Explain the following quote : "She hath good skill at her needle, that's certain,' remarked one of the female spectators; 'but did ever answer a...

The ladies, or gossips as Hawthorne calls them, have
already expressed their displeasure with Hester's punishment- even before she has walked
out of the prison.  They believe she should be deported, branded, or even killed and
think her beauty has blinded those who have sentenced her to such an easy punishment. 
They are livid when she walks out of the prison with such a bold A embroidered on her
dress.  They admit that is shows skill, but they feel that his bold statement is a slap
in the face, and that they were right all along- she has not learned from her sins and
may make the same mistake again.