the aspern papers- 第15部分

Surely　he's　a　poet。〃　　I　was　determined　that　it　should　be　she；　not　I；

who　should　first　pronounce　Jeffrey　Aspern's　name。



My　resolution　was　taken　in　ignorance　of　Miss　Bordereau's

extremely　resolute　character；　and　her　lips　never　formed

in　my　hearing　the　syllables　that　meant　so　much　for　her。

She　neglected　to　answer　my　question　but　raised　her　hand　to　take

back　the　picture；　with　a　gesture　which　though　ineffectual

was　in　a　high　degree　peremptory。　　〃It's　only　a　person

who　should　know　for　himself　that　would　give　me　my　price；〃

she　said　with　a　certain　dryness。



〃Oh；　then；　you　have　a　price？〃　　I　did　not　restore　the　precious　thing；

not　from　any　vindictive　purpose　but　because　I　instinctively　clung　to　it。

We　looked　at　each　other　hard　while　I　retained　it。



〃I　know　the　least　I　would　take。　　What　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　you

about　is　the　most　I　shall　be　able　to　get。〃



She　made　a　movement；　drawing　herself　together　as　if；

in　a　spasm　of　dread　at　having　lost　her　treasure；　she　were　going

to　attempt　the　immense　effort　of　rising　to　snatch　it　from　me。

I　instantly　placed　it　in　her　hand　again；　saying　as　I　did　so；

〃I　should　like　to　have　it　myself；　but　with　your　ideas　I　could

never　afford　it。〃



She　turned　the　small　oval　plate　over　in　her　lap；　with　its　face　down；

and　I　thought　I　saw　her　catch　her　breath　a　little；　as　if　she　had

had　a　strain　or　an　escape。　　This　however　did　not　prevent　her　saying

in　a　moment；　〃You　would　buy　a　likeness　of　a　person　you　don't　know；

by　an　artist　who　has　no　reputation？〃



〃The　artist　may　have　no　reputation；　but　that　thing　is　wonderfully

well　painted；〃　I　replied；　to　give　myself　a　reason。



〃It's　lucky　you　thought　of　saying　that；　because　the　painter

was　my　father。〃



〃That　makes　the　picture　indeed　precious！〃　　I　exclaimed；　laughing；　and　I

may　add　that　a　part　of　my　laughter　came　from　my　satisfaction　in　finding

that　I　had　been　right　in　my　theory　of　Miss　Bordereau's　origin。　　Aspern　had

of　course　met　the　young　lady　when　he　went　to　her　father's　studio　as　a　sitter。

I　observed　to　Miss　Bordereau　that　if　she　would　entrust　me　with　her

property　for　twenty…four　hours　I　should　be　happy　to　take　advice　upon　it；

but　she　made　no　answer　to　this　save　to　slip　it　in　silence　into　her　pocket。


This　convinced　me　still　more　that　she　had　no　sincere　intention　of　selling

it　during　her　lifetime；　though　she　may　have　desired　to　satisfy　herself

as　to　the　sum　her　niece；　should　she　leave　it　to　her；　might　expect

eventually　to　obtain　for　it。　　〃Well；　at　any　rate　I　hope　you　will　not　offer

it　without　giving　me　notice；〃　I　said　as　she　remained　irresponsive。

〃Remember　that　I　am　a　possible　purchaser。〃



〃I　should　want　your　money　first！〃　she　returned　with　unexpected　rudeness；

and　then；　as　if　she　bethought　herself　that　I　had　just　cause　to　complain

of　such　an　insinuation　and　wished　to　turn　the　matter　off；　asked　abruptly

what　I　talked　about　with　her　niece　when　I　went　out　with　her　that　way

in　the　evening。



〃You　speak　as　if　we　had　set　up　the　habit；〃　I　replied。

〃Certainly　I　should　be　very　glad　if　it　were　to　become　a　habit。

But　in　that　case　I　should　feel　a　still　greater　scruple　at

betraying　a　lady's　confidence。〃



〃Her　confidence？　　Has　she　got　confidence？〃



〃Here　she　isshe　can　tell　you　herself；〃　I　said；　for　Miss　Tita

now　appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the　old　woman's　parlor。

