may　be　perpetuated　a　race　as　ephemeral　as　itself。〃
  But　Georgiana　had　no　sooner　touched　the　flower　than　the　whole
  plant　suffered　a　blight；　its　leaves　turning　coal…black　as　if　by
  the　agency　of　fire。
  〃There　was　too　powerful　a　stimulus；〃　said　Aylmer；　thoughtfully。
  To　make　up　for　this　abortive　experiment；　he　proposed　to　take　her
  portrait　by　a　scientific　process　of　his　own　invention。　It　was　to
  be　effected　by　rays　of　light　striking　upon　a　polished　plate　of
  metal。　Georgiana　assented；　but；　on　looking　at　the　result；　was
  affrighted　to　find　the　features　of　the　portrait　blurred　and
  indefinable；　while　the　minute　figure　of　a　hand　appeared　where　the
  cheek　should　have　been。　Aylmer　snatched　the　metallic　plate　and
  threw　it　into　a　jar　of　corrosive　acid。
  Soon；　however；　he　forgot　these　mortifying　failures。　In　the
  intervals　of　study　and　chemical　experiment　he　came　to　her　flushed
  and　exhausted；　but　seemed　invigorated　by　her　presence；　and　spoke
  in　glowing　language　of　the　resources　of　his　art。　He　gave　a
  history　of　the　long　dynasty　of　the　alchemists；　who　spent　so　many
  ages　in　quest　of　the　universal　solvent　by　which　the　golden
  principle　might　be　elicited　from　all　things　vile　and　base。　Aylmer
  appeared　to　believe　that；　by　the　plainest　scientific　logic；　it
  was　altogether　within　the　limits　of　possibility　to　discover　this
  long…sought　medium；　〃but；〃　he　added；　〃a　philosopher　who　should　go
  deep　enough　to　acquire　the　power　would　attain　too　lofty　a　wisdom
  to　stoop　to　the　exercise　of　it。〃　Not　less　singular　were　his
  opinions　in　regard　to　the　elixir　vitae。　He　more　than　intimated
  that　it　was　at　his　option　to　concoct　a　liquid　that　should　prolong
  life　for　years；　perhaps　interminably；　but　that　it　would　produce　a
  discord　in　Nature　which　all　the　world；　and　chiefly　the　quaffer　of
  the　immortal　nostrum；　would　find　cause　to　curse。
  〃Aylmer；　are　you　in　earnest？〃　asked　Georgiana；　looking　at　him
  with　amazement　and　fear。　〃It　is　terrible　to　possess　such　power；
  or　even　to　dream　of　possessing　it。〃
  〃Oh；　do　not　tremble；　my　love；〃　said　her　husband。　〃I　would　not
  wrong　either　you　or　myself　by　working　such　inharmonious　effects
  upon　our　lives；　but　I　would　have　you　consider　how　trifling；　in
  comparison；　is　the　skill　requisite　to　remove　this　little　hand。〃
  At　the　mention　of　the　birthmark；　Georgiana；　as　usual；　shrank　as
  if　a　redhot　iron　had　touched　her　cheek。
  Again　Aylmer　applied　himself　to　his　labors。　She　could　hear　his
  voice　in　the　distant　furnace　room　giving　directions　to　Aminadab；
  whose　harsh；　uncouth；　misshapen　tones　were　audible　in　response；
  more　like　the　grunt　or　growl　of　a　brute　than　human　speech。　After
  hours　of　absence；　Aylmer　reappeared　and　proposed　that　she　should
  now　examine　his　cabinet　of　chemical　products　and　natural
  treasures　of　the　earth。　Among　the　former　he　showed　her　a　small
  vial；　in　which；　he　remarked；　was　contained　a　gentle　yet　most
  powerful　fragrance；　capable　of　impregnating　all　the　breezes　that
  blow　across　a　kingdom。　They　were　of　inestimable　value；　the
  contents　of　that　little　vial；　and；　as　he　said　so；　he　threw　some
  of　the　perfume　into　the　air　and　filled　the　room　with　piercing　and
  invigorating　delight。
  〃And　what　is　this？〃　asked　Georgiana；　pointing　to　a　small　crystal
  globe　containing　a　gold…colored　liquid。　〃It　is　so　beautiful　to
  the　eye　that　I　could　imagine　it　the　elixir　of　life。〃
  〃In　one　sense　it　is；〃　replied　Aylmer；　〃or；　rather；　the　elixir　of
  immortality。　It　is　the　most　precious　poison　that　ever　was
  concocted　in　this　world。　By　its　aid　I　could　apportion　the
  lifetime　of　any　mortal　at　whom　you　might　point　your　finger。　The
  strength　of　the　dose　would　determine　whether　he　were　to　linger
  out　years；　or　drop　dead　in　the　midst　of　a　breath。　No　king　on　his
  guarded　throne　could　keep　his　life　if　I；　in　my　private　station；
  should　deem　that　the　welfare　of　millions　justified　me　in
  depriving　him　of　it。〃
  〃Why　do　you　keep　such　a　terrific　drug？〃　inquired　Georgiana　in
  horror。
  〃Do　not　mistrust　me；　dearest；〃　said　her　husband；　smiling；　〃its
  virtuous　potency　is　yet　greater　than　its　harmful　one。　But　see！
  here　is　a　powerful　cosmetic。　With　a　few　drops　of　this　in　a　vase
  of　water；　freckles　may　be　washed　away　as　easily　as　the　hands　are
  cleansed。　A　stronger　infusion　would　take　the　blood　out　of　the
  cheek；　and　leave　the　rosiest　beauty　a　pale　ghost。〃
  〃Is　it　with　this　lotion　that　you　intend　to　bathe　my　cheek？〃　asked
  Georgiana；　anxiously。
  〃Oh；　no；〃　hastily　replied　her　husband；　〃this　is　merely
