Мхи старой усадьбы
Rappaccini's Daughter
"Ihavebeenreadinganoldclassicauthorlately,"saidhe,"andmetwithastorythatstrangelyinterestedme.Possiblyyoumayrememberit.ItisofanIndianprince,whosentabeautifulwomanasapresenttoAlexandertheGreat.Shewasaslovelyasthedawnandgorgeousasthesunset;butwhatespeciallydistinguishedherwasacertainrichperfumeinherbreath—richerthanagardenofPersianroses.Alexander,aswasnaturaltoayouthfulconqueror,fellinloveatfirstsightwiththismagnificentstranger;butacertainsagephysician,happeningtobepresent,discoveredaterriblesecretinregardtoher."
"Andwhatwasthat?"askedGiovanni,turninghiseyesdownwardtoavoidthoseoftheprofessor.
"Thatthislovelywoman,"continuedBaglioni,withemphasis,"hadbeennourishedwithpoisonsfromherbirthupward,untilherwholenaturewassoimbuedwiththemthatsheherselfhadbecomethedeadliestpoisoninexistence.Poisonwasherelementoflife.Withthatrichperfumeofherbreathsheblastedtheveryair.Herlovewouldhavebeenpoison—herembracedeath.Isnotthisamarvelloustale?"
"Achildishfable,"answeredGiovanni,nervouslystartingfromhischair."Imarvelhowyourworshipfindstimetoreadsuchnonsenseamongyourgraverstudies."
"Bytheby,"saidtheprofessor,lookinguneasilyabouthim,"whatsingularfragranceisthisinyourapartment?Isittheperfumeofyourgloves?Itisfaint,butdelicious;andyet,afterall,bynomeansagreeable.WereItobreatheitlong,methinksitwouldmakemeill.Itislikethebreathofaflower;butIseenoflowersinthechamber.
