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the quiet neighborhood had gone to sleep。 A lamp； here and there；
over the narrow black water； glimmered in double； the voice
of a man going homeward singing； with his jacket on his
shoulder and his hat on his ear； came to us from a distance。
This did not prevent the scene from being very comme il faut；
as Miss Bordereau had called it the first time I saw her。
Presently a gondola passed along the canal with its slow
rhythmical plash； and as we listened we watched it in silence。
It did not stop； it did not carry the doctor； and after it
had gone on I said to Miss Tita：
〃And where are they nowthe things that were in the trunk？〃
〃In the trunk？〃
〃That green box you pointed out to me in her room。
You said her papers had been there； you seemed to imply that she
had transferred them。〃
〃Oh； yes； they are not in the trunk；〃 said Miss Tita。
〃May I ask if you have looked？〃
〃Yes； I have lookedfor you。〃
〃How for me； dear Miss Tita？ Do you mean you would have given them
to me if you had found them？〃 I asked； almost trembling。
She delayed to reply and I waited。 Suddenly she broke out；
〃I don't know what I would dowhat I wouldn't！〃
〃Would you look againsomewhere else？〃
She had spoken with a strange unexpected emotion； and she went
on in the same tone： 〃I can'tI can'twhile she lies there。
It isn't decent。〃
〃No； it isn't decent；〃 I replied gravely。 〃Let the poor lady rest
in peace。〃 And the words； on my lips； were not hypocritical；
for I felt reprimanded and shamed。
Miss Tita added in a moment； as if she had guessed this
and were sorry for me； but at the same time wished to explain
that I did drive her on or at least did insist too much：
〃I can't deceive her that way。 I can't deceive her
perhaps on her deathbed。〃
〃Heaven forbid I should ask you； though I have been guilty myself！〃
〃You have been guilty？〃
〃I have sailed under false colors。〃 I felt now as if I must tell
her that I had given her an invented name； on account of my fear
that her aunt would have heard of me and would refuse to take me in。
I explained this and also that I had really been a party to the letter
written to them by John Cumnor months before。
She listened with great attention； looking at me with parted lips；
and when I had made my confession she said； 〃Then your real name
what is it？〃 She repeated it over twice when I had told her；
accompanying it with the exclamation 〃Gracious； gracious！〃
Then she added； 〃I like your own best。〃
〃So do I；〃 I said； laughing。 〃Ouf！ it's a relief to get rid
of the other。〃
〃So it was a regular plota kind of conspiracy？〃
〃Oh； a conspiracywe were only two；〃 I replied； leaving out
Mrs。 Prest of course。
She hesitated； I thought she was perhaps going to say that we had been
very base。 But she remarked after a moment； in a candid； wondering way；
〃How much you must want them！〃
〃Oh； I do； passionately！〃 I conceded； smiling。 And this chance
made me go on； forgetting my compunction of a moment before。
〃How can she possibly have changed their place herself？
How can she walk？ How can she arrive at that sort of muscular exertion？
How can she lift and carry things？〃
〃Oh； when one wants and when one has so much will！〃 said Miss Tita；
as if she had thought over my question already herself and had simply
had no choice but that answerthe idea that in the dead of night；
or at some moment when the coast was clear； the old woman had been
capable of a miraculous effort。
〃Have you questioned Olimpia？ Hasn't she helped herhasn't she
done it for her？〃 I asked； to which Miss Tita replied promptly and
positively that their servant had had nothing to do with the matter；
though without admitting definitely that she had spoken to her。
It was as if she were a little shy； a little ashamed now of letting me
see how much she had entered into my uneasiness and had me on her mind。
Suddenly she said to me； without any immediate relevance：
〃I feel as if you were a new person； now that you have got a new name。〃
〃It isn't a new one； it is a very good old one； thank heaven！〃
She looked at me a moment。 〃I do like it better。〃
〃Oh； if you didn't I would almost go on with the other！〃
〃Would you really？〃
I laughed again； but for all answer to this inquiry I said；
〃Of course if she can rummage about that way she can perfectly
have burnt them。〃
〃You must waityou must wait；〃 Miss Tita moralized mournfully；
