the aspern papers-第25章

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〃Did　you　tell　her　you　would　burn　them？〃



〃No；　I　didn'ton　purpose。〃



〃On　purpose　to　gratify　me？〃



〃Yes；　only　for　that。〃



〃And　what　good　will　you　have　done　me　if　after　all　you　won't　show　them？〃



〃Oh；　none；　I　know　thatI　know　that。〃



〃And　did　she　believe　you　had　destroyed　them？〃



〃I　don't　know　what　she　believed　at　the　last。　　I　couldn't　tell

she　was　too　far　gone。〃



〃Then　if　there　was　no　promise　and　no　assurance　I　can't　see　what　ties　you。〃



〃Oh；　she　hated　it　soshe　hated　it　so！　　She　was　so　jealous。

But　here's　the　portraityou　may　have　that；〃　Miss　Tita　announced；

taking　the　little　picture；　wrapped　up　in　the　same　manner

in　which　her　aunt　had　wrapped　it；　out　of　her　pocket。



〃I　may　have　itdo　you　mean　you　give　it　to　me？〃

I　questioned；　staring；　as　it　passed　into　my　hand。



〃Oh；　yes。〃



〃But　it's　worth　moneya　large　sum。〃



〃Well！〃　said　Miss　Tita；　still　with　her　strange　look。



I　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　it；　for　it　could　scarcely　mean　that　she　wanted

to　bargain　like　her　aunt。　　She　spoke　as　if　she　wished　to　make　me　a　present。

〃I　can't　take　it　from　you　as　a　gift；〃　I　said；　〃and　yet　I　can't　afford

to　pay　you　for　it　according　to　the　ideas　Miss　Bordereau　had　of　its　value。

She　rated　it　at　a　thousand　pounds。〃



〃Couldn't　we　sell　it？〃　asked　Miss　Tita。



〃God　forbid！　　I　prefer　the　picture　to　the　money。〃



〃Well　then　keep　it。〃



〃You　are　very　generous。〃



〃So　are　you。〃



〃I　don't　know　why　you　should　think　so；〃　I　replied；　and　this

was　a　truthful　speech；　for　the　singular　creature　appeared

to　have　some　very　fine　reference　in　her　mind；　which　I　did

not　in　the　least　seize。



〃Well；　you　have　made　a　great　difference　for　me；〃　said　Miss　Tita。



I　looked　at　Jeffrey　Aspern's　face　in　the　little　picture；

partly　in　order　not　to　look　at　that　of　my　interlocutress；

which　had　begun　to　trouble　me；　even　to　frighten　me　a　little

it　was　so　self…conscious；　so　unnatural。　　I　made　no　answer　to　this

last　declaration；　I　only　privately　consulted　Jeffrey　Aspern's

delightful　eyes　with　my　own　（they　were　so　young　and　brilliant；

and　yet　so　wise；　so　full　of　vision）；　I　asked　him　what　on　earth

was　the　matter　with　Miss　Tita。　　He　seemed　to　smile　at　me

with　friendly　mockery；　as　if　he　were　amused　at　my　case。

I　had　got　into　a　pickle　for　himas　if　he　needed　it！

He　was　unsatisfactory；　for　the　only　moment　since　I　had

known　him。　　Nevertheless；　now　that　I　held　the　little　picture

in　my　hand　I　felt　that　it　would　be　a　precious　possession。

〃Is　this　a　bribe　to　make　me　give　up　the　papers？〃

I　demanded　in　a　moment；　perversely。　　〃Much　as　I　value　it；

if　I　were　to　be　obliged　to　choose；　the　papers　are　what　I

should　prefer。　　Ah；　but　ever　so　much！〃



〃How　can　you　choosehow　can　you　choose？〃　　Miss　Tita

asked；　slowly；　lamentably。



〃I　see！　　Of　course　there　is　nothing　to　be　said；　if　you　regard

the　interdiction　that　rests　upon　you　as　quite　insurmountable。

In　this　case　it　must　seem　to　you　that　to　part　with　them　would

be　an　impiety　of　the　worst　kind；　a　simple　sacrilege！〃



Miss　Tita　shook　her　head；　full　of　her　dolefulness。　　〃You　would　understand

if　you　had　known　her。　　I'm　afraid；〃　she　quavered　suddenly〃I'm　afraid！

She　was　terrible　when　she　was　angry。〃



〃Yes；　I　saw　something　of　that；　that　night。　　She　was　terrible。

Then　I　saw　her　eyes。　　Lord；　they　were　fine！〃



〃I　see　themthey　stare　at　me　in　the　dark！〃　said　Miss　Tita。



〃You　are　nervous；　with　all　you　have　been　through。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　veryvery！〃



