invariably，andwithoutintendingit-nay，inspiteofapurposeto
thecontrary-revertedtothisonedisastroustopic。Triflingasitat
firstappeared，itsoconnecteditselfwithinnumerabletrainsof
thought，andmodesoffeeling，thatitbecamethecentralpointof
all。Withthemorningtwilight，Aylmeropenedhiseyesuponhiswife’s
face，andrecognizedthesymbolofimperfection；andwhentheysat
togetherattheeveninghearth，hiseyeswanderedstealthilytoher
cheek，andbeheld，flickeringwiththeblazeofthewoodfire，the
spectralHandthatwrotemortalitywherehewouldfainhave
worshipped。Georgianasoonlearnedtoshudderathisgaze。Itneeded
butaglance，withthepeculiarexpressionthathisfaceoftenwore，
tochangetherosesofhercheekintoadeath-likepaleness，amid
whichtheCrimsonHandwasbroughtstronglyout，likeabas-relief
ofrubyonthewhitestmarble。
Late，onenight，whenthelightsweregrowingdim，soashardly
tobetraythestainonthepoorwife’scheek，sheherself，forthe
firsttime，voluntarilytookupthesubject。
“Doyouremember，mydearAylmer。”saidshe，withafeeble
attemptatasmile-“haveyouanyrecollectionofadream，lastnight，
aboutthisodiousHand？”
“None！nonewhatever！”repliedAylmer，starting；butthenhe
addedinadry，coldtone，affectedforthesakeofconcealingthe
realdepthofhisemotion：“Imightwelldreamofit；for，beforeI
fellasleep，ithadtakenaprettyfirmholdofmyfancy。”
“Andyoudiddreamofit。”continuedGeorgiana，hastily；forshe
dreadedlestagushoftearsshouldinterruptwhatshehadtosay-
“Aterribledream！Iwonderthatyoucanforgetit。Isitpossible
toforgetthisoneexpression？’Itisinherheartnow-wemusthave
itout！’Reflect，myhusband；forbyallmeansIwouldhaveyourecall
thatdream。”
Themindisinasadstate，whenSleep，theall-involving，cannot
confineherspectreswithinthedimregionofhersway，butsuffers
themtobreakforth，affrightingthisactuallifewithsecretsthat
perchancebelongtoadeeperone。Aylmernowrememberedhisdream。
Hehadfanciedhimself，withhisservantAminadab，attemptingan
operationfortheremovalofthebirthmark。Butthedeeperwentthe
knife，thedeepersanktheHand，untilatlengthitstinygrasp
appearedtohavecaughtholdofGeorgiana’sheart；whence，however，
herhusbandwasinexorablyresolvedtocutorwrenchitaway。
Whenthedreamhadshapeditselfperfectlyinhismemory，Aylmer
satinhiswife’spresencewithaguiltyfeeling。Truthoftenfinds
itswaytothemindclose-muffledinrobesofsleep，andthenspeaks
withuncompromisingdirectnessofmattersinregardtowhichwe
practiseanunconsciousself-deception，duringourwakingmoments。
Untilnow，hehadnotbeenawareofthetyrannizinginfluenceacquired
byoneideaoverhismind，andofthelengthswhichhemightfindin
hishearttogo，forthesakeofgivinghimselfpeace。
“Aylmer。”resumedGeorgiana，solemnly，“Iknownotwhatmaybe
thecosttobothofus，toridmeofthisfatalbirthmark。Perhapsits
removalmaycausecurelessdeformity。Or，itmaybe，thestaingoesas
deepaslifeitself。Again，doweknowthatthereisapossibility，on
anyterms，ofunclaspingthefirmgripeofthislittleHand，whichwas
laiduponmebeforeIcameintotheworld？”
“DearestGeorgiana，Ihavespentmuchthoughtuponthesubject。”
hastilyinterruptedAylmer-“Iamconvincedoftheperfect
practicabilityofitsremoval。”
“Iftherebetheremotestpossibilityofit。”continued
Georgiana，“lettheattemptbemade，atwhateverrisk。Dangeris
nothingtome；forlife-whilethishatefulmarkmakesmetheobject
ofyourhorroranddisgust-lifeisaburthenwhichIwouldflingdown
withjoy。EitherremovethisdreadfulHand，ortakemywretched
life！Youhavedeepscience！Alltheworldbearswitnessofit。You
haveachievedgreatwonders！Cannotyouremovethislittle，little
