birthmark-第4章

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

and　perhaps　imagined　themselves　to　have　acquired　from　the

investigation　of　Nature　a　power　above　Nature；　and　from　physics　a

sway　over　the　spiritual　world。　Hardly　less　curious　and

imaginative　were　the　early　volumes　of　the　Transactions　of　the

Royal　Society；　in　which　the　members；　knowing　little　of　the　limits

of　natural　possibility；　were　continually　recording　wonders　or

proposing　methods　whereby　wonders　might　be　wrought。



But　to　Georgiana　the　most　engrossing　volume　was　a　large　folio

from　her　husband's　own　hand；　in　which　he　had　recorded　every

experiment　of　his　scientific　career；　its　original　aim；　the

methods　adopted　for　its　development；　and　its　final　success　or

failure；　with　the　circumstances　to　which　either　event　was

attributable。　The　book；　in　truth；　was　both　the　history　and　emblem

of　his　ardent；　ambitious；　imaginative；　yet　practical　and

laborious　life。　He　handled　physical　details　as　if　there　were

nothing　beyond　them；　yet　spiritualized　them　all；　and　redeemed

himself　from　materialism　by　his　strong　and　eager　aspiration

towards　the　infinite。　In　his　grasp　the　veriest　clod　of　earth

assumed　a　soul。　Georgiana；　as　she　read；　reverenced　Aylmer　and

loved　him　more　profoundly　than　ever；　but　with　a　less　entire

dependence　on　his　judgment　than　heretofore。　Much　as　he　had

accomplished；　she　could　not　but　observe　that　his　most　splendid

successes　were　almost　invariably　failures；　if　compared　with　the

ideal　at　which　he　aimed。　His　brightest　diamonds　were　the　merest

pebbles；　and　felt　to　be　so　by　himself；　in　comparison　with　the

inestimable　gems　which　lay　hidden　beyond　his　reach。　The　volume；

rich　with　achievements　that　had　won　renown　for　its　author；　was

yet　as　melancholy　a　record　as　ever　mortal　hand　had　penned。　It　was

the　sad　confession　and　continual　exemplification　of　the

shortcomings　of　the　composite　man；　the　spirit　burdened　with　clay

and　working　in　matter；　and　of　the　despair　that　assails　the　higher

nature　at　finding　itself　so　miserably　thwarted　by　the　earthly

part。　Perhaps　every　man　of　genius　in　whatever　sphere　might

recognize　the　image　of　his　own　experience　in　Aylmer's　journal。



So　deeply　did　these　reflections　affect　Georgiana　that　she　laid

her　face　upon　the　open　volume　and　burst　into　tears。　In　this

situation　she　was　found　by　her　husband。



〃It　is　dangerous　to　read　in　a　sorcerer's　books；〃　said　he　with　a

smile；　though　his　countenance　was　uneasy　and　displeased。

〃Georgiana；　there　are　pages　in　that　volume　which　I　can　scarcely

glance　over　and　keep　my　senses。　Take　heed　lest　it　prove　as

detrimental　to　you。〃



〃It　has　made　me　worship　you　more　than　ever；〃　said　she。



〃Ah；　wait　for　this　one　success；〃　rejoined　he；　〃then　worship　me　if

you　will。　I　shall　deem　myself　hardly　unworthy　of　it。　But　come；　I

have　sought　you　for　the　luxury　of　your　voice。　Sing　to　me；

dearest。〃



So　she　poured　out　the　liquid　music　of　her　voice　to　quench　the

thirst　of　his　spirit。　He　then　took　his　leave　with　a　boyish

exuberance　of　gayety；　assuring　her　that　her　seclusion　would

endure　but　a　little　longer；　and　that　the　result　was　already

certain。　Scarcely　had　he　departed　when　Georgiana　felt

irresistibly　impelled　to　follow　him。　She　had　forgotten　to　inform

Aylmer　of　a　symptom　which　for　two　or　three　hours　past　had　begun

to　excite　her　attention。　It　was　a　sensation　in　the　fatal

birthmark；　not　painful；　but　which　induced　a　restlessness

throughout　her　system。　Hastening　after　her　husband；　she　intruded

for　the　first　time　into　the　laboratory。



The　first　thing　that　struck　her　eye　was　the　furnace；　that　hot　and

feverish　worker；　with　the　intense　glow　of　its　fire；　which　by　the

quantities　of　soot　clustered　above　it　seemed　to　have　been　burning

for　ages。　There　was　a　distilling　apparatus　in　full　operation。

Around　the　room　were　retorts；　tubes；　cylinders；　crucibles；　and

other　apparatus　of　chemical　research。　An　electrical　machine　stood

ready　for　immediate　use。　The　atmosphere　felt　oppressively　close；

