twice-told tales- the birthmark-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWICE…TOLD　TALES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BIRTHMARK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Nathaniel　Hawthorne



　　　IN　THE　LATTER　PART　of　the　last　century；　there　lived　a　man　of

science…　an　eminent　proficient　in　every　branch　of　natural

philosophy…　who；　not　long　before　our　story　opens；　had　made

experience　of　a　spiritual　affinity；　more　attractive　than　any

chemical　one。　He　had　left　his　laboratory　to　the　care　of　an

assistant；　cleared　his　fine　countenance　from　the　furnace…smoke；　washed

the　stain　of　acids　from　his　fingers；　and　persuaded　a　beautiful　woman

to　become　his　wife。　In　those　days；　when　the　comparatively　recent

discovery　of　electricity；　and　other　kindred　mysteries　of　nature；

seemed　to　open　paths　into　the　region　of　miracle；　it　was　not　unusual

for　the　love　of　science　to　rival　the　love　of　woman；　in　its　depth　and

absorbing　energy。　The　higher　intellect；　the　imagination；　the　spirit；

and　even　the　heart；　might　all　find　their　congenial　aliment　in　pursuits

which；　as　some　of　their　ardent　votaries　believed；　would　ascend　from

one　step　of　powerful　intelligence　to　another；　until　the　philosopher

should　lay　his　hand　on　the　secret　of　creative　force；　and　perhaps

make　new　worlds　for　himself。　We　know　not　whether　Aylmer　possessed　this

degree　of　faith　in　man's　ultimate　control　over　nature。　He　had

devoted　himself；　however；　too　unreservedly　to　scientific　studies；　ever

to　be　weaned　from　them　by　any　second　passion。　His　love　for　his　young

wife　might　prove　the　stronger　of　the　two；　but　it　could　only　be　by

intertwining　itself　with　his　love　of　science；　and　uniting　the　strength

of　the　latter　to　its　own。

　　　Such　an　union　accordingly　took　place；　and　was　attended　with　truly

remarkable　consequences；　and　a　deeply　impressive　moral。　One　day；

very　soon　after　their　marriage；　Aylmer　sat　gazing　at　his　wife；　with

a　trouble　in　his　countenance　that　grew　stronger；　until　he　spoke。

　　　〃Georgiana；〃　said　he；　〃has　it　never　occurred　to　you　that　the　mark

upon　your　cheek　might　be　removed？〃

　　　〃No；　indeed；　said　she；　smiling；　but　perceiving　the　seriousness　of

his　manner；　she　blushed　deeply。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　it　has　been　so

