第31章

Giovannihadnotconsideredwithhimselfwhatshouldbehis

deportment；whetherheshouldapologizeforhisintrusionintothe

garden，orassumethathewastherewiththeprivity，atleast，ifnot

bythedesire，ofDoctorRappacciniorhisdaughter。ButBeatrice’s

mannerplacedhimathisease，thoughleavinghimstillindoubtby

whatagencyhehadgainedadmittance。Shecamelightlyalongthepath，

andmethimnearthebrokenfountain。Therewassurpriseinher

face，butbrightenedbyasimpleandkindexpressionofpleasure。

“Youareaconnoisseurinflowers，Signor。”saidBeatricewitha

smile，alludingtothebouquetwhichhehadflungherfromthewindow。

“Itisnomarvel，therefore，ifthesightofmyfather’srare

collectionhastemptedyoutotakeanearerview。Ifhewerehere，

hecouldtellyoumanystrangeandinterestingfactsastothe

natureandhabitsoftheseshrubs，forhehasspentalife-timein

suchstudies，andthisgardenishisworld。”

“Andyourself，lady“-observedGiovanni-“iffamesaystrue-you，

likewise，aredeeplyskilledinthevirtuesindicatedbytheserich

blossoms，andthesespicyperfumes。Wouldyoudeigntobemy

instructress，IshouldproveanapterscholarthanunderSignor

Rappaccinihimself。”

“Aretheresuchidlerumors？”askedBeatrice，withthemusicofa

pleasantlaugh。“DopeoplesaythatIamskilledinmyfather’s

scienceofplants？Whatajestisthere！No；thoughIhavegrownup

amongtheseflowers，Iknownomoreofthemthantheirhuesand

perfume；andsometimes，methinksIwouldfainridmyselfofeven

thatsmallknowledge。Therearemanyflowershere，andthosenotthe

leastbrilliant，thatshockandoffendme，whentheymeetmyeye。But，

pray，Signor，donotbelievethesestoriesaboutmyscience。Believe

nothingofmesavewhatyouseewithyourowneyes。”

“AndmustIbelieveallthatIhaveseenwithmyowneyes？”asked

Giovannipointedly，whiletherecollectionofformerscenesmadehim

shrink。“No，Signora，youdemandtoolittleofme。Bidmebelieve

nothing，savewhatcomesfromyourownlips。”

ItwouldappearthatBeatriceunderstoodhim。Therecameadeep

flushtohercheek；butshelookedfullintoGiovanni’seyes，and

respondedtohisgazeofuneasysuspicionwithaqueen-like

haughtiness。

Idosobidyou，Signor！”shereplied。“Forgetwhateveryoumay

havefanciedinregardtome。Iftruetotheoutwardsenses，still

itmaybefalseinitsessence。ButthewordsofBeatriceRappaccini’s

lipsaretruefromtheheartoutward。Thoseyoumaybelieve！”

Afervorglowedinherwholeaspect，andbeameduponGiovanni’s

consciousnesslikethelightoftruthitself。Butwhileshespoke，

therewasafragranceintheatmospherearoundherrichand

delightful，thoughevanescent，yetwhichtheyoungman，froman

indefinablereluctance，scarcelydaredtodrawintohislungs。It

mightbetheodoroftheflowers。CoulditbeBeatrice’sbreath，which

thusembalmedherwordswithastrangerichness，asifbysteeping

theminherheart？AfaintnesspassedlikeashadowoverGiovanni，and

flittedaway；heseemedtogazethroughthebeautifulgirl’seyesinto

hertransparentsoul，andfeltnomoredoubtorfear。

ThetingeofpassionthathadcoloredBeatrice’smannervanished；

shebecamegay，andappearedtoderiveapuredelightfromher

communionwiththeyouth，notunlikewhatthemaidenofalonely

islandmighthavefelt，conversingwithavoyagerfromthecivilized

world。Evidentlyherexperienceoflifehadbeenconfinedwithinthe

limitsofthatgarden。Shetalkednowaboutmattersassimpleasthe

day-lightorsummer-clouds，andnowaskedquestionsinreferenceto

thecity，orGiovanni’sdistanthome，hisfriends，hismother，andhis

sisters；questionsindicatingsuchseclusion，andsuchlackof

familiaritywithmodesandforms，thatGiovannirespondedasifto

aninfant。Herspiritgushedoutbeforehimlikeafreshrill，that

wasjustcatchingitsfirstglimpseofthesunlight，andwondering，at

thereflectionsofearthandskywhichwereflungintoitsbosom。

Therecamethoughts，too，fromadeepsource，andfantasiesofa

gem-likebrilliancy，asifdiamondsandrubiessparkledupwardamong

thebubblesofthefountain。Everandanon，theregleamedacrossthe

youngman’smindasenseofwonder，thatheshouldbewalkingside

bysidewiththebeingwhohadsowroughtuponhisimagination-whom

hehadidealizedinsuchhuesofterror-inwhomhehadpositively

witnessedsuchmanifestationsofdreadfulattributes-thatheshould

beconversingwithBeatricelikeabrother，andshouldfindherso

humanandsomaiden-like。Butsuchreflections