〃Have　you　got　confidence；　Miss　Tita？　　Your　aunt　wants　very

much　to　know。〃



〃Not　in　her；　not　in　her！〃　the　younger　lady　declared；　shaking　her

head　with　a　dolefulness　that　was　neither　jocular　not　affected。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　do　with　her；　she　has　fits　of　horrid　imprudence。

She　is　so　easily　tiredand　yet　she　has　begun　to　roam

to　drag　herself　about　the　house。〃　　And　she　stood　looking　down

at　her　immemorial　companion　with　a　sort　of　helpless　wonder；

as　if　all　their　years　of　familiarity　had　not　made　her　perversities；

on　occasion；　any　more　easy　to　follow。



〃I　know　what　I'm　about。　　I'm　not　losing　my　mind。

I　daresay　you　would　like　to　think　so；〃　said　Miss　Bordereau

with　a　cynical　little　sigh。



〃I　don't　suppose　you　came　out　here　yourself。　　Miss　Tita　must　have　had　to　lend

you　a　hand；〃　I　interposed　with　a　pacifying　intention。



〃Oh；　she　insisted　that　we　should　push　her；　and　when　she　insists！〃

said　Miss　Tita　in　the　same　tone　of　apprehension；　as　if　there　were　no

knowing　what　service　that　she　disapproved　of　her　aunt　might　force

her　next　to　render。



〃I　have　always　got　most　things　done　I　wanted；　thank　God！

The　people　I　have　lived　with　have　humored　me；〃　the　old

woman　continued；　speaking　out　of　the　gray　ashes　of　her　vanity。



〃I　suppose　you　mean　that　they　have　obeyed　you。〃



〃Well；　whatever　it　is；　when　they　like　you。〃



〃It's　just　because　I　like　you　that　I　want　to　resist；〃

said　Miss　Tita　with　a　nervous　laugh。



〃Oh；　I　suspect　you'll　bring　Miss　Bordereau　upstairs　next　to　pay　me　a　visit；〃

I　went　on；　to　which　the　old　lady　replied：



〃Oh；　no；　I　can　keep　an　eye　on　you　from　here！〃



〃You　are　very　tired；　you　will　certainly　be　ill　tonight！〃

cried　Miss　Tita。



〃Nonsense；　my　dear；　I　feel　better　at　this　moment　than　I

have　done　for　a　month。　　Tomorrow　I　shall　come　out　again。

I　want　to　be　where　I　can　see　this　clever　gentleman。〃



〃Shouldn't　you　perhaps　see　me　better　in　your　sitting　room？〃

I　inquired。



〃Don't　you　mean　shouldn't　you　have　a　better　chance　at　me？〃

she　returned；　fixing　me　a　moment　with　her　green　shade。



〃Ah；　I　haven't　that　anywhere！　　I　look　at　you　but　I　don't　see　you。〃



〃You　excite　her　dreadfullyand　that　is　not　good；〃　said　Miss　Tita；

giving　me　a　reproachful；　appealing　look。



〃I　want　to　watch　youI　want　to　watch　you！〃　the　old　lady　went　on。



〃Well　then；　let　us　spend　as　much　of　our　time　together　as　possible

I　don't　care　whereand　that　will　give　you　every　facility。〃



〃Oh；　I've　seen　you　enough　for　today。　　I'm　satisfied。　　Now　I'll　go　home。〃

Miss　Tita　laid　her　hands　on　the　back　of　her　aunt's　chair　and　began　to　push；

but　I　begged　her　to　let　me　take　her　place。　　〃Oh；　yes；　you　may　move　me

this　wayyou　shan't　in　any　other！〃　　Miss　Bordereau　exclaimed　as　she

felt　herself　propelled　firmly　and　easily　over　the　smooth；　hard　floor。

Before　we　reached　the　door　of　her　own　apartment　she　commanded　me　to　stop；

and　she　took　a　long；　last　look　up　and　down　the　noble　sala。　　〃Oh；　it's

a　magnificent　house！〃　she　murmured；　after　which　I　pushed　her　forward。

When　we　had　entered　the　parlor　Miss　Tita　told　me　that　she　should　now

be　able　to　manage；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　little　red…haired

