Мхи старой усадьбы
Rappaccini's Daughter
Fromitsappearance,hejudgedittobeoneofthosebotanicgardenswhichwereofearlierdateinPaduathanelsewhereinItalyorintheworld.Or,notimprobably,itmightoncehavebeenthepleasure-placeofanopulentfamily;fortherewastheruinofamarblefountaininthecentre,sculpturedwithrareart,butsowofullyshatteredthatitwasimpossibletotracetheoriginaldesignfromthechaosofremainingfragments.Thewater,however,continuedtogushandsparkleintothesunbeamsascheerfullyasever.Alittlegurglingsoundascendedtotheyoungman’swindow,andmadehimfeelasifthefountainwereanimmortalspiritthatsungitssongunceasinglyandwithoutheedingthevicissitudesaroundit,whileonecenturyimbodieditinmarbleandanotherscatteredtheperishablegarnitureonthesoil.Allaboutthepoolintowhichthewatersubsidedgrewvariousplants,thatseemedtorequireaplentifulsupplyofmoistureforthenourishmentofgiganticleaves,andinsomeinstances,flowersgorgeouslymagnificent.Therewasoneshrubinparticular,setinamarblevaseinthemidstofthepool,thatboreaprofusionofpurpleblossoms,eachofwhichhadthelustreandrichnessofagem;andthewholetogethermadeashowsoresplendentthatitseemedenoughtoilluminatethegarden,evenhadtherebeennosunshine.Everyportionofthesoilwaspeopledwithplantsandherbs,which,iflessbeautiful,stillboretokensofassiduouscare,asifallhadtheirindividualvirtues,knowntothescientificmindthatfosteredthem.
