AnimpulsivemovementofGiovannidrewhereyestothewindow。
Thereshebeheldthebeautifulheadoftheyoungman-ratheraGrecian
thananItalianhead，withfair，regularfeatures，andaglisteningof
goldamonghisringlets-gazingdownuponherlikeabeingthat
hoveredinmid-air。Scarcelyknowingwhathedid，Giovannithrew
downthebouquetwhichhehadhithertoheldinhishand。
“Signora。”saidhe，“therearepureandhealthfulflowers。Wear
themforthesakeofGiovanniGuasconti！”
“Thanks，Signor。”repliedBeatrice，withherrichvoicethatcame
forthasitwerelikeagushofmusic；andwithamirthful
expressionhalfchildishandhalfwoman-like。“Iacceptyourgift，and
wouldfainrecompenseitwiththispreciouspurpleflower；butifI
tossitintotheair，itwillnotreachyou。SoSignorGuasconti
mustevencontenthimselfwithmythanks。”
Sheliftedthebouquetfromtheground，andthenasifinwardly
ashamedathavingsteppedasidefromhermaidenlyreservetorespond
toastranger’sgreeting，passedswiftlyhomewardthroughthe
garden。But，fewasthemomentswere，itseemedtoGiovanniwhenshe
wasonthepointofvanishingbeneaththesculpturedportal，that
hisbeautifulbouquetwasalreadybeginningtowitherinhergrasp。It
wasanidlethought；therecouldbenopossibilityofdistinguishinga
fadedflowerfromafreshone，atsogreatadistance。
Formanydaysafterthisincident，theyoungmanavoidedthewindow
thatlookedintoDoctorRappaccini’sgarden，asifsomethingugly
andmonstrouswouldhaveblastedhiseye-sight，hadhebeenbetrayed
intoaglance。Hefeltconsciousofhavingputhimself，toacertain
extent，withintheinfluenceofanunintelligiblepower，bythe
communicationwhichhehadopenedwithBeatrice。Thewisestcourse
wouldhavebeen，ifhisheartwereinanyrealdanger，toquithis
lodgingsandPaduaitself，atonce；thenextwiser，tohaveaccustomed
himself，asfaraspossible，tothefamiliarandday-lightviewof
Beatrice；thusbringingherrigidlyandsystematicallywithinthe
limitsofordinaryexperience。Leastofall，whileavoidinghersight，
shouldGiovannihaveremainedsonearthisextraordinarybeing，that
theproximityandpossibilityevenofintercourse，shouldgivea
kindofsubstanceandrealitytothewildvagarieswhichhis
imaginationranriotcontinuallyinproducing。Guascontihadnota
deepheart-oratallevents，itsdepthswerenotsoundednow-but
hehadaquickfancy，andanardentsoutherntemperament，whichrose
everyinstanttoahigherfever-pitch。WhetherornoBeatrice
possessedthoseterribleattributes-thatfatalbreath-theaffinity
withthosesobeautifulanddeadlyflowers-whichwereindicatedby
whatGiovannihadwitnessed，shehadatleastinstilledafierceand
subtlepoisonintohissystem。Itwasnotlove，althoughherrich
beautywasamadnesstohim；norhorror，evenwhilehefanciedher
spirittobeimbuedwiththesamebanefulessencethatseemedto
pervadeherphysicalframe；butawildoffspringofbothloveand
horrorthathadeachparentinit，andburnedlikeoneandshivered
liketheother。Giovanniknewnotwhattodread；stilllessdidhe
knowwhattohope；yethopeanddreadkeptacontinualwarfarein
hisbreast，alternatelyvanquishingoneanotherandstartingupafresh
torenewthecontest。Blessedareallsimpleemotions，betheydarkor
bright！Itistheluridintermixtureofthetwothatproducesthe
illuminatingblazeoftheinfernalregions。
Sometimesheendeavoredtoassuagethefeverofhisspiritbya
rapidwalkthroughthestreetsofPadua，orbeyonditsgates；his
footstepskepttimewiththethrobbingsofhisbrain，sothatthewalk
wasapttoaccelerateitselftoarace。Oneday，hefoundhimself
arrested；hisarmwasseizedbyaportlypersonagewhohadturnedback
onrecognizingtheyoungman，andexpendedmuchbreathinovertaking
him。
“SignorGiovanni！stay，myyoungfriend！”criedhe。“Haveyou
forgottenme？Thatmightwellbethecase，ifIwereasmuchaltered
asyourself。”
ItwasBaglioni，whomGiovannihadavoided，eversincetheir
