of　more　thana　temporary　struggle。　He　sank　down　on　the　ground；　and　buried　hisface　in　his　hands。 〃I　might　have　known　it；〃　murmured　he。　〃I　did　know　it！　Was　not　thesecret　told　me；　in　the　natural　recoil　of　my　heart；　at　the　firstsight　of　him；　and　as　often　as　I　have　seen　him　since？　Why　did　I　notunderstand？　O　Hester　Prynne；　thou　little；　little　knowest　all　thehorror　of　this　thing！　And　the　shame！…　the　indelicacy！…　the　horribleugliness　of　this　exposure　of　a　sick　and　guilty　heart　to　the　very　eyethat　would　gloat　over　it？　Woman；　woman；　thou　are　accountable　for　this！I　cannot　forgive　thee！〃 〃Thou　shalt　forgive　me！〃　cried　Hester；　flinging　herself　on　thefallen　leaves　beside　him。　〃Let　God　punish！　Thou　shalt　forgive！〃 With　sudden　and　desperate　tenderness；　she　threw　her　arms　around　him；and　pressed　his　head　against　her　bosom；　little　caring　though　his　cheekrested　on　the　scarlet　letter。　He　would　have　released　himself；　butstrove　in　vain　to　do　so。　Hester　would　not　set　him　free；　lest　he　shouldlook　her　sternly　in　the　face。　All　the　world　had　frowned　on　her…　forseven　long　years　had　it　frowned　upon　this　lonely　woman…　and　stillshe　bore　it　all；　nor　ever　once　turned　away　her　firm；　sad　eyes。　Heaven；likewise；　had　frowned　upon　her；　and　she　had　not　died。　But　the　frown　ofthis　pale；　weak；　sinful；　and　sorrow…stricken　man　was　what　Hester　couldnot　bear；　and　live！ 〃Wilt　thou　yet　forgive　me？〃　she　repeated；　over　and　over　again。　〃Wiltthou　not　frown？　Wilt　thou　forgive？〃 〃I　do　forgive　you；　Hester；〃　replied　the　mini