birthmark-第3章

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

husband's　eyes。



〃Fear　not；　dearest！〃　exclaimed　he。　〃Do　not　shrink　from　me！

Believe　me；　Georgiana；　I　even　rejoice　in　this　single

imperfection；　since　it　will　be　such　a　rapture　to　remove　it。〃



〃Oh；　spare　me！〃　sadly　replied　his　wife。　〃Pray　do　not　look　at　it

again。　I　never　can　forget　that　convulsive　shudder。〃



In　order　to　soothe　Georgiana；　and；　as　it　were；　to　release　her

mind　from　the　burden　of　actual　things；　Aylmer　now　put　in　practice

some　of　the　light　and　playful　secrets　which　science　had　taught

him　among　its　profounder　lore。　Airy　figures；　absolutely　bodiless

ideas；　and　forms　of　unsubstantial　beauty　came　and　danced　before

her；　imprinting　their　momentary　footsteps　on　beams　of　light。

Though　she　had　some　indistinct　idea　of　the　method　of　these

optical　phenomena；　still　the　illusion　was　almost　perfect　enough

to　warrant　the　belief　that　her　husband　possessed　sway　over　the

spiritual　world。　Then　again；　when　she　felt　a　wish　to　look　forth

from　her　seclusion；　immediately；　as　if　her　thoughts　were

answered；　the　procession　of　external　existence　flitted　across　a

screen。　The　scenery　and　the　figures　of　actual　life　were　perfectly

represented；　but　with　that　bewitching；　yet　indescribable

difference　which　always　makes　a　picture；　an　image；　or　a　shadow　so

much　more　attractive　than　the　original。　When　wearied　of　this；

Aylmer　bade　her　cast　her　eyes　upon　a　vessel　containing　a　quantity

of　earth。　She　did　so；　with　little　interest　at　first；　but　was　soon

startled　to　perceive　the　germ　of　a　plant　shooting　upward　from　the

soil。　Then　came　the　slender　stalk；　the　leaves　gradually　unfolded

themselves；　and　amid　them　was　a　perfect　and　lovely　flower。



〃It　is　magical！〃　cried　Georgiana。　〃I　dare　not　touch　it。〃



〃Nay；　pluck　it；〃　answered　Aylmer；〃pluck　it；　and　inhale　its

brief　perfume　while　you　may。　The　flower　will　wither　in　a　few

moments　and　leave　nothing　save　its　brown　seed　vessels；　but　thence

may　be　perpetuated　a　race　as　ephemeral　as　itself。〃



But　Georgiana　had　no　sooner　touched　the　flower　than　the　whole

plant　suffered　a　blight；　its　leaves　turning　coal…black　as　if　by

the　agency　of　fire。



〃There　was　too　powerful　a　stimulus；〃　said　Aylmer；　thoughtfully。



To　make　up　for　this　abortive　experiment；　he　proposed　to　take　her

portrait　by　a　scientific　process　of　his　own　invention。　It　was　to

be　effected　by　rays　of　light　striking　upon　a　polished　plate　of

metal。　Georgiana　assented；　but；　on　looking　at　the　result；　was

affrighted　to　find　the　features　of　the　portrait　blurred　and

indefinable；　while　the　minute　figure　of　a　hand　appeared　where　the

cheek　should　have　been。　Aylmer　snatched　the　metallic　plate　and

threw　it　into　a　jar　of　corrosive　acid。



Soon；　however；　he　forgot　these　mortifying　failures。　In　the

intervals　of　study　and　chemical　experiment　he　came　to　her　flushed

and　exhausted；　but　seemed　invigorated　by　her　presence；　and　spoke

in　glowing　language　of　the　resources　of　his　art。　He　gave　a

history　of　the　long　dynasty　of　the　alchemists；　who　spent　so　many

ages　in　quest　of　the　universal　solvent　by　which　the　golden

principle　might　be　elicited　from　all　things　vile　and　base。　Aylmer

appeared　to　believe　that；　by　the　plainest　scientific　logic；　it

was　altogether　within　the　limits　of　possibility　to　discover　this

long…sought　medium；　〃but；〃　he　added；　〃a　philosopher　who　should　go

deep　enough　to　acquire　the　power　would　attain　too　lofty　a　wisdom

to　stoop　to　the　exercise　of　it。〃　Not　less　singular　were　his

opinions　in　regard　to　the　elixir　vitae。　He　more　than　intimated

that　it　was　at　his　option　to　concoct　a　liquid　that　should　prolong

life　for　years；　perhaps　interminably；　but　that　it　would　produce　a

discord　in　Nature　which　all　the　world；　and　chiefly　the　quaffer　of

the　immortal　nostrum；　would　find　cause　to　curse。



〃Aylmer；　are　you　in　earnest？〃　asked　Georgiana；　looking　at　him

with　amazement　and　fear。　〃It　is　terrible　to　possess　such　power；

or　even　to　dream　of　possessing　it。〃



