When Dimmesdale began to become ill for what seem to be no physical reason; Roger Chillingworth, who happened to be Hester's husband, tried to help the young clergy man out because he was a physician. " I need no medicine." (Hawthorne 125) This showed that Dimmesdale sickness was deeper than any physical problem. It was like he was suffering from something in his soul. Roger Chillingworth started to figure out that a sin or something Mr. Dimmesdale was hiding was "eating" him up inside. "They grew out of his heart, and typify, it may be, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime." (Hawthorne 135) By Roger Chillingworth saying this to Dimmesdale about the herbs that he found shows that he knows something and is hinting to Dimmesdale that all his pain and suffering would cease once he just confessed to his sin. "Earnestly he desired it, but could not." (Hawthorne 135) This shows that Dimmesdale wants to confess his sin to save his soul but he know the consequences of doing so, and he realizes that it is not worth it. " The heart, making itself guilty of such secrets, must perforce hold them, until the day when all hidden things shall be revealed." (Hawthorne 136) Dimmesdale knows that no one knows what sin he is hiding, and he believes that the heart holds this secret until God judges us all. So no matter what Chillingworth tries to do to convince Dimmesdale to confess to him; Dimmesdale knows he only has to confess to one and that is God. So he will take his secret with him to the grave and only share it with one other person, Hester.
As time goes by Hester gets used too wearing the letter, Pearl becomes older and Dimmesdale continues to torture himself. One night while Hester was walking home from the deathbed of the Governor she saw Dimmesdale standing on the very scaffold that her and little Pearl stood many years ago.
