In order to soothe Georgiana， and， as it were， to release hermind from the burden of actual things， Aylmer now put inpractice some of the light and playful secrets which sciencehad taught him among its profounder lore. Airy figures，absolutely bodiless ideas， and forms of unsubstantial beautycame and danced before her， imprinting their momentaryfootsteps on beams of light. Though she had some indistinctidea of the method of these optical phenomena， still theillusion was almost perfect enough to warrant the belief thather husband possessed sway over the spiritual world. Thenagain， when she felt a wish to look forth from her seclusion，immediately， as if her thoughts were answered， the processionof external existence flitted across a screen. The sceneryand the figures of actual life were perfectly represented， butwith that bewitching， yet indescribable difference whichalways makes a picture， an image， or a shadow so much moreattractive than the original. When wearied of this， Aylmerbade her cast her eyes upon a vessel containing a quantityof earth. She did so， with little interest at first； but was soonstartled to perceive the germ of a plant shooting upward fromthe soil. Then came the slender stalk； the leaves graduallyunfolded themselves； and amid them was a perfect and lovelyflower.
“It is magical！” cried Georgiana. “I dare not touch it.”
“Nay， pluck it，” answered Aylmer，—“pluck it， and inhale itsbrief perfume while you may. The flower will wither in a fewmoments and leave nothing save its brown seed vessels； butthence may be perpetuated a race as ephemeral as itself.”
But Georgiana had no sooner touched the flower than thewhole plant suffered a blight， its leaves turning coal-black as ifby the agency of fire.
“There was too powerful a stimulus，” said Aylmer， thoughtfully.
To make up for this abortive experiment， he proposed to takeher portrait by a scientific process of his own invention. It wasto be effected by rays of light striking upon a polished plateof metal. Georgiana assented； but， on looking at the result，was affrighted to find the features of the portrait blurred andindefinable； while the minute figure of a hand appeared wherethe cheek should have been. Aylmer snatched the metallic plateand threw it into a jar of corrosive acid.
Soon， however， he forgot these mortifying failures. Inthe intervals of study and chemical experiment he came toher flushed and exhausted， but seemed invigorated by herpresence， and spoke in glowing language of the resources ofhis art. He gave a history of the long dynasty of the alchemists，who spent so many ages in quest of the universal solvent bywhich the golden principle might be elicited from all thingsvile and base. Aylmer appeared to believe that， by the plainestscientific logic， it was altogether within the limits of possibilityto discover this long-sought medium； “but，” he added， “aphilosopher who should go deep enough to acquire the powerwould 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 aliquid that should prolong life for years， perhaps interminably；but that it would produce a discord in Nature which all theworld， and chiefly the quaffer of the immortal nostrum， wouldfind cause to curse.
“Aylmer， are you in earnest？” asked Georgiana， looking athim with amazement and fear. “It is terrible to possess suchpower， or even to dream of possessing it.”
“Oh， do not tremble， my love，” said her husband. “I would notwrong either you or myself by working such inharmonious effectsupon our lives； but I would have you consider how trifling， incomparison， is the skill requisite to remove this little hand.”
At the mention of the birthmark， Georgiana， as usual， shrankas if a redhot iron had touched her cheek.
Again Aylmer applied himself to his labors. She couldhear his voice in the distant furnace room giving directionsto Aminadab， whose harsh， uncouth， misshapen tones wereaudible in response， more like the grunt or growl of a brutethan human speech. After hours of absence， Aylmer reappearedand proposed that she should now examine his cabinet ofchemical products and natural treasures of the earth. Amongthe former he showed her a small vial， in which， he remarked，was contained a gentle yet most powerful fragrance， capable ofimpregnating all the breezes that blow across a kingdom. Theywere of inestimable value， the contents of that little vial； and，as he said so， he threw some of the perfume into the air andfilled the room with piercing and invigorating delight.
“And what is this？” asked Georgiana， pointing to a smallcrystal globe containing a gold-colored liquid. “It is sobeautiful to the eye that I could imagine it the elixir of life.”
“In one sense it is，” replied Aylmer； “or， rather， the elixirof immortality. It is the most precious poison that ever wasconcocted in this world. By its aid I could apportion thelifetime of any mortal at whom you might point your finger.
The strength of the dose would determine whether he were tolinger out years， or drop dead in the midst of a breath. No kingon his guarded throne could keep his life if I， in my privatestation， should deem that the welfare of millions justified mein depriving him of it.”
“Why do you keep such a terrific drug？” inquired Georgianain horror.
“Do not mistrust me， dearest，” said her husband， smiling； “itsvirtuous potency is yet greater than its harmful one. But see！
here is a powerful cosmetic. With a few drops of this in a vaseof water， freckles may be washed away as easily as the handsare cleansed. A stronger infusion would take the blood out ofthe cheek， and leave the rosiest beauty a pale ghost.”
“Is it with this lotion that you intend to bathe my cheek？”asked Georgiana， anxiously.
“Oh， no，” hastily replied her husband； “this is merelysuperficial. Your case demands a remedy that shall go deeper.”