birthmark-第2章

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confine　her　spectres　within　the　dim　region　of　her　sway；　but

suffers　them　to　break　forth；　affrighting　this　actual　life　with

secrets　that　perchance　belong　to　a　deeper　one。　Aylmer　now

remembered　his　dream。　He　had　fancied　himself　with　his　servant

Aminadab；　attempting　an　operation　for　the　removal　of　the

birthmark；　but　the　deeper　went　the　knife；　the　deeper　sank　the

hand；　until　at　length　its　tiny　grasp　appeared　to　have　caught　hold

of　Georgiana's　heart；　whence；　however；　her　husband　was　inexorably

resolved　to　cut　or　wrench　it　away。



When　the　dream　had　shaped　itself　perfectly　in　his　memory；　Aylmer

sat　in　his　wife's　presence　with　a　guilty　feeling。　Truth　often

finds　its　way　to　the　mind　close　muffled　in　robes　of　sleep；　and

then　speaks　with　uncompromising　directness　of　matters　in　regard

to　which　we　practise　an　unconscious　self…deception　during　our

waking　moments。　Until　now　he　had　not　been　aware　of　the

tyrannizing　influence　acquired　by　one　idea　over　his　mind；　and　of

the　lengths　which　he　might　find　in　his　heart　to　go　for　the　sake

of　giving　himself　peace。



〃Aylmer；〃　resumed　Georgiana；　solemnly；　〃I　know　not　what　may　be

the　cost　to　both　of　us　to　rid　me　of　this　fatal　birthmark。　Perhaps

its　removal　may　cause　cureless　deformity；　or　it　may　be　the　stain

goes　as　deep　as　life　itself。　Again：　do　we　know　that　there　is　a

possibility；　on　any　terms；　of　unclasping　the　firm　gripe　of　this

little　hand　which　was　laid　upon　me　before　I　came　into　the　world？〃



〃Dearest　Georgiana；　I　have　spent　much　thought　upon　the　subject；〃

hastily　interrupted　Aylmer。　〃I　am　convinced　of　the　perfect

practicability　of　its　removal。〃



〃If　there　be　the　remotest　possibility　of　it；〃　continued

Georgiana；　〃let　the　attempt　be　made　at　whatever　risk。　Danger　is

nothing　to　me；　for　life；　while　this　hateful　mark　makes　me　the

object　of　your　horror　and　disgust；life　is　a　burden　which　I

would　fling　down　with　joy。　Either　remove　this　dreadful　hand；　or

take　my　wretched　life！　You　have　deep　science。　All　the　world　bears

witness　of　it。　You　have　achieved　great　wonders。　Cannot　you　remove

this　little；　little　mark；　which　I　cover　with　the　tips　of　two

small　fingers？　Is　this　beyond　your　power；　for　the　sake　of　your

own　peace；　and　to　save　your　poor　wife　from　madness？〃



〃Noblest；　dearest；　tenderest　wife；〃　cried　Aylmer；　rapturously；

〃doubt　not　my　power。　I　have　already　given　this　matter　the　deepest

thoughtthought　which　might　almost　have　enlightened　me　to　create

a　being　less　perfect　than　yourself。　Georgiana；　you　have　led　me

deeper　than　ever　into　the　heart　of　science。　I　feel　myself　fully

competent　to　render　this　dear　cheek　as　faultless　as　its　fellow；

and　then；　most　beloved；　what　will　be　my　triumph　when　I　shall　have

corrected　what　Nature　left　imperfect　in　her　fairest　work！　Even

Pygmalion；　when　his　sculptured　woman　assumed　life；　felt　not

greater　ecstasy　than　mine　will　be。〃



〃It　is　resolved；　then；〃　said　Georgiana；　faintly　smiling。　〃And；

Aylmer；　spare　me　not；　though　you　should　find　the　birthmark　take

refuge　in　my　heart　at　last。〃



Her　husband　tenderly　kissed　her　cheekher　right　cheeknot　that

which　bore　the　impress　of　the　crimson　hand。



The　next　day　Aylmer　apprised　his　wife　of　a　plan　that　he　had

formed　whereby　he　might　have　opportunity　for　the　intense　thought

and　constant　watchfulness　which　the　proposed　operation　would

require；　while　Georgiana；　likewise；　would　enjoy　the　perfect

repose　essential　to　its　success。　They　were　to　seclude　themselves

in　the　extensive　apartments　occupied　by　Aylmer　as　a　laboratory；

and　where；　during　his　toilsome　youth；　he　had　made　discoveries　in

the　elemental　powers　of　Nature　that　had　roused　the　admiration　of

all　the　learned　societies　in　Europe。　Seated　calmly　in　this

laboratory；　the　pale　philosopher　had　investigated　the　secrets　of

the　highest　cloud　region　and　of　the　profoundest　mines；　he　had

satisfied　himself　of　the　causes　that　kindled　and　kept　alive　the

fires　of　the　volcano；　and　had　explained　the　mystery　of　fountains；