and her tone ministered little to my patience； for it
seemed after all to accept that wretched possibility。
I would teach myself to wait； I declared nevertheless；
because in the first place I could not do otherwise and in
the second I had her promise； given me the other night；
that she would help me。
〃Of course if the papers are gone that's no use；〃 she said；
not as if she wished to recede； but only to be conscientious。
〃Naturally。 But if you could only find out！〃 I groaned； quivering again。
〃I thought you said you would wait。〃
〃Oh； you mean wait even for that？〃
〃For what then？〃
〃Oh； nothing；〃 I replied； rather foolishly； being ashamed
to tell her what had been implied in my submission to delay
the idea that she would do more than merely find out。
I know not whether she guessed this； at all events she appeared
to become aware of the necessity for being a little more rigid。
〃I didn't promise to deceive； did I？ I don't think I did。〃
〃It doesn't much matter whether you did or not； for you couldn't！〃
I don't think Miss Tita would have contested this event had she not been
diverted by our seeing the doctor's gondola shoot into the little canal
and approach the house。 I noted that he came as fast as if he believed
that Miss Bordereau was still in danger。 We looked down at him
while he disembarked and then went back into the sala to meet him。
When he came up however I naturally left Miss Tita to go off with him alone；
only asking her leave to come back later for news。
I went out of the house and took a long walk； as far as the Piazza；
where my restlessness declined to quit me。 I was unable to sit down
（it was very late now but there were people still at the little
tables in front of the cafes）； I could only walk round and round；
and I did so half a dozen times。 I was uncomfortable； but it gave
me a certain pleasure to have told Miss Tita who I really was。
At last I took my way home again； slowly getting all but
inextricably lost； as I did whenever I went out in Venice：
so that it was considerably past midnight when I reached my door。
The sala； upstairs； was as dark as usual and my lamp as I crossed
it found nothing satisfactory to show me。 I was disappointed；
for I had notified Miss Tita that I would come back for a report；
and I thought she might have left a light there as a sign。
The door of the ladies' apartment was closed； which seemed an intimation
that my faltering friend had gone to bed； tired of waiting for me。
I stood in the middle of the place； considering； hoping she would
hear me and perhaps peep out； saying to myself too that she would
never go to bed with her aunt in a state so critical； she would
sit up and watchshe would be in a chair； in her dressing gown。
I went nearer the door； I stopped there and listened。
I heard nothing at all and at last I tapped gently。
No answer came and after another minute I turned the handle。
There was no light in the room； this ought to have prevented me from
going in； but it had no such effect。 If I have candidly narrated
the importunities； the indelicacies； of which my desire to possess
myself of Jeffrey Aspern's papers had rendered me capable I need
not shrink from confessing this last indiscretion。 I think it was
the worst thing I did； yet there were extenuating circumstances。
I was deeply though doubtless not disinterestedly anxious for more
news of the old lady； and Miss Tita had accepted from me； as it were；
a rendezvous which it might have been a point of honor with me to keep。
It may be said that her leaving the place dark was a positive sign
that she released me； and to this I can only reply that I desired
not to be released。
The door of Miss Bordereau's room was open and I could see beyond it the
faintness of a taper。 There was no soundmy footstep caused no one to stir。
I came further into the room； I lingered there with my lamp in my hand。
I wanted to give Miss Tita a chance to come to me if she were with her aunt；
as she must be。 I made no noise to call her； I only waited to see
if she would not notice my light。 She did not； and I explained this
（I found afterward I was right） by the idea that she had fallen asleep。
If she had fallen asleep her aunt was not on her mind； and my explanation
ought to have led me to go out as I had come。 I must repeat again that it
did not； for I found myself at the same moment thinking of