Then，withallthetendernessinhermannerthatwasso
strikinglyexpressedinherwords，shebusiedherselfwithsuch
attentionsastheplantseemedtorequire；andGiovanni，athis
loftywindow，rubbedhiseyes，andalmostdoubtedwhetheritwerea
girltendingherfavoriteflower，oronesisterperformingthe
dutiesofaffectiontoanother。Thescenesoonterminated。Whether
DoctorRappaccinihadfinishedhislaborsinthegarden，orthathis
watchfuleyehadcaughtthestranger’sface，henowtookhis
daughter’sarmandretired。Nightwasalreadyclosingin；oppressive
exhalationsseemedtoproceedfromtheplants，andstealupwardpast
theopenwindow；andGiovanni，closingthelattice，wenttohiscouch，
anddreamedofarichflowerandbeautifulgirl。Flowerandmaiden
weredifferentandyetthesame，andfraughtwithsomestrangeperil
ineithershape。
Butthereisaninfluenceinthelightofmorningthattendsto
rectifywhatevererrorsoffancy，orevenofjudgment，wemayhave
incurredduringthesun’sdecline，oramongtheshadowsofthe
night，orinthelesswholesomeglowofmoonshine。Giovanni’sfirst
movementonstartingfromsleep，wastothrowopenthewindow，and
gazedownintothegardenwhichhisdreamshadmadesofertileof
mysteries。Hewassurprised，andalittleashamed，tofindhowreal
andmatter-of-factanaffairitprovedtobe，inthefirstraysofthe
sun，whichgildedthedew-dropsthathunguponleafandblossom，
and，whilegivingabrighterbeautytoeachrareflower，brought
everythingwithinthelimitsofordinaryexperience。Theyoungman
rejoiced，that，intheheartofthebarrencity，hehadthe
privilegeofoverlookingthisspotoflovelyandluxuriantvegetation。
Itwouldserve，hesaidtohimself，asasymboliclanguage，tokeep
himincommunionwithnature。Neitherthesicklyandthought-worn
DoctorGiacomoRappaccini，itistrue，norhisbrilliantdaughter，
werenowvisible；sothatGiovannicouldnotdeterminehowmuchofthe
singularitywhichheattributedtoboth，wasduetotheirown
qualities，andhowmuchtohiswonder-workingfancy。Buthewas
inclinedtotakeamostrationalviewofthewholematter。
Inthecourseoftheday，hepaidhisrespectstoSignorPietro
Baglioni，ProfessorofMedicineintheUniversity，aphysicianof
eminentrepute，towhomGiovannihadbroughtaletterofintroduction。
TheProfessorwasanelderlypersonage，apparentlyofgenialnature，
andhabitsthatmightalmostbecalledjovial；hekepttheyoungman
todinner，andmadehimselfveryagreeablebythefreedomand
livelinessofhisconversation，especiallywhenwarmedbyaflaskor
twoofTuscanwine。Giovanni，conceivingthatmenofscience，
inhabitantsofthesamecity，mustneedsbeonfamiliartermswithone
another，tookanopportunitytomentionthenameofDoctorRappaccini。
ButtheProfessordidnotrespondwithsomuchcordialityashehad
anticipated。
“Illwoulditbecomeateacherofthedivineartofmedicine。”said
ProfessorPietroBaglioni，inanswertoaquestionofGiovanni，“to
withholddueandwell-consideredpraiseofaphysiciansoeminently
skilledasRappaccini。But，ontheotherhand，Ishouldanswerit
butscantilytomyconscience，wereItopermitaworthyyouthlike
yourself，SignorGiovanni，thesonofanancientfriend，toimbibe
erroneousideasrespectingamanwhomighthereafterchancetohold
yourlifeanddeathinhishands。Thetruthis，ourworshipful
DoctorRappaccinihasasmuchscienceasanymemberofthefaculty-
withperhapsonesingleexception-inPadua，orallItaly。Butthere
arecertaingraveobjectionstohisprofessionalcharacter。”
“Andwhatarethey？”askedtheyoungman。
“HasmyfriendGiovannianydiseaseofbodyorheart，thatheisso
inquisitiveaboutphysicians？”saidtheProfessor，withasmile。
“ButasforRappaccini，itissaidofhim-andI，whoknowtheman