and　how　it　is　that　they　gush　forth；　some　so　bright　and　pure；　and

others　with　such　rich　medicinal　virtues；　from　the　dark　bosom　of

the　earth。　Here；　too；　at　an　earlier　period；　he　had　studied　the

wonders　of　the　human　frame；　and　attempted　to　fathom　the　very

process　by　which　Nature　assimilates　all　her　precious　influences

from　earth　and　air；　and　from　the　spiritual　world；　to　create　and

foster　man；　her　masterpiece。　The　latter　pursuit；　however；　Aylmer

had　long　laid　aside　in　unwilling　recognition　of　the

truthagainst　which　all　seekers　sooner　or　later　stumblethat

our　great　creative　Mother；　while　she　amuses　us　with　apparently

working　in　the　broadest　sunshine；　is　yet　severely　careful　to　keep

her　own　secrets；　and；　in　spite　of　her　pretended　openness；　shows

us　nothing　but　results。　She　permits　us；　indeed；　to　mar；　but

seldom　to　mend；　and；　like　a　jealous　patentee；　on　no　account　to

make。　Now；　however；　Aylmer　resumed　these　half…forgotten

investigations；　not；　of　course；　with　such　hopes　or　wishes　as

first　suggested　them；　but　because　they　involved　much

physiological　truth　and　lay　in　the　path　of　his　proposed　scheme

for　the　treatment　of　Georgiana。



As　he　led　her　over　the　threshold　of　the　laboratory；　Georgiana　was

cold　and　tremulous。　Aylmer　looked　cheerfully　into　her　face；　with

intent　to　reassure　her；　but　was　so　startled　with　the　intense　glow

of　the　birthmark　upon　the　whiteness　of　her　cheek　that　he　could

not　restrain　a　strong　convulsive　shudder。　His　wife　fainted。



〃Aminadab！　Aminadab！〃　shouted　Aylmer；　stamping　violently　on　the

floor。



Forthwith　there　issued　from　an　inner　apartment　a　man　of　low

stature；　but　bulky　frame；　with　shaggy　hair　hanging　about　his

visage；　which　was　grimed　with　the　vapors　of　the　furnace。　This

personage　had　been　Aylmer's　underworker　during　his　whole

scientific　career；　and　was　admirably　fitted　for　that　office　by

his　great　mechanical　readiness；　and　the　skill　with　which；　while

incapable　of　comprehending　a　single　principle；　he　executed　all

the　details　of　his　master's　experiments。　With　his　vast　strength；

his　shaggy　hair；　his　smoky　aspect；　and　the　indescribable

earthiness　that　incrusted　him；　he　seemed　to　represent　man's

physical　nature；　while　Aylmer's　slender　figure；　and　pale；

intellectual　face；　were　no　less　apt　a　type　of　the　spiritual

element。



〃Throw　open　the　door　of　the　boudoir；　Aminadab；〃　said　Aylmer；　〃and

burn　a　pastil。〃



〃Yes；　master；〃　answered　Aminadab；　looking　intently　at　the

lifeless　form　of　Georgiana；　and　then　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃If

she　were　my　wife；　I'd　never　part　with　that　birthmark。〃



When　Georgiana　recovered　consciousness　she　found　herself

breathing　an　atmosphere　of　penetrating　fragrance；　the　gentle

potency　of　which　had　recalled　her　from　her　deathlike　faintness。

The　scene　around　her　looked　like　enchantment。　Aylmer　had

converted　those　smoky；　dingy；　sombre　rooms；　where　he　had　spent

his　brightest　years　in　recondite　pursuits；　into　a　series　of

beautiful　apartments　not　unfit　to　be　the　secluded　abode　of　a

lovely　woman。　The　walls　were　hung　with　gorgeous　curtains；　which

imparted　the　combination　of　grandeur　and　grace　that　no　other

species　of　adornment　can　achieve；　and　as　they　fell　from　the

ceiling　to　the　floor；　their　rich　and　ponderous　folds；　concealing

all　angles　and　straight　lines；　appeared　to　shut　in　the　scene　from

infinite　space。　For　aught　Georgiana　knew；　it　might　be　a　pavilion

among　the　clouds。　And　Aylmer；　excluding　the　sunshine；　which　would

have　interfered　with　his　chemical　processes；　had　supplied　its　

place　with　perfumed　lamps；　emitting　flames　of　various　hue；　but

all　uniting　in　a　soft；　impurpled　radiance。　He　now　knelt　by　his

wife's　side；　watching　her　earnestly；　but　without　alarm；　for　he

was　confident　in　his　science；　and　felt　that　he　could　draw　a　magic

circle　round　her　within　which　no　evil　might　intrude。



〃Where　am　I？　Ah；　I　remember；〃　said　Georgiana；　faintly；　and　she

placed　her　hand　over　her　cheek　to　hide　the　terrible　mark　from　her

husband's　eyes。



〃Fear　not；　dea