The Scarlet Letter

"We shall have thee there anon!" said the witch-lady, frowning,

as she drew back her head.

But here--if we suppose this interview betwixt Mistress Hibbins

and Hester Prynne to be authentic, and not a parable--was

already an illustration of the young minister's argument against

sundering the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of

her frailty. Even thus early had the child saved her from

Satan's snare.