第29章

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，cananswerforitstrut