of
, titled "The Interview", narrates how, after returning to
prison, Hester was in such a state of nervousness that she was put under watch. This is, of
course, because she had just seenfrom the scaffold. Seeing her presumed dead husband under the
current circumstances where she is must be the biggest terror that Hester could
experience.
To make things worse for Hester, it is Chillingworth whom the
jailer summons to care for Hester, since Chillingworth had entered the settlement registered as
a "practitioner" of medicine.
Since Hester is now dependent on
Chillingworth for her daughter's health, and her own, she knows that she is the perfect target
for him to exact his revenge for the adultery that Hester has committed. Hence, when the man
hands a draught made for the child, it is obvious that Hester would think that he would poison
her and her child as payback.
Hester repelled the offered
medicine, at the same time gazing with strongly marked apprehension into his face.
Wouldst thou avenge thyself on the innocent babe? whispered she.
However, Chillingworth does nothing of the kind. In fact, he takes
the blame of his anger away fromto replace it back on Hester's conscience. Even he also gives
her a draught for her own health, he is also clear in that letting Hester live a life of misery
is a better revenge than to kill her.
Dost thou know me so
little, ? Are my purposes wont to be so shallow? ...what could I do better for my object than to
let thee live,than to give thee medicines against all harm and peril of life,so that this
burning shame may still blaze upon thy bosom?
Therefore,
although Hester has good reasons to doubt Chillingworth, it is also true that Chillingworth is
better off seeing her suffer than seeing her buried. If she died, he would never get to know
what he really wants to know: who is Pearl's father and why is Hester keeping it a secret to the
point of sacrificing her life forever.
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