Perhaps his first collection of stories, "Twice-Told Tales", was printed in scarlet letters?
... Twice-Told Tales (1837), a collection of magazine stories; Twice-Told 
Tales ... is perhaps that written by his son, Julian Hawthorne, which appeared in 
1885,... [DOC] [TLE] Nathaniel Hawthorne facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com ... [PAR] "In this dismal chamber Fame was won, " Hawthorne wrote, perhaps a little 
ironically ...