twice-told tales- the birthmark-第2章

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that　dream。〃

　　　The　mind　is　in　a　sad　state；　when　Sleep；　the　all…involving；　cannot

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　burthen　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

thought…　thought　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　cheek…　her　right　cheek…　not　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　truth；　against　which　all　seekers　sooner　or　later　stumble；

that　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　under…worker　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　practical　details　of　his　master's

experiments。　With　his　vast　strength；　his　shaggy　hair；　his　smoky

aspect；　and　the　indescribable　earthiness　that　encrusted　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　pastille。〃

　　　〃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　death…like　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；　empurpled　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；　dearest！〃　exclaimed　he。　〃Do　not