Question

which excerpt from chapter 3 of the scarlet letter is the best evidence that the stranger in the marketplace wants to keep his true identity a secret?
○ when he found the eyes of hester prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips.
○ by the indians side, and evidently sustaining a companionship with him, stood a white man, clad in a strange disarray of civilized and savage costume.
○ a writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them, and making one little pause, with all its wreathed intervolutions in open sight.
○ there was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould the physical to itself, and become manifest by unmistakable tokens.

Explanation:

The correct excerpt shows the stranger making a silent gesture to Hester Prynne, who recognizes him, to stay quiet about his identity. This direct action is the clearest evidence he wants to hide who he is. The other options describe his appearance or reaction, not an intentional act to conceal his identity.

Answer:

When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips.