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The Birthmark
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.
