“Nay， pluck it，” answered Aylmer， “pluck it， and inhaleits brief perfume while you may. The flower will witherin a few moments， and leave nothing save its brownseed-vessels—but thence may be perpetuated a race asephemeral as itself.”
But Georgiana had no sooner touched the flower thanthe whole plant suffered a blight， its leaves turning coalblack，as if by the agency of fire.
“There was too powerful a stimulus，” said Aylmerthoughtfully.
To make up for this abortive experiment， he proposedto take her portrait by a scientific process of his owninvention. It was to be effected by rays of light strikingupon a polished plate of metal. Georgiana assented—but，on looking at the result， was affrighted to find the featuresof the portrait blurred and indefinable； while the minutefigure of a hand appeared where the cheek should havebeen. Aylmer snatched the metallic plate， and threw itinto a jar of corrosive acid.
Soon， however， he forgot these mortifying failures. Inthe intervals of study and chemical experiment， he cameto her， flushed and exhausted， but seemed invigoratedby her presence， and spoke in glowing language of theresources of his art. He gave a history of the long dynastyof the Alchemists， who spent so many ages in quest of theuniversal solvent， by which the Golden Principle mightbe elicited from all things vile and base. Aylmer appearedto believe， that， by the plainest scientific logic， it wasaltogether within the limits of possibility to discover thislong-sought medium； but， he added， a philosopher whoshould go deep enough to acquire the power， would attaintoo lofty a wisdom to stoop to the exercise of it. Not lesssingular were his opinions in regard to the Elixir Vitae. Hemore than intimated， that it was at his option to concocta liquid that should prolong life for years—perhapsinterminably—but that it would produce a discord innature， which all the world， and chiefly the quaffer of theimmortal nostrum， would find cause to curse.
“Aylmer， are you in earnest？” asked Georgiana， lookingat him with amazement and fear； “it is terrible to possesssuch power， or even to dream of possessing it！”
“Oh， do not tremble， my love！” said her husband， “Iwould not wrong either you or myself， by working suchinharmonious effects upon our lives. But I would have youconsider how trifling， in comparison， is the skill requisiteto remove this little Hand.”
At the mention of the birth-mark， Georgiana， as usual，shrank， as if a red-hot iron had touched her cheek.
Again Aylmer applied himself to his labors. Shecould hear his voice in the distant furnace-room， givingdirections to Aminadab， whose harsh， uncouth， misshapentones were audible in response， more like the grunt orgrowl of a brute than human speech. After hours ofabsence， Aylmer reappeared， and proposed that she shouldnow examine his cabinet of chemical products， and naturaltreasures of the earth. Among the former he showed her asmall vial， in which， he remarked， was contained a gentleyet most powerful fragrance， capable of impregnating allthe breezes that blow across a kingdom. They were ofinestimable value， the contents of that little vial； and， ashe said so， he threw some of the perfume into the air， andfilled the room with piercing and invigorating delight.
“And what is this？” asked Georgiana， pointing to a smallcrystal globe， containing a gold-colored liquid. “It is sobeautiful to the eye， that I could imagine it the Elixir ofLife.”
“In one sense it is，” replied Aylmer， “or rather the Elixirof Immortality. It is the most precious poison that everwas concocted in this world. By its aid， I could apportionthe lifetime of any mortal at whom you might point yourfinger. The strength of the dose would determine whetherhe were to linger out years， or drop dead in the midstof a breath. No king， on his guarded throne， could keephis life， if I， in my private station， should deem that thewelfare of millions justified me in depriving him of it.”
“Why do you keep such a terrific drug？” inquiredGeorgiana in horror.
“Do not mistrust me， dearest！” said her husband， smiling；“its virtuous potency is yet greater than its harmful one.
But， see！ here is a powerful cosmetic. With a few drops ofthis， in a vase of water， freckles may be washed away aseasily as the hands are cleansed. A stronger infusion wouldtake the blood out of the cheek， and leave the rosiestbeauty a pale ghost.”
“Is it with this lotion that you intend to bathe mycheek？” asked Georgiana， anxiously.
“Oh， no！” hastily replied her husband— “this is merelysuperficial. Your case demands a remedy that shall go deeper.”
In his interviews with Georgiana， Aylmer generallymade minute inquiries as to her sensations， and whetherthe confinement of the rooms， and the temperature of theatmosphere， agreed with her. These questions had such aparticular drift， that Georgiana began to conjecture thatshe was already subjected to certain physical influences，either breathed in with the fragrant air， or taken with herfood. She fancied， likewise—but it might be altogetherfancy—that there was a stirring up of her system， —astrange， indefinite sensation creeping through her veins，and tingling， half-painfully， half-pleasurably， at her heart.
Still， whenever she dared to look into the mirror， there shebeheld herself， pale as a white rose， and with the crimsonbirth-mark stamped upon her cheek. Not even Aylmernow hated it so much as she.