Hawthorne revisits the moment when Hester was on the scaffold, embodying sin for all to see, in the beginning of chapter 9 (98). Although writing in third person narrative, Hawthorne gives the reader a glimpse of what Chillingworth experienced when he watched his wife get condemned for her sinful act of passion. Hawthorne explains that her wrongful doings lead to "her matronly fame [getting] trodden under all men’s feet" (98). The consequences of Hester's sins not only affected herself and her daughter, but it also affected Chillingworth. He made the connection that the news of her unfaithfulness would spread across to his family and community like wildfire. Furthermore, the father of Pearl, Dimmesdale, faces challenges because he chose to "not to be pilloried beside her on her pedestal of shame" (98). This decision, however, leads to Dimmesdale becoming physically and mentally sick from the guilt gnawing away at his soul.