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At this the old woman went on： 〃Well； you brought it on yourself！〃
And then in a different tone； 〃She is a very nice girl。〃
I assented cordially to this proposition； and she expressed the hope
that I did so not merely to be obliging； but that I really liked her。
Meanwhile I wondered still more what Miss Bordereau was coming to。
〃Except for me； today；〃 she said； 〃she has not a relation in the world。〃
Did she by describing her niece as amiable and unencumbered wish
to represent her as a parti？
It was perfectly true that I could not afford to go on with my
rooms at a fancy price and that I had already devoted to my
undertaking almost all the hard cash I had set apart for it。
My patience and my time were by no means exhausted； but I should
be able to draw upon them only on a more usual Venetian basis。
I was willing to pay the venerable woman with whom my pecuniary dealings
were such a discord twice as much as any other padrona di casa would
have asked； but I was not willing to pay her twenty times as much。
I told her so plainly； and my plainness appeared to have some success；
for she exclaimed； 〃Very good； you have done what I asked
you have made an offer！〃
〃Yes； but not for half a year。 Only by the month。〃
〃Oh； I must think of that then。〃 She seemed disappointed
that I would not tie myself to a period； and I guessed that she
wished both to secure me and to discourage me； to say severely；
〃Do you dream that you can get off with less than six months？
Do you dream that even by the end of that time you will be
appreciably nearer your victory？〃 What was more in my mind
was that she had a fancy to play me the trick of making me
engage myself when in fact she had annihilated the papers。
There was a moment when my suspense on this point was so acute
that I all but broke out with the question； and what kept it back
was but a kind of instinctive recoil （lest it should be a mistake）；
from the last violence of self…exposure。 She was such a subtle
old witch that one could never tell where one stood with her。
You may imagine whether it cleared up the puzzle when；
just after she had said she would think of my proposal and without
any formal transition； she drew out of her pocket with an
embarrassed hand a small object wrapped in crumpled white paper。
She held it there a moment and then she asked； 〃Do you know
much about curiosities？〃
〃About curiosities？〃
〃About antiquities； the old gimcracks that people pay so much for today。
Do you know the kind of price they bring？〃
I thought I saw what was coming； but I said ingenuously；
〃Do you want to buy something？〃
〃No； I want to sell。 What would an amateur give me for that？〃
She unfolded the white paper and made a motion for me to take from
her a small oval portrait。 I possessed myself of it with a hand
of which I could only hope that she did not perceive the tremor；
and she added； 〃I would part with it only for a good price。〃
At the first glance I recognized Jeffrey Aspern； and I was well
aware that I flushed with the act。 As she was watching me
however I had the consistency to exclaim； 〃What a striking face！
Do tell me who it is。〃
〃It's an old friend of mine； a very distinguished man in his day。
He gave it to me himself； but I'm afraid to mention his name； lest you
never should have heard of him； critic and historian as you are。
I know the world goes fast and one generation forgets another。
He was all the fashion when I was young。〃
She was perhaps amazed at my assurance； but I was surprised at hers； at her
having the energy； in her state of health and at her time of life； to wish
to sport with me that way simply for her private entertainmentthe humor
to test me and practice on me。 This； at least； was the interpretation that I
put upon her production of the portrait； for I could not believe that she
really desired to sell it or cared for any information I might give her。
What she wished was to dangle it before my eyes and put a prohibitive
price on it。 〃The face comes back to me； it torments me；〃 I said；
turning the object this way and that and looking at it very critically。
It was a careful but not a supreme work of art； larger than the
ordinary miniature and representing a young man with a remarkably
handsome face； in a high…collared green coat and a buff waistcoat。
I judged the picture to have a valuable quality of resemblance and to have
been painted when the model was about twenty…five years old。 There are；
as all the world knows； three other portraits of the poet in existence；
but none of them is of so early a date as this elegant production。
〃I have never seen the original but I have seen other likenesses；〃 I went on。
〃You expressed doubt of this generation having heard of the gentleman；
but he strikes me for all the world as a celebrity。 Now who is he？
I can't put my finger on himI can't give him a label。 Wasn't he a writer？
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