_Citizens._ Oh, shame upon her! Fie!

_Dimsdell._ Nay, shame on me; her sufferings have made
Her pure, but mine, beneath this lying robe,
Have eaten up my heart. Hypocrisy
Lie there [_Taking off gown_]. Now, while I do descend these steps
I leave my former life behind.

_Descends and goes toward pillory._

Come, Hester, come!
Come take my hand, although it be unworthy.

_Second Citizen._ Is the man mad, my masters?

_Dimsdell._ Not mad, friend, not mad; but newly sane.
Come, my victim, come; assist me up
The pillory, there let us stand together--
The woman of The Scarlet Letter,
And he who did this wrong.

_First Citizen._ That holy man is mad. He an adulterer!
I'll believe it when th' Devil grows blind.

_Dimsdell._ Support me, Hester.

_Dimsdell and Hester ascend pillory together._

Ho! all ye people of the Commonwealth,
Behold the man for whom you oft have sought,
The man who should have borne The Scarlet Letter;
For I am he.
If that the last words of one sinful man
May warn a multitude from sin, who knows
But that his errors tend toward good at last.
Let me not think my suffering in vain,
Or that my crime confessed will lead on others
Unto their downfall.
Behold me as I am--O, what a pang
[_He clutches his breast from now on._
Was that--a hypocritical adulterer.
Oh!--aye, a base, a low adulterer!
O, God, prolong my breath for this confession!--
I wronged this woman who did fondly love me,
I did neglect her in my cowardice,
I shunned the public scorn.--
O, but a little while!--I stood not with her;
I was a coward; and did deny my child.
Delay! Delay!
Now I avow my crime, I do confess it,
[_Kneels_] And here I beg you friends, as I have begged
My God, forgive me. Oh, I must be brief--
If any think that while I walked these streets
In seeming honor I lacked my punishment,
Look here.-- [_Tearing shirt open and disclosing stigma._
O--h!
This cancer did begin to gnaw my breast
When Hester first put on The Scarlet Letter
And never since hath once abated.

_Voices._ O, wonderful! wonderful! He faints! Help! Help!

_Hester._ Arthur! Arthur! one word for me! Only one!

_Dimsdell._ I must say more. [_Falls._

_Hester._ Forgive him, Father! O, God, have mercy now;
Give him but breath to speak to me!
Arthur! Arthur!

_Dimsdell._