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In
order
to
soothe
Georgiana
,
and
,
as
it
were
,
to
release
her
mind
from
the
burden
of
actual
things
,
Aylmer
now
put
in
practice
some
of
the
light
and
playful
secrets
which
science
had
taught
him
among
its
profounder
lore
.
Airy
figures
,
absolutely
bodiless
ideas
,
and
forms
of
unsubstantial
beauty
came
and
danced
before
her
,
imprinting
their
momentary
footsteps
on
beams
of
light
.
Though
she
had
some
indistinct
idea
of
the
method
of
these
optical
phenomena
,
still
the
illusion
was
almost
perfect
enough
to
warrant
the
belief
that
her
husband
possessed
sway
over
the
spiritual
world
.
Then
again
,
when
she
felt
a
wish
to
look
forth
from
her
seclusion
,
immediately
,
as
if
her
thoughts
were
answered
,
the
procession
of
external
existence
flitted
across
a
screen
.
The
scenery
and
the
figures
of
actual
life
were
perfectly
represented
,
but
with
that
bewitching
,
yet
indescribable
difference
which
always
makes
a
picture
,
an
image
,
or
a
shadow
so
much
more
attractive
than
the
original
.
When
wearied
of
this
,
Aylmer
bade
her
cast
her
eyes
upon
a
vessel
containing
a
quantity
of
earth
.
She
did
so
,
with
little
interest
at
first
;
but
was
soon
startled
to
perceive
the
germ
of
a
plant
shooting
upward
from
the
soil
.
Then
came
the
slender
stalk
;
the
leaves
gradually
unfolded
themselves
;
and
amid
them
was
a
perfect
and
lovely
flower
.
"
It
is
magical
!
"
cried
Georgiana
.
"
I
dare
not
touch
it
.
"
"
Nay
,
pluck
it
,
"
answered
Aylmer
,
—
"
pluck
it
,
and
inhale
its
brief
perfume
while
you
may
.
The
flower
will
wither
in
a
few
moments
and
leave
nothing
save
its
brown
seed
vessels
;
but
thence
may
be
perpetuated
a
race
as
ephemeral
as
itself
.
"
But
Georgiana
had
no
sooner
touched
the
flower
than
the
whole
plant
suffered
a
blight
,
its
leaves
turning
coal
-
black
as
if
by
the
agency
of
fire
.
"
There
was
too
powerful
a
stimulus
,
"
said
Aylmer
,
thoughtfully
.
To
make
up
for
this
abortive
experiment
,
he
proposed
to
take
her
portrait
by
a
scientific
process
of
his
own
invention
.
It
was
to
be
effected
by
rays
of
light
striking
upon
a
polished
plate
of
metal
.
Georgiana
assented
;
but
,
on
looking
at
the
result
,
was
affrighted
to
find
the
features
of
the
portrait
blurred
and
indefinable
;
while
the
minute
figure
of
a
hand
appeared
where
the
cheek
should
have
been
.
Aylmer
snatched
the
metallic
plate
and
threw
it
into
a
jar
of
corrosive
acid
.
Soon
,
however
,
he
forgot
these
mortifying
failures
.
In
the
intervals
of
study
and
chemical
experiment
he
came
to
her
flushed
and
exhausted
,
but
seemed
invigorated
by
her
presence
,
and
spoke
in
glowing
language
of
the
resources
of
his
art
.
He
gave
a
history
of
the
long
dynasty
of
the
alchemists
,
who
spent
so
many
ages
in
quest
of
the
universal
solvent
by
which
the
golden
principle
might
be
elicited
from
all
things
vile
and
base
.
Aylmer
appeared
to
believe
that
,
by
the
plainest
scientific
logic
,
it
was
altogether
within
the
limits
of
possibility
to
discover
this
long
-
sought
medium
;
"
but
,
"
he
added
,
"
a
philosopher
who
should
go
deep
enough
to
acquire
the
power
would
attain
too
lofty
a
wisdom
to
stoop
to
the
exercise
of
it
.
"
Not
less
singular
were
his
opinions
in
regard
to
the
elixir
vitae
.
He
more
than
intimated
that
it
was
at
his
option
to
concoct
a
liquid
that
should
prolong
life
for
years
,
perhaps
interminably
;
but
that
it
would
produce
a
discord
in
Nature
which
all
the
world
,
and
chiefly
the
quaffer
of
the
immortal
nostrum
,
would
find
cause
to
curse
.
"
Aylmer
,
are
you
in
earnest
?
"
asked
Georgiana
,
looking
at
him
with
amazement
and
fear
.
"
It
is
terrible
to
possess
such
power
,
or
even
to
dream
of
possessing
it
.
"
