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its former distinctness。 Its presence had been awful； its
departure was more awful still。 Watch the stain of the rainbow
fading out 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 rose color。 The
lightest flush of blood across her cheek would overcome it。 But
she is so pale！〃
He drew aside the window curtain and suffered the light of
natural day to fall into the room and rest upon her cheek。 At the
same time he heard a gross； hoarse chuckle； which he had long
known as his servant Aminadab's expression of delight。
〃Ah； clod！ ah； earthly mass！〃 cried Aylmer； laughing in a sort of
frenzy； 〃you have served me well！ Matter and spiritearth and
heaven have both done their part in this！ Laugh； thing of the
senses！ You have earned the right to laugh。〃
These exclamations broke Georgiana's sleep。 She slowly unclosed
her eyes and gazed into the mirror which her husband had arranged
for that purpose。 A faint smile flitted over her lips when she
recognized how barely perceptible was now that crimson hand which
had once blazed forth with such disastrous brilliancy as to scare
away all their happiness。 But then her eyes sought Aylmer's face
with a trouble and anxiety that he could by no means account for。
〃My poor Aylmer！〃 murmured she。
〃Poor？ Nay； richest； happiest； most favored！〃 exclaimed he。 〃My
peerless bride； it is successful！ You are perfect！〃
〃My poor Aylmer；〃 she repeated； with a more than human
tenderness； 〃you have aimed loftily； you have done nobly。 Do not
repent that with so high and pure a feeling； you have rejected
the best the earth could offer。 Aylmer； dearest Aylmer； I am
dying！〃
Alas！ it was too true！ The fatal hand had grappled with the
mystery of life； and was the bond by which an angelic spirit kept
itself in union with a mortal frame。 As the last crimson tint of
the birthmarkthat sole token of human imperfectionfaded from
her cheek； the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed
into the atmosphere； and her soul； lingering a moment near her
husband； took its heavenward flight。 Then a hoarse； chuckling
laugh was heard again！ Thus ever does the gross fatality of earth
exult in its invariable triumph over the immortal essence which；
in this dim sphere of half development； demands the completeness
of a higher state。 Yet； had Alymer reached a profounder wisdom；
he need not thus have flung away the happiness which would have
woven his mortal life of the selfsame texture with the celestial。
The momentary circumstance was too strong for him； he failed to
look beyond the shadowy scope of time； and； living once for all
in eternity； to find the perfect future in the present。