mark，whichIcoverwiththetipsoftwosmallfingers！Isthisbeyond
yourpower，forthesakeofyourownpeace，andtosaveyourpoorwife
frommadness？”
“Noblest-dearest-tenderestwife！”criedAylmer，rapturously。
“Doubtnotmypower。Ihavealreadygiventhismatterthedeepest
thought-thoughtwhichmightalmosthaveenlightenedmetocreatea
beinglessperfectthanyourself。Georgiana，youhaveledmedeeper
thaneverintotheheartofscience。Ifeelmyselffullycompetent
torenderthisdearcheekasfaultlessasitsfellow；andthen，most
beloved，whatwillbemytriumph，whenIshallhavecorrectedwhat
Natureleftimperfect，inherfairestwork！EvenPygmalion，whenhis
sculpturedwomanassumedlife，feltnotgreaterecstasythanminewill
be。”
“Itisresolved，then。”saidGeorgiana，faintlysmiling-“And，
Aylmer，sparemenot，thoughyoushouldfindthebirthmarktakerefuge
inmyheartatlast。”
Herhusbandtenderlykissedhercheek-herrightcheek-notthat
whichboretheimpressoftheCrimsonHand。
Thenextday，Aylmerapprisedhiswifeofaplanthathehad
formed，wherebyhemighthaveopportunityfortheintensethought
andconstantwatchfulnesswhichtheproposedoperationwould
require；whileGeorgiana，likewise，wouldenjoytheperfectrepose
essentialtoitssuccess。Theyweretosecludethemselvesinthe
extensiveapartmentsoccupiedbyAylmerasalaboratory，andwhere，
duringhistoilsomeyouth，hehadmadediscoveriesintheelemental
powersofNature，thathadrousedtheadmirationofallthelearned
societiesinEurope。Seatedcalmlyinthislaboratory，thepale
philosopherhadinvestigatedthesecretsofthehighest
cloud-region，andoftheprofoundestmines；hehadsatisfiedhimself
ofthecausesthatkindledandkeptalivethefiresofthevolcano；
andhadexplainedthemysteryoffountains，andhowitisthatthey
gushforth，somesobrightandpure，andotherswithsuchrich
medicinalvirtues，fromthedarkbosomoftheearth。Here，too，at
anearlierperiod，hehadstudiedthewondersofthehumanframe，
andattemptedtofathomtheveryprocessbywhichNatureassimilates
allherpreciousinfluencesfromearthandair，andfromthespiritual
world，tocreateandfosterMan，hermasterpiece。Thelatter
pursuit，however，Aylmerhadlonglaidaside，inunwillingrecognition
ofthetruth，againstwhichallseekerssoonerorlaterstumble，
thatourgreatcreativeMother，whilesheamusesuswithapparently
workinginthebroadestsunshine，isyetseverelycarefultokeep
herownsecrets，and，inspiteofherpretendedopenness，showsus
nothingbutresults。Shepermitsusindeedtomar，butseldomtomend，
and，likeajealouspatentee，onnoaccounttomake。Now，however，
Aylmerresumedthesehalf-forgotteninvestigations；not，ofcourse，
withsuchhopesorwishesasfirstsuggestedthem；butbecausethey
involvedmuchphysiologicaltruth，andlayinthepathofhisproposed
schemeforthetreatmentofGeorgiana。
Asheledheroverthethresholdofthelaboratory，Georgianawas
coldandtremulous。Aylmerlookedcheerfullyintoherface，with
intenttoreassureher，butwassostartledwiththeintenseglowof
thebirthmarkuponthewhitenessofhercheek，thathecouldnot
restrainastrongconvulsiveshudder。Hiswifefainted。
“Aminadab！Aminadab！”shoutedAylmer，stampingviolentlyonthe
floor。
Forthwith，thereissuedfromaninnerapartmentamanoflow
stature，butbulkyframe，withshaggyhairhangingabouthisvisage，
whichwasgrimedwiththevaporsofthefurnace。Thispersonagehad
beenAylmer’sunder-workerduringhiswholescientificcareer，andwas
admirablyfittedforthatofficebyhisgreatmechanicalreadiness，
andtheskillwithwhich，whileincapableofcomprehendingasingle
principle，heexecutedallthepracticaldetailsofhismaster’s
experiments。Withhisvaststrength，hisshaggyhair，hissmoky
