birthmark-第5章

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

ever　ascending；　and　each　instant　required　something　that　was

beyond　the　scope　of　the　instant　before。



The　sound　of　her　husband's　footsteps　aroused　her。　He　bore　a

crystal　goblet　containing　a　liquor　colorless　as　water；　but　bright

enough　to　be　the　draught　of　immortality。　Aylmer　was　pale；　but　it

seemed　rather　the　consequence　of　a　highly…wrought　state　of　mind

and　tension　of　spirit　than　of　fear　or　doubt。



〃The　concoction　of　the　draught　has　been　perfect；〃　said　he；　in

answer　to　Georgiana's　look。　〃Unless　all　my　science　have　deceived

me；　it　cannot　fail。〃



〃Save　on　your　account；　my　dearest　Aylmer；〃　observed　his　wife；　〃I

might　wish　to　put　off　this　birthmark　of　mortality　by

relinquishing　mortality　itself　in　preference　to　any　other　mode。

Life　is　but　a　sad　possession　to　those　who　have　attained　precisely

the　degree　of　moral　advancement　at　which　I　stand。　Were　I　weaker

and　blinder　it　might　be　happiness。　Were　I　stronger；　it　might　be

endured　hopefully。　But；　being　what　I　find　myself；　methinks　I　am

of　all　mortals　the　most　fit　to　die。〃



〃You　are　fit　for　heaven　without　tasting　death！〃　replied　her

husband　〃But　why　do　we　speak　of　dying？　The　draught　cannot　fail。

Behold　its　effect　upon　this　plant。〃



On　the　window　seat　there　stood　a　geranium　diseased　with　yellow

blotches；　which　had　overspread　all　its　leaves。　Aylmer　poured　a

small　quantity　of　the　liquid　upon　the　soil　in　which　it　grew。　In　a

little　time；　when　the　roots　of　the　plant　had　taken　up　the

moisture；　the　unsightly　blotches　began　to　be　extinguished　in　a

living　verdure。



〃There　needed　no　proof；〃　said　Georgiana；　quietly。　〃Give　me　the

goblet　I　joyfully　stake　all　upon　your　word。〃



〃Drink；　then；　thou　lofty　creature！〃　exclaimed　Aylmer；　with　fervid

admiration。　〃There　is　no　taint　of　imperfection　on　thy　spirit。　Thy

sensible　frame；　too；　shall　soon　be　all　perfect。〃



She　quaffed　the　liquid　and　returned　the　goblet　to　his　hand。



〃It　is　grateful；〃　said　she　with　a　placid　smile。　〃Methinks　it　is

like　water　from　a　heavenly　fountain；　for　it　contains　I　know　not

what　of　unobtrusive　fragrance　and　deliciousness。　It　allays　a

feverish　thirst　that　had　parched　me　for　many　days。　Now；　dearest；

let　me　sleep。　My　earthly　senses　are　closing　over　my　spirit　like

the　leaves　around　the　heart　of　a　rose　at　sunset。〃



She　spoke　the　last　words　with　a　gentle　reluctance；　as　if　it

required　almost　more　energy　than　she　could　command　to　pronounce

the　faint　and　lingering　syllables。　Scarcely　had　they　loitered

through　her　lips　ere　she　was　lost　in　slumber。　Aylmer　sat　by　her

side；　watching　her　aspect　with　the　emotions　proper　to　a　man　the

whole　value　of　whose　existence　was　involved　in　the　process　now　to

be　tested。　Mingled　with　this　mood；　however；　was　the　philosophic

investigation　characteristic　of　the　man　of　science。　Not　the

minutest　symptom　escaped　him。　A　heightened　flush　of　the　cheek；　a

slight　irregularity　of　breath；　a　quiver　of　the　eyelid；　a　hardly

perceptible　tremor　through　the　frame；such　were　the　details

which；　as　the　moments　passed；　he　wrote　down　in　his　folio　volume。

Intense　thought　had　set　its　stamp　upon　every　previous　page　of

that　volume；　but　the　thoughts　of　years　were　all　concentrated　upon

the　last。



While　thus　employed；　he　failed　not　to　gaze　often　at　the　fatal

hand；　and　not　without　a　shudder。　Yet　once；　by　a　strange　and