often　called　a　charm；　that　I　was　simple　enough　to　imagine　it　might

be　so。〃

　　　〃Ah；　upon　another　face；　perhaps　it　might；〃　replied　her　husband。

〃But　never　on　yours！　No；　dearest　Georgiana；　you　came　so　nearly　perfect

from　the　hand　of　Nature；　that　this　slightest　possible　defect…　which　we

hesitate　whether　to　term　a　defect　or　a　beauty…　shocks　me；　as　being　the

visible　mark　of　earthly　imperfection。〃

　　　〃Shocks　you；　my　husband！〃　cried　Georgiana；　deeply　hurt；　at　first

reddening　with　momentary　anger；　but　then　bursting　into　tears。　〃Then

why　did　you　take　me　from　my　mother's　side？　You　cannot　love　what　shocks

you！〃

　　　To　explain　this　conversation；　it　must　be　mentioned；　that；　in　the

centre　of　Georgiana's　left　cheek；　there　was　a　singular　mark；　deeply

interwoven；　as　it　were；　with　the　texture　and　substance　of　her　face。　In

the　usual　state　of　her　complexion…　a　healthy；　though　delicate　bloom…

the　mark　wore　a　tint　of　deeper　crimson；　which　imperfectly　defined

its　shape　amid　the　surrounding　rosiness。　When　she　blushed；　it

gradually　became　more　indistinct；　and　finally　vanished　amid　the

triumphant　rush　of　blood；　that　bathed　the　whole　cheek　with　its

brilliant　glow。　But；　if　any　shifting　emotion　caused　her　to　turn

pale；　there　was　the　mark　again；　a　crimson　stain　upon　the　snow；　in　what

Aylmer　sometimes　deemed　an　almost　fearful　distinctness。　Its　shape　bore

not　a　little　similarity　to　the　human　hand；　though　of　the　smallest

pigmy　size。　Georgiana's　lovers　were　wont　to　say；　that　some　fairy；　at

her　birth…hour；　had　laid　her　tiny　hand　upon　the　infant's　cheek；　and

left　this　impress　there；　in　token　of　the　magic　endowments　that　were　to

give　her　such　sway　over　all　hearts。　Many　a　desperate　swain　would

have　risked　life　for　the　privilege　of　pressing　his　lips　to　the

mysterious　hand。　It　must　not　be　concealed；　however；　that　the

impression　wrought　by　this　fairy　sign…manual　varied　exceedingly；

according　to　the　difference　of　temperament　in　the　beholders。　Some

fastidious　persons…　but　they　were　exclusively　of　her　own　sex…　affirmed

that　the　Bloody　Hand；　as　they　chose　to　call　it；　quite　destroyed　the

effect　of　Georgiana's　beauty；　and　rendered　her　countenance　even

hideous。　But　it　would　be　as　reasonable　to　say；　that　one　of　those　small

blue　stains；　which　sometimes　occur　in　the　purest　statuary　marble；

would　convert　the　Eve　of　Powers　to　a　monster。　Masculine　observers；

if　the　birthmark　did　not　heighten　their　admiration；　contented

themselves　with　wishing　it　away；　that　the　world　might　possess　one

living　specimen　of　ideal　loveliness；　without　the　semblance　of　a

flaw。　After　his　marriage…　for　he　thought　little　or　nothing　of　the

matter　before…　Aylmer　discovered　that　this　was　the　case　with　himself。

　　　Had　she　been　less　beautiful…　if　Envy's　self　could　have　found

aught　else　to　sneer　at…　he　might　have　felt　his　affection　heightened　by

the　prettiness　of　this　mimic　hand；　now　vaguely　portrayed；　now　lost；

now　stealing　forth　again；　and　glimmering　to　and　fro　with　every　pulse

of　emotion　that　throbbed　within　her　heart。　But；　seeing　her　otherwise

so　perfect；　he　found　this　one　defect　grow　more　and　more　intolerable；

with　every　moment　of　their　united　lives。　It　was　the　fatal　flaw　of

humanity；　which　Nature；　in　one　shape　or　another；　stamps　ineffaceably

on　all　her　productions；　either　to　imply　that　they　are　temporary　and

finite；　or　that　their　perfection　must　be　wrought　by　toil　and　pain。　The

Crimson　Hand　expressed　the　ineludible　gripe；　in　which　mortality

clutches　the　highest　and　purest　of　earthly　mould；　degrading　them

into　kindred　with　the　lowest；　and　even　with　the　very　brutes；　like　whom

their　visible　frames　return　to　dust。　In　this　manner；　selecting　it　as

the　symbol　of　his　wife's　liability　to　sin；　sorrow；　decay；　and　death；

Aylmer's　sombre　imagination　was　not　long　in　rendering　the　birthmark

a　frightful　object；　causing　him　more　trouble　and　horror　than　ever

Georgiana's　beauty；　whether　of　soul　or　sense；　had　given　him　delight。

　　　At　all　the　seasons　which　should　have　been　their　happiest；　he

invariably；　and　without　intending　it…　nay；　in　spite　of　a　purpose　to

the　contrary…　reverted　to　this　one　disastrous　topic。　Trifling　as　it　at

first　appeared；　it　so　connected　itself　with　innumerable　trains　of

thought；　and　modes　of　feeling；　that　it　became　the　central　point　of

all。　With　the　morning　twilight；　Aylmer　opened　his　eyes　upon　his　wife's

face；　and　recognized　the　symbol　of　imperfection；　and　when　they　sat

together　at　the　evening　hearth；　his　eyes　wandered　stealthily　to　her

cheek；　and　beheld；　flickering　with　the　blaze　of　the　wood　fire；　the

spectral　Hand　that　wrote　mortality　where　he　would　fain　have

worshipped。　Georgiana　soon　learned　to　shudder　at　his　gaze。　It　needed

but　a　glance；　with　the　peculiar　expression　that　his　face　often　wore；

to　change　the　roses　of　her　cheek　into　a　death…like　paleness；　amid

which　the　Crimson　Hand　was　brought　strongly　out；　like　a　bas…relief

of　ruby　on　the　whitest　marble。

　　　Late；　one　night；　when　the　lights　were　growing　dim；　so　as　hardly

to　betray　the　stain　on　the　poor　wife's　cheek；　she　herself；　for　the

first　time；　voluntarily　took　up　the　subject。

　　　〃Do　you　remember；　my　dear　Aylmer；〃　said　she；　with　a　feeble

attempt　at　a　smile…　〃have　you　any　recollection　of　a　dream；　last　night；

about　this　odious　Hand？〃

　　　〃None！　none　whatever！〃　replied　Aylmer；　starting；　but　then　he

added　in　a　dry；　cold　tone；　affected　for　the　sake　of　concealing　the

real　depth　of　his　emotion：　〃I　might　well　dream　of　it；　for；　before　I

fell　asleep；　it　had　taken　a　pretty　firm　hold　of　my　fancy。〃

　　　〃And　you　did　dream　of　it；〃　continued　Georgiana；　hastily；　for　she

dreaded　lest　a　gush　of　tears　should　interrupt　what　she　had　to　say…

〃A　terrible　dream！　I　wonder　that　you　can　forget　it。　Is　it　possible

to　forget　this　one　expression？　'It　is　in　her　heart　now…　we　must　have

it　out！'　Reflect；　my　husband；　for　by　all　means　I　would　have　you　recall

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　fin