“No，no，Georgiana！”saidAylmerimpatiently，“itmustnotbe。”
“Isubmit。”repliedshecalmly。“And，Aylmer，Ishallquaff
whateverdraughtyoubringme；butitwillbeonthesameprinciple
thatwouldinducemetotakeadoseofpoison，ifofferedbyyour
hand。”
“Mynoblewife。”saidAylmer，deeplymoved，“Iknewnottheheight
anddepthofyournature，untilnow。Nothingshallbeconcealed。
Know，then，thatthisCrimsonHand，superficialasitseems，has
clutcheditsgraspintoyourbeing，withastrengthofwhichIhadno
previousconception。Ihavealreadyadministeredagentspowerful
enoughtodoaughtexcepttochangeyourentirephysicalsystem。Only
onethingremainstobetried。Ifthatfailus，weareruined！”
“Whydidyouhesitatetotellmethis？”askedshe。
“Because，Georgiana。”saidAylmer，inalowvoice，“thereis
danger！”
“Danger？Thereisbutonedanger-thatthishorriblestigmashall
beleftuponmycheek！”criedGeorgiana。“Removeit！removeit！-
whateverbethecost-orweshallbothgomad！”
“Heavenknows，yourwordsaretootrue。”saidAylmer，sadly。“And
now，dearest，returntoyourboudoir。Inalittlewhile，allwillbe
tested。”
Heconductedherback，andtookleaveofherwithasolemn
tenderness，whichspokefarmorethanhiswordshowmuchwasnowat
stake。Afterhisdeparture，Georgianabecamewraptinmusings。She
consideredthecharacterofAylmer，anddiditcompleterjustice
thanatanypreviousmoment。Herheartexulted，whileittrembled，
athishonorablelove，sopureandloftythatitwouldaccept
nothinglessthanperfection，normiserablymakeitselfcontentedwith
anearthliernaturethanhehaddreamedof。Shefelthowmuchmore
preciouswassuchasentiment，thanthatmeanerkindwhichwould
havebornewiththeimperfectionforhersake，andhavebeenguiltyof
treasontoholylove，bydegradingitsperfectideatothelevelof
theactual。And，withherwholespirit，sheprayed，that，forasingle
moment，shemightsatisfyhishighestanddeepestconception。Longer
thanonemoment，shewellknew，itcouldnotbe；forhisspiritwas
everonthemarch-everascending-andeachinstantrequiredsomething
thatwasbeyondthescopeoftheinstantbefore。
Thesoundofherhusband’sfootstepsarousedher。Heboreacrystal
goblet，containingaliquorcolorlessaswater，butbrightenoughto
bethedraughtofimmortality。Aylmerwaspale；butitseemedrather
theconsequenceofahighlywroughtstateofmind，andtensionof
spirit，thanoffearordoubt。
“Theconcoctionofthedraughthasbeenperfect。”saidhe，in
answertoGeorgiana’slook。“Unlessallmysciencehavedeceivedme，
itcannotfail。”
“Saveonyouraccount，mydearestAylmer。”observedhiswife，“I
mightwishtoputoffthisbirthmarkofmortalitybyrelinquishing
mortalityitself，inpreferencetoanyothermode。Lifeisbutasad
possessiontothosewhohaveattainedpreciselythedegreeofmoral
advancementatwhichIstand。WereIweakerandblinder，itmightbe
happiness。WereIstronger，itmightbeenduredhopefully。But，being
whatIfindmyself，methinksIamofallmortalsthemostfittodie。”
“Youarefitforheavenwithouttastingdeath！”repliedher
husband。“Butwhydowespeakofdying？Thedraughtcannotfail。
Beholditseffectuponthisplant！”
Onthewindow-seattherestoodageranium，diseasedwithyellow
blotches，whichhadoverspreadallitsleaves。Aylmerpouredasmall
quantityoftheliquiduponthesoilinwhichitgrew。Inalittle
time，whentherootsoftheplanthadtakenupthemoisture，the
unsightlyblotchesbegantobeextinguishedinalivingverdure。
“Thereneedednoproof。”saidGeorgiana，quietly。“Givemethe
goblet。Ijoyfullystakealluponyourword。”
“Drink，then，thouloftycreature！”exclaimedAylmer，withfervid
admiration。“Thereisnotaintofimperfectiononthyspirit。Thy
sensibleframe，too，shallsoonbeallperfect！”
Shequaffedtheliquid，andreturnedthegoblettohishand。
“Itisgrateful。”saidshe，withaplacidsmile。“Methinksitis
likewaterfromaheavenlyfountain；foritcontainsIknownotwhat
ofunobtrusivefragranceanddeliciousness。Itallaysafeverish
thirst，thathadparchedmeformanydays。Now，dearest，letmesleep。
