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2015年07月17日

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Our story today is called "The Birthmark." It was writtenby Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Barbara Klein with thestory.

A long time ago, there lived a skillful scientist who hadexperienced a spiritual reaction more striking than anychemical one.

The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne

He had left his laboratory in the care of his assistant,washed the chemicals from his hands and asked abeautiful woman to become his wife. In those days newscientific discoveries such as electricity seemed toopen paths into the area of miracles. It was not unusualfor the love of science to compete with the love of awoman.

The scientist's name was Aylmer. He had so totallygiven himself to scientific studies that he could not beweakened by a second love. His love for his young wifecould only be the stronger of the two if it could link itselfwith his love of science.

Such a union did take place with truly remarkableresults. But one day, very soon after their marriage,Aylmer looked at his wife with a troubled expression.

"Georgiana," he said, "have you ever considered that the mark upon your cheek might be removed"?

"No," she said smiling. But seeing the seriousness ofhis question, she said, "The mark has so often beencalled a charm that I was simple enough to imagine itmight be so."

"On another face it might," answered her husband, "but not on yours. No dear, Nature made you so perfectlythat this small defect shocks me as being a sign ofearthly imperfection."

"Shocks you!" cried Georgiana, deeply hurt. Her facereddened and she burst into tears. "Then why did youmarry me? You cannot love what shocks you!"

We must explain that in the center of Georgiana's leftcheek there was a mark, deep in her skin. The markwas usually a deep red color. When Georgianablushed, the mark became less visible. But when she turned pale, there was the mark, like a red stain upon snow. The birthmark would come and go withthe emotions in her heart.

The mark was shaped like a very small human hand. Georgiana's past loversused to say that the hand of a magical fairy had touched her face when she was born. Many a gentleman would have risked his life for the honor of kissingthat mysterious hand.

But other people had different opinions. Some women said the red hand quitedestroyed the effect of Georgiana's beauty.

Male observers who did not praise the mark simply wished it away so thatthey did not see it. After his marriage, Aylmer discovered that this was thecase with himself.

Had Georgiana been less beautiful, he might have felt his love increased by the prettiness of that little hand. But because she was otherwise so perfect, he found the mark had become unbearable.

Aylmersaw the mark as a sign of his wife's eventual sadness, sickness anddeath. Soon, the birthmark caused him more pain than Georgiana's beautyhad ever given him pleasure.

During a period that should have been their happiest, Aylmer could only thinkof this disastrous subject. With the morning light, Aylmer opened his eyesupon his wife's face and recognized the sign of imperfection. When they sattogether in the evening near the fire, he would look at the mark.

Georgiana soon began to fear his look. His expression would make her facego pale. And the birthmark would stand out like a red jewel on white stone.

"Do you remember, dear Aylmer, about the dream you had last night aboutthis hateful mark?" she asked with a weak smile.

"None! None whatever!" answered Aylmer, surprised.

The mind is in a sad state when sleep cannot control its ghosts and allowsthem to break free with their secrets. Aylmer now remembered his dream. He had imagined himself with his assistant Aminadab trying to remove thebirthmark with an operation. But the deeper his knife went, the deeper thesmall hand sank until it had caught hold of Georgiana's heart.

Aylmerfelt guilty remembering the dream.

"Aylmer," said Georgiana, "I do not know what the cost would be to both of us to remove this birthmark. Removing it could deform my face or damage myhealth."

"Dearest Georgiana, I have spent much thought on the subject," said Aylmer. "I am sure it can be removed."

"Then let the attempt be made at any risk," said Georgiana. "Life is not worthliving while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror. You havedeep science and have made great discoveries. Remove this little mark for the sake of your peace and my own."

"Dearest wife," cried Aylmer. "Do not doubt my power. I am ready to make thischeek as perfect as its pair."

Her husband gently kissed her right cheek, the one without the red hand.

The next day the couple went to Aylmer's laboratory where he had made allhis famous discoveries. Georgiana would live in a beautiful room he hadprepared nearby, while he worked tirelessly in his lab. One by one, Aylmertried a series of powerful experiments on his wife. But the mark remained.

Georgiana waited in her room. She read through his notebooks of scientificobservations. She could not help see that many of his experiments had endedin failure. She decided to see for herself the scientist at work.

The first thing that struck Georgiana when entering the laboratory was the hotfurnace. From the amount of soot above it, it seemed to have been burning forages. She saw machines, tubes, cylinders and other containers for chemicalexperiments. What most drew her attention was Aylmer himself. He wasnervous and pale as death as he worked on preparing a liquid.

Georgiana realized that her husband had been hiding his tension and fear.

"Think not so little of me that you cannot be honest about the risks we aretaking," she said. "I will drink whatever you make for me, even if it is a poison."

"My dear, nothing shall be hidden," Aylmer said. "I have already given youchemicals powerful enough to change your entire physical system. Only onething remains to be tried and if that fails, we are ruined!"

He led her back to her room where she waited once more, alone with herthoughts. She hoped that for just one moment she could satisfy her husband'shighest ideals. But she realized then that his mind would forever be on themarch, always requiring something newer, better and more perfect.

Hours later, Aylmer returned carrying a crystal glass with a colorless liquid.

"The chemical process went perfectly," he said. "Unless all my science hastricked me, it cannot fail."

To test the liquid, he placed a drop in the soil of a dying flower growing in a potin the room. In a few moments, the plant became healthy and green oncemore.

"I do not need proof," Georgiana said quietly. "Give me the glass. I am happyto put my life in your hands." She drank the liquid and immediately fell asleep.

Aylmersat next to his wife, observing her and taking notes. He notedeverything -- her breathing, the movement of an eyelid. He stared at thebirthmark. And slowly, with every breath that came and went, it lost some of its brightness.

"By Heaven! It is nearly gone," said Aylmer. "Success! Success!"

He opened the window coverings to see her face in daylight. She was so pale.Georgiana opened her eyes and looked into the mirror her husband held. Shetried to smile as she saw the barely visible mark.

"My poor Aylmer," she said gently. "You have aimed so high. With so high andpure a feeling, you have rejected the best the Earth could offer. I am dying,dearest."

It was true. The hand on her face had been her link to life. As the last trace ofcolor disappeared from her cheek, she gave her last breath.

Blinded by a meaningless imperfection and an impossible goal, Aylmer hadthrown away her life and with it his chance for happiness. In trying to improvehis lovely wife, he had failed to realize she had been perfect all along.

"The Birthmark" was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was adapted andproduced by Dana Demange. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein.

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Words in This Story

chemical - adj. of or relating to chemistry

chemicals– n. elements found in nature or made by people; substancesused in the science of chemistry

imperfection - n. a small flaw or bad part

visible- adj. able to be seen

birthmark- n. an unusual mark that is present on the skin from the time whensomeone is born