twice-told tales- the birthmark-第3部分

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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　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　burthen　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　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；　a