〃Oh；　do　not　tremble；　my　love；〃　said　her　husband。　〃I　would　not

wrong　either　you　or　myself　by　working　such　inharmonious　effects

upon　our　lives；　but　I　would　have　you　consider　how　trifling；　in

comparison；　is　the　skill　requisite　to　remove　this　little　hand。〃



At　the　mention　of　the　birthmark；　Georgiana；　as　usual；　shrank　as

if　a　redhot　iron　had　touched　her　cheek。



Again　Aylmer　applied　himself　to　his　labors。　She　could　hear　his

voice　in　the　distant　furnace　room　giving　directions　to　Aminadab；

whose　harsh；　uncouth；　misshapen　tones　were　audible　in　response；

more　like　the　grunt　or　growl　of　a　brute　than　human　speech。　After

hours　of　absence；　Aylmer　reappeared　and　proposed　that　she　should

now　examine　his　cabinet　of　chemical　products　and　natural

treasures　of　the　earth。　Among　the　former　he　showed　her　a　small

vial；　in　which；　he　remarked；　was　contained　a　gentle　yet　most

powerful　fragrance；　capable　of　impregnating　all　the　breezes　that

blow　across　a　kingdom。　They　were　of　inestimable　value；　the

contents　of　that　little　vial；　and；　as　he　said　so；　he　threw　some

of　the　perfume　into　the　air　and　filled　the　room　with　piercing　and

invigorating　delight。



〃And　what　is　this？〃　asked　Georgiana；　pointing　to　a　small　crystal

globe　containing　a　gold…colored　liquid。　〃It　is　so　beautiful　to

the　eye　that　I　could　imagine　it　the　elixir　of　life。〃



〃In　one　sense　it　is；〃　replied　Aylmer；　〃or；　rather；　the　elixir　of

immortality。　It　is　the　most　precious　poison　that　ever　was

concocted　in　this　world。　By　its　aid　I　could　apportion　the

lifetime　of　any　mortal　at　whom　you　might　point　your　finger。　The

strength　of　the　dose　would　determine　whether　he　were　to　linger

out　years；　or　drop　dead　in　the　midst　of　a　breath。　No　king　on　his

guarded　throne　could　keep　his　life　if　I；　in　my　private　station；

should　deem　that　the　welfare　of　millions　justified　me　in

depriving　him　of　it。〃



〃Why　do　you　keep　such　a　terrific　drug？〃　inquired　Georgiana　in

horror。



〃Do　not　mistrust　me；　dearest；〃　said　her　husband；　smiling；　〃its

virtuous　potency　is　yet　greater　than　its　harmful　one。　But　see！

here　is　a　powerful　cosmetic。　With　a　few　drops　of　this　in　a　vase

of　water；　freckles　may　be　washed　away　as　easily　as　the　hands　are

cleansed。　A　stronger　infusion　would　take　the　blood　out　of　the

cheek；　and　leave　the　rosiest　beauty　a　pale　ghost。〃



〃Is　it　with　this　lotion　that　you　intend　to　bathe　my　cheek？〃　asked

Georgiana；　anxiously。



〃Oh；　no；〃　hastily　replied　her　husband；　〃this　is　merely

superficial。　Your　case　demands　a　remedy　that　shall　go　deeper。〃



In　his　interviews　with　Georgiana；　Aylmer　generally　made　minute

inquiries　as　to　her　sensations　and　whether　the　confinement　of　the

rooms　and　the　temperature　of　the　atmosphere　agreed　with　her。

These　questions　had　such　a　particular　drift　that　Georgiana　began

to　conjecture　that　she　was　already　subjected　to　certain　physical

influences；　either　breathed　in　with　the　fragrant　air　or　taken

with　her　food。　She　fancied　likewise；　but　it　might　be　altogether

fancy；　that　there　was　a　stirring　up　of　her　systema　strange；

indefinite　sensation　creeping　through　her　veins；　and　tingling；

half　painfully；　half　pleasurably；　at　her　heart。　Still；　whenever

she　dared　to　look　into　the　mirror；　there　she　beheld　herself　pale

as　a　white　rose　and　with　the　crimson　birthmark　stamped　upon　her

cheek。　Not　even　Aylmer　now　hated　it　so　much　as　she。



To　dispel　the　tedium　of　the　hours　which　her　husband　found　it

necessary　to　devote　to　the　processes　of　combination　and　analysis；

Georgiana　turned　over　the　volumes　of　his　scientific　library。　In

many　dark　old　tomes　she　met　with　chapters　full　of　romance　and

poetry。　They　were　the　works　of　philosophers　of　the　middle　ages；

such　as　Albertus　Magnus；　Cornelius　Agrippa；　Paracelsus；　and　the

famous　friar　who　created　the　prophetic　Brazen　Head。　All　these

antique　naturalists　stood　in　advance　of　their　centuries；　yet　were

imbued　with　some　of　their　credulity；　and　therefore　were　believed；

and　perhaps　imagined　themselves　to　ha