firstmeeting，fromadoubtthattheProfessor’ssagacitywouldlook
toodeeplyintohissecrets。Endeavoringtorecoverhimself，hestared
forthwildlyfromhisinnerworldintotheouterone，andspokelikea
maninadream。
“Yes；IamGiovanniGuasconti。YouareProfessorPietroBaglioni。
Nowletmepass！”
“Notyet-notyet，SignorGiovanniGuasconti。”saidthe
Professor，smiling，butatthesametimescrutinizingtheyouthwith
anearnestglance。“What，didIgrowupsidebysidewithyourfather，
andshallhissonpassmelikeastranger，intheseoldstreetsof
Padua？Standstill，SignorGiovanni；forwemusthaveawordortwo
beforewepart。”
“Speedily，then，mostworshipfulProfessor，speedily！”said
Giovanni，withfeverishimpatience。“Doesnotyourworshipseethat
Iaminhaste？”
Now，whilehewasspeaking，therecameamaninblackalongthe
street，stoopingandmovingfeebly，likeapersonininferior
health。Hisfacewasalloverspreadwithamostsicklyandsallowhue，
butyetsopervadedwithanexpressionofpiercingandactive
intellect，thatanobservermighteasilyhaveoverlookedthemerely
physicalattributes，andhaveseenonlythiswonderfulenergy。Ashe
passed，thispersonexchangedacoldanddistantsalutationwith
Baglioni，butfixedhiseyesuponGiovanniwithanintentnessthat
seemedtobringoutwhateverwaswithinhimworthyofnotice。
Nevertheless，therewasapeculiarquietnessinthelook，asiftaking
merelyaspeculative，notahumaninterest，intheyoungman。
“ItisDoctorRappaccini！”whisperedtheProfessor，whenthe
strangerhadpassed。“Hasheeverseenyourfacebefore？”
“NotthatIknow。”answeredGiovanni，startingatthename。
“Hehasseenyou！hemusthaveseenyou！”saidBaglioni，hastily。
“Forsomepurposeorother，thismanofscienceismakingastudyof
you。Iknowthatlookofhis！Itisthesamethatcoldlyilluminates
hisface，ashebendsoverabird，amouse，orabutterfly，which，
inpursuanceofsomeexperiment，hehaskilledbytheperfumeofa
flower-alookasdeepasnatureitself，butwithoutnature’swarmth
oflove。SignorGiovanni，Iwillstakemylifeuponit，youarethe
subjectofoneofRappaccini’sexperiments！”
“Willyoumakeafoolofme？”criedGiovanni，passionately。
“That，SignorProfessor，wereanuntowardexperiment。”
“Patience，patience！”repliedtheimperturbableProfessor。“I
tellthee，mypoorGiovanni，thatRappaccinihasascientificinterest
inthee。Thouhastfallenintofearfulhands！AndtheSignora
Beatrice？Whatpartdoessheactinthismystery？”
ButGuasconti，findingBaglioni’spertinacityintolerable，here
brokeaway，andwasgonebeforetheProfessorcouldagainseizehis
arm。Helookedaftertheyoungmanintently，andshookhishead。
“Thismustnotbe。”saidBaglionitohimself。“Theyouthistheson
ofmyoldfriend，andshallnotcometoanyharmfromwhichthearcana
ofmedicalsciencecanpreservehim。Besides，itistooinsufferable
animpertinenceinRappaccinithustosnatchtheladoutofmyown
hands，asImaysay，andmakeuseofhimforhisinfernalexperiments。
Thisdaughterofhis！Itshallbelookedto。Perchance，mostlearned
Rappaccini，Imayfoilyouwhereyoulittledreamofit！”
Meanwhile，Giovannihadpursuedacircuitousroute，andatlength
foundhimselfatthedoorofhislodgings。Ashecrossedthe
threshold，hewasmetbyoldLisabetta，whosmirkedandsmiled，and
wasevidentlydesiroustoattracthisattention；vainly，however，as
theebullitionofhisfeelingshadmomentarilysubsidedintoacold
anddullvacuity。Heturnedhiseyesfulluponthewitheredface
thatwaspuckeringitselfintoasmile，butseemedtobeholditnot。
Theolddame，therefore，laidhergraspuponhiscloak。
“Signor！Signor！”whisperedshe，stillwithasmileoverthe
wholebreadthofhervisage，sothatitlookednotunlikea
grotesquecarvinginwood，darkenedbycenturies-“Listen，Signor！
Thereisaprivateentranceintothegarden！”
“Whatdoyousay？”exclaimedGiovanni，turningquicklyabout，asif
aninanimatethingshouldstartintofeverishlife。“Aprivate
entranceintoDoctorRappaccini’sgarden！”
