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in the common forms and a word of recognition now and then
would have touched me in the right place。
〃Why I didn't know they were for me！〃
〃They were for both of you。 Why should I make a difference？〃
Miss Tita reflected as if she might by thinking of a reason for that；
but she failed to produce one。 Instead of this she asked abruptly；
〃Why in the world do you want to know us？〃
〃I ought after all to make a difference；〃 I replied。
〃That question is your aunt's； it isn't yours。 You wouldn't
ask it if you hadn't been put up to it。〃
〃She didn't tell me to ask you；〃 Miss Tita replied without confusion；
she was the oddest mixture of the shrinking and the direct。
〃Well； she has often wondered about it herself and expressed
her wonder to you。 She has insisted on it； so that she has
put the idea into your head that I am insufferably pushing。
Upon my word I think I have been very discreet。
And how completely your aunt must have lost every tradition
of sociability； to see anything out of the way in the idea
that respectable intelligent people； living as we do under
the same roof； should occasionally exchange a remark！
What could be more natural？ We are of the same country；
and we have at least some of the same tastes； since； like you；
I am intensely fond of Venice。〃
My interlocutress appeared incapable of grasping more than one clause
in any proposition； and she declared quickly； eagerly； as if she were
answering my whole speech： 〃I am not in the least fond of Venice。
I should like to go far away！〃
〃Has she always kept you back so？〃 I went on； to show her that I
could be as irrelevant as herself。
〃She told me to come out tonight； she has told me very often；〃
said Miss Tita。 〃It is I who wouldn't come。 I don't like
to leave her。〃
〃Is she too weak； is she failing？〃 I demanded； with more emotion；
I think； than I intended to show。 I judged this by the way
her eyes rested upon me in the darkness。 It embarrassed me
a little； and to turn the matter off I continued genially：
〃Do let us sit down together comfortably somewhere； and you
will tell me all about her。〃
Miss Tita made no resistance to this。 We found a bench
less secluded； less confidential； as it were； than the one
in the arbor； and we were still sitting there when I heard
midnight ring out from those clear bells of Venice which
vibrate with a solemnity of their own over the lagoon and hold
the air so much more than the chimes of other places。
We were together more than an hour； and our interview gave；
as it struck me； a great lift to my undertaking。
Miss Tita accepted the situation without a protest；
she had avoided me for three months； yet now she treated me
almost as if these three months had made me an old friend。
If I had chosen I might have inferred from this that though
she had avoided me she had given a good deal of consideration
to doing so。 She paid no attention to the flight of time
never worried at my keeping her so long away from her aunt。
She talked freely； answering questions and asking them and not
even taking advantage of certain longish pauses with which they
inevitably alternated to say she thought she had better go in。
It was almost as if she were waiting for somethingsomething I
might say to herand intended to give me my opportunity。
I was the more struck by this as she told me that her aunt
had been less well for a good many days and in a way that was
rather new。 She was weaker； at moments it seemed as if she
had no strength at all； yet more than ever before she wished
to be left alone。 That was why she had told her to come out
not even to remain in her own room； which was alongside；
she said her niece irritated her； made her nervous。
She sat still for hours together； as if she were asleep；
she had always done that； musing and dozing； but at such times
formerly she gave at intervals some small sign of life；
of interest； liking her companion to be near her with her work。
Miss Tita confided to me that at present her aunt was so
motionless that she sometimes feared she was dead； moreover she
took hardly any foodone couldn't see what she lived on。
The great thing was that she still on most days got up；
the serious job was to dress her； to wheel her out of her bedroom。
She clung to as many of her old habits as possible and she
had always； little company as they had received for years；
made a point of sitting in the parlor。
I scarcely knew what to think of all thisof Miss Tita's
sudden conversion to sociability and of the strange
circumstance that the more the old lady appeared to decline
toward her end the less she should desire to be looked after。
The story did not hang together； and I even asked myself whether
it were not a trap laid for me； the result of a design to make
me show my hand。 I could not have told why my companions
（as they could only by courtesy be called） should have this purpose
why they should try to trip up so lucrative a lodger。
At any rate I kept on my guard； so that Miss Tita should not
have occasion again to ask me if I had an arriere…pensee。
Poor woman； before we parted for the night my mind was at rest
as to HER capacity for entertaining one。
She told me more about their affairs than I had hoped；
there was no need to be prying； for it evidently drew
her out simply to feel that I listened； that I cared。
She ceased wondering why I cared； and at last； as she spoke of
the brilliant life they had led years before； she almost chattered。
It was Miss Tita who judged it brilliant； she said that when they
first came to live in Venice； years and years before （I saw
that her mind was essentially vague about dates and the order
in which events had occurred）； there was scarcely a week
that they had not some visitor or did not make some delightful
passeggio in the city。 They had seen all the curiosities；
they had even been to the Lido in a boat （she spoke as if I might
think there was a way on foot）； they had had a collation there；
brought in three baskets and spread out on the grass。
I asked her what people they had known and she said； Oh！ very
nice onesthe Cavaliere Bombicci and the Contessa Altemura；
with whom they had had a great friendship。 Also English people
the Churtons and the Goldies and Mrs。 Stock…Stock； whom
they had loved dearly； she was dead and gone； poor dear。
That was the case with most of their pleasant circle
（this expression was Miss Tita's own）； though a few were left；
which was a wonder considering how they had neglected them。
She mentioned the names of two or three Venetian old women； of a
certain doctor； very clever； who was so kindhe came as a friend；
he had really given up practice； of the avvocato Pochintesta；
who wrote beautiful poems and had addressed one to her aunt。
These people came to see them without fail every year；
usually at the capo d'anno； and of old her aunt used
to make them some little presenther aunt and she together：
small things that she； Miss Tita； made herself； like paper
lampshades or mats for the decanters of wine at dinner or those
woolen things that in cold weather were worn on the wrists。
The last few years there had not been many presents；
she could not think what to make； and her aunt had lost her
interest and never suggested。 But the people came all the same；
if the Venetians liked you once they liked you forever。
There was something affecting in the good faith of this
sketch of former social glories； the picnic at the Lido had
remained vivid through the ages； and poor Miss Tita evidently
was of the impression that she had had a brilliant youth。
She had in fact had a glimpse of the Venetian world in
its gossiping； home…keeping； parsimonious； professional walks；
for I observed for the first time that she had acquired
by contact something of the trick of the familiar；
soft…sounding； almost infantile speech of the place。
I judged that she had imbibed this invertebrate dialect
from the natural way the names of things and people
mostly purely localrose to her lips。 If she knew little
of what they represented she knew still less of anything else。
Her aunt had drawn inher failing interest in the table mats
and lampshades was a sign of thatand she had not been able
to mingle in society or to entertain it alone； so that the matter
of her reminiscences struck one as an old world altogether。
If she had not been so decent her references would have seemed
to carry one back to the queer rococo Venice of Casanova。
I found myself falling into the error of thinking of her too
as one of Jeffrey Aspern's contemporaries； this came from her
having so little in common with my own。 It was possible；
I said to myself； that she had not even heard of him；
it might very well be that Juliana had not cared to lift even
for her the veil that covered the temple of her youth。 In this
case she perhaps would not know of the exis