Myearthlysensesareclosingovermyspirit，liketheleavesaround
theheartofarose，atsunset。”
Shespokethelastwordswithagentlereluctance，asifit
requiredalmostmoreenergythanshecouldcommandtopronouncethe
faintandlingeringsyllables。Scarcelyhadtheyloiteredthrough
herlips，ereshewaslostinslumber。Aylmersatbyherside，
watchingheraspectwiththeemotionspropertoaman，thewholevalue
ofwhoseexistencewasinvolvedintheprocessnowtobetested。
Mingledwiththismood，however，wasthephilosophicinvestigation，
characteristicofthemanofscience。Nottheminutestsymptomescaped
him。Aheightenedflushofthecheek-aslightirregularityofbreath-
aquiveroftheeyelid-ahardlyperceptibletremorthroughtheframe-
suchwerethedetailswhich，asthemomentspassed，hewrotedownin
hisfoliovolume。Intensethoughthadsetitsstampuponevery
previouspageofthatvolume；butthethoughtsofyearswereall
concentrateduponthelast。
Whilethusemployed，hefailednottogazeoftenatthefatalHand，
andnotwithoutashudder。Yetonce，byastrangeandunaccountable
impulse，hepresseditwithhislips。Hisspiritrecoiled，however，in
theveryact，andGeorgiana，outofthemidstofherdeepsleep，moved
uneasilyandmurmured，asifinremonstrance。Again，Aylmerresumed
hiswatch。Norwasitwithoutavail。TheCrimsonHand，whichat
firsthadbeenstronglyvisibleuponthemarblepalenessof
Georgiana’scheeknowgrewmorefaintlyoutlined。Sheremainednot
lesspalethanever；butthebirthmark，witheverybreaththatcame
andwent，lostsomewhatofitsformerdistinctness。Itspresencehad
beenawful；itsdeparturewasmoreawfulstill。Watchthestainofthe
rainbowfadingoutofthesky；andyouwillknowhowthatmysterious
symbolpassedaway。
“ByHeaven，itiswell-nighgone！”saidAylmertohimself，in
almostirrepressibleecstasy。“Icanscarcelytraceitnow。Success！
Success！Andnowitislikethefaintestrose-color。Theslightest
flushofbloodacrosshercheekwouldovercomeit。Butsheisso
pale！”
Hedrewasidethewindow-curtain，andsufferedthelightofnatural
daytofallintotheroom，andrestuponhercheek。Atthesame
time，heheardagross，hoarsechuckle，whichhehadlongknownashis
servantAminadab’sexpressionofdelight。
“Ah，clod！Ah，earthlymass！”criedAylmer，laughinginasortof
frenzy。“Youhaveservedmewell！MasterandSpirit-EarthandHeaven-
havebothdonetheirpartinthis！Laugh，thingofthesenses！You
haveearnedtherighttolaugh。”
TheseexclamationsbrokeGeorgiana’ssleep。Sheslowlyunclosedher
eyes，andgazedintothemirror，whichherhusbandhadarrangedfor
thatpurpose。Afaintsmileflittedoverherlips，whensherecognized
howbarelyperceptiblewasnowthatCrimsonHand，whichhadonce
blazedforthwithsuchdisastrousbrilliancyastoscareawayall
theirhappiness。ButthenhereyessoughtAylmer’sface，witha
troubleandanxietythathecouldbynomeansaccountfor。
“MypoorAylmer！”murmuredshe。
“Poor？Nay，richest！Happiest！Mostfavored！”exclaimedhe。“My
peerlessbride，itissuccessful！Youareperfect！”
“MypoorAylmer！”sherepeated，withamorethanhuman
tenderness。“Youhaveaimedloftily！youhavedonenobly！Donot
repent，that，withsohighandpureafeeling，youhaverejectedthe
besttheearthcouldoffer。Aylmer-dearestAylmer，Iamdying！”
Alas，itwastootrue！ThefatalHandhadgrappledwiththemystery
oflife，andwasthebondbywhichanangelicspiritkeptitselfin
unionwithamortalframe。Asthelastcrimsontintofthebirthmark-
thatsoletokenofhumanimperfection-fadedfromhercheek，the
partingbreathofthenowperfectwomanpassedintotheatmosphere，
andhersoul，lingeringamomentnearherhusband，tookitsheavenward
flight。Thenahoarse，chucklinglaughwasheardagain！Thuseverdoes
thegrossFatalityofEarthexultinitsinvariabletriumphoverthe
immortalessence，which，inthisdimsphereofhalf-development，
demandsthecompletenessofahigherstate。Yet，hadAylmerreacheda
profounderwisdom，heneednotthushaveflungawaythehappiness，
whichwouldhavewovenhismortallifeoftheself-sametexturewith
