twice-told tales- the birthmark-第4节

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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　concealed。

Know；　then；　that　this　Crimson　Hand；　superficial　as　it　seems；　has

clutched　its　grasp　into　your　being；　with　a　strength　of　which　I　had　no

previous　conception。　I　have　already　administered　agents　powerful

enough　to　do　aught　except　to　change　your　entire　physical　system。　Only

one　thing　remains　to　be　tried。　If　that　fail　us；　we　are　ruined！〃

　　　〃Why　did　you　hesitate　to　tell　me　this？〃　asked　she。

　　　〃Because；　Georgiana；〃　said　Aylmer；　in　a　low　voice；　〃there　is

danger！〃

　　　〃Danger？　There　is　but　one　danger…　that　this　horrible　stigma　shall

be　left　upon　my　cheek！〃　cried　Georgiana。　〃Remove　it！　remove　it！…

whatever　be　the　cost…　or　we　shall　both　go　mad！〃

　　　〃Heaven　knows；　your　words　are　too　true；〃　said　Aylmer；　sadly。　〃And

now；　dearest；　return　to　your　boudoir。　In　a　little　while；　all　will　be

tested。〃

　　　He　conducted　her　back；　and　took　leave　of　her　with　a　solemn

tenderness；　which　spoke　far　more　than　his　words　how　much　was　now　at

stake。　After　his　departure；　Georgiana　became　wrapt　in　musings。　She

considered　the　character　of　Aylmer；　and　did　it　completer　justice

than　at　any　previous　moment。　Her　heart　exulted；　while　it　trembled；

at　his　honorable　love；　so　pure　and　lofty　that　it　would　accept

nothing　less　than　perfection；　nor　miserably　make　itself　contented　with

an　earthlier　nature　than　he　had　dreamed　of。　She　felt　how　much　more

precious　was　such　a　sentiment；　than　that　meaner　kind　which　would

have　borne　with　the　imperfection　for　her　sake；　and　have　been　guilty　of

treason　to　holy　love；　by　degrading　its　perfect　idea　to　the　level　of

the　actual。　And；　with　her　whole　spirit；　she　prayed；　that；　for　a　single

moment；　she　might　satisfy　his　highest　and　deepest　conception。　Longer

than　one　moment；　she　well　knew；　it　could　not　be；　for　his　spirit　was

ever　on　the　march…　ever　ascending…　and　each　instant　required　something

that　was　beyond　the　scope　of　the　instant　before。

　　　The　sound　of　her　husband's　footsteps　aroused　her。　He　bore　a　crystal

goblet；　containing　a　liquor　colorless　as　water；　but　bright　enough　to

be　the　draught　of　immortality。　Aylmer　was　pale；　but　it　seemed　rather

the　consequence　of　a　highly　wrought　state　of　mind；　and　tension　of

spirit；　than　of　fear　or　doubt。

　　　〃The　concoction　of　the　draught　has　been　perfect；〃　said　he；　in

answer　to　Georgiana's　look。　〃Unless　all　my　science　have　deceived　me；

it　cannot　fail。〃

　　　〃Save　on　your　account；　my　dearest　Aylmer；〃　observed　his　wife；　〃I

might　wish　to　put　off　this　birthmark　of　mortality　by　relinquishing

mortality　itself；　in　preference　to　any　other　mode。　Life　is　but　a　sad

possession　to　those　who　have　attained　precisely　the　degree　of　moral

advancement　at　which　I　stand。　Were　I　weaker　and　blinder；　it　might　be

happiness。　Were　I　stronger；　it　might　be　endured　hopefully。　But；　being

what　I　find　myself；　methinks　I　am　of　all　mortals　the　most　fit　to　die。〃

　　　〃You　are　fit　for　heaven　without　tasting　death！〃　replied　her

husband。　〃But　why　do　we　speak　of　dying？　The　draught　cannot　fail。

