“Therewastoopowerfulastimulus。”saidAylmerthoughtfully。
Tomakeupforthisabortiveexperiment，heproposedtotakeher
portraitbyascientificprocessofhisowninvention。Itwastobe
effectedbyraysoflightstrikinguponapolishedplateofmetal。
Georgianaassented-but，onlookingattheresult，wasaffrightedto
findthefeaturesoftheportraitblurredandindefinable；whilethe
minutefigureofahandappearedwherethecheekshouldhavebeen。
Aylmersnatchedthemetallicplate，andthrewitintoajarof
corrosiveacid。
Soon，however，heforgotthesemortifyingfailures。Inthe
intervalsofstudyandchemicalexperiment，hecametoher，flushed
andexhausted，butseemedinvigoratedbyherpresence，andspokein
glowinglanguageoftheresourcesofhisart。Hegaveahistoryofthe
longdynastyoftheAlchemists，whospentsomanyagesinquestofthe
universalsolvent，bywhichtheGoldenPrinciplemightbeelicited
fromallthingsvileandbase。Aylmerappearedtobelieve，that，by
theplainestscientificlogic，itwasaltogetherwithinthelimits
ofpossibilitytodiscoverthislong-soughtmedium；but，headded，a
philosopherwhoshouldgodeepenoughtoacquirethepower，would
attaintooloftyawisdomtostooptotheexerciseofit。Notless
singularwerehisopinionsinregardtotheElixirVitae。Hemorethan
intimated，thatitwasathisoptiontoconcoctaliquidthatshould
prolonglifeforyears-perhapsinterminably-butthatitwould
produceadiscordinnature，whichalltheworld，andchieflythe
quafferoftheimmortalnostrum，wouldfindcausetocurse。
“Aylmer，areyouinearnest？”askedGeorgiana，lookingathim
withamazementandfear；“itisterribletopossesssuchpower，or
eventodreamofpossessingit。
“Oh，donottremble，mylove！”saidherhusband，“Iwouldnotwrong
eitheryouormyself，byworkingsuchinharmoniouseffectsuponour
lives。ButIwouldhaveyouconsiderhowtrifling，incomparison，is
theskillrequisitetoremovethislittleHand。”
Atthementionofthebirthmark，Georgiana，asusual，shrank，asif
ared-hotironhadtouchedhercheek。
AgainAylmerappliedhimselftohislabors。Shecouldhearhis
voiceinthedistantfurnace-room，givingdirectionstoAminadab，
whoseharsh，uncouth，mis-shapentoneswereaudibleinresponse，
morelikethegruntorgrowlofabrutethanhumanspeech。Afterhours
ofabsence，Aylmerreappeared，andproposedthatsheshouldnow
examinehiscabinetofchemicalproducts，andnaturaltreasuresofthe
earth。Amongtheformerheshowedherasmallvial，inwhich，he
remarked，wascontainedagentleyetmostpowerfulfragrance，
capableofimpregnatingallthebreezesthatblowacrossakingdom。
Theywereofinestimablevalue，thecontentsofthatlittlevial；and，
ashesaidso，hethrewsomeoftheperfumeintotheair，andfilled
theroomwithpiercingandinvigoratingdelight。
“Andwhatisthis？”askedGeorgiana，pointingtoasmallcrystal
globe，containingagold-coloredliquid。“Itissobeautifultothe
eye，thatIcouldimagineittheElixirofLife。”
“Inonesenseitis。”repliedAylmer，“orrathertheElixirof
Immortality。Itisthemostpreciouspoisonthateverwasconcoctedin
thisworld。Byitsaid，Icouldapportionthelife-timeofany
mortalatwhomyoumightpointyourfinger。Thestrengthofthedose
woulddeterminewhetherheweretolingeroutyears，ordropdeadin
themidstofabreath。Noking，onhisguardedthrone，couldkeep
hislife，ifI，inmyprivatestation，shoulddeemthatthewelfareof
millionsjustifiedmeindeprivinghimofit。”
“Whydoyoukeepsuchaterrificdrug？”inquiredGeorgianain
horror。
“Donotmistrustme，dearest！”saidherhusband，smiling；“its
virtuouspotencyisyetgreaterthanitsharmfulone。But，see！here
