Rappaccini’s Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Part One

01Now, the special English program, American Stories.

02Our story today is called Rappaccini's Daughter.

03It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

04We will tell the story in two parts.

05Here is Kay Gallant with the first part of our story.

06Many years ago, a young man named Giovanni Guascunti left his home in Naples to study in northern Italy.

07He rented a small room on the top floor of a dark and ancient palace.

08Long ago, the building had belonged to a noble family.

09Now, an old woman, Signora Elisabetta, rented its rooms to students at the University of Padua.

10Giovanni's room had a small window.

11From it, he could see a large garden that had many plants and flowers.

12Does the garden belong to you?

13He asked Signora Elisabetta one day.

14Oh, no, she said quickly.

15That garden belongs to the famous doctor, Giacomo Rappaccini.

16People say he uses those plants to make strange kinds of medicine.

17He lives in that small brown house in the garden with his daughter, Beatrice.

18Giovanni often sat by his window to look at the garden.

19He had never seen so many different kinds of plants.

20They all had enormous green leaves and magnificent flowers in every color of the rainbow.

21Giovanni's favorite plant was in a white marble vase near the house.

22It was covered with big purple flowers.

23One day, while Giovanni was looking out his window, he saw an old man in a black cape, walking in the garden.

24The old man was tall and thin.

25His face was an unhealthy yellow color.

26His black eyes were very cold.

27The old man wore thick gloves on his hands and a mask over his mouth and nose.

28He walked carefully among the plants, as if he were walking among wild animals or poisonous snakes.

29Although he looked at the flowers very closely, he did not touch or smell any of them.

30When the old man arrived at the plant with the big purple flowers, he stopped.

31He took off his mask and called loudly, Beatrice, come help me.

32I am coming, father.

33What do you want?

34Answered a warm young voice from inside the house.

35A young woman came into the garden.

36Her thick, dark hair fell around her shoulders in curls.

37Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes were large and black.

38She seemed full of life, health, and energy as she walked among the plants.

39Giovanni thought she was as beautiful as the purple flowers in the marble vase.

40The old man said something to her.

41She nodded her head as she touched and smelled the flowers that her father had been so careful to avoid.

42Several weeks later, Giovanni went to visit Pietro Baglioni, a friend of his father's.

43Professor Baglioni taught medicine at the university.

44During the visit, Giovanni asked about Dr.

45Rappaccini.

46He is a great scientist, Professor Baglioni replied, but he is also a dangerous man.

47Why?

48asked Giovanni.

49The older man shook his head slowly.

50Because Rappaccini cares more about science than he does about people.

51He has created many terrible poisons from the plants in his garden.

52He thinks he can cure sickness with these poisons.

53It is true that several times he has cured a very sick person that everyone thought would die.

54But Rappaccini's medicine has also killed many people.

55I think he would sacrifice any life, even his own, for one of his experiments.

56But what about his daughter?

57Giovanni said.

58I'm sure he loves her.

59The old professor smiled at the young man.

60So, he said, you have heard about Beatrice Rappaccini.

61People say she is very beautiful.

62But few men in Padua have ever seen her.

63She never leaves her father's garden.

64Giovanni left Professor Baglioni's house as the sun was setting.

65On his way home, he stopped at a flower shop where he bought some fresh flowers.

66He returned to his room and sat by the window.

67Very little sunlight was left.

68The garden was quiet.

69The purple flowers on Giovanni's favorite plant seemed to glow in the evening's fading light.

70Then, someone came out of the doorway of the little brown house.

71It was Beatrice.

72She entered the garden and walked among the plants.

73She bent to touch the leaves of a plant or to smell a flower.

74Rappaccini's daughter seemed to grow more beautiful with each step.

75When she reached the purple plant, she buried her face in its flowers.

76Giovanni heard her say, Give me your breath, my sister.

77The ordinary air makes me weak.

78And give me one of your beautiful flowers.

79Beatrice gently broke off one of the largest flowers.

80As she lifted it to put it in her dark hair, a few drops of liquid from the flower fell to the ground.

81One of the drops landed on the head of a tiny lizard crawling near the feet of Beatrice.

82Beatrice, where a moment the small animal twisted violently, then it moved no more.

83Beatrice did not seem surprised.

84She sighed and placed the flower in her hair.

85Giovanni leaned out of the window so he could see her better.

86At this moment, a beautiful butterfly flew over the garden wall.

87It seemed to be attracted by Beatrice and flew once around her head.

88Then the insect's bright wings stopped and it fell to the ground dead.

89Beatrice shook her head sadly.

90Suddenly she looked up at Giovanni's window.

91She saw the young man looking at her.

92Giovanni picked up the flowers he had bought and threw them down to her.

93Young lady, he said, wear these flowers as a gift from Giovanni Guasconti.

94Thank you, Beatrice answered.

95She picked up the flowers from the ground and quickly ran to the house.

96She stopped at the door for a moment to wave shyly at Giovanni.

97It seemed to him that his flowers were beginning to turn brown in her hands.

98For many days, the young man stayed away from the window that looked out in Rappaccini's garden.

99He wished he had not talked to Beatrice because now he felt under the power of her beauty.

100He was a little afraid of her, too.

101He could not forget how the little lizard and the butterfly had died.

102One day, while he was returning home from his classes, he met Professor Baglione on the street.

103Well, Giovanni, the old man said, have you forgotten me?

104Then he looked closely at the young man.

105What is wrong, my friend?

106Your appearance has changed since the last time we met.

107It was true.

108Giovanni had become very thin.

109His face was white, and his eyes seemed to burn with fever.

110As they stood talking, a man dressed in a long black cape came down the street.

111He moved slowly, like a person in poor health.

112His face was yellow, but his eyes were sharp and black.

113It was the man Giovanni had seen in the garden.

114As he passed them, the old man nodded coldly to Professor Baglione.

115But he looked at Giovanni with a great deal of interest.

116It's Dr.

117Rappaccini, Professor Baglione whispered after the old man had passed them.

118Has he ever seen your face before?

119Giovanni shook his head.

120No, he answered.

121I don't think so.

122Professor Baglione looked worried.

123I think he has seen you before.

124I know that cold look of his.

125He looks the same way when he examines an animal he has killed in one of his experiments.

126Giovanni, I will bet my life on it.

127You are the subject of one of Rappaccini's experiments.

128Giovanni stepped away from the old man.

129You are joking, he said.

130No, I'm serious.

131The Professor took Giovanni's arm.

132Be careful, my young friend.

133You are in great danger.

134Giovanni pulled his arm away.

135I must be going, he said.

136Good night.

137As Giovanni hurried to his room, he felt confused and a little frightened.

138Signora Elisabetta was waiting for him outside his door.

139She knew he was interested in Beatrice.

140I have good news for you, she said.

141I know where there is a secret entrance into Rappaccini's garden.

142Giovanni could not believe his ears.

143Where is it?

144He asked.

145Show me the way.

146You have just heard part one of the story called Rappaccini's Daughter.

147It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and adapted for Special English by Donna DeSantis.

148Your storyteller was Kegelan.

149Listen next week for the final part of our story.

150This is Shep O'Neill.

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