well，cananswerforitstruth-thathecaresinfinitelymorefor
sciencethanformankind。Hispatientsareinterestingtohimonly
assubjectsforsomenewexperiment。Hewouldsacrificehumanlife，
hisownamongtherest，orwhateverelsewasdearesttohim，forthe
sakeofaddingsomuchasagrainofmustard-seedtothegreatheapof
hisaccumulatedknowledge。”
“Methinksheisanawfulman，indeed。”remarkedGuasconti，mentally
recallingthecoldandpurelyintellectualaspectofRappaccini。
“Andyet，worshipfulProfessor，isitnotanoblespirit？Arethere
manymencapableofsospiritualaloveofscience？”
“Godforbid。”answeredtheProfessor，somewhattestily-“at
least，unlesstheytakesounderviewsofthehealingartthanthose
adoptedbyRappaccini。Itishistheory，thatallmedicinalvirtues
arecomprisedwithinthosesubstanceswhichwetermvegetablepoisons。
Thesehecultivateswithhisownhands，andissaideventohave
producednewvarietiesofpoison，morehorriblydeleteriousthan
Nature，withouttheassistanceofthislearnedperson，wouldeverhave
plaguedtheworldwith。ThattheSignorDoctordoeslessmischiefthan
mightbeexpected，withsuchdangeroussubstances，isundeniable。
Nowandthen，itmustbeowned，hehaseffected-orseemedtoeffect-a
marvellouscure。But，totellyoumyprivatemind，SignorGiovanni，he
shouldreceivelittlecreditforsuchinstancesofsuccess-theybeing
probablytheworkofchance-butshouldbeheldstrictlyaccountable
forhisfailures，whichmayjustlybeconsideredhisownwork。”
TheyouthmighthavetakenBaglioni’sopinionswithmanygrains
ofallowance，hadheknownthattherewasaprofessionalwarfareof
longcontinuancebetweenhimandDoctorRappaccini，inwhichthe
latterwasgenerallythoughttohavegainedtheadvantage。Ifthe
readerbeinclinedtojudgeforhimself，wereferhimtocertain
black-lettertractsonbothsides，preservedinthemedicaldepartment
oftheUniversityofPadua。
“Iknownot，mostlearnedProfessor。”returnedGiovanni，after
musingonwhathadbeensaidofRappaccini’sexclusivezealfor
science-“Iknownothowdearlythisphysicianmaylovehisart；but
surelythereisoneobjectmoredeartohim。Hehasadaughter。”
“Aha！”criedtheProfessorwithalaugh。“Sonowourfriend
Giovanni’ssecretisout。Youhaveheardofthisdaughter，whomall
theyoungmeninPaduaarewildabout，thoughnothalfadozenhave
everhadthegoodhaptoseeherface。IknowlittleoftheSignora
Beatrice，savethatRappacciniissaidtohaveinstructedherdeeply
inhisscience，andthat，youngandbeautifulasfamereportsher，she
isalreadyqualifiedtofillaprofessor’schair。Perchanceherfather
destinesherformine！Otherabsurdrumorstherebe，notworthtalking
about，orlisteningto。Sonow，SignorGiovanni，drinkoffyour
glassofLacryma。”
Guascontireturnedtohislodgingssomewhatheatedwiththewinehe
hadquaffed，andwhichcausedhisbraintoswimwithstrangefantasies
inreferencetoDoctorRappacciniandthebeautifulBeatrice。Onhis
way，happeningtopassbyaflorist’s，heboughtafreshbouquetof
flowers。
Ascendingtohischamber，heseatedhimselfnearthewindow，but
withintheshadowthrownbythedepthofthewall，sothathecould
lookdownintothegardenwithlittleriskofbeingdiscovered。All
beneathhiseyewasasolitude。Thestrangeplantswerebaskinginthe
sunshine，andnowandthennoddinggentlytooneanother，asifin
acknowledgmentofsympathyandkindred。Inthemidst，bytheshattered
fountain，grewthemagnificentshrub，withitspurplegems
clusteringalloverit；theyglowedintheair，andgleamedbackagain
outofthedepthsofthepool，whichthusseemedtooverflowwith
coloredradiancefromtherichreflectionthatwassteepedinit。At
first，aswehavesaid，thegardenwasasolitude。Soon，however-as
Giovannihadhalfhoped，halffeared，wouldbethecase-afigure