and　was　tainted　with　gaseous　odors　which　had　been　tormented　forth

by　the　processes　of　science。　The　severe　and　homely　simplicity　of

the　apartment；　with　its　naked　walls　and　brick　pavement；　looked

strange；　accustomed　as　Georgiana　had　become　to　the　fantastic

elegance　of　her　boudoir。　But　what　chiefly；　indeed　almost　solely；

drew　her　attention；　was　the　aspect　of　Aylmer　himself。



He　was　pale　as　death；　anxious　and　absorbed；　and　hung　over　the

furnace　as　if　it　depended　upon　his　utmost　watchfulness　whether

the　liquid　which　it　was　distilling　should　be　the　draught　of

immortal　happiness　or　misery。　How　different　from　the　sanguine　and

joyous　mien　that　he　had　assumed　for　Georgiana's　encouragement！



〃Carefully　now；　Aminadab；　carefully；　thou　human　machine；

carefully；　thou　man　of　clay！〃　muttered　Aylmer；　more　to　himself

than　his　assistant。　〃Now；　if　there　be　a　thought　too　much　or　too

little；　it　is　all　over。〃



〃Ho！　ho！〃　mumbled　Aminadab。　〃Look；　master！　look！〃



Aylmer　raised　his　eyes　hastily；　and　at　first　reddened；　then　grew

paler　than　ever；　on　beholding　Georgiana。　He　rushed　towards　her

and　seized　her　arm　with　a　gripe　that　left　the　print　of　his

fingers　upon　it。



〃Why　do　you　come　hither？　Have　you　no　trust　in　your　husband？〃

cried　he；　impetuously。　〃Would　you　throw　the　blight　of　that　fatal

birthmark　over　my　labors？　It　is　not　well　done。　Go；　prying　woman；

go！〃



〃Nay；　Aylmer；〃　said　Georgiana　with　the　firmness　of　which　she

possessed　no　stinted　endowment；　〃it　is　not　you　that　have　a　right

to　complain。　You　mistrust　your　wife；　you　have　concealed　the

anxiety　with　which　you　watch　the　development　of　this　experiment。

Think　not　so　unworthily　of　me；　my　husband。　Tell　me　all　the　risk

we　run；　and　fear　not　that　I　shall　shrink；　for　my　share　in　it　is

far　less　than　your　own。〃



〃No；　no；　Georgiana！〃　said　Aylmer；　impatiently；　〃it　must　not　be。〃



〃I　submit；〃　replied　she　calmly。　〃And；　Aylmer；　I　shall　quaff

whatever　draught　you　bring　me；　but　it　will　be　on　the　same

principle　that　would　induce　me　to　take　a　dose　of　poison　if

offered　by　your　hand。〃



〃My　noble　wife；〃　said　Aylmer；　deeply　moved；　〃I　knew　not　the

height　and　depth　of　your　nature　until　now。　Nothing　shall　be

concealed。　Know；　then；　that　this　crimson　hand；　superficial　as　it

seems；　has　clutched　its　grasp　into　your　being　with　a　strength　of

which　I　had　no　previous　conception。　I　have　already　administered

agents　powerful　enough　to　do　aught　except　to　change　your　entire

physical　system。　Only　one　thing　remains　to　be　tried。　If　that　fail

us　we　are　ruined。〃



〃Why　did　you　hesitate　to　tell　me　this？〃　asked　she。



〃Because；　Georgiana；〃　said　Aylmer；　in　a　low　voice；　〃there　is

danger。〃



〃Danger？　There　is　but　one　dangerthat　this　horrible　stigma　shall

be　left　upon　my　cheek！〃　cried　Georgiana。　〃Remove　it；　remove　it；

whatever　be　the　cost；　or　we　shall　both　go　mad！〃



〃Heaven　knows　your　words　are　too　true；〃　said　Aylmer；　sadly。　〃And

now；　dearest；　return　to　your　boudoir。　In　a　little　while　all　will

be　tested。〃



He　conducted　her　back　and　took　leave　of　her　with　a　solemn

tenderness　which　spoke　far　more　than　his　words　how　much　was　now

at　stake。　After　his　departure　Georgiana　became　rapt　in　musings。

She　considered　the　character　of　Aylmer；　and　did　it　completer

justice　than　at　any　previous　moment。　Her　heart　exulted；　while　it

trembled；　at　his　honorable　loveso　pure　and　lofty　that　it　would

accept　nothing　less　than　perfection　nor　miserably　make　itself

contented　with　an　earthlier　nature　than　he　had　dreamed　of。　She

felt　how　much　more　precious　was　such　a　sentiment　than　that　meaner

kind　which　would　have　borne　with　the　imperfection　for　her　sake；

and　have　been　guilty　of　treason　to　holy　love　by　degrading　its

perfect　idea　to　the　level　of　the　actual；　and　with　her　whole

spirit　she　prayed　that；　for　a　single　moment；　she　might　satisfy

his　highest　and　deepest　conception。　Longer　than　one　moment　she

well　knew　it　could　not　be；　for　his　spirit　was　ever　on　the　march；

ever　ascendin