the　lengths　which　he　might　find　in　his　heart　to　go　for　the　sake
  of　giving　himself　peace。
  〃Aylmer；〃　resumed　Georgiana；　solemnly；　〃I　know　not　what　may　be
  the　cost　to　both　of　us　to　rid　me　of　this　fatal　birthmark。　Perhaps
  its　removal　may　cause　cureless　deformity；　or　it　may　be　the　stain
  goes　as　deep　as　life　itself。　Again：　do　we　know　that　there　is　a
  possibility；　on　any　terms；　of　unclasping　the　firm　gripe　of　this
  little　hand　which　was　laid　upon　me　before　I　came　into　the　world？〃
  〃Dearest　Georgiana；　I　have　spent　much　thought　upon　the　subject；〃
  hastily　interrupted　Aylmer。　〃I　am　convinced　of　the　perfect
  practicability　of　its　removal。〃
  〃If　there　be　the　remotest　possibility　of　it；〃　continued
  Georgiana；　〃let　the　attempt　be　made　at　whatever　risk。　Danger　is
  nothing　to　me；　for　life；　while　this　hateful　mark　makes　me　the
  object　of　your　horror　and　disgust；life　is　a　burden　which　I
  would　fling　down　with　joy。　Either　remove　this　dreadful　hand；　or
  take　my　wretched　life！　You　have　deep　science。　All　the　world　bears
  witness　of　it。　You　have　achieved　great　wonders。　Cannot　you　remove
  this　little；　little　mark；　which　I　cover　with　the　tips　of　two
  small　fingers？　Is　this　beyond　your　power；　for　the　sake　of　your
  own　peace；　and　to　save　your　poor　wife　from　madness？〃
  〃Noblest；　dearest；　tenderest　wife；〃　cried　Aylmer；　rapturously；
  〃doubt　not　my　power。　I　have　already　given　this　matter　the　deepest
  thoughtthought　which　might　almost　have　enlightened　me　to　create
  a　being　less　perfect　than　yourself。　Georgiana；　you　have　led　me
  deeper　than　ever　into　the　heart　of　science。　I　feel　myself　fully
  competent　to　render　this　dear　cheek　as　faultless　as　its　fellow；
  and　then；　most　beloved；　what　will　be　my　triumph　when　I　shall　have
  corrected　what　Nature　left　imperfect　in　her　fairest　work！　Even
  Pygmalion；　when　his　sculptured　woman　assumed　life；　felt　not
  greater　ecstasy　than　mine　will　be。〃
  〃It　is　resolved；　then；〃　said　Georgiana；　faintly　smiling。　〃And；
  Aylmer；　spare　me　not；　though　you　should　find　the　birthmark　take
  refuge　in　my　heart　at　last。〃
  Her　husband　tenderly　kissed　her　cheekher　right　cheeknot　that
  which　bore　the　impress　of　the　crimson　hand。
  The　next　day　Aylmer　apprised　his　wife　of　a　plan　that　he　had
  formed　whereby　he　might　have　opportunity　for　the　intense　thought
  and　constant　watchfulness　which　the　proposed　operation　would
  require；　while　Georgiana；　likewise；　would　enjoy　the　perfect
  repose　essential　to　its　success。　They　were　to　seclude　themselves
  in　the　extensive　apartments　occupied　by　Aylmer　as　a　laboratory；
  and　where；　during　his　toilsome　youth；　he　had　made　discoveries　in
  the　elemental　powers　of　Nature　that　had　roused　the　admiration　of
  all　the　learned　societies　in　Europe。　Seated　calmly　in　this
  laboratory；　the　pale　philosopher　had　investigated　the　secrets　of
  the　highest　cloud　region　and　of　the　profoundest　mines；　he　had
  satisfied　himself　of　the　causes　that　kindled　and　kept　alive　the
  fires　of　the　volcano；　and　had　explained　the　mystery　of　fountains；
  and　how　it　is　that　they　gush　forth；　some　so　bright　and　pure；　and
  others　with　such　rich　medicinal　virtues；　from　the　dark　bosom　of
  the　earth。　Here；　too；　at　an　earlier　period；　he　had　studied　the
  wonders　of　the　human　frame；　and　attempted　to　fathom　the　very
  process　by　which　Nature　assimilates　all　her　precious　influences
  from　earth　and　air；　and　from　the　spiritual　world；　to　create　and
  foster　man；　her　masterpiece。　The　latter　pursuit；　however；　Aylmer
  had　long　laid　aside　in　unwilling　recognition　of　the
  truthagainst　which　all　seekers　sooner　or　later　stumblethat
  our　great　creative　Mother；　while　she　amuses　us　with　apparently
  working　in　the　broadest　sunshine；　is　yet　severely　careful　to　keep
  her　own　secrets；　and；　in　spite　of　her　pretended　openness；　shows
  us　nothing　but　results。　She　permits　us；　indeed；　to　mar；　but
  seldom　to　mend；　and；　like　a　jealous　patentee；　on　no　account　to
  make。　Now；　however；　Aylmer　resumed　these　half…forgotten
  investigations；　not；　of　course；　with　such　hopes　or　wishes　as
  first　suggested　them；　but　because　they　involved　much
  physiological　truth　and　lay　in　the　path　of　his　proposed　scheme
  for　the　treatment　of　Georgiana。
  As　he　led　her　over　the　threshold　of　the　laboratory；　Georgiana　was
  cold　and　tremulous。　Aylmer　looked　cheerfully　into　her　face；　with
  intent　to　reassure　her；　but　was　so　startled　with　the　intense　glow
  of　the　birthmark　upon　the　whiteness　of　her　cheek　that　he　could
  not　restrain　a　strong　convulsive　shudder。　His　wife　fainted。
  〃Aminadab！　Aminadab！〃　shouted　Aylmer；　stamping　violently　on　the
  floor。
  Forthwith　there　issued　from　an　inner　apartment　a　man　of　low
  stature；　but　bulky　frame；　with　shaggy　hair　hanging　about　his
  visage；　which　was　grimed　with　the　vapors　of　the　furnace。　This
  personage　had　been　Aylmer's　underworker　during　his　whole
  scientific　career；　and　was　admirably　fitted　for　that　office　by
  his　great　mechanical　readiness；　and　the　skill　with　which；　while
  incapable　of　comprehending　a　single　principle；　he　executed　all
  the　details　of　his　master's　experiments。　With　his　vast　strength；
  his　shaggy　hair；　his　smoky　aspect；　and　the　indescribable
  earthiness　that　incrusted　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　pastil。〃
  〃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　deathlike　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；　impurpled　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　burden　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　touche