Мхи старой усадьбы

           Inthemidst,bytheshatteredfountain,grewthemagnificentshrub,withitspurplegemsclusteringalloverit;theyglowedintheair,andgleamedbackagainoutofthedepthsofthepool,whichthusseemedtooverflowwithcoloredradiancefromtherichreflectionthatwassteepedinit.Atfirst,aswehavesaid,thegardenwasasolitude.Soon,however,—asGiovannihadhalfhoped,halffeared,wouldbethecase,—afigureappearedbeneaththeantiquesculpturedportal,andcamedownbetweentherowsofplants,inhalingtheirvariousperfumesasifshewereoneofthosebeingsofoldclassicfablethatliveduponsweetodors.OnagainbeholdingBeatrice,theyoungmanwasevenstartledtoperceivehowmuchherbeautyexceededhisrecollectionofit;sobrilliant,sovivid,wasitscharacter,thatsheglowedamidthesunlight,and,asGiovanniwhisperedtohimself,positivelyilluminatedthemoreshadowyintervalsofthegardenpath.Herfacebeingnowmorerevealedthanontheformeroccasion,hewasstruckbyitsexpressionofsimplicityandsweetness,—qualitiesthathadnotenteredintohisideaofhercharacter,andwhichmadehimaskanewwhatmannerofmortalshemightbe.Nordidhefailagaintoobserve,orimagine,ananalogybetweenthebeautifulgirlandthegorgeousshrubthathungitsgemlikeflowersoverthefountain,—aresemblancewhichBeatriceseemedtohaveindulgedafantastichumorinheightening,bothbythearrangementofherdressandtheselectionofitshues.