aspect，andtheindescribableearthinessthatencrustedhim，heseemed
torepresentman’sphysicalnature；whileAylmer’sslenderfigure，and
pale，intellectualface，werenolessaptatypeofthespiritual
element。
“Throwopenthedooroftheboudoir，Aminadab。”saidAylmer，“and
burnapastille。”
“Yes，master。”answeredAminadab，lookingintentlyatthe
lifelessformofGeorgiana；andthenhemutteredtohimself：“Ifshe
weremywife，I’dneverpartwiththatbirthmark。”
WhenGeorgianarecoveredconsciousness，shefoundherselfbreathing
anatmosphereofpenetratingfragrance，thegentlepotencyofwhich
hadrecalledherfromherdeath-likefaintness。Thescenearoundher
lookedlikeenchantment。Aylmerhadconvertedthosesmoky，dingy，
sombrerooms，wherehehadspenthisbrightestyearsinrecondite
pursuits，intoaseriesofbeautifulapartments，notunfittobethe
secludedabodeofalovelywoman。Thewallswerehungwithgorgeous
curtains，whichimpartedthecombinationofgrandeurandgrace，that
nootherspeciesofadornmentcanachieve；andastheyfellfromthe
ceilingtothefloor，theirrichandponderousfolds，concealingall
anglesandstraightlines，appearedtoshutinthescenefrominfinite
space。ForaughtGeorgianaknew，itmightbeapavilionamongthe
clouds。AndAylmer，excludingthesunshine，whichwouldhave
interferedwithhischemicalprocesses，hadsupplieditsplacewith
perfumedlamps，emittingflamesofvarioushue，butallunitingina
soft，empurpledradiance。Henowkneltbyhiswife’sside，watching
herearnestly，butwithoutalarm；forhewasconfidentinhisscience，
andfeltthathecoulddrawamagiccircleroundher，withinwhich
noevilmightintrude。
“WhereamI？Ah，Iremember！”saidGeorgiana，faintly；andshe
placedherhandoverhercheek，tohidetheterriblemarkfromher
husband’seyes。
“Fearnot，dearest！”exclaimedhe。“Donotshrinkfromme！
Believeme，Georgiana，Ievenrejoiceinthissingleimperfection，
sinceitwillbesucharapturetoremoveit。”
“Oh，spareme！”sadlyrepliedhiswife。“Praydonotlookatit
again。Inevercanforgetthatconvulsiveshudder。”
InordertosootheGeorgiana，and，asitwere，toreleaseher
mindfromtheburthenofactualthings，Aylmernowputinpractice
someofthelightandplayfulsecretswhichsciencehadtaughthim
amongitsprofounderlore。Airyfigures，absolutelybodilessideas，
andformsofunsubstantialbeauty，cameanddancedbeforeher，
imprintingtheirmomentaryfootstepsonbeamsoflight。Thoughshehad
someindistinctideaofthemethodoftheseopticalphenomena，still
theillusionwasalmostperfectenoughtowarrantthebeliefthat
herhusbandpossessedswayoverthespiritualworld。Thenagain，
whenshefeltawishtolookforthfromherseclusion，immediately，as
ifherthoughtswereanswered，theprocessionofexternalexistence
flittedacrossascreen。Thesceneryandthefiguresofactuallife
wereperfectlyrepresented，butwiththatbewitching，yet
indescribabledifference，whichalwaysmakesapicture，animage，ora
shadow，somuchmoreattractivethantheoriginal。Whenweariedof
this，Aylmerbadehercasthereyesuponavessel，containinga
quantityofearth。Shedidso，withlittleinterestatfirst，but
wassoonstartled，toperceivethegermofaplant，shootingupward
fromthesoil。Thencametheslenderstalk-theleavesgradually
unfoldedthemselves-andamidthemwasaperfectandlovelyflower。
“Itismagical！”criedGeorgiana，“Idarenottouchit。”
“Nay，pluckit。”answeredAylmer，“pluckit，andinhaleitsbrief
perfumewhileyoumay。Theflowerwillwitherinafewmoments，and
leavenothingsaveitsbrownseed-vessels-butthencemaybe
perpetuatedaraceasephemeralasitself。”
ButGeorgianahadnosoonertouchedtheflowerthanthewholeplant
sufferedablight，itsleavesturningcoal-black，asifbythe
agencyoffire。
