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Chapter 14
When Hester met with Chillingworth, they
discussed the scarlet letter and Dimmesdale.
Chillingworth told Hester the magistrates
considered removing the scarlet letter, and
he had given support. However, she replied
if the scarlet letter should be removed, it
would do so on its own.
Hester noticed a change which took place
over the seven years -- not so much in
Chillingworth’s appearance of age but in his
intrinsic qualities. He seemed to have lost
intelligence which was replaced by
eagerness; he had become devilish.
While conferring about Dimmesdale, Chil-
lingworth declared he prolonged Dimmesdale’s
life even though it was filled with torture,
and he knew he was encroached by evil; he
just didn’t know the source. Hester said an
earlier death would have been better.
In the end, they decided to go their
separate ways and to do what they would.
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Hester meets with Chillingworth
while he’s gathering herbs
to talk about Dimmesdale.
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