The Scarlet Letter

pearl makes a statement about dimmesdale which touches on the irony in his relationship with them. What does she say?

chapter 21

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Pearl notes that Dimmesdale, being a holy man, only shows affections during the night under the darkness. During God's daylight Dimmesdale ignores them.

What a strange, sad man is he!" said the child, as if speaking partly to herself. "In the dark night-time, he calls us to him, and holds thy hand and mine, as when we stood with him on the scaffold yonder! And in the deep forest, where only the old trees can hear, and the strip of sky see it, he talks with thee, sitting on a heap of moss! And he kisses my forehead, too, so that the little brook would hardly wash it off! But, here, in the sunny day, and among all the people, he knows us not;