Мхи старої садиби

           Shetalkednowaboutmattersassimpleasthedaylightorsummerclouds,andnowaskedquestionsinreferencetothecity,orGiovanni’sdistanthome,hisfriends,hismother,andhissisters—questionsindicatingsuchseclusion,andsuchlackoffamiliaritywithmodesandforms,thatGiovannirespondedasiftoaninfant.Herspiritgushedoutbeforehimlikeafreshrillthatwasjustcatchingitsfirstglimpseofthesunlightandwonderingatthereflectionsofearthandskywhichwereflungintoitsbosom.Therecamethoughts,too,fromadeepsource,andfantasiesofagemlikebrilliancy,asifdiamondsandrubiessparkledupwardamongthebubblesofthefountain.Everandanontheregleamedacrosstheyoungman’smindasenseofwonderthatheshouldbewalkingsidebysidewiththebeingwhohadsowroughtuponhisimagination,whomhehadidealizedinsuchhuesofterror,inwhomhehadpositivelywitnessedsuchmanifestationsofdreadfulattributes,—thatheshouldbeconversingwithBeatricelikeabrother,andshouldfindhersohumanandsomaidenlike.Butsuchreflectionswereonlymomentary;theeffectofhercharacterwastoorealnottomakeitselffamiliaratonce.

           Inthisfreeintercoursetheyhadstrayedthroughthegarden,andnow,aftermanyturnsamongitsavenues,werecometotheshatteredfountain,besidewhichgrewthemagnificentshrub,withitstreasuryofglowingblossoms.AfragrancewasdiffusedfromitwhichGiovannirecognizedasidenticalwiththatwhichhehadattributedtoBeatrice’sbreath,butincomparablymorepowerful.