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