the aspern papers-第6节

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Perhaps　you　said　a　good　word　for　me。〃



〃It　was　the　idea　of　the　money；〃　said　Miss　Tita。



〃And　did　you　suggest　that？〃



〃I　told　her　that　you　would　perhaps　give　a　good　deal。〃



〃What　made　you　think　that？〃



〃I　told　her　I　thought　you　were　rich。〃



〃And　what　put　that　idea　into　your　head？〃



〃I　don't　know；　the　way　you　talked。〃



〃Dear　me；　I　must　talk　differently　now；〃　I　declared。

〃I'm　sorry　to　say　it's　not　the　case。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Miss　Tita；　〃I　think　that　in　Venice　the　forestieri；

in　general；　often　give　a　great　deal　for　something　that　after　all　isn't　much。〃

She　appeared　to　make　this　remark　with　a　comforting　intention；　to　wish　to

remind　me　that　if　I　had　been　extravagant　I　was　not　really　foolishly　singular。

We　walked　together　along　the　sala；　and　as　I　took　its　magnificent

measure　I　said　to　her　that　I　was　afraid　it　would　not　form　a　part　of　my

quartiere。　　Were　my　rooms　by　chance　to　be　among　those　that　opened　into　it？

〃Not　if　you　go　above；　on　the　second　floor；〃　she　answered　with　a　little

startled　air；　as　if　she　had　rather　taken　for　granted　I　would　know

my　proper　place。



〃And　I　infer　that　that's　where　your　aunt　would　like　me　to　be。〃



〃She　said　your　apartments　ought　to　be　very　distinct。〃



〃That　certainly　would　be　best。〃　　And　I　listened　with　respect

while　she　told　me　that　up　above　I　was　free　to　take　whatever　I　liked；

that　there　was　another　staircase；　but　only　from　the　floor　on　which

we　stood；　and　that　to　pass　from　it　to　the　garden…story　or　to　come

up　to　my　lodging　I　should　have　in　effect　to　cross　the　great　hall。

This　was　an　immense　point　gained；　I　foresaw　that　it　would

constitute　my　whole　leverage　in　my　relations　with　the　two　ladies。

When　I　asked　Miss　Tita　how　I　was　to　manage　at　present　to　find

my　way　up　she　replied　with　an　access　of　that　sociable　shyness

which　constantly　marked　her　manner。



〃Perhaps　you　can't。　I　don't　seeunless　I　should　go　with　you。〃

She　evidently　had　not　thought　of　this　before。



We　ascended　to　the　upper　floor　and　visited　a　long　succession　of

empty　rooms。　　The　best　of　them　looked　over　the　garden；　some　of　the　others

had　a　view　of　the　blue　lagoon；　above　the　opposite　rough…tiled　housetops。

They　were　all　dusty　and　even　a　little　disfigured　with　long　neglect；

but　I　saw　that　by　spending　a　few　hundred　francs　I　should　be　able

to　convert　three　or　four　of　them　into　a　convenient　habitation。

My　experiment　was　turning　out　costly；　yet　now　that　I　had　all

but　taken　possession　I　ceased　to　allow　this　to　trouble　me。

I　mentioned　to　my　companion　a　few　of　the　things　that　I　should　put　in；

but　she　replied　rather　more　precipitately　than　usual　that　I　might

do　exactly　what　I　liked；　she　seemed　to　wish　to　notify　me　that　the

Misses　Bordereau　would　take　no　overt　interest　in　my　proceedings。

I　guessed　that　her　aunt　had　instructed　her　to　adopt　this　tone；　and　I

may　as　well　say　now　that　I　came　afterward　to　distinguish　perfectly

（as　I　believed）　between　the　speeches　she　made　on　her　own　responsibility

and　those　the　old　lady　imposed　upon　her。　　She　took　no　notice　of　the　unswept

condition　of　the　rooms　and　indulged　in　no　explanations　nor　apologies。

I　said　to　myself　that　this　was　a　sign　that　Juliana　and　her　niece

（disenchanting　idea！）　were　untidy　persons；　with　a　low　Italian　standard；

but　I　afterward　recognized　that　a　lodger　who　had　forced　an　entrance

had　no　locus　standi　as　a　critic。　　We　looked　out　of　a　good

many　windows；　for　there　was　nothing　within　the　rooms　to　look　at；

and　still　I　wanted　to　linger。　　I　asked　her　what　several　different　objects

in　the　prospect　might　be；　but　in　no　case　did　she　appear　to　know。

She　was　evidently　not　familiar　with　the　viewit　was　as　if　she

had　not　looked　at　it　for　yearsand　I　presently　saw　that　she　was

too　preoccupied　with　something　else　to　pretend　to　care　for　it。

Suddenly　she　saidthe　remark　was　not　suggested：



〃I　don't　know　whether　it　will　make　any　difference　to　you；

but　the　money　is　for　me。〃



〃The　money？〃



〃The　money　you　are　going　to　bring。〃



〃Why；　you'll　make　me　wish　to　stay　here　two　or　three　years。〃

I　spoke　as　benevolently　as　possible；　though　it　had　begun　to　act

on　my　nerves　that　with　these　women　so　associated　with　Aspern

the　pecuniary　question　should　constantly　come　back。



〃That　would　be　very　good　for　me；〃　she　replied；　smiling。



〃You　put　me　on　my　honor！〃



She　looked　as　if　she　failed　to　understand　this；　but　went　on：

〃She　wants　me　to　have　more。　　She　thinks　she　is　going　to　die。〃