donna　came　to　meet　her　mistress。　　Miss　Tita's　idea　was　evidently

to　get　her　aunt　immediately　back　to　bed。　　I　confess　that　in　spite

of　this　urgency　I　was　guilty　of　the　indiscretion　of　lingering；

it　held　me　there　to　think　that　I　was　nearer　the　documents　I　coveted

that　they　were　probably　put　away　somewhere　in　the　faded；　unsociable　room。

The　place　had　indeed　a　bareness　which　did　not　suggest　hidden　treasures；

there　were　no　dusky　nooks　nor　curtained　corners；　no　massive　cabinets

nor　chests　with　iron　bands。　　Moreover　it　was　possible；　it　was　perhaps

even　probable　that　the　old　lady　had　consigned　her　relics　to　her　bedroom；

to　some　battered　box　that　was　shoved　under　the　bed；　to　the　drawer　of　some

lame　dressing　table；　where　they　would　be　in　the　range　of　vision　by　the　dim

night　lamp。　　Nonetheless　I　scrutinized　every　article　of　furniture；

every　conceivable　cover　for　a　hoard；　and　noticed　that　there　were　half

a　dozen　things　with　drawers；　and　in　particular　a　tall　old　secretary；

with　brass　ornaments　of　the　style　of　the　Empirea　receptacle

somewhat　rickety　but　still　capable　of　keeping　a　great　many　secrets。

I　don't　know　why　this　article　fascinated　me　so；　inasmuch　as　I　certainly

had　no　definite　purpose　of　breaking　into　it；　but　I　stared　at　it　so　hard

that　Miss　Tita　noticed　me　and　changed　color。　　Her　doing　this　made　me　think

I　was　right　and　that　wherever　they　might　have　been　before　the　Aspern　papers

at　that　moment　languished　behind　the　peevish　little　lock　of　the　secretary。

it　was　hard　to　remove　my　eyes　from　the　dull　mahogany　front　when　I

reflected　that　a　simple　panel　divided　me　from　the　goal　of　my　hopes；

but　I　remembered　my　prudence　and　with　an　effort　took　leave　of　Miss　Bordereau。

To　make　the　effort　graceful　I　said　to　her　that　I　should　certainly　bring

her　an　opinion　about　the　little　picture。



〃The　little　picture？〃　　Miss　Tita　asked；　surprised。



〃What　do　YOU　know　about　it；　my　dear？〃　the　old　woman　demanded。

〃You　needn't　mind。　　I　have　fixed　my　price。〃



〃And　what　may　that　be？〃



〃A　thousand　pounds。〃



〃Oh　Lord！〃　cried　poor　Miss　Tita　irrepressibly。



〃Is　that　what　she　talks　to　you　about？〃　said　Miss　Bordereau。



〃Imagine　your　aunt's　wanting　to　know！〃　　I　had　to　separate　from　Miss　Tita

with　only　those　words；　though　I　should　have　liked　immensely　to　add；

〃For　heaven's　sake　meet　me　tonight　in　the　garden！〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIII





As　it　turned　out　the　precaution　had　not　been　needed；

for　three　hours　later；　just　as　I　had　finished　my　dinner；

Miss　Bordereau's　niece　appeared；　unannounced；　in　the　open

doorway　of　the　room　in　which　my　simple　repasts　were　served。

I　remember　well　that　I　felt　no　surprise　at　seeing　her；

which　is　not　a　proof　that　I　did　not　believe　in　her　timidity。

It　was　immense；　but　in　a　case　in　which　there　was　a　particular

reason　for　boldness　it　never　would　have　prevented　her　from

running　up　to　my　rooms。　　I　saw　that　she　was　now　quite　full

of　a　particular　reason；　it　threw　her　forwardmade　her　seize　me；

as　I　rose　to　meet　her；　by　the　arm。



〃My　aunt　is　very　ill；　I　think　she　is　dying！〃



〃Never　in　the　world；〃　I　answered　bitterly。　　〃Don't　you　be　afraid！〃



〃Do　go　for　a　doctordo；　do！　　Olimpia　is　gone　for　the　one　we　always　have；

but　she　doesn't　come　back；　I　don't　know　what　has　happened　to　her。

I　told　her　that　if　he　was　not　at　home　she　was　to　follow　him　where

he　had　gone；　but　apparently　she　is　following　him　all　over　Venice。

I　don't　know　what　to