isapowerfulcosmetic。Withafewdropsofthis，inavaseof
water，frecklesmaybewashedawayaseasilyasthehandsare
cleansed。Astrongerinfusionwouldtakethebloodoutofthecheek，
andleavetherosiestbeautyapaleghost。”
“Isitwiththislotionthatyouintendtobathemycheek？”asked
Georgiana，anxiously。
“Oh，no！”hastilyrepliedherhusband-“thisismerelysuperficial。
Yourcasedemandsaremedythatshallgodeeper。”
InhisinterviewswithGeorgiana，Aylmergenerallymademinute
inquiriesastohersensations，andwhethertheconfinementofthe
rooms，andthetemperatureoftheatmosphere，agreedwithher。These
questionshadsuchaparticulardrift，thatGeorgianabeganto
conjecturethatshewasalreadysubjectedtocertainphysical
influences，eitherbreathedinwiththefragrantair，ortakenwith
herfood。Shefancied，likewise-butitmightbealtogetherfancy-
thattherewasastirringupofhersystem：astrange，indefinite
sensationcreepingthroughherveins，andtingling，half-painfully，
half-pleasurably，atherheart。Still，whenevershedaredtolookinto
themirror，thereshebeheldherself，paleasawhiterose，andwith
thecrimsonbirthmarkstampeduponhercheek。NotevenAylmernow
hateditsomuchasshe。
Todispelthetediumofthehourswhichherhusbandfoundit
necessarytodevotetotheprocessesofcombinationandanalysis，
Georgianaturnedoverthevolumesofhisscientificlibrary。Inmany
darkoldtomes，shemetwithchaptersfullofromanceandpoetry。They
weretheworksofthephilosophersofthemiddleages，suchas
AlbertusMagnus，CorneliusAgrippa，Paracelsus，andthefamousfriar
whocreatedthepropheticBrazenHead。Alltheseantiquenaturalists
stoodinadvanceoftheircenturies，yetwereimbuedwithsomeof
theircredulity，andthereforewerebelieved，andperhapsimagined
themselves，tohaveacquiredfromtheinvestigationofnaturea
powerabovenature，andfromphysicsaswayoverthespiritual
world。Hardlylesscuriousandimaginativeweretheearlyvolumesof
theTransactionsoftheRoyalSociety，inwhichthemembers，knowing
littleofthelimitsofnaturalpossibility，werecontinually
recordingwonders，orproposingmethodswherebywondersmightbe
wrought。
But，toGeorgiana，themostengrossingvolumewasalargefolio
fromherhusband’sownhand，inwhichhehadrecordedeveryexperiment
ofhisscientificcareer，withitsoriginalaim，themethodsadopted
foritsdevelopment，anditsfinalsuccessorfailure，withthe
circumstancestowhicheithereventwasattributable。Thebook，in
truth，wasboththehistoryandemblemofhisardent，ambitious，
imaginative，yetpracticalandlaborious，life。Hehandledphysical
details，asiftherewerenothingbeyondthem；yetspiritualized
themall，andredeemedhimselffrommaterialism，byhisstrongand
eageraspirationtowardstheinfinite。Inhisgrasp，theveriest
clodofearthassumedasoul。Georgiana，assheread，reverenced
Aylmer，andlovedhimmoreprofoundlythanever，butwithaless
entiredependenceonhisjudgmentthanheretofore。Muchashehad
accomplished，shecouldnotbutobservethathismostsplendid
successeswerealmostinvariablyfailures，ifcomparedwiththe
idealatwhichheaimed。Hisbrightestdiamondswerethemerest
pebbles，andfelttobesobyhimself，incomparisonwiththe
inestimablegemswhichlayhiddenbeyondhisreach。Thevolume，rich
withachievementsthathadwonrenownforitsauthor，wasyetas
melancholyarecordasevermortalhandhadpenned。Itwasthesad
confession，andcontinualexemplification，oftheshort-comingsofthe
compositeman-thespiritburthenedwithclayandworkinginmatter；
