In The Scarlet Letter, what does Hester promise Chillingworth?

Chillingworth, the injured husband, seeks no revenge against Hester, but he is determined to discover the father of Pearl. Although this unidentified man doesn't wear a scarlet A on his clothes as Hester does, Chillingworth vows that he will "read it on his heart." He then makes Hester promise not to reveal his identity. read more

Chillingworth asks Hester to promise that she will never betray his identity to anyone. In the interest of fairness, since she has chosen to keep the name of her lover secret, Hester must likewise honor his desire for anonymity. Chillingworth orders Hester not to betray him by word, sign, or look. read more

However, when Hester sees the damage that Chillingworth was doing to Dimmesdale’s mental health, she breaks her promise and tells Dimmesdale Chillingworth’s previous identity in chapter 17, “The Pastor and His Parishioner”. read more