Behold　its　effect　upon　this　plant！〃

　　　On　the　window…seat　there　stood　a　geranium；　diseased　with　yellow

blotches；　which　had　overspread　all　its　leaves。　Aylmer　poured　a　small

quantity　of　the　liquid　upon　the　soil　in　which　it　grew。　In　a　little

time；　when　the　roots　of　the　plant　had　taken　up　the　moisture；　the

unsightly　blotches　began　to　be　extinguished　in　a　living　verdure。

　　　〃There　needed　no　proof；〃　said　Georgiana；　quietly。　〃Give　me　the

goblet。　I　joyfully　stake　all　upon　your　word。〃

　　　〃Drink；　then；　thou　lofty　creature！〃　exclaimed　Aylmer；　with　fervid

admiration。　〃There　is　no　taint　of　imperfection　on　thy　spirit。　Thy

sensible　frame；　too；　shall　soon　be　all　perfect！〃

　　　She　quaffed　the　liquid；　and　returned　the　goblet　to　his　hand。

　　　〃It　is　grateful；〃　said　she；　with　a　placid　smile。　〃Methinks　it　is

like　water　from　a　heavenly　fountain；　for　it　contains　I　know　not　what

of　unobtrusive　fragrance　and　deliciousness。　It　allays　a　feverish

thirst；　that　had　parched　me　for　many　days。　Now；　dearest；　let　me　sleep。

My　earthly　senses　are　closing　over　my　spirit；　like　the　leaves　around

the　heart　of　a　rose；　at　sunset。〃

　　　She　spoke　the　last　words　with　a　gentle　reluctance；　as　if　it

required　almost　more　energy　than　she　could　command　to　pronounce　the

faint　and　lingering　syllables。　Scarcely　had　they　loitered　through

her　lips；　ere　she　was　lost　in　slumber。　Aylmer　sat　by　her　side；

watching　her　aspect　with　the　emotions　proper　to　a　man；　the　whole　value

of　whose　existence　was　involved　in　the　process　now　to　be　tested。

Mingled　with　this　mood；　however；　was　the　philosophic　investigation；

characteristic　of　the　man　of　science。　Not　the　minutest　symptom　escaped

him。　A　heightened　flush　of　the　cheek…　a　slight　irregularity　of　breath…

a　quiver　of　the　eyelid…　a　hardly　perceptible　tremor　through　the　frame…

such　were　the　details　which；　as　the　moments　passed；　he　wrote　down　in

his　folio　volume。　Intense　thought　had　set　its　stamp　upon　every

previous　page　of　that　volume；　but　the　thoughts　of　years　were　all

concentrated　upon　the　last。

　　　While　thus　employed；　he　failed　not　to　gaze　often　at　the　fatal　Hand；

and　not　without　a　shudder。　Yet　once；　by　a　strange　and　unaccountable

impulse；　he　pressed　it　with　his　lips。　His　spirit　recoiled；　however；　in

the　very　act；　and　Georgiana；　out　of　the　midst　of　her　deep　sleep；　moved

uneasily　and　murmured；　as　if　in　remonstrance。　Again；　Aylmer　resumed

his　watch。　Nor　was　it　without　avail。　The　Crimson　Hand；　which　at

first　had　been　strongly　visible　upon　the　marble　paleness　of

Georgiana's　cheek　now　grew　more　faintly　outlined。　She　remained　not

less　pale　than　ever；　but　the　birthmark；　with　every　breath　that　came

and　went；　lost　somewhat　of　its　former　distinctness。　Its　presence　had

been　awful；　its　departure　was　more　awful　still。　Watch　the　stain　of　the

rainbow　fading　out　of　the　sky；　and　you　will　know　how　that　mysterious

symbol　passed　away。

　　　〃By　Heaven；　it　is　well…nigh　gone！〃　said　Aylmer　to　himself；　in

almost　irrepressible　ecstasy。　〃I　can　scarcely　trace　it　now。　Success！

Success！　And　now　it　is　like　the　faintest　ros