appearedbeneaththeantiquesculpturedportal，andcamedown
betweentherowsofplants，inhalingtheirvariousperfumes，asifshe
wereoneofthosebeingsofoldclassicfable，thatliveduponsweet
odors。OnagainbeholdingBeatrice，theyoungmanwasevenstartledto
perceivehowmuchherbeautyexceededhisrecollectionofit；so
brilliant，sovividinitscharacter，thatsheglowedamidthe
sunlight，and，asGiovanniwhisperedtohimself，positively
illuminatedthemoreshadowyintervalsofthegardenpath。Herface
beingnowmorerevealedthanontheformeroccasion，hewasstruck
byitsexpressionofsimplicityandsweetness；qualitiesthathad
notenteredintohisideaofhercharacter，andwhichmadehimask
anew，whatmannerofmortalshemightbe。Nordidhefailagainto
observe，orimagine，ananalogybetweenthebeautifulgirlandthe
gorgeousshrubthathungitsgem-likeflowersoverthefountain；a
resemblancewhichBeatriceseemedtohaveindulgedafantastichumor
inheightening，bothbythearrangementofherdressandtheselection
ofitshues。
Approachingtheshrub，shethrewopenherarms，aswitha
passionateardor，anddrewitsbranchesintoanintimateembrace；so
intimate，thatherfeatureswerehiddeninitsleafybosom，andher
glisteningringletsallintermingledwiththeflowers。
“Givemethybreath，mysister。”exclaimedBeatrice；“forIam
faintwithcommonair！Andgivemethisflowerofthine，whichI
separatewithgentlestfingersfromthestem，andplaceitclose
besidemyheart。”
Withthesewords，thebeautifuldaughterofRappacciniplucked
oneoftherichestblossomsoftheshrub，andwasabouttofastenit
inherbosom。Butnow，unlessGiovanni’sdraughtsofwinehad
bewilderedhissenses，asingularincidentoccurred。Asmallorange
coloredreptile，ofthelizardorchameleonspecies，chancedtobe
creepingalongthepath，justatthefeetofBeatrice。Itappeared
toGiovanni-but，atthedistancefromwhichhegazed，hecould
scarcelyhaveseenanythingsominute-itappearedtohim，however，
thatadroportwoofmoisturefromthebrokenstemoftheflower
descendeduponthelizard’shead。Foraninstant，thereptile
contorteditselfviolently，andthenlaymotionlessinthesunshine。
Beatriceobservedthisremarkablephenomenon，andcrossedherself，
sadly，butwithoutsurprise；nordidshethereforehesitatetoarrange
thefatalflowerinherbosom。Thereitblushed，andalmost
glimmeredwiththedazzlingeffectofapreciousstone，addingto
herdressandaspecttheoneappropriatecharm，whichnothingelse
intheworldcouldhavesupplied。ButGiovanni，outoftheshadowof
hiswindow，bentforwardandshrankback，andmurmuredandtrembled。
“AmIawake？HaveImysenses？”saidhetohimself。“Whatisthis
being？beautiful，shallIcallher？orinexpressiblyterrible？”
Beatricenowstrayedcarelesslythroughthegarden，approaching
closerbeneathGiovanni’swindow，sothathewascompelledtothrust
hisheadquiteoutofitsconcealment，inordertogratifytheintense
andpainfulcuriositywhichsheexcited。Atthismoment，therecame
abeautifulinsectoverthegardenwall；ithadperhapswandered
throughthecityandfoundnoflowersnorverdureamongthose
antiquehauntsofmen，untiltheheavyperfumesofDoctorRappaccini’s
shrubshadlureditfromafar。Withoutalightingontheflowers，
thiswingedbrightnessseemedtobeattractedbyBeatrice，and
lingeredintheairandflutteredaboutherhead。Nowhereitcould
notbebutthatGiovanniGuasconti’seyesdeceivedhim。Bethatas
itmight，hefanciedthatwhileBeatricewasgazingattheinsectwith
childishdelight，itgrewfaintandfellatherfeet！itsbrightwings
shivered！itwasdead！fromnocausethathecoulddiscern，unless
itweretheatmosphereofherbreath。AgainBeatricecrossedherself
andsighedheavily，asshebentoverthedeadinsect。
