THE BIRTHMARK.docx
- 文档编号:7845993
- 上传时间:2023-01-26
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:21
- 大小:31.17KB
THE BIRTHMARK.docx
《THE BIRTHMARK.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《THE BIRTHMARK.docx(21页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
THEBIRTHMARK
THEBIRTHMARK
Inthelatterpartofthelastcenturytherelivedamanof
science,aneminentproficientineverybranchofnatural
philosophy,whonotlongbeforeourstoryopenshadmade
experienceofaspiritualaffinitymoreattractivethanany
chemicalone.Hehadlefthislaboratorytothecareofan
assistant,clearedhisfinecountenancefromthefurnacesmoke,
washedthestainofacidsfromhisfingers,andpersuadeda
beautifulwomantobecomehiswife.Inthosedayswhenthe
comparativelyrecentdiscoveryofelectricityandotherkindred
mysteriesofNatureseemedtoopenpathsintotheregionof
miracle,itwasnotunusualfortheloveofsciencetorivalthe
loveofwomaninitsdepthandabsorbingenergy.Thehigher
intellect,theimagination,thespirit,andeventheheartmight
allfindtheircongenialalimentinpursuitswhich,assomeof
theirardentvotariesbelieved,wouldascendfromonestepof
powerfulintelligencetoanother,untilthephilosophershould
layhishandonthesecretofcreativeforceandperhapsmakenew
worldsforhimself.WeknownotwhetherAylmerpossessedthis
degreeoffaithinman'sultimatecontroloverNature.Hehad
devotedhimself,however,toounreservedlytoscientificstudies
evertobeweanedfromthembyanysecondpassion.Hislovefor
hisyoungwifemightprovethestrongerofthetwo;butitcould
onlybebyintertwiningitselfwithhisloveofscience,and
unitingthestrengthofthelattertohisown.
Suchaunionaccordinglytookplace,andwasattendedwithtruly
remarkableconsequencesandadeeplyimpressivemoral.Oneday,
verysoonaftertheirmarriage,Aylmersatgazingathiswife
withatroubleinhiscountenancethatgrewstrongeruntilhe
spoke.
"Georgiana,"saidhe,"hasitneveroccurredtoyouthatthemark
uponyourcheekmightberemoved?
"
"No,indeed,"saidshe,smiling;butperceivingtheseriousness
ofhismanner,sheblusheddeeply."Totellyouthetruthithas
beensooftencalledacharmthatIwassimpleenoughtoimagine
itmightbeso."
"Ah,uponanotherfaceperhapsitmight,"repliedherhusband;
"butneveronyours.No,dearestGeorgiana,youcamesonearly
perfectfromthehandofNaturethatthisslightestpossible
defect,whichwehesitatewhethertotermadefectorabeauty,
shocksme,asbeingthevisiblemarkofearthlyimperfection."
"Shocksyou,myhusband!
"criedGeorgiana,deeplyhurt;atfirst
reddeningwithmomentaryanger,butthenburstingintotears.
"Thenwhydidyoutakemefrommymother'sside?
Youcannotlove
whatshocksyou!
"
Toexplainthisconversationitmustbementionedthatinthe
centreofGeorgiana'sleftcheektherewasasingularmark,
deeplyinterwoven,asitwere,withthetextureandsubstanceof
herface.Intheusualstateofhercomplexion--ahealthythough
delicatebloom--themarkworeatintofdeepercrimson,which
imperfectlydefineditsshapeamidthesurroundingrosiness.When
sheblusheditgraduallybecamemoreindistinct,andfinally
vanishedamidthetriumphantrushofbloodthatbathedthewhole
cheekwithitsbrilliantglow.Butifanyshiftingmotioncaused
hertoturnpaletherewasthemarkagain,acrimsonstainupon
thesnow,inwhatAylmersometimesdeemedanalmostfearful
distinctness.Itsshapeborenotalittlesimilaritytothehuman
hand,thoughofthesmallestpygmysize.Georgiana'sloverswere
wonttosaythatsomefairyatherbirthhourhadlaidhertiny
handupontheinfant'scheek,andleftthisimpresstherein
tokenofthemagicendowmentsthatweretogivehersuchsway
overallhearts.Manyadesperateswainwouldhaveriskedlife
fortheprivilegeofpressinghislipstothemysterioushand.It
mustnotbeconcealed,however,thattheimpressionwroughtby
thisfairysignmanualvariedexceedingly,accordingtothe
differenceoftemperamentinthebeholders.Somefastidious
persons--buttheywereexclusivelyofherownsex--affirmedthat
thebloodyhand,astheychosetocallit,quitedestroyedthe
effectofGeorgiana'sbeauty,andrenderedhercountenanceeven
hideous.Butitwouldbeasreasonabletosaythatoneofthose
smallbluestainswhichsometimesoccurinthepureststatuary
marblewouldconverttheEveofPowerstoamonster.Masculine
observers,ifthebirthmarkdidnotheightentheiradmiration,
contentedthemselveswithwishingitaway,thattheworldmight
possessonelivingspecimenofideallovelinesswithoutthe
semblanceofaflaw.Afterhismarriage,--forhethoughtlittle
ornothingofthematterbefore,--Aylmerdiscoveredthatthiswas
thecasewithhimself.
