按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
so quiet as that in the latter half of the nineteenth century
the age of newspapers and telegrams and photographs and interviewers。
And she had taken no great trouble about it either：
she had not hidden herself away in an undiscoverable hole；
she had boldly settled down in a city of exhibition。
The only secret of her safety that we could perceive was that
Venice contained so many curiosities that were greater than she。
And then accident had somehow favored her； as was shown
for example in the fact that Mrs。 Prest had never happened
to mention her to me； though I had spent three weeks
in Veniceunder her nose； as it werefive years before。
Mrs。 Prest had not mentioned this much to anyone；
she appeared almost to have forgotten she was there。
Of course she had not the responsibilities of an editor。
It was no explanation of the old woman's having eluded us to say
that she lived abroad； for our researches had again and again
taken us （not only by correspondence but by personal inquiry）
to France； to Germany； to Italy； in which countries； not counting
his important stay in England； so many of the too few years
of Aspern's career were spent。 We were glad to think at least
that in all our publishings （some people consider I believe
that we have overdone them）； we had only touched in passing
and in the most discreet manner on Miss Bordereau's connection。
Oddly enough； even if we had had the material （and we often
wondered what had become of it）； it would have been the most
difficult episode to handle。
The gondola stopped； the old palace was there； it was a house of the class
which in Venice carries even in extreme dilapidation the dignified name。
〃How charming！ It's gray and pink！〃 my companion exclaimed；
and that is the most comprehensive description of it。
It was not particularly old； only two or three centuries；
and it had an air not so much of decay as of quiet discouragement；
as if it had rather missed its career。 But its wide front；
with a stone balcony from end to end of the piano nobile or most
important floor； was architectural enough； with the aid of various
pilasters and arches； and the stucco with which in the intervals
it had long ago been endued was rosy in the April afternoon。
It overlooked a clean； melancholy； unfrequented canal；
which had a narrow riva or convenient footway on either side。
〃I don't know whythere are no brick gables；〃 said Mrs。 Prest；
〃but this corner has seemed to me before more Dutch than Italian；
more like Amsterdam than like Venice。 It's perversely clean；
for reasons of its own； and though you can pass on foot scarcely anyone
ever thinks of doing so。 It has the air of a Protestant Sunday。
Perhaps the people are afraid of the Misses Bordereau。
I daresay they have the reputation of witches。〃
I forget what answer I made to thisI was given up to two
other reflections。 The first of these was that if the old lady
lived in such a big； imposing house she could not be in any
sort of misery and therefore would not be tempted by a chance
to let a couple of rooms。 I expressed this idea to Mrs。 Prest；
who gave me a very logical reply。 〃If she didn't live in a big
house how could it be a question of her having rooms to spare？
If she were not amply lodged herself you would lack ground
to approach her。 Besides； a big house here； and especially
in this quartier perdu； proves nothing at all：
it is perfectly compatible with a state of penury。
Dilapidated old palazzi； if you will go out of the way for them；
are to be had for five shillings a year。 And as for the people
who live in themno； until you have explored Venice socially as much
as I have you can form no idea of their domestic desolation。
They live on nothing； for they have nothing to live on。〃
The other idea that had come into my head was connected
with a high blank wall which appeared to confine an expanse
of ground on one side of the house。 Blank I call it；
but it was figured over with the patches that please a painter；
repaired breaches； crumblings of plaster； extrusions of brick
that had turned pink with time； and a few thin trees； with the poles
of certain rickety trellises； were visible over the top。
The place was a garden； and apparently it belonged to the house。
It suddenly occurred to me that if it did belong to the house
I had my pretext。
I sat looking out on all this with Mrs。 Prest （it was covered with the golden
glow of Venice） from the shade of our felze； and she asked me if I
would go in then； while she waited for me； or come back another time。
At first I could not decideit was doubtless very weak of me。
I wanted still to think I MIGHT get a footing； and I was afraid
to meet failure； for it would leave me； as I remarked to my companion；
without another arrow for my bow。 〃Why not another？〃 she inquired
as I sat there hesitating and thinking it over； and she wished to know
why even now and before taking the trouble of becoming an inmate
（which might be wretchedly uncomfortable after all； even if it succeeded）；
I had not the resource of simply offering them a sum of money down。
In that way I might obtain the documents without bad nights。
〃Dearest lady；〃 I exclaimed； 〃excuse the impatience of my tone when I
suggest that you must have forgotten the very fact （surely I communicated
it to you） which pushed me to throw myself upon your ingenuity。
The old woman won't have the documents spoken of； they are personal；
delicate； intimate； and she hasn't modern notions； God bless her！
If I should sound that note first I should certainly spoil the game。
I can arrive at the papers only by putting her off her guard；
and I can put her off her guard only by ingratiating
diplomatic practices。 Hypocrisy； duplicity are my only chance。
I am sorry for it； but for Jeffrey Aspern's sake I would do worse still。
First I must take tea with her； then tackle the main job。〃
And I told over what had happened to John Cumnor when he wrote to her。
No notice whatever had been taken of his first letter； and the second
had been answered very sharply； in six lines； by the niece。
〃Miss Bordereau requested her to say that she could not imagine what
he meant by troubling them。 They had none of Mr。 Aspern's papers；
and if they had should never think of showing them to anyone
on any account whatever。 She didn't know what he was talking
about and begged he would let her alone。〃 I certainly did not want
to be met that way。
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Prest after a moment； provokingly； 〃perhaps after all they
haven't any of his things。 If they deny it flat how are you sure？〃
〃John Cumnor is sure； and it would take me long to tell
you how his conviction； or his very strong presumption
strong enough to stand against the old lady's not unnatural fib
has built itself up。 Besides； he makes much of the internal
evidence of the niece's letter。〃
〃The internal evidence？〃
〃Her calling him 'Mr。 Aspern。'〃
〃I don't see what that proves。〃
〃It proves familiarity； and familiarity implies the possession
of mementoes； or relics。 I can't tell you how that 'Mr。' touches me
how it bridges over the gulf of time and brings our hero near
to menor what an edge it gives to my desire to see Juliana。
You don't say； 'Mr。' Shakespeare。〃
〃Would I； any more； if I had a box full of his letters？〃
〃Yes； if he had been your lover and someone wanted them！〃
And I added that John Cumnor was so convinced； and so all the more
convinced by Miss Bordereau's tone； that he would have come
himself to Venice on the business were it not that for him there
was the obstacle that it would be difficult to disprove his
identity with the person who had written to them； which the old
ladies would be sure to suspect in spite of dissimulation
and a change of name。 If they were to ask him point…blank
if he were not their correspondent it would be too awkward
for him to lie； whereas I was fortunately not tied in that way。
I was a fresh hand and could say no without lying。
〃But you will have to change your name；〃 said Mrs。 Prest。
〃Juliana lives out of the world as much as it is possible to live；
but none the less she has probably heard of Mr。 Aspern's editors；
she perhaps possesses what you have published。〃
〃I have thought of that；〃 I returned； and I drew out of my pocketbook
a visiting card； neatly engraved with a name that was not my own。
〃You are very extravagant； you might have written it；〃
said my companion。
〃This looks more genuine。〃
〃Certainly； you are prepared to go far！ But it will be awkward
about your letters； they won't come to you in that mask。〃
〃My banker will take them in； and I will go every day to fetch them。
It will give me a little walk。〃
〃Shall you only depend upon that？〃 asked Mrs。 Prest。
〃Aren't you coming to see me？〃
〃Oh； you will have left Venice； for the hot months； long before
there are any results。 I am prepared to