Мхи старой усадьбы
The Birthmark
"Oh,no,"hastilyrepliedherhusband;"thisismerelysuperficial.Yourcasedemandsaremedythatshallgodeeper."
InhisinterviewswithGeorgiana,Aylmergenerallymademinuteinquiriesastohersensationsandwhethertheconfinementoftheroomsandthetemperatureoftheatmosphereagreedwithher.ThesequestionshadsuchaparticulardriftthatGeorgianabegantoconjecturethatshewasalreadysubjectedtocertainphysicalinfluences,eitherbreathedinwiththefragrantairortakenwithherfood.Shefanciedlikewise,butitmightbealtogetherfancy,thattherewasastirringupofhersystem—astrange,indefinitesensationcreepingthroughherveins,andtingling,halfpainfully,halfpleasurably,atherheart.Still,whenevershedaredtolookintothemirror,thereshebeheldherselfpaleasawhiteroseandwiththecrimsonbirthmarkstampeduponhercheek.NotevenAylmernowhateditsomuchasshe.
Todispelthetediumofthehourswhichherhusbandfounditnecessarytodevotetotheprocessesofcombinationandanalysis,Georgianaturnedoverthevolumesofhisscientificlibrary.Inmanydarkoldtomesshemetwithchaptersfullofromanceandpoetry.Theyweretheworksofphilosophersofthemiddleages,suchasAlbertusMagnus,CorneliusAgrippa,Paracelsus,andthefamousfriarwhocreatedthepropheticBrazenHead.
