthe　possibilities　of　her　life；　to　exercise　itself　upon。　Women　deriv