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1、THEBIRTHMARKInthelatterpartofthelastcenturytherelivedamanofscience,aneminentproficientineverybranchofnaturalphilosophy,whonotlongbeforeourstoryopenshadmadeexperienceofaspiritualaffinitymoreattractivethananychemicalone.Hehadlefthislaboratorytothecareofanassistant,c
2、learedhisfinecountenancefromthefurnacesmoke,washedthestainofacidsfromhisfingers,andpersuadedabeautifulwomantobecomehiswife.InthosedayswhenthecomparativelyrecentdiscoveryofelectricityandotherkindredmysteriesofNatureseemedtoopenpathsintotheregionofmiracle,itwasnotun
3、usualfortheloveofsciencetorivaltheloveofwomaninitsdepthandabsorbingenergy.Thehigherintellect,theimagination,thespirit,andeventheheartmightallfindtheircongenialalimentinpursuitswhich,assomeoftheirardentvotariesbelieved,wouldascendfromonestepofpowerfulintelligenceto
4、another,untilthephilosophershouldlayhishandonthesecretofcreativeforceandperhapsmakenewworldsforhimself.WeknownotwhetherAylmerpossessedthisdegreeoffaithinman'sultimatecontroloverNature.Hehaddevotedhimself,however,toounreservedlytoscientificstudiesevertobeweanedfrom
5、thembyanysecondpassion.Hisloveforhisyoungwifemightprovethestrongerofthetwo;butitcouldonlybebyintertwiningitselfwithhisloveofscience,andunitingthestrengthofthelattertohisown.Suchaunionaccordinglytookplace,andwasattendedwithtrulyremarkableconsequencesandadeeplyimpre
6、ssivemoral.Oneday,verysoonaftertheirmarriage,Aylmersatgazingathiswifewithatroubleinhiscountenancethatgrewstrongeruntilhespoke."Georgiana,"saidhe,"hasitneveroccurredtoyouthatthemarkuponyourcheekmightberemoved?""No,indeed,"saidshe,smiling;butperceivingtheseriousness
7、ofhismanner,sheblusheddeeply."TotellyouthetruthithasbeensooftencalledacharmthatIwassimpleenoughtoimagineitmightbeso.""Ah,uponanotherfaceperhapsitmight,"repliedherhusband;"butneveronyours.No,dearestGeorgiana,youcamesonearlyperfectfromthehandofNaturethatthisslightes
8、tpossibledefect,whichwehesitatewhethertotermadefectorabeauty,shocksme,asbeingthevisiblemarkofearthlyimperfection.""Shocksyou,myhusband!"criedGeorgiana,d
