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〃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 cynical little sigh。
〃I don't suppose you came out here yourself。 Miss Tita must have had to lend
you a hand；〃 I interposed with a pacifying intention。
〃Oh； she insisted that we should push her； and when she insists！〃
said Miss Tita in the same tone of apprehension； as if there were no
knowing what service that she disapproved of her aunt might force
her next to render。
〃I have always got most things done I wanted； thank God！
The people I have lived with have humored me；〃 the old
woman continued； speaking out of the gray ashes of her vanity。
〃I suppose you mean that they have obeyed you。〃
〃Well； whatever it is； when they like you。〃
〃It's just because I like you that I want to resist；〃
said Miss Tita with a nervous laugh。
〃Oh； I suspect you'll bring Miss Bordereau upstairs next to pay me a visit；〃
I went on； to which the old lady replied：
〃Oh； no； I can keep an eye on you from here！〃
〃You are very tired； you will certainly be ill tonight！〃
cried Miss Tita。
〃Nonsense； my dear； I feel better at this moment than I
have done for a month。 Tomorrow I shall come out again。
I want to be where I can see this clever gentleman。〃
〃Shouldn't you perhaps see me better in your sitting room？〃
I inquired。
〃Don't you mean shouldn't you have a better chance at me？〃
she returned； fixing me a moment with her green shade。
〃Ah； I haven't that anywhere！ I look at you but I don't see you。〃
〃You excite her dreadfullyand that is not good；〃 said Miss Tita；
giving me a reproachful； appealing look。
〃I want to watch youI want to watch you！〃 the old lady went on。
〃Well then； let us spend as much of our time together as possible
I don't care whereand that will give you every facility。〃
〃Oh； I've seen you enough for today。 I'm satisfied。 Now I'll go home。〃
Miss Tita laid her hands on the back of her aunt's chair and began to push；
but I begged her to let me take her place。 〃Oh； yes； you may move me
this wayyou shan't in any other！〃 Miss Bordereau exclaimed as she
felt herself propelled firmly and easily over the smooth； hard floor。
Before we reached the door of her own apartment she commanded me to stop；
and she took a long； last look up and down the noble sala。 〃Oh； it's
a magnificent house！〃 she murmured； after which I pushed her forward。
When we had entered the parlor Miss Tita told me that she should now
be able to manage； and at the same moment the little red…haired
donna came to meet her mistress。 Miss Tita's idea was evidently
to get her aunt immediately back to bed。 I confess that in spite
of this urgency I was guilty of the indiscretion of lingering；
it held me there to think that I was nearer the documents I coveted
that they were probably put away somewhere in the faded； unsociable room。
The place had indeed a bareness which did not suggest hidden treasures；
there were no dusky nooks nor curtained corners； no massive cabinets
nor chests with iron bands。 Moreover it was possible； it was perhaps
even probable that the old lady had consigned her relics to her bedroom；
to some battered box that was shoved under the bed； to the drawer of some
lame dressing table； where they would be in the range of vision by the dim
night lamp。 Nonetheless I scrutinized every article of furniture；
every conceivable cover for a hoard； and noticed that there were half
a dozen things with drawers； and in particular a tall old secretary；
with brass ornaments of the style of the Empirea receptacle
somewhat rickety but still capable of keeping a great many secrets。
I don't know why this article fascinated me so； inasmuch as I certainly
had no definite purpose of breaking into it； but I stared at it so hard
that Miss Tita noticed me and changed color。 Her doing this made me think
I was right and that wherever they might have been before the Aspern papers
at that moment languished behind the peevish little lock of the secretary。
it was hard to remove my eyes from the dull mahogany front when I
reflected that a simple panel divided me from the goal of my hopes；
but I remembered my prudence and with an effort took leave of Miss Bordereau。
To make the effort graceful I said to her that I should certainly bring
her an opinion about the little picture。
〃The little picture？〃 Miss Tita asked； surprised。
