第6部分(第1/7 页)

ent；　to　take　the　unprofitable　labouroff　my　hands。　As　a　final　disposition；　I　contemplate　depositing　themwith　the　Essex　Historical　Society。 But　the　object　that　most　drew　my　attention；　in　the　mysteriouspackage；　was　a　certain　affair　of　fine　red　cloth；　much　worn　andfaded。　There　were　traces　about　it　of　gold　embroidery；　which；however；　was　greatly　frayed　and　defaced；　so　that　none；　or　very　little；of　the　glitter　was　left。　It　had　been　wrought；　as　was　easy　to　perceive；with　wonderful　skill　of　needlework；　and　the　stitch　（as　I　am　assured　byladies　conversant　with　such　mysteries）…　gives　evidence　of　a　nowforgotten　art；　not　to　be　recovered　even　by　the　process　of　pickingout　the　threads。　This　rag　of　scarlet　cloth…　for　time；　and　wear；　anda　sacrilegious　moth；　had　reduced　it　to　little　other　than　a　rag…　oncareful　examination；　assumed　the　shape　of　a　letter。　It　was　the　capitalletter　A。　By　an　accurate　measurement；　each　limb　proved　to　be　preciselythree　inches　and　a　quarter　in　length。　It　had　been　intended；　therecould　be　no　doubt；　as　an　ornamental　article　of　dress；　but　how　it　wasto　be　worn；　or　what　rank；　honour；　and　dignity；　in　by…past　times；were　signified　by　it；　was　a　riddle　which　（so　evanescent　are　thefashions　of　the　world　in　these　particulars）　I　saw　little　hope　ofsolving。　And　yet　it　strangely　interested　me。　My　eyes　fastenedthemselves　upon　the　old　scarlet　letter；　and　would　not　be　turned　aside。Certainly；　there　was　some　deep　meaning　in　it；　most　worthy　ofinterpretation；　and　which；　as　it　were；　streamed　forth　from　themystic　symbol；　subtly　municating　itself　to　my　sensibilities；　butevading　the　analysis　of　my　mind。 While　thus　perplexed…　and　cogitating；　among　other　hypotheses；whether　the　letter　might　not　have　been　one　of　those　decorationswhich　the　white　men　used　to　contrive；　in　order　to　take　the　eyes