the aspern papers-第16章

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of　the　word。　　I　felt　almost　as　one　who　corrupts　the　innocence　of　youth。



〃I　mean　their　containing　painful　memories。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　think　they　are　painful。〃



〃You　mean　you　don't　think　they　affect　her　reputation？〃



At　this　a　singular　look　came　into　the　face　of　Miss

Bordereau's　niecea　kind　of　confession　of　helplessness；

an　appeal　to　me　to　deal　fairly；　generously　with　her。

I　had　brought　her　to　the　Piazza；　placed　her　among　charming

influences；　paid　her　an　attention　she　appreciated；　and　now　I

seemed　to　let　her　perceive　that　all　this　had　been　a　bribe

a　bribe　to　make　her　turn　in　some　way　against　her　aunt。

She　was　of　a　yielding　nature　and　capable　of　doing　almost　anything

to　please　a　person　who　was　kind　to　her；　but　the　greatest

kindness　of　all　would　be　not　to　presume　too　much　on　this。

It　was　strange　enough；　as　I　afterward　thought；　that　she

had　not　the　least　air　of　resenting　my　want　of　consideration

for　her　aunt's　character；　which　would　have　been　in　the　worst

possible　taste　if　anything　less　vital　（from　my　point　of　view）

had　been　at　stake。　　I　don't　think　she　really　measured　it。

〃Do　you　mean　that　she　did　something　bad？〃　she　asked　in　a　moment。



〃Heaven　forbid　I　should　say　so；　and　it's　none　of　my　business。

Besides；　if　she　did；〃　I　added；　laughing；　〃it　was　in　other　ages；

in　another　world。　　But　why　should　she　not　destroy　her　papers？〃



〃Oh；　she　loves　them　too　much。〃



〃Even　now；　when　she　may　be　near　her　end？〃



〃Perhaps　when　she's　sure　of　that　she　will。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Tita；〃　I　said；　〃it's　just　what　I　should　like　you　to　prevent。〃



