The Scarlet Letter Page #3

my translations all day.

Translations?

Aye. l'm attempting to

translate the Bible into

the local lndian language,

Algonquin.

What an ambitious undertaking.

But l'm told the lndians don't want

to be guided by our Bible.

That war with them is inevitable.

Some think that way,

but they're wrong.

The lndians, born from a

certain liberty,

take not easily

to bridle and bit.

No man should.

Well...

What?

What?

You keep putting ink

on your face.

Oh, l do.

There you are.

l do hope you enjoy

the books.

Thank you.

Good day.

Good day.

Mituba?

'Tis only a bathing tub,

not a toy of Satan.

Mistress Prynne?

Reverend Dimmesdale!

-You frightened me.

-l'm sorry. l didn't mean to.

lt's a wonderful surprise.

-lt's beautiful.

-Yes, and frightening.

Just as Eden must have been.

So untouched.

Does it not cry out

with it's promise,

that everything

can begin anew?

l brought back your books.

You couldn't have read them all

in four days.

Oh no, l did.

l read most of them twice.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Farewell.

Hester...

l'm not the man l seem.

l've lived here all my life,

my purpose clear.

But now l'd risk everything,

my life, my ministry, my soul

just to spend a few

moments alone with you.

God help me, Hester.

l love thee.

God help me.

l love thee too.

Oh God. Have we lost our way?

No!

l dreamed of thee speaking

thy heart.

l have prayed for it even as

l have dreaded it.

Was l alive before

l laid eyes on thee?

What shall we do?

l know not.

Say something to end it,

for l have not the power.

Nor l.

Nay!

We could be hanged for this.

l've put you in too much danger,

and l must end it by walking away

and never speaking with you again.

Go then.

Do as you promised.

Throughout the long summer,

Mistress Prynne and the Reverend

avoided each other

at all costs.

Mistress Prynne rarely went to town

and the Reverend escaped to the wilds

with the Indians

and faithful Johnny Sassamon

forcompany.

And the colony organized

it's annual election day

as usual.

No one the wiser that

there existed among them

two hearts struggling

against a love

that grew stronger with

each passing day.

Johnny Sassamon says they've

attacked the ''lntrepid''.

What's he saying,

Arthur?

The Tarrantines

attacked an English ship,

the lntrepid.

All were massacred.

''Prynne''.

''Doctor Roger Prynne''.

Mistress Prynne.

l'm here as your minister.

Come in.

There was an attack,

an lndian attack on one of our ships.

They say that,

all aboard were massacred.

l regret to be...

the one to bring you

this sad news.

l'll leave you to your mourning.

Are you certain none survived?

They say that the tide

washed away the bodies.

God forgive me!

l've prayed so long to

be set free.

You did not cause his death, Hester.

God...

took your husband.

But was it an answer

to my prayers?

Does He work like that?

Perhaps.

lf in His eyes there was no other way

we could be together.

l must know what the law is.

The mourning, how long must one wait?

1 month? Six months?

What?

Where there is no absolute

proof of death,

7 years must pass before

we're free to be seen in public.

7 years?

Yes...

Greetings, Metacomet.

We have been

enemies.

But now Tarrantine

and Wampanoag must unite

to fight

the greedy English.

before theypush us into

the sea.

Were the lndians

cruel to you, Mary?

After my little one died,

they treated me fair and square.

lf truth be told,

cruel is how you folks have

treated me since l come home.

Thank you.

l didn't do nothing

that wasn't forced on me!

The thought of being

taken by a savage

makes me sick to my stomach.

Well, they do it on

the backs of their horses,

ridin' across the land.

Hester, you all right?

Yes, l'm just tired.

Mary's right.

You call them savages.

l could tell you a thing or two

about your husband

before he tied the knot with you.

Stupid slut!

Harold would never had nothing

to do with no whore!

You think not?

l've even seen

one of your windy ministers

pokin' an lnjun girl,

standin' on a bible

so he could roger her better.

They always said the Scriptures

should uplift you!

l refuse to be with those

who would mock the Holy Book!

Well,

she'll not be coming back soon.

Good riddance to her!

We Quakers believe that

the Scriptures be not religion,

but only the ceremony

and history of it.

l agree.

For are not the laws of men

but the imagination of mortals,

and the inner spirit

the true voice of Heaven?

Hester,

l pray you're not sayin'

you talk directly

to the Deity?

Don't you know that

only paid Bible-thumpers

can do that?

Have a care, child,

or they'll talking of you

the way they talk of me!

l know some consider it

blasphemous to say this,

but l do talk to God.

l have since l was a small child.

And He answers me.

Mistress Roger Prynne...

by order of the Governor of

Masachusetts Bay Colony,

you are ordered to appear

before the magistrates

at eight tomorrow morn!

Don't be tardy!

Mistress Prynne,

these gentlemen have laid a

charge ofheresy againstyou.

Tell me how it is the laws ofmen

are the imagination ofmortals?

It is the meetings

thatyou call heresy.

Lascivious talk offornication

with savages.

Fallen women who tell lies

about good citizens.

This is what comes when there is

no qualified man present

to guide these women

in their untutored chatterings.

lf the discourse of women

is untutored chattering,

why does the Bible teach that women

shall be the teachers of women?

Hester, we ask that

you cease these meetings.

No, sirs.

l'll not stop the meetings.

Arthur.

Please join us.

l've been fishing, sir..

You may thank me to remain

where l am.

-Please be seated.

-Call our first witness.

ls it truly of import?

Yes, it is of great consequence.

Very well, call your witness.

Goody Gotwick?

Stand up, Goody.

You revealed to my wife

something very disturbing.

Tell me, what does it mean

when a woman

vomits in the morning hours?

And vomits more than once

in the morning hours?

l only saw her the one time.

Yes. And?

Goody Mortimer

saw her get sick in the market.

Are you with child?

Answer your betters, woman!

Do you carry a bastard child

in yur womb?

Yes.

Who is the father?

You are innocent next to the one

who would hide behind your skirts.

We would hang that fornicator!

l'll not reveal the name, sir.

l will tell you his name!

His name is Lucifer!

His name is Legion!

His name is lust!

Gentlemen,

What do you hope to accomplish?

You know there is no law

against pregnancy.

But there is against adultery.

lt would only adultery if

her husband were found to be alive.

The meetings will stop!

Governor,

if you knew the name of this man,

would you punish Hester Prynne?

Has she confessed the name to you?

l've confessed nothing!

-Tell us the truth, Arthur.

-He knows nothing of my affairs.

He speaks as my pastor

to spare me your harsh hand.

But l fear not your punishments!

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