〃Ah；　not　soon；　I　hope！〃　　I　exclaimed　with　genuine　feeling。

I　had　perfectly　considered　the　possibility　that　she　would　destroy

her　papers　on　the　day　she　should　feel　her　end　really　approach。

I　believed　that　she　would　cling　to　them　till　then；　and　I　think

I　had　an　idea　that　she　read　Aspern's　letters　over　every　night

or　at　least　pressed　them　to　her　withered　lips。　　I　would　have

given　a　good　deal　to　have　a　glimpse　of　the　latter　spectacle。

I　asked　Miss　Tita　if　the　old　lady　were　seriously　ill；　and　she

replied　that　she　was　only　very　tiredshe　had　lived　so　very；

very　long。　　That　was　what　she　said　herselfshe　wanted　to　die

for　a　change。　　Besides；　all　her　friends　were　dead　long　ago；

either　they　ought　to　have　remained　or　she　ought　to　have　gone。

That　was　another　thing　her　aunt　often　saidshe　was　not

at　all　content。



〃But　people　don't　die　when　they　like；　do　they？〃　　Miss　Tita　inquired。

I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　why；　if　there　was　actually　enough　money

to　maintain　both　of　them；　there　would　not　be　more　than　enough　in　case

of　her　being　left　alone。　　She　considered　this　difficult　problem

a　moment　and　then　she　said；　〃Oh；　well；　you　know；　she　takes　care　of　me。

She　thinks　that　when　I'm　alone　I　shall　be　a　great　fool；　I　shall　not　know

how　to　manage。〃



〃I　should　have　supposed　that　you　took　care　of　her。

I'm　afraid　she　is　very　proud。〃



〃Why；　have　you　discovered　that　already？〃　　Miss　Tita　cried　with　the　glimmer

of　an　illumination　in　her　face。



〃I　was　shut　up　with　her　there　for　a　considerable　time；　and　she　struck　me；

she　interested　me　extremely。　　It　didn't　take　me　long　to　make　my　discovery。

She　won't　have　much　to　say　to　me　while　I'm　here。〃



〃No；　I　don't　think　she　will；〃　my　companion　averred。



〃Do　you　suppose　she　has　some　suspicion　of　me？〃



Miss　Tita's　honest　eyes　gave　me　no　sign　that　I　had　touched　a　mark。

〃I　shouldn't　think　soletting　you　in　after　all　so　easily。〃



〃Oh；　so　easily！　she　has　covered　her　risk。　　But　where　is　it

that　one　could　take　an　advantage　of　her？〃



〃I　oughtn't　to　tell　you　if　I　knew；　ought　I？〃　　And　Miss　Tita　added；

before　I　had　time　to　reply　to　this；　smiling　dolefully；　〃Do　you

think　we　have　any　weak　points？〃



〃That's　exactly　what　I'm　asking。　　You　would　only　have　to　mention

them　for　me　to　respect　them　religiously。〃



She　looked　at　me；　at　this；　with　that　air　of　timid　but　candid

and　even　gratified　curiosity　with　which　she　had　confronted　me

from　the　first；　and　then　she　said；　〃There　is　nothing　to　tell。

We　are　terribly　quiet。　　I　don't　know　how　the　days　pass。

We　have　no　life。〃



〃I　wish　I　might　think　that　I　should　bring　you　a　little。〃



〃Oh；　we　know　what　we　want；〃　she　went　on。　　〃It's　all　right。〃



There　were　various　things　I　desired　to　ask　her：　　how　in　the　world

they　did　live；　whether　they　had　any　friends　or　visitors；

any　relations　in　America　or　in　other　countries。　　But　I　judged　such

an　inquiry　would　be　premature；　I　must　leave　it　to　a　later　chance。

〃Well；　don't　YOU　be　proud；〃　I　contented　myself　with　saying。

〃Don't　hide　from　me　altogether。〃



〃Oh；　I　must　stay　with　my　aunt；〃　she　returned；　without　looking　at　me。

And　at　the　same　moment；　abruptly；　without　any　ceremony　of　parting；

she　quitted　me　and　disappeared；　leaving　me　to　make　my　own　way　downstairs。

I　remained　a　while　longer；　wandering　about　the　bright　desert　（the　sun　was

pouring　in）　of　the　old　house；　thinking　the　situation　over　on　the　spot。

Not　even　the　pattering　little　serva　came　to　look　after　me；　and　I

reflected　that　after　all　this　treatment　showed　confidence。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV





Perhaps　it　did；　but　all　the　same；　six　weeks　later；

toward　the　middle　of　June；　the　moment　when　Mrs。　Prest　undertook

her　annual　migration；　I　had　made　no　measurable　advance。

I　was　obliged　to　confess　to　her　that　I　had　no　results　to　speak　of。

My　first　step　had　been　unexpectedly　rapid；　but　there

was　no　appearance　that　it　would　be　followed　by　a　second。

I　was　a　thousand　miles　from　taking　tea　with　my　hostesses

that　privilege　of　which；　as　I　reminded　Mrs。　Prest；　we　both

had　had　a　vision。　　She　reproached　me　with　wanting　boldness；

and　I　answered　that　even　to　be　bold　you　must　have　an　opportunity：

you　may　push　on　through　a　breach　but　you　can't　batter　down

a　dead　wall。　　She　answered　that　the　breach　I　had　already　made

was　big　enough　to　admit　an　army　and　accused　me　of　wasting　precious

hours　in　whimpering　in　her　salon　when　I　ought　to　have　been

carrying　on　the　struggle　in　the　field。　　It　is　true　that　I　went

to　see　her　very　often；