. Rappaccini. But the professor
did not respond with so much cordiality as he had anticipated.

"Ill would it become a teacher of the divine art of medicine," said
Professor Pietro Baglioni, in answer to a question of Giovanni, "to
withhold due and well-considered praise of a physician so eminently
skilled as Rappaccini; but, on the other hand, I should answer it but
scantily to my conscience were I to permit a worthy youth like
yourself, Signor Giovanni, the son of an ancient friend, to imbibe
erroneous ideas respecting a man who might hereafter chance to hold
your life and death in his hands. The truth is, our worshipful Dr.
Rappaccini has as much science as any member of the faculty--with
perhaps one single exception--in Padua, or all Italy; but there are
certain grave objections to his professional character."

"And what are they?" asked the young man.

"Has my friend Giovanni any disease of body or heart, that he is so
inquisitive about physicians?" said the professor, with a smile. "But
as for Rappaccini, it is said of him--and I, who know the man well, can
answer for its truth--that he cares infinitely more for science than
for mankind. His patients are interesting to him only as subjects for
some new experiment. He would sacrifice human life, his own among the
rest, or whatever else was dearest to him, for the sake of adding so
much as a grain of mustard seed to the great heap of his accumulated
knowledge."

"Methinks he is an awful man indeed," remarked Guasconti, mentally
recalling the cold and purely intellectual aspect of Rappaccini. "And
yet, worshipful professor, is it not a noble spirit? Are there many men
capable of so spiritual a love of science?"

"God forbid," answered the professor, somewhat testily; "at least,
unless they take sounder views of the healing art than those adopted by
Rappaccini. It is his theory that all medicinal virtues are comprised
within those substances which we term vegetable poisons. These he
cultivates with his own hands, and is said even to have produced new
varieties of poison, more horribly deleterious than Nature, without the
assistance of this learned person, would ever have plagued the world
withal. That the signor doctor does less mischief than might be
expected with such dangerous substances is undeniable. Now and then, it
must be owned, he has effected, or seemed to effect, a marvellous cure;
but, to tell you my private mind, Signor Giovanni, he should receive
l