〃What do YOU know about it； my dear？〃 the old woman demanded。
〃You needn't mind。 I have fixed my price。〃
〃And what may that be？〃
〃A thousand pounds。〃
〃Oh Lord！〃 cried poor Miss Tita irrepressibly。
〃Is that what she talks to you about？〃 said Miss Bordereau。
〃Imagine your aunt's wanting to know！〃 I had to separate from Miss Tita
with only those words； though I should have liked immensely to add；
〃For heaven's sake meet me tonight in the garden！〃
VIII
As it turned out the precaution had not been needed；
for three hours later； just as I had finished my dinner；
Miss Bordereau's niece appeared； unannounced； in the open
doorway of the room in which my simple repasts were served。
I remember well that I felt no surprise at seeing her；
which is not a proof that I did not believe in her timidity。
It was immense； but in a case in which there was a particular
reason for boldness it never would have prevented her from
running up to my rooms。 I saw that she was now quite full
of a particular reason； it threw her forwardmade her seize me；
as I rose to meet her； by the arm。
〃My aunt is very ill； I think she is dying！〃
〃Never in the world；〃 I answered bitterly。 〃Don't you be afraid！〃
〃Do go for a doctordo； do！ Olimpia is gone for the one we always have；
but she doesn't come back； I don't know what has happened to her。
I told her that if he was not at home she was to follow him where
he had gone； but apparently she is following him all over Venice。
I don't know what to doshe looks so as if she were sinking。〃
〃May I see her； may I judge？〃 I asked。 〃Of course I shall be
delighted to bring someone； but hadn't we better send my man instead；
so that I may stay with you？〃
Miss Tita assented to this and I dispatched my servant for the best
doctor in the neighborhood。 I hurried downstairs with her；
and on the way she told me that an hour after I quitted them
in the afternoon Miss Bordereau had had an attack of 〃oppression；〃
a terrible difficulty in breathing。 This had subsided but had left
her so exhausted that she did not come up： she seemed all gone。
I repeated that she was not gone； that she would not go yet；
whereupon Miss Tita gave me a sharper sidelong glance than she
had ever directed at me and said； 〃Really； what do you mean？
I suppose you don't accuse her of making believe！〃
I forget what reply I made to this； but I grant that in my
heart I thought the old woman capable of any weird maneuver。
Miss Tita wanted to know what I had done to her； her aunt had told
her that I had made her so angry。 I declared I had done nothing
I had been exceedingly careful； to which my companion rejoined
that Miss Bordereau had assured her she had had a scene with me
a scene that had upset her。 I answered with some resentment
that it was a scene of her own makingthat I couldn't think
what she was angry with me for unless for not seeing my way
to give a thousand pounds for the portrait of Jeffrey Aspern。
〃And did she show you that？ Oh； graciousoh； deary me！〃
groaned Miss Tita； who appeared to feel that the situation
was passing out of her control and that the elements of her
fate were thickening around her。 I said that I would give
anything to possess it； yet that I had not a thousand pounds；
but I stopped when we came to the door of Miss Bordereau's room。
I had an immense curiosity to pass it； but I thought it my duty
to represent to Miss Tita that if I made the invalid angry she
ought perhaps to be spared the sight of me。 〃The sight of you？
Do you think she can SEE？〃 my companion demanded almost
with indignation。 I did think so but forebore to say it；
and I softly followed my conductress。
I remember that what I said to her as I stood for a moment beside
the old woman's bed was； 〃Does she never show you her eyes then？
Have you never seen them？〃 Miss Bordereau had been divested
of her green shade； but （it was not my fortune to behold Juliana
in her nightcap） the upper half of her face was covered by the fall
of a piece of dingy lacelike muslin； a sort of extemporized
hood which； wound round her head； descended to the end of her nose；
leaving nothing visible but her white withered cheeks and
puckered mouth； closed tightly and； as it were consciously。
Miss Tita gave me a glance of surprise； evidently not seeing a reason
for my impatience。 〃You mean that she always wears something？
She does it to preser