S.L. chp. 12

#33

A light gleamed far and wide over all the muffled sky. It was doubtless caused by one of those meteors, which the night-watcher may so often observe burning out to waste, in the vacant regions of the atmosphere.

The meteor provides a false daylight so that Roger Chillingsworth can witness the reunion of the broken family and also spur on his revenge to another level. Dimmesdale has clearly just been spoken to by god since the loving trio has been seen by another person. It may not of been daylight but it was surely bright enough for an old man to witness the scene from a distance.

Dimmesdale in a way feels betrayed by god since his greatest secret was just flaunted about in front of Chillingsworth. His single interpretation of the meteor is selfish and narrow minded but it shows what a large amount of guilt can do to ones thoughts.