unaccountable　impulse　he　pressed　it　with　his　lips。　His　spirit

recoiled；　however；　in　the　very　act；　and　Georgiana；　out　of　the

midst　of　her　deep　sleep；　moved　uneasily　and　murmured　as　if　in

remonstrance。　Again　Aylmer　resumed　his　watch。　Nor　was　it　without

avail。　The　crimson　hand；　which　at　first　had　been　strongly　visible

upon　the　marble　paleness　of　Georgiana's　cheek；　now　grew　more

faintly　outlined。　She　remained　not　less　pale　than　ever；　but　the

birthmark　with　every　breath　that　came　and　went；　lost　somewhat　of

its　former　distinctness。　Its　presence　had　been　awful；　its

departure　was　more　awful　still。　Watch　the　stain　of　the　rainbow

fading　out　the　sky；　and　you　will　know　how　that　mysterious　symbol

passed　away。



〃By　Heaven！　it　is　well…nigh　gone！〃　said　Aylmer　to　himself；　in

almost　irrepressible　ecstasy。　〃I　can　scarcely　trace　it　now。

Success！　success！　And　now　it　is　like　the　faintest　rose　color。　The

lightest　flush　of　blood　across　her　cheek　would　overcome　it。　But

she　is　so　pale！〃



He　drew　aside　the　window　curtain　and　suffered　the　light　of

natural　day　to　fall　into　the　room　and　rest　upon　her　cheek。　At　the

same　time　he　heard　a　gross；　hoarse　chuckle；　which　he　had　long

known　as　his　servant　Aminadab's　expression　of　delight。



〃Ah；　clod！　ah；　earthly　mass！〃　cried　Aylmer；　laughing　in　a　sort　of

frenzy；　〃you　have　served　me　well！　Matter　and　spiritearth　and

heaven　have　both　done　their　part　in　this！　Laugh；　thing　of　the

senses！　You　have　earned　the　right　to　laugh。〃



These　exclamations　broke　Georgiana's　sleep。　She　slowly　unclosed

her　eyes　and　gazed　into　the　mirror　which　her　husband　had　arranged

for　that　purpose。　A　faint　smile　flitted　over　her　lips　when　she

recognized　how　barely　perceptible　was　now　that　crimson　hand　which

had　once　blazed　forth　with　such　disastrous　brilliancy　as　to　scare

away　all　their　happiness。　But　then　her　eyes　sought　Aylmer's　face

with　a　trouble　and　anxiety　that　he　could　by　no　means　account　for。



〃My　poor　Aylmer！〃　murmured　she。



〃Poor？　Nay；　richest；　happiest；　most　favored！〃　exclaimed　he。　〃My

peerless　bride；　it　is　successful！　You　are　perfect！〃



〃My　poor　Aylmer；〃　she　repeated；　with　a　more　than　human

tenderness；　〃you　have　aimed　loftily；　you　have　done　nobly。　Do　not

repent　that　with　so　high　and　pure　a　feeling；　you　have　rejected

the　best　the　earth　could　offer。　Aylmer；　dearest　Aylmer；　I　am

dying！〃



Alas！　it　was　too　true！　The　fatal　hand　had　grappled　with　the

mystery　of　life；　and　was　the　bond　by　which　an　angelic　spirit　kept

itself　in　union　with　a　mortal　frame。　As　the　last　crimson　tint　of

the　birthmarkthat　sole　token　of　human　imperfectionfaded　from

her　cheek；　the　parting　breath　of　the　now　perfect　woman　passed

into　the　atmosphere；　and　her　soul；　lingering　a　moment　near　her

husband；　took　its　heavenward　flight。　Then　a　hoarse；　chuckling

laugh　was　heard　again！　Thus　ever　does　the　gross　fatality　of　earth

exult　in　its　invariable　triumph　over　the　immortal　essence　which；

in　this　dim　sphere　of　half　development；　demands　the　completeness

of　a　higher　state。　Yet；　had　Alymer　reached　a　profounder　wisdom；

he　need　not　thus　have　flung　away　the　happiness　which　would　have

woven　his　mortal　life　of　the　selfsame　texture　with　the　celestial。

The　momentary　circumstance　was　too　strong　for　him；　he　failed　to

look　beyond　the　shadowy　scope　of　time；　and；　living　once　for　all

in　eternity；　to　find　the　perfect　future　in　the　present。