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〃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 from some brighter element in
her dress； of being prepared again to have converse with it。
It had not yet； however； begun to flock about her；
she was perfectly alone and； though the door leading to her own
quarters stood open； I had at first no glimpse of Miss Tita。
The window at which she sat had the afternoon shade and；
one of the shutters having been pushed back； she could see
the pleasant garden； where the summer sun had by this time
dried up too many of the plantsshe could see the yellow
light and the long shadows。
〃Have you come to tell me that you will take the rooms
for six months more？〃 she asked as I approached her；
startling me by something coarse in her cupidity almost
as much as if she had not already given me a specimen of it。
Juliana's desire to make our acquaintance lucrative had been；
as I have sufficiently indicated； a false note in my image
of the woman who had inspired a great poet with immortal lines；
but I may say here definitely that I recognized after all
that it behooved me to make a large allowance for her。
It was I who had kindled the unholy flame； it was I who had
put into her head that she had the means of making money。
She appeared never to have thought of that； she had been
living wastefully for years； in a house five times too
big for her； on a footing that I could explain only by
the presumption that； excessive as it was； the space she
enjoyed cost her next to nothing and that small as were her
revenues they left her； for Venice； an appreciable margin。
I had descended on her one day and taught her to calculate；
and my almost extravagant comedy on the subject of the garden
had presented me irresistibly in the light of a victim。
Like all persons who achieve the miracle of changing their point
of view when they are old she had been intensely converted；
she had seized my hint with a desperate； tremulous clutch。
I invited myself to go and get one of the chairs that stood； at a distance；
against the wall （she had given herself no concern as to whether I
should sit or stand）； and while I placed it near her I began； gaily；
〃Oh； dear madam； what an imagination you have； what an intellectual sweep！
I am a poor devil of a man of letters who lives from day to day。
How can I take palaces by the year？ My existence is precarious。
I don't know whether six months hence I shall have bread to put in my mouth。
I have treated myself for once； it has been an immense luxury。
But when it comes to going on！〃
〃Are your rooms too dear？ If they are you can have more for the same money；〃
Juliana responded。 〃We can arrange； we can combinare； as they say here。〃
〃Well yes； since you ask me； they are too dear；〃 I said。
〃Evidently you suppose me richer than I am。〃
She looked at me in her barricaded way。 〃If you write books
don't you sell them？〃
〃Do you mean don't people buy them？ A littlenot so much as I could wish。
Writing books； unless one be a great geniusand even then！is the last road
to fortune。 I think there is no more money to be made by literature。〃
〃Perhaps you don't choose good subjects。 What do you write about？〃
Miss Bordereau inquired。
〃About the books of other people。 I'm a critic； an historian；
in a small way。〃 I wondered what she was coming to。
〃And what other people； now？〃
〃Oh； better ones than myself： the great writers mainly
the great philosophers and poets of the past； those who are
dead and gone and can't speak for themselves。〃
〃And what do you say about them？〃
〃I say they sometimes attached themselves to very clever women！〃
I answered； laughing。 I spoke with great deliberation；
but as my words fell upon the air they struck me as imprudent。
However； I risked them and I was not sorry； for perhaps
after all the old woman would be willing to treat。
It seemed to be tolerably obvious that she knew my secret：
why therefore drag the matter out？ But she did not take what I
had said as a confession； she only asked：
〃Do you think it's right to rake up the past？〃
〃I don't know that I know what you mean by raking it up；
but how can we get at it unless we dig a little？
The present has such a rough way of treading it down。〃
〃Oh； I like the past； but I don't like critics；〃 the old woman declared
with her fine tranquility。
〃Neither do I； but I like their discoveries。〃
〃Aren't they mostly lies？〃
〃The lies are what they sometimes discover；〃 I said； smiling at the quiet
impertinence of this。 〃They often lay bare the truth。〃
〃The truth is God's； it isn't man's； we had better leave it alone。
Who can judge of itwho can say？〃
〃We are terribly in the dark； I know；〃 I admitted； 〃but if we give
up trying what becomes of all the fine things？ What becomes of
the work I just mentioned； that of the great philosophers and poets？
It is all vain words if there is nothing to measure it by。〃
〃You talk as if you were a tailor；〃 said Miss Bordereau whimsically；
and then she added quickly； in a different manner； 〃This house
is very fine； the proportions are magnificent。 Today I wanted
to look at this place again。 I made them bring me out here。
When your man came； just now； to learn if I would see you；
I was on the point of sending for you； to ask if you didn't
mean to go on。 I wanted to judge what I'm letting you have。
This sala is very grand；〃 she pursued； like an auctioneer；
moving a little； as I guessed； her invisible eyes。
〃I don't believe you often have lived in such a house； eh？〃
〃I can't often afford to！〃 I said。
〃Well then； how much will you give for six months？〃
I was on the point of exclaimingand the air of excruciation
in my face would have denoted a moral face〃Don't； Juliana； for
HIS sake； don't！〃 But I controlled myself and asked less passionately：
〃Why should I remain so long as that？〃
〃I thought you liked it；〃 said Miss Bordereau with her shriveled dignity。
〃So I thought I should。〃
For a moment she said nothing more； and I left my own words to suggest
to her what they might。 I half…expected her to say； coldly enough；
that if I had been disappointed we need not continue the discussion；
and this in spite of the fact that I believed her now to have in her mind
（however it had come there） what would have told her that my disappointment
was natural。 But to my extreme surprise she ended by observing：
〃If you don't think we have treated you well enough perhaps we can discover
some way of treating you better。〃 This speech was somehow so incongruous
that it made me laugh again； and I excused myself by saying that she talked
as if I were a sulky boy； pouting in the corner； to be 〃brought round。〃
I had not a grain of complaint to make； and could anything have exceeded Miss
Tita's graciousness in accompanying me a few nights before to the Piazza？
At this the old woman went on： 〃Well； you brought it o