twice-told tales- the birthmark-第3部分

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　　　〃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　red…hot　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；　mis…shapen　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　life…time　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　system：　a　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　the　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　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；　with　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　short…comings　of　the

composite　man…　the　spirit　burthened　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　gaiety；　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！〃

　　　〃Hoh！　hoh！〃　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　co