birthmark-第2部分

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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

thoughtthought　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　cheekher　right　cheeknot　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

truthagainst　which　all　seekers　sooner　or　later　stumblethat

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　underworker　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　details　of　his　master's　experiments。　With　his　vast　strength；

his　shaggy　hair；　his　smoky　aspect；　and　the　indescribable

earthiness　that　incrusted　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　pastil。〃



〃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　deathlike　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；　impurpled　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　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　trem