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“And what are they?” asked the young man.
“Has my friend Giova
“I think he is an awful man,” remarked Guasconti. “Are there many men capable of such a love of science?”
“God forbid,[10]” answered the professor. “It is his theory that all medicinal virtues are in those substances which we call vegetable poisons. He cultivates them with his own hands, and they say he has even produced new varieties of poison. Now and then,[11] he has effected a marvellous cure;[12] but such instances of success, – to my mind, are probably the work of chance – but he should be responsible for his failures, which may justly be considered his own work.”
“I do not know, most learned professor,” said Giova
“Aha!” cried the professor, with a laugh. “So now our friend Giova
Guasconti returned to his lodgings a little heated with the wine he had drunk, and which caused his brain to swim with strange fantasies about Dr. Rappaccini and the beautiful Beatrice. On his way he bought a bouquet of flowers.
Going up to his room, he seated himself near the window, so that he could look down into the garden with little risk of being discovered. In the sunshine, the strange plants were now and then nodding gently to one another. In the middle, by the shattered fountain, grew the magnificent shrub, with its purple flowers all over it; they looked back again out of the pool. At first there was nobody in the garden. Soon, however, – as Giova
Approaching the shrub, she threw open her arms, and embraced its branches.
“Give me your breath, my sister,” exclaimed Beatrice; “for I am faint with common air. And give me this flower of yours, which I shall place close beside my heart.”
With these words the beautiful daughter of Rappaccini plucked one of the richest blossoms of the shrub, and was about to fasten it in her bosom.[13] But now a singular incident occurred. A small orange-colored lizard was ru
“Am I awake? Am I sane?” said he to himself. “What is this being? Shall I call her beautiful or terrible?”
Beatrice now walked through the garden, approaching closer beneath Giova
An impulsive movement of Giova
“Signora,” said he, “Wear them for the sake of Giova
“Thanks, signor,” replied Beatrice, with her rich voice, that sounded like music. “I accept your gift, and would reward you with this precious purple flower; but if I throw it into the air it will not reach you. So Signor Guasconti must content himself with my thanks.”
She lifted the bouquet from the ground, and then passed through the garden. But few as the moments were,[14] it seemed to Giova
For many days after this incident the young man avoided the window that looked into Dr. Rappaccini’s garden, as if he could see something ugly and monstrous there. The wisest thing to do would be, if his heart were in any real danger, to leave his lodgings and Padua at once. But Guasconti had not a deep heart; but he had a quick fancy, and a southern temperament, which rose every instant to a higher pitch. Whether or no Beatrice possessed that fatal breath, that Giova
Sometimes he had a walk through the streets of Padua or beyond its gates. One day he felt his arm seized by a person, who had recognized the young man.
“Signor Giova
It was Baglioni, whom Giova
“Yes; I am Giova
“Not yet, not yet, Signor Giova
Now, while they were speaking there came a man in black along the street, moving like a person in poor health. His face wore an expression of such active intellect that an observer might easily overlook his physical weakness and see only this wonderful energy. As he passed, this person exchanged a cold salutation with Baglioni, but fixed his eyes upon[15] Giova
10
God forbid – Боже упаси
11
now and then – время от времени
12
has effected a marvellous cure – добился чудесного исцеления
13
and was about to fasten it in her bosom – и уже собиралась приколоть его себе на грудь. Оборот ‘to be about to do smth’ означает, что действие не было выполнено.
14
but few as the moments were – но как бы быстро всё ни произошло
15
fixed his eyes upon – остановил взгляд на