andofthedespairthatassailsthehighernature，atfindingitself
somiserablythwartedbytheearthlypart。Perhapseverymanof
genius，inwhateversphere，mightrecognizetheimageofhisown
experienceinAylmer’sjournal。
SodeeplydidthesereflectionsaffectGeorgiana，thatshelaidher
faceupontheopenvolume，andburstintotears。Inthissituationshe
wasfoundbyherhusband。
“Itisdangeroustoreadinasorcerer’sbooks。”saidhe，witha
smile，thoughhiscountenancewasuneasyanddispleased。“Georgiana，
therearepagesinthatvolume，whichIcanscarcelyglanceoverand
keepmysenses。Takeheedlestitproveasdetrimentaltoyou！”
Ithasmademeworshipyoumorethanever。”saidshe。
“Ah！waitforthisonesuccess。”rejoinedhe，“thenworshipmeif
youwill。Ishalldeemmyselfhardlyunworthyofit。But，come！Ihave
soughtyoufortheluxuryofyourvoice。Singtome，dearest！”
Soshepouredouttheliquidmusicofhervoicetoquenchthe
thirstofhisspirit。Hethentookhisleave，withaboyishexuberance
ofgaiety，assuringherthatherseclusionwouldendurebutalittle
longer，andthattheresultwasalreadycertain。Scarcelyhadhe
departed，whenGeorgianafeltirresistiblyimpelledtofollowhim。She
hadforgottentoinformAylmerofasymptom，which，fortwoorthree
hourspast，hadbeguntoexciteherattention。Itwasasensationin
thefatalbirthmark，notpainful，butwhichinducedarestlessness
throughouthersystem。Hasteningafterherhusband，sheintruded，
forthefirsttime，intothelaboratory。
Thefirstthingthatstruckhereyewasthefurnace，thathotand
feverishworker，withtheintenseglowofitsfire，which，bythe
quantitiesofsootclusteredaboveit，seemedtohavebeenburningfor
ages。Therewasadistillingapparatusinfulloperation。Aroundthe
roomwereretorts，tubes，cylinders，crucibles，andotherapparatusof
chemicalresearch。Anelectricalmachinestoodreadyforimmediate
use。Theatmospherefeltoppressivelyclose，andwastaintedwith
gaseousodors，whichhadbeentormentedforthbytheprocessesof
science。Thesevereandhomelysimplicityoftheapartment，withits
nakedwallsandbrickpavement，lookedstrange，accustomedas
Georgianahadbecometothefantasticeleganceofherboudoir。But
whatchiefly，indeedalmostsolely，drewherattention，wastheaspect
ofAylmerhimself。
Hewaspaleasdeath，anxious，andabsorbed，andhungoverthe
furnaceasifitdependeduponhisutmostwatchfulnesswhetherthe
liquid，whichitwasdistilling，shouldbethedraughtofimmortal
happinessormisery。Howdifferentfromthesanguineandjoyousmien
thathehadassumedforGeorgiana’sencouragement！
“Carefullynow，Aminadab！Carefully，thouhumanmachine！Carefully，
thoumanofclay！”mutteredAylmer，moretohimselfthanhis
assistant。“Now，iftherebeathoughttoomuchortoolittle，itis
allover！”
“Hoh！hoh！”mumbledAminadab-“look，master，look！”
Aylmerraisedhiseyeshastily，andatfirstreddened，thengrew
palerthanever，onbeholdingGeorgiana。Herushedtowardsher，and
seizedherarmwithagripethatlefttheprintofhisfingersupon
it。
“Whydoyoucomehither？Haveyounotrustinyourhusband？”
criedheimpetuously。“Wouldyouthrowtheblightofthatfatal
birthmarkovermylabors？Itisnotwelldone。Go，pryingwoman，go！”
Nay，Aylmer。”saidGeorgiana，withthefirmnessofwhichshe
possessednostintedendowment，“itisnotyouthathavearightto
complain。Youmistrustyourwife！Youhaveconcealedtheanxiety
withwhichyouwatchthedevelopmentofthisexperiment。Thinknot
sounworthilyofme，myhusband！Tellmealltheriskwerun；andfear
notthatIshallshrink，formyshareinitisfarlessthanyour
own！”
