“WhateverNathanielHawthornemayhereafterwrite,MossesfromanOldMansewillultimatelybeaccountedhismasterpiece.”—HermanMelvilleAylmerisaninventor,thegreatestofhisage.Buthisheartistornbetweenhisdevotiontoscienceandhisloveforhisbeautifulwife,Georgiana,whoseappearancewouldbeperfectwereitnotforthesmallredbirthmarkonhercheek.