thecelestial。Themomentarycircumstancewastoostrongforhim；he
failedtolookbeyondtheshadowyscopeofTime，andlivingoncefor
allinEternity，tofindtheperfectFutureinthepresent。
byNathanielHawthorne
NOTAGREATWHILEAGO，passingthroughthegateofdreams，I
visitedthatregionoftheearthinwhichliesthefamouscityof
Destruction。Itinterestedmemuchtolearnthat，bythepublicspirit
ofsomeoftheinhabitants，arailroadhasrecentlybeenestablished
betweenthispopulousandflourishingtown，andtheCelestialCity。
Havingalittletimeuponmyhands，Iresolvedtogratifyaliberal
curiositytomakeatripthither。Accordingly，onefinemorning，after
payingmybillatthehotel，anddirectingtheportertostowmy
luggagebehindacoach，Itookmyseatinthevehicleandsetout
fortheStation-house。Itwasmygoodfortunetoenjoythecompanyof
agentleman-oneMr。Smooth-it-away-who，thoughhehadneveractually
visitedtheCelestialCity，yetseemedaswellacquaintedwithits
laws，customs，policy，andstatistics，aswiththoseofthecityof
Destruction，ofwhichhewasanativetownsman。Being，moreover，a
Directoroftherailroadcorporation，andoneofitslargest
stockholders，hehaditinhispowertogivemealldesirable
informationrespectingthatpraiseworthyenterprise。
Ourcoachrattledoutofthecity，and，atashortdistancefrom
itsoutskirts，passedoverabridge，ofelegantconstruction，but
somewhattooslight，asIimagined，tosustainanyconsiderable
weight。Onbothsideslayanextensivequagmire，whichcouldnot
havebeenmoredisagreeableeithertosightorsmell，hadallthe
kennelsoftheearthemptiedtheirpollutionthere。
“This。”remarkedMr。Smooth-it-away，“isthefamousSloughof
Despond-adisgracetoalltheneighborhood；andthegreater，that
itmightsoeasilybeconvertedintofirmground。”
“Ihaveunderstood，saidI，“thateffortshavebeenmadeforthat
purpose，fromtimeimmemorial。Bunyanmentionsthatabovetwenty
thousandcart-loadsofwholesomeinstructionshadbeenthrowninhere，
withouteffect。”
“Veryprobably！andwhateffectcouldbeanticipatedfromsuch
unsubstantialstuff？”criedMr。Smooth-it-away。“Youobservethis
convenientbridge。Weobtainedasufficientfoundationforitby
throwingintotheSloughsomeeditionsofbooksofmorality，volumes
ofFrenchphilosophyandGermanrationalism，tracts，sermons，and
essaysofmodernclergymen，extractsfromPlato，Confucius，and
variousHindoosages，togetherwithafewingeniouscommentaries
upontextsofScripture-allofwhich，bysomescientificprocess，
havebeenconvertedintoamasslikegranite。Thewholebogmightbe
filledupwithsimilarmatter。”
Itreallyseemedtome，however，thatthebridgevibratedand
heavedupanddowninaveryformidablemanner；and，spiteofMr。
Smooth-it-away’stestimonytothesolidityofitsfoundation，Ishould
belothtocrossitinacrowdedomnibus；especially，ifeach
passengerwereencumberedwithasheavyluggageasthatgentleman
andmyself。Nevertheless，wegotoverwithoutaccident，andsoonfound
ourselvesattheStation-house。Thisveryneatandspaciousedificeis
erectedonthesiteofthelittleWicket-Gate，whichformerly，as
alloldpilgrimswillrecollect，stooddirectlyacrossthehighway，
and，byitsinconvenientnarrowness，wasagreatobstructiontothe
travellerofliberalmindandexpansivestomach。ThereaderofJohn
Bunyanwillbegladtoknow，thatChristian’soldfriendEvangelist，
whowasaccustomedtosupplyeachpilgrimwithamysticroll，now
presidesattheticketoffice。Somemaliciouspersons，itistrue，
denytheidentityofthisreputablecharacterwiththeEvangelistof
oldtimes，andevenpretendtobringcompetentevidenceofan
imposture。Withoutinvolvingmyselfinadispute，Ishallmerely
observe，that，sofarasmyexperiencegoes，thesquarepiecesof
pasteboard，nowdeliveredtopassengers，aremuchmoreconvenient
andusefulalongtheroad，thantheantiquerollofparchment。Whether
theywillbeasreadilyreceivedatthegateoftheCelestialCity，
Ideclinegivinganopinion。