Hadshebeenlessbeautiful,--ifEnvy'sselfcouldhavefound
aughtelsetosneerat,--hemighthavefelthisaffection
heightenedbytheprettinessofthismimichand,nowvaguely
portrayed,nowlost,nowstealingforthagainandglimmeringto
andfrowitheverypulseofemotionthatthrobbedwithinher
heart;butseeingherotherwisesoperfect,hefoundthisone
defectgrowmoreandmoreintolerablewitheverymomentoftheir
unitedlives.ItwasthefatalflawofhumanitywhichNature,in
oneshapeoranother,stampsineffaceablyonallherproductions,
eithertoimplythattheyaretemporaryandfinite,orthattheir
perfectionmustbewroughtbytoilandpain.Thecrimsonhand
expressedtheineludiblegripeinwhichmortalityclutchesthe
highestandpurestofearthlymould,degradingthemintokindred
withthelowest,andevenwiththeverybrutes,likewhomtheir
visibleframesreturntodust.Inthismanner,selectingitas
thesymbolofhiswife'sliabilitytosin,sorrow,decay,and
death,Aylmer'ssombreimaginationwasnotlonginrenderingthe
birthmarkafrightfulobject,causinghimmoretroubleandhorror
thaneverGeorgiana'sbeauty,whetherofsoulorsense,hadgiven
himdelight.
Atalltheseasonswhichshouldhavebeentheirhappiest,he
invariablyandwithoutintendingit,nay,inspiteofapurpose
tothecontrary,revertedtothisonedisastroustopic.Trifling
asitatfirstappeared,itsoconnecteditselfwithinnumerable
trainsofthoughtandmodesoffeelingthatitbecamethecentral
pointofall.WiththemorningtwilightAylmeropenedhiseyes
uponhiswife'sfaceandrecognizedthesymbolofimperfection;
andwhentheysattogetherattheeveninghearthhiseyes
wanderedstealthilytohercheek,andbeheld,flickeringwiththe
blazeofthewoodfire,thespectralhandthatwrotemortality
wherehewouldfainhaveworshipped.Georgianasoonlearnedto
shudderathisgaze.Itneededbutaglancewiththepeculiar
expressionthathisfaceoftenworetochangetherosesofher
cheekintoadeathlikepaleness,amidwhichthecrimsonhandwas
broughtstronglyout,likeabass-reliefofrubyonthewhitest
marble.
Lateonenightwhenthelightsweregrowingdim,soashardlyto
betraythestainonthepoorwife'scheek,sheherself,forthe
firsttime,voluntarilytookupthesubject.
"Doyouremember,mydearAylmer,"saidshe,withafeeble
attemptatasmile,"haveyouanyrecollectionofadreamlast
nightaboutthisodioushand?
"
"None!
nonewhatever!
"repliedAylmer,starting;butthenhe
added,inadry,coldtone,affectedforthesakeofconcealing
therealdepthofhisemotion,"Imightwelldreamofit;for
beforeIfellasleepithadtakenaprettyfirmholdofmy
fancy."
"Andyoudiddreamofit?
"continuedGeorgiana,hastily;forshe
dreadedlestagushoftearsshouldinterruptwhatshehadto
say."Aterribledream!
Iwonderthatyoucanforgetit.Isit
possibletoforgetthisoneexpression?
--'Itisinherheartnow;
wemusthaveitout!
'Reflect,myhusband;forbyallmeansI
wouldhaveyourecallthatdream."
ThemindisinasadstatewhenSleep,theall-involving,cannot
confineherspectreswithinthedimregionofhersway,but
suffersthemtobreakforth,affrightingthisactuallifewith
secretsthatperchancebelongtoadeeperone.Aylmernow
rememberedhisdream.Hehadfanciedhimselfwithhisservant
Aminadab,attemptinganoperationfortheremovalofthe
birthmark;butthedeeperwenttheknife,thedeepersankthe
hand,untilatlengthitstinygraspappearedtohavecaughthold
ofGeorgiana'sheart;whence,however,herhusbandwasinexorably
resolvedtocutorwrenchitaway.
Whenthedreamhadshapeditselfperfectlyinhismemory,Aylmer
satinhiswife'spresencewithaguiltyfeeling.Truthoften
findsitswaytothemindclosemuffledinrobesofsleep,and
thenspeakswithuncompromisingdirectnessofmattersinregard
towhichwepractiseanunconsciousself-deceptionduringour
wakingmoments.Untilnowhehadnotbeenawareofthe
tyrannizinginfluenceacquiredbyoneideaoverhismind,andof
thelengthswhichhemightfindinhishearttogoforthesake
ofgivinghimselfpeace.
"Aylmer,"resumedGeorgiana,solemnly,"Iknownotwhatmaybe
thecosttobothofustoridmeofthisfatalbirthmark.Perhaps
itsremovalmaycausecurelessdeformity;oritmaybethestain
goesasdeepaslifeitself.Again:
doweknowthatthereisa
possibility,onanyterms,ofunclaspingthefirmgripeofthis
littlehandwhichwaslaiduponmebeforeIcameintotheworld?
"
"DearestGeorgiana,Ihavespentmuchthoughtuponthesubject,"
hastilyinterruptedAylmer."Iamconvincedoftheperfect
practicabilityofitsremoval."
"Iftherebetheremotestpossibilityofit,"continued
Georgiana,"lettheattemptbemadeatwhateverrisk.Dangeris
nothingtome;forlife,whilethishatefulmarkmakesmethe
objectofyourhorroranddisgust,--lifeisaburdenwhichI
wouldflingdownwithjoy.Eitherremovethisdreadfulhand,or
takemywretchedlife!
Youhavedeepscience.Alltheworldbears
witnessofit.Youhaveachievedgreatwonde
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- THE BIRTHMARK