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Rappaccini's Daughter
"Itellthee,mypoorGiovanni,thatRappaccinihasascientificinterestinthee.Thouhastfallenintofearfulhands!AndtheSignoraBeatrice,—whatpartdoessheactinthismystery?"
ButGuasconti,findingBaglioni’spertinacityintolerable,herebrokeaway,andwasgonebeforetheprofessorcouldagainseizehisarm.Helookedaftertheyoungmanintentlyandshookhishead.
"Thismustnotbe,"saidBaglionitohimself."Theyouthisthesonofmyoldfriend,andshallnotcometoanyharmfromwhichthearcanaofmedicalsciencecanpreservehim.Besides,itistooinsufferableanimpertinenceinRappaccini,thustosnatchtheladoutofmyownhands,asImaysay,andmakeuseofhimforhisinfernalexperiments.Thisdaughterofhis!Itshallbelookedto.Perchance,mostlearnedRappaccini,Imayfoilyouwhereyoulittledreamofit!"
MeanwhileGiovannihadpursuedacircuitousroute,andatlengthfoundhimselfatthedoorofhislodgings.AshecrossedthethresholdhewasmetbyoldLisabetta,whosmirkedandsmiled,andwasevidentlydesiroustoattracthisattention;vainly,however,astheebullitionofhisfeelingshadmomentarilysubsidedintoacoldanddullvacuity.Heturnedhiseyesfulluponthewitheredfacethatwaspuckeringitselfintoasmile,butseemedtobeholditnot.Theolddame,therefore,laidhergraspuponhiscloak.
"Signor!signor!"whisperedshe,stillwithasmileoverthewholebreadthofhervisage,sothatitlookednotunlikeagrotesquecarvinginwood,darkenedbycenturies.
