Мхи старої садиби
The Birthmark
"Donotshrinkfromme!Believeme,Georgiana,Ievenrejoiceinthissingleimperfection,sinceitwillbesucharapturetoremoveit."
"Oh,spareme!"sadlyrepliedhiswife."Praydonotlookatitagain.Inevercanforgetthatconvulsiveshudder."
InordertosootheGeorgiana,and,asitwere,toreleasehermindfromtheburdenofactualthings,Aylmernowputinpracticesomeofthelightandplayfulsecretswhichsciencehadtaughthimamongitsprofounderlore.Airyfigures,absolutelybodilessideas,andformsofunsubstantialbeautycameanddancedbeforeher,imprintingtheirmomentaryfootstepsonbeamsoflight.Thoughshehadsomeindistinctideaofthemethodoftheseopticalphenomena,stilltheillusionwasalmostperfectenoughtowarrantthebeliefthatherhusbandpossessedswayoverthespiritualworld.Thenagain,whenshefeltawishtolookforthfromherseclusion,immediately,asifherthoughtswereanswered,theprocessionofexternalexistenceflittedacrossascreen.Thesceneryandthefiguresofactuallifewereperfectlyrepresented,butwiththatbewitching,yetindescribabledifferencewhichalwaysmakesapicture,animage,orashadowsomuchmoreattractivethantheoriginal.Whenweariedofthis,Aylmerbadehercasthereyesuponavesselcontainingaquantityofearth.Shedidso,withlittleinterestatfirst;butwassoonstartledtoperceivethegermofaplantshootingupwardfromthesoil.Thencametheslenderstalk;theleavesgraduallyunfoldedthemselves;andamidthemwasaperfectandlovelyflower.
"Itismagical!"criedGeorgiana."Idarenottouchit.