  superficial。　Your　case　demands　a　remedy　that　shall　go　deeper。〃
  In　his　interviews　with　Georgiana；　Aylmer　generally　made　minute
  inquiries　as　to　her　sensations　and　whether　the　confinement　of　the
  rooms　and　the　temperature　of　the　atmosphere　agreed　with　her。
  These　questions　had　such　a　particular　drift　that　Georgiana　began
  to　conjecture　that　she　was　already　subjected　to　certain　physical
  influences；　either　breathed　in　with　the　fragrant　air　or　taken
  with　her　food。　She　fancied　likewise；　but　it　might　be　altogether
  fancy；　that　there　was　a　stirring　up　of　her　systema　strange；
  indefinite　sensation　creeping　through　her　veins；　and　tingling；
  half　painfully；　half　pleasurably；　at　her　heart。　Still；　whenever
  she　dared　to　look　into　the　mirror；　there　she　beheld　herself　pale
  as　a　white　rose　and　with　the　crimson　birthmark　stamped　upon　her
  cheek。　Not　even　Aylmer　now　hated　it　so　much　as　she。
  To　dispel　the　tedium　of　the　hours　which　her　husband　found　it
  necessary　to　devote　to　the　processes　of　combination　and　analysis；
  Georgiana　turned　over　the　volumes　of　his　scientific　library。　In
  many　dark　old　tomes　she　met　with　chapters　full　of　romance　and
  poetry。　They　were　the　works　of　philosophers　of　the　middle　ages；
  such　as　Albertus　Magnus；　Cornelius　Agrippa；　Paracelsus；　and　the
  famous　friar　who　created　the　prophetic　Brazen　Head。　All　these
  antique　naturalists　stood　in　advance　of　their　centuries；　yet　were
  imbued　with　some　of　their　credulity；　and　therefore　were　believed；
  and　perhaps　imagined　themselves　to　have　acquired　from　the
  investigation　of　Nature　a　power　above　Nature；　and　from　physics　a
  sway　over　the　spiritual　world。　Hardly　less　curious　and
  imaginative　were　the　early　volumes　of　the　Transactions　of　the
  Royal　Society；　in　which　the　members；　knowing　little　of　the　limits
  of　natural　possibility；　were　continually　recording　wonders　or
  proposing　methods　whereby　wonders　might　be　wrought。
  But　to　Georgiana　the　most　engrossing　volume　was　a　large　folio
  from　her　husband's　own　hand；　in　which　he　had　recorded　every
  experiment　of　his　scientific　career；　its　original　aim；　the
  methods　adopted　for　its　development；　and　its　final　success　or
  failure；　with　the　circumstances　to　which　either　event　was
  attributable。　The　book；　in　truth；　was　both　the　history　and　emblem
  of　his　ardent；　ambitious；　imaginative；　yet　practical　and
  laborious　life。　He　handled　physical　details　as　if　there　were
  nothing　beyond　them；　yet　spiritualized　them　all；　and　redeemed
  himself　from　materialism　by　his　strong　and　eager　aspiration
  towards　the　infinite。　In　his　grasp　the　veriest　clod　of　earth
  assumed　a　soul。　Georgiana；　as　she　read；　reverenced　Aylmer　and
  loved　him　more　profoundly　than　ever；　but　with　a　less　entire
  dependence　on　his　judgment　than　heretofore。　Much　as　he　had
  accomplished；　she　could　not　but　observe　that　his　most　splendid
  successes　were　almost　invariably　failures；　if　compared　with　the
  ideal　at　which　he　aimed。　His　brightest　diamonds　were　the　merest
  pebbles；　and　felt　to　be　so　by　himself；　in　comparison　with　the
  inestimable　gems　which　lay　hidden　beyond　his　reach。　The　volume；
  rich　with　achievements　that　had　won　renown　for　its　author；　was
  yet　as　melancholy　a　record　as　ever　mortal　hand　had　penned。　It　was
  the　sad　confession　and　continual　exemplification　of　the
  shortcomings　of　the　composite　man；　the　spirit　burdened　with　clay
  and　working　in　matter；　and　of　the　despair　that　assails　the　higher
  nature　at　finding　itself　so　miserably　thwarted　by　the　earthly
  part。　Perhaps　every　man　of　genius　in　whatever　sphere　might
  recognize　the　image　of　his　own　experience　in　Aylmer's　journal。
  So　deeply　did　these　reflections　affect　Georgiana　that　she　laid
  her　face　upon　the　open　volume　and　burst　into　tears。　In　this
  situation　she　was　found　by　her　husband。
  〃It　is　dangerous　to　read　in　a　sorcerer's　books；〃　said　he　with　a
  smile；　though　his　countenance　was　uneasy　and　displeased。
  〃Georgiana；　there　are　pages　in　that　volume　which　I　can　scarcely
  glance　over　and　keep　my　senses。　Take　heed　lest　it　prove　as
  detrimental　to　you。〃
  〃It　has　made　me　worship　you　more　than　ever；〃　said　she。
  〃Ah；　wait　for　this　one　success；〃　rejoined　he；　〃then　worship　me　if
  you　will。　I　shall　deem　myself　hardly　unworthy　of　it。　But　come；　I
  have　sought　you　for　the　luxury　of　your　voice。　Sing　to　me；
  dearest。〃
  So　she　poured　out　the　liquid　music　of　her　voice　to　quench　the
  thirst　of　his　spirit。　He　then　took　his　leave　with　a　boyish
  exuberance　of　gayety；　assuring　her　that　her　seclusion　wo