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thirst of his spirit。 He then took his leave with a boyish
exuberance of gayety； 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。〃
〃Ho！ ho！〃 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 dangerthat 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 rapt 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 loveso 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