〃How　can　I　prevent　it？〃



〃Couldn't　you　get　them　away　from　her？〃



〃And　give　them　to　you？〃



This　put　the　case　very　crudely；　though　I　am　sure　there　was　no　irony

in　her　intention。　　〃Oh；　I　mean　that　you　might　let　me　see　them　and　look

them　over。　　It　isn't　for　myself；　there　is　no　personal　avidity　in　my　desire。

It　is　simply　that　they　would　be　of　such　immense　interest　to　the　public；

such　immeasurable　importance　as　a　contribution　to　Jeffrey　Aspern's　history。〃



She　listened　to　me　in　her　usual　manner；　as　if　my　speech　were　full　of

reference　to　things　she　had　never　heard　of；　and　I　felt　particularly　like

the　reporter　of　a　newspaper　who　forces　his　way　into　a　house　of　mourning。

This　was　especially　the　case　when　after　a　moment　she　said。　　〃There　was

a　gentleman　who　some　time　ago　wrote　to　her　in　very　much　those　words。

He　also　wanted　her　papers。〃



〃And　did　she　answer　him？〃　　I　asked；　rather　ashamed　of　myself

for　not　having　her　rectitude。



〃Only　when　he　had　written　two　or　three　times。　　He　made　her　very　angry。〃



〃And　what　did　she　say？〃



〃She　said　he　was　a　devil；〃　Miss　Tita　replied　simply。



〃She　used　that　expression　in　her　letter？〃



〃Oh；　no；　she　said　it　to　me。　　She　made　me　write　to　him。〃



〃And　what　did　you　say？〃



〃I　told　him　there　were　no　papers　at　all。〃



〃Ah；　poor　gentleman！〃　　I　exclaimed。



〃I　knew　there　were；　but　I　wrote　what　she　bade　me。〃



〃Of　course　you　had　to　do　that。　　But　I　hope　I　shall　not　pass　for　a　devil。〃



〃It　will　depend　upon　what　you　ask　me　to　do　for　you；〃

said　Miss　Tita；　smiling。



〃Oh；　if　there　is　a　chance　of　YOUR　thinking　so　my　affair　is　in　a　bad　way！

I　shan't　ask　you　to　steal　for　me；　nor　even　to　fibfor　you　can't　fib；

unless　on　paper。　　But　the　principal　thing　is　thisto　prevent　her　from

destroying　the　papers。〃



〃Why；　I　have　no　control　of　her；〃　said　Miss　Tita。

〃It's　she　who　controls　me。〃



〃But　she　doesn't　control　her　own　arms　and　legs；　does　she？

The　way　she　would　naturally　destroy　her　letters　would　be　to　burn　them。

Now　she　can't　burn　them　without　fire；　and　she　can't　get　fire　unless

you　give　it　to　her。〃



〃I　have　always　done　everything　she　has　asked；〃　my　companion　rejoined。

〃Besides；　there's　Olimpia。〃



I　was　on　the　point　of　saying　that　Olimpia　was　probably　corruptible；

but　I　thought　it　best　not　to　sound　that　note。　　So　I　simply　inquired

if　that　faithful　domestic　could　not　be　managed。



〃Everyone　can　be　managed　by　my　aunt；〃　said　Miss　Tita。

And　then　she　observed　that　her　holiday　was　over；　she　must　go　home。



I　laid　my　hand　on　her　arm；　across　the　table；　to　stay　her　a　moment。

〃What　I　want　of　you　is　a　general　promise　to　help　me。〃



〃Oh；　how　can　Ihow　can　I？〃　she　asked；　wondering　and　troubled。

She　was　half…surprised；　half…frightened　at　my　wishing　to　make

her　play　an　active　part。



〃This　is　the　main　thing：　　to　watch　her　carefully　and　warn　me　in　time；

before　she　commits　that　horrible　sacrilege。〃



〃I　can't　watch　her　when　she　makes　me　go　out。〃



〃That's　very　true。〃



〃And　when　you　do；　too。〃



〃Mercy　on　us；　do　you　think　she　will　have　done　anything　tonight？〃



〃I　don't　know；　she　is　very　cunning。〃



〃Are　you　trying　to　frighten　me？〃　　I　asked。



I　felt　this　inquiry　sufficiently　answered　when　my　companion

murmured　in　a　musing；　almost　envious　way；　〃Oh；　but　she　loves　them

she　loves　them！〃



This　reflection；　repeated　with　such　emphasis；　gave　me　great　comfort；

but　to　obtain　more　of　that　balm　I　said；　〃If　she　shouldn't　intend

to　destroy　the　objects　we　speak　of　before　her　death　she　will　probably

have　made　some　disposition　by　will。〃



〃By　will？〃



〃Hasn't　she　made　a　will　for　your　benefit？〃



〃Why；　she　has　so　little　to　leave。　　That's　why　she　likes　money；〃

said　Miss　Tita。



〃Might　I　ask；　since　we　are　really　talking　things　over；

what　you　and　she　live　on？〃



〃On　some　money　that　comes　from　America；　from　a　lawyer。

He　sends　it　every　quarter。　　It　isn't　much！〃



〃And　won't　she　have　disposed　of　that？〃



My　companion　hesitatedI　saw　she　was　blushing。

〃I　believe　it's　mine；〃　she　said；　and　the　look　and　tone　which

accompanied　these　words　betrayed　so　the　absence　of　the　habit

of　thinking　of　herself　that　I　almost　thought　her　charming。

The　next　instant　she　added；　〃But　she　had　a　lawyer　once；

ever　so　long　ago。　　And　some　people　came　and　signed　something。〃



〃They　were　probably　witnesses。　　And　you　were　not　asked　to　sign？

Well　then；〃　I　argued　rapidly　and　hopefully；　〃it　is　because　you

are　the　legatee；　she　has　left　all　her　documents　to　you！〃



〃If　she　has　it's　with　very　strict　conditions；〃　Miss　Tita　responded；

rising　quickly；　while　the　movement　gave　the　words　a　little　character

of　decision。　　They　seemed　to　imply　that　the　bequest　would　be　accompanied

with　a　command　that　the　articles　bequeathed　should　remain　concealed

from　every　inquisitive　eye　and　that　I　was　very　much　mistaken　if　I　thought

she　was　the　person　to　depart　from　an　injunction　so　solemn。



〃Oh；　of　course　you　will　have　to　abide　by　the　terms；〃　I　said；

and　she　uttered　nothing　to　mitigate　the　severity　of　this　conclusion。

Nonetheless；　later；　just　before　we　disembarked　at　her　own　door；

on　our　return；　which　had　taken　place　almost　in　silence；

she　said　to　me　abruptly；　〃I　will　do　what　I　can　to　help　you。〃

I　was　grateful　for　thisit　was　very　well　so　far　as　it　went；

but　it　did　not　keep　me　from　remembering　that　night　in　a　worried

waking　hour　that　I　now　had　her　word　for　it　to　reinforce　my　own

impression　that　the　old　woman　was　very　cunning。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII





The　fear　of　what　this　side　of　her　character　might　have　led

her　to　do　made　me　nervous　for　days　afterward。　　I　waited　for　an

intimation　from　Miss　Tita；　I　almost　figured　to　myself　that　it

was　her　duty　to　keep　me　informed；　to　let　me　know　definitely

whether　or　no　Miss　Bordereau　had　sacrificed　her　treasures。

But　as　she　gave　no　sign　I　lost　patience　and　determined

to　judge　so　far　as　was　possible　with　my　own　senses。

I　sent　late　one　afternoon　to　ask　if　I　might　pay　the　ladies

a　visit；　and　my　servant　came　back　with　surprising　news。

Miss　Bordereau　could　be　approached　without　the　least　difficulty；

she　had　been　moved　out　into　the　sala　and　was

sitting　by　the　window　that　overlooked　the　garden。

I　descended　and　found　this　picture　correct；　the　old　lady

had　been　wheeled　forth　into　the　world　and　had　a　certain　air；

which　came　mainly　perhaps　fr