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。