The Scarlet Letter 22

The Scarlet Letter

Chapter Fifteen

Entry Twenty-Two

Pearl passes the time she has to wait for her mother with playing in nature. Out of a clear blue sky she decides to form an "A" similar to her mother's. It is made out of green grass which she sticks on her dress.
When Hester returns, she is so surprised that she doesn't know how to react. Acting on instinct, she asks Pearl whether she actually knows the meaning of the "A" or why Hester is wearing it. She replies:

“It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart!”

So for some reason Pearl saw the connection between her mother and Dimmesdale. This is something very remarkable since Pearl is still very young and not able to understand anything like adultery, sex or cheating on someone. So she shouldn't be able to link these two adults but obviously she is.
This astonished Hester, too. Her first thought is that it is just a strange coincidence that she actually hit the mark, but then she struggles with this thought: She definitely doesn't put it past her daughter to be clever enough (or is it cleverness at all? Maybe she doesn't put it past her because she is a little weird anyway...).
To make sure Pearl doesn't know too much she asks her what she means by assuming this. She answers that is all she knows and poses counter questions:

"What does this scarlet letter mean?—and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?—and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?”

She seems to use the unique opportunity to solve the big secret surrounding her mother. But she doesn't get an answer so far.