“Hush！hush！notsoloud！”whisperedLisabetta，puttingherhand
overhismouth。“Yes；intotheworshipfulDoctor’sgarden，whereyou
mayseeallhisfineshrubbery。ManyayoungmaninPaduawouldgive
goldtobeadmittedamongthoseflowers。”
Giovanniputapieceofgoldintoherhand。
“Showmetheway。”saidhe。
Asurmise，probablyexcitedbyhisconversationwithBaglioni，
crossedhismind，thatthisinterpositionofoldLisabettamight
perchancebeconnectedwiththeintrigue，whateverwereitsnature，in
whichtheProfessorseemedtosupposethatDoctorRappacciniwas
involvinghim。Butsuchasuspicion，thoughitdisturbedGiovanni，was
inadequatetorestrainhim。Theinstanthewasawareofthe
possibilityofapproachingBeatrice，itseemedanabsolutenecessity
ofhisexistencetodoso。Itmatterednotwhethershewereangelor
demon；hewasirrevocablywithinhersphere，andmustobeythelaw
thatwhirledhimonward，ineverlesseningcircles，towardsaresult
whichhedidnotattempttoforeshadow。Andyet，strangetosay，there
cameacrosshimasuddendoubt，whetherthisintenseinterestonhis
partwerenotdelusory-whetheritwerereallyofsodeepandpositive
anatureastojustifyhiminnowthrustinghimselfintoan
incalculableposition-whetheritwerenotmerelythefantasyofa
youngman’sbrain，onlyslightly，ornotatall，connectedwithhis
heart！
Hepaused-hesitated-turnedhalfabout-butagainwenton。His
witheredguideledhimalongseveralobscurepassages，andfinally
undidadoor，throughwhich，asitwasopened，therecamethesight
andsoundofrustlingleaves，withthebrokensunshineglimmering
amongthem。Giovannisteppedforth，andforcinghimselfthroughthe
entanglementofashrubthatwreatheditstendrilsoverthehidden
entrance，hestoodbeneathhisownwindow，intheopenareaof
DoctorRappaccini’sgarden。
Howoftenisitthecase，that，whenimpossibilitieshavecometo
pass，anddreamshavecondensedtheirmistysubstanceintotangible
realities，wefindourselvescalm，andevencoldlyself-possessed，
amidcircumstanceswhichitwouldhavebeenadeliriumofjoyoragony
toanticipate！Fatedelightstothwartusthus。Passionwillchoose
hisowntimetorushuponthescene，andlingerssluggishlybehind，
whenanappropriateadjustmentofeventswouldseemtosummonhis
appearance。SowasitnowwithGiovanni。Dayafterday，hispulseshad
throbbedwithfeverishblood，attheimprobableideaofaninterview
withBeatrice，andofstandingwithher，facetoface，inthisvery
garden，baskingintheorientalsunshineofherbeauty，and
snatchingfromherfullgazethemysterywhichhedeemedtheriddleof
hisownexistence。Butnowtherewasasingularanduntimely
equanimitywithinhisbreast。Hethrewaglancearoundthegardento
discoverifBeatriceorherfatherwerepresent，andperceivingthat
hewasalone，beganacriticalobservationoftheplants。
Theaspectofoneandallofthemdissatisfiedhim；their
gorgeousnessseemedfierce，passionate，andevenunnatural。There
washardlyanindividualshrubwhichawanderer，strayingbyhimself
throughaforest，wouldnothavebeenstartledtofindgrowingwild，
asifanunearthlyfacehadglaredathimoutofthethicket。Several，
also，wouldhaveshockedadelicateinstinctbyanappearanceof
artificialness，indicatingthattherehadbeensuchcommixture，and，
asitwere，adulteryofvariousvegetablespecies，thattheproduction
wasnolongerofGod’smaking，butthemonstrousoffspringofman’s
depravedfancy，glowingwithonlyanevilmockeryofbeauty。Theywere
probablytheresultofexperiment，which，inoneortwocases，had
succeededinminglingplantsindividuallylovelyintoacompound
possessingthequestionableandominouscharacterthatdistinguished
thewholegrowthofthegarden。Infine，Giovannirecognizedbuttwo
orthreeplantsinthecollection，andthoseofakindthathewell
knewtobepoisonous。Whilebusywiththesecontemplations，heheard
therustlingofasilkengarment，andturning，beheldBeatrice
emergingfrombeneaththesculpturedportal。