〃You　mustn't　mind；　that　will　pass　away；〃　I　said；　kindly。

Then　I　added；　resignedly；　for　it　really　seemed　to　me　that　I　must

accept　the　situation；　〃Well；　so　it　is；　and　it　can't　be　helped。

I　must　renounce。〃　　Miss　Tita；　at　this；　looking　at　me；　gave　a　low；

soft　moan；　and　I　went　on：　　〃I　only　wish　to　heaven　she　had

destroyed　them；　then　there　would　be　nothing　more　to　say。

And　I　can't　understand　why；　with　her　ideas；　she　didn't。〃



〃Oh；　she　lived　on　them！〃　said　Miss　Tita。



〃You　can　imagine　whether　that　makes　me　want　less　to　see　them；〃

I　answered；　smiling。　　〃But　don't　let　me　stand　here　as　if　I

had　it　in　my　soul　to　tempt　you　to　do　anything　base。

Naturally　you　will　understand　if　I　give　up　my　rooms。

I　leave　Venice　immediately。〃　　And　I　took　up　my　hat；　which　I

had　placed　on　a　chair。　　We　were　still　there　rather　awkwardly；

on　our　feet；　in　the　middle　of　the　sala。　　She　had　left

the　door　of　the　apartments　open　behind　her　but　she　had　not　led

me　that　way。



A　kind　of　spasm　came　into　her　face　as　she　saw　me　take　my　hat。

〃Immediatelydo　you　mean　today？〃　　The　tone　of　the　words　was　tragical

they　were　a　cry　of　desolation。



〃Oh；　no；　not　so　long　as　I　can　be　of　the　least　service　to　you。〃



〃Well；　just　a　day　or　two　morejust　two　or　three　days；〃　she　panted。

Then　controlling　herself；　she　added　in　another　manner；　〃She　wanted

to　say　something　to　methe　last　daysomething　very　particular；

but　she　couldn't。〃



〃Something　very　particular？〃



〃Something　more　about　the　papers。〃



〃And　did　you　guesshave　you　any　idea？〃



〃No；　I　have　thoughtbut　I　don't　know。　　I　have　thought　all　kinds　of　things。〃



〃And　for　instance？〃



〃Well；　that　if　you　were　a　relation　it　would　be　different。〃



〃If　I　were　a　relation？〃



〃If　you　were　not　a　stranger。　　Then　it　would　be　the　same　for　you　as　for　me。

Anything　that　is　minewould　be　yours；　and　you　could　do　what　you　like。

I　couldn't　prevent　youand　you　would　have　no　responsibility。〃



She　brought　out　this　droll　explanation　with　a　little　nervous　rush；

as　if　she　were　speaking　words　she　had　got　by　heart。　　They　gave

me　an　impression　of　subtlety　and　at　first　I　failed　to　follow。

But　after　a　moment　her　face　helped　me　to　see　further；

and　then　a　light　came　into　my　mind。　　It　was　embarrassing；

and　I　bent　my　head　over　Jeffrey　Aspern's　portrait。

What　an　odd　expression　was　in　his　face！　　〃Get　out　of　it　as

you　can；　my　dear　fellow！〃　　I　put　the　picture　into　the　pocket

of　my　coat　and　said　to　Miss　Tita；　〃Yes；　I'll　sell　it　for　you。

I　shan't　get　a　thousand　pounds　by　any　means；　but　I　shall

get　something　good。〃



She　looked　at　me　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　she　seemed　to　try　to　smile

as　she　remarked；　〃We　can　divide　the　money。〃



〃No；　no；　it　shall　be　all　yours。〃　　Then　I　went　on；　〃I　think　I　know

what　your　poor　aunt　wanted　to　say。　　She　wanted　to　give　directions

that　her　papers　should　be　buried　with　her。〃



Miss　Tita　appeared　to　consider　this　suggestion　for　a　moment；

after　which　she　declared；　with　striking　decision；　〃Oh　no；

she　wouldn't　have　thought　that　safe！〃



〃It　seems　to　me　nothing　could　be　safer。〃



〃She　had　an　idea　that　when　people　want　to　publish　they　are　capable〃

And　she　paused；　blushing。



〃Of　violating　a　tomb？　　Mercy　on　us；　what　must　she　have　thought　of　me！〃



〃She　was　not　just；　she　was　not　generous！〃　　Miss　Tita　cried

with　sudden　passion。



The　light　that　had　come　into　my　mind　a　moment　before　increased。

〃Ah；　don't　say　that；　for　we　ARE　a　dreadful　race。〃

Then　I　pursued；　〃If　she　left　a　will；　that　may　give　you　some　idea。〃



〃I　have　found　nothing　of　the　sortshe　destroyed　it。

She　was　very　fond　of　me；〃　Miss　Tita　added　incongruously。

〃She　wanted　me　to　be　happy。　　And　if　any　person　should　be　kind　to　me

she　wanted　to　speak　of　that。〃



I　was　almost　awestricken　at　the　astuteness　with　which

the　good　lady　found　herself　inspired；　transparent　astuteness

as　it　was　and　sewn；　as　the　phrase　is；　with　white　thread。

〃Depend　upon　it　she　didn't　want　to　make　any　provision　that　would

be　agreeable　to　me。〃



〃No；　not　to　you　but　to　me。　　She　knew　I　should　like　it　if　you　could

carry　out　your　idea。　　Not　because　she　cared　for　you　but　because

she　did　think　of　me；〃　Miss　Tita　went　on　with　her　unexpected；

persuasive　volubility。　　〃You　could　see　themyou　could　use　them。〃

She　stopped；　seeing　that　I　perceived　the　sense　of　that　conditional

stopped　long　enough　for　me　to　give　some　sign　which　I　did　not　give。

She　must　have　been　conscious；　however；　that　though　my　face　showed

the　g