What does this quote from The Scarlet Letter mean? "No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude,...

The
quote is basically saying it is impossible to keep up with the charade of pretending to be one
way in public while hiding your real self in private. Eventually, the charade becomes so
exhausting that one cannot tell which may be the real "you," so to speak. The lines
betweenand fact become blurred.

is the character to whom this quote is most
pertinent. In public, everyone believes he is a pious and chaste man of God. He does nothing of
much substance to make the congregation think otherwise, yet deep down, he knows their praise is
not applicable. Dimmesdale has sinned with