VOA慢速英语 Short Story: 'Rappaccini's Daughter' — Part 2

　　It was nearly time for his daily meeting with Beatrice. As Giovanni combed his hair, he looked at himself in a mirror near his bed. He could not help noticing how handsome he was. His eyes looked particularly bright. And his face had a healthy warm glow.

　　He said to himself, “At least her poison has not gotten into my body yet.” As he spoke he happened to look at some flowers he had just bought that morning. A shock of horror went through his body.

　　The flowers were turning brown! Giovanni’s face became very white as he stared at himself in the mirror.

　　Then he noticed a spider crawling near his window. He bent over the insect and blew a breath of air at it. The spider trembled, and fell dead. “I am cursed,” Giovanni whispered to himself. “My own breath is poison.”

　　At that moment, a rich, sweet voice came floating up from the garden. “Giovanni! You are late. Come down.”

　　" You are a monster!” Giovanni shouted as soon as he reached her. “And with your poison you have made me into a monster, too. I am a prisoner of this garden.”

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