The-Birthmark

1TheBirth-markByNathanielHawthorne(1804-1864)Inthelatterpartofthelastcenturytherelivedamanofscience,aneminentproficientineverybranchofnaturalphilosophy,whonotlongbeforeourstoryopenshadmadeexperienceofaspiritualaffinitymoreattractivethananychemicalone.Hehadlefthislaboratorytothecareofanassistant,clearedhisfinecountenancefromthefurnacesmoke,washedthestainofacidsfromhisfingers,andpersuadedabeautifulwomantobecomehiswife.InthosedayswhenthecomparativelyrecentdiscoveryofelectricityandotherkindredmysteriesofNatureseemedtoopenpathsintotheregionofmiracle,itwasnotunusualfortheloveofsciencetorivaltheloveofwomaninitsdepthandabsorbingenergy.Thehigherintellect,theimagination,thespirit,andeventheheartmightallfindtheircongenialalimentinpursuitswhich,assomeoftheirardentvotariesbelieved,wouldascendfromonestepofpowerfulintelligencetoanother,untilthephilosophershouldlayhishandonthesecretofcreativeforceandperhapsmakenewworldsforhimself.WeknownotwhetherAylmerpossessedthisdegreeoffaithinman'sultimatecontroloverNature.Hehaddevotedhimself,however,toounreservedlytoscientificstudiesevertobeweanedfromthembyanysecondpassion.Hisloveforhisyoungwifemightprovethestrongerofthetwo;butitcouldonlybebyintertwiningitselfwithhisloveofscience,andunitingthestrengthofthelattertohisown.Suchaunionaccordinglytookplace,andwasattendedwithtrulyremarkableconsequencesandadeeplyimpressivemoral.Oneday,verysoonaftertheirmarriage,Aylmersatgazingathiswifewithatroubleinhiscountenancethatgrewstrongeruntilhespoke.Georgiana,saidhe,hasitneveroccurredtoyouthatthemarkuponyourcheekmightberemoved?No,indeed,saidshe,smiling;butperceivingtheseriousnessofhismanner,sheblusheddeeply.TotellyouthetruthithasbeensooftencalledacharmthatIwassimpleenoughtoimagineitmightbeso.Ah,uponanotherfaceperhapsitmight,repliedherhusband;butneveronyours.No,dearestGeorgiana,youcamesonearlyperfectfromthehandofNaturethatthisslightestpossibledefect,whichwehesitatewhethertotermadefectorabeauty,shocksme,asbeingthevisiblemarkofearthlyimperfection.2Shocksyou,myhusband!criedGeorgiana,deeplyhurt;atfirstreddeningwithmomentaryanger,butthenburstingintotears.Thenwhydidyoutakemefrommymother'sside?Youcannotlovewhatshocksyou!ToexplainthisconversationitmustbementionedthatinthecentreofGeorgiana'sleftcheektherewasasingularmark,deeplyinterwoven,asitwere,withthetextureandsubstanceofherface.Intheusualstateofhercomplexion--ahealthythoughdelicatebloom--themarkworeatintofdeepercrimson,whichimperfectlydefineditsshapeamidthesurroundingrosiness.Whensheblusheditgraduallybecamemoreindistinct,andfinallyvanishedamidthetriumphantrushofbloodthatbathedthewholecheekwithitsbrilliantglow.Butifanyshiftingmotioncausedhertoturnpaletherewasthemarkagain,acrimsonstainuponthesnow,inwhatAylmersometimesdeemedanalmostfearfuldistinctness.Itsshapeborenotalittlesimilaritytothehumanhand,thoughofthesmallestpygmysize.Georgiana'sloverswerewonttosaythatsomefairyatherbirthhourhadlaidhertinyhandupontheinfant'scheek,andleftthisimpressthereintokenofthemagicendowmentsthatweretogivehersuchswayoverallhearts.Manyadesperateswainwouldhaveriskedlifefortheprivilegeofpressinghislipstothemysterioushand.Itmustnotbeconcealed,however,thattheimpressionwroughtbythisfairysignmanualvariedexceedingly,accordingtothedifferenceoftemperamentinthebeholders.Somefastidiouspersons--buttheywereexclusivelyofherownsex--affirmedthatthebloodyhand,astheychosetocallit,quitedestroyedtheeffectofGeorgiana'sbeauty,andrenderedhercountenanceevenhideous.ButitwouldbeasreasonabletosaythatoneofthosesmallbluestainswhichsometimesoccurinthepureststatuarymarblewouldconverttheEveofPowerstoamonster.Masculineobservers,ifthebirthmarkdidnotheightentheiradmiration,contentedthemselveswithwishingitaway,thattheworldmightpossessonelivingspecimenofideallovelinesswithoutthesemblanceofaflaw.Afterhismarriage,--forhethoughtlittleornothingofthematterbefore,--Aylmerdiscoveredthatthiswasthecasewithhimself.Hadshebeenlessbeautiful,--ifEnvy'sselfcouldhavefoundaughtelsetosneerat,--hemighthavefelthisaffectionheightenedbytheprettinessofthismimichand,nowvaguelyportrayed,nowlost,nowstealingforthagainandglimmeringtoandfrowitheverypulseofemotionthatthrobbedwithinherheart;butseeingherotherwisesoperfect,hefoundthisonedefectgrowmoreandmoreintolerablewitheverymomentoftheirunitedlives.ItwasthefatalflawofhumanitywhichNature,inoneshapeoranother,stampsineffaceablyonallherproductions,eithertoimplythattheyaretemporaryandfinite,orthattheirperfectionmustbewroughtbytoilandpain.Thecrimsonhandexpressedtheineludiblegripeinwhichmortalityclutchesthehighestandpurestofearthlymould,degradingthemintokindredwiththelowest,andevenwiththeverybrutes,likewhomtheirvisibleframesreturntodust.Inthismanner,selectingitasthesymbolofhiswife'sliabilitytosin,sorrow,decay,anddeath,Aylmer'ssombreimaginationwasnotlonginrenderingthebirthmarka3frightfulobject,causinghimmoretroubleandhorrorthaneverGeorgiana'sbeauty,whetherofsoulorsense,hadgivenhimdelight.Atalltheseasonswhichshouldhavebeentheirhappiest,heinvariablyandwithoutintendingit,nay,inspiteofapurposetothecontrary,rever