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〃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 roast all summer
as well as hereafter； perhaps you'll say！ Meanwhile； John Cumnor
will bombard me with letters addressed； in my feigned name；
to the care of the padrona。〃
〃She will recognize his hand；〃 my companion suggested。
〃On the envelope he can disguise it。〃
〃Well； you're a precious pair！ Doesn't it occur to you that even if you
are able to say you are not Mr。 Cumnor in person they may still suspect
you of being his emissary？〃
〃Certainly； and I see only one way to parry that。〃
〃And what may that be？〃
I hesitated a moment。 〃To make love to the niece。〃
〃Ah；〃 cried Mrs。 Prest； 〃wait till you see her！〃
II
〃I must work the gardenI must work the garden；〃 I said to myself；
five minutes later； as I waited； upstairs； in the long；
dusky sala； where the bare scagliola floor gleamed vaguely
in a chink of the closed shutters。 The place was impressive
but it looked cold and cautious。 Mrs。 Prest had floated away；
giving me a rendezvous at the end of half an hour by some
neighboring water steps； and I had been let into the house；
after pulling the rusty bell wire； by a little red…headed；
white…faced maidservant； who was very young and not ugly and
wore clicking pattens and a shawl in the fashion of a hood。
She had not contented herself with opening the door from above
by the usual arrangement of a creaking pulley； though she
had looked down at me first from an upper window； dropping the
inevitable challenge which in Italy precedes the hospitable act。
As a general thing I was irritated by this survival of
medieval manners； though as I liked the old I suppose I ought
to have liked it； but I was so determined to be genial that I
took my false card out of my pocket and held it up to her；
smiling as if it were a magic token。 It had the effect of
one indeed； for it brought her； as I say； all the way down。
I begged her to hand it to her mistress； having first written on
it in Italian the words； 〃Could you very kindly see a gentleman；
an American； for a moment？〃 The little maid was not hostile；
and I reflected that even that was perhaps something gained。
She colored； she smiled and looked both frightened and pleased。
I could see that my arrival was a great affair； that visits
were rare in that house； and that she was a person who would
have liked a sociable place。 When she pushed forward the heavy
door behind me I felt that I had a foot in the citadel。
She pattered across the damp； stony lower hall and I followed
her up the high staircasestonier still； as it seemed
without an invitation。 I think she had meant I should wait
for her below； but such was not my idea； and I took up my
station in the sala。 She flitted； at the far end of it；
into impenetrable regions； and I looked at the place with my
heart beating as I had known it to do in the dentist's parlor。
It was gloomy and stately； but it owed its character almost
entirely to its noble shape and to the fine architectural doors
as high as the doors of houseswhich； leading into the
various rooms； repeated themselves on either side at intervals。
They were surmounted with old faded painted escutcheons；
and here and there； in the spaces between them； brown pictures；
which I perceived to be bad； in battered frames； were suspended。
With the exception of several straw…bottomed chairs with
their backs to the wall； the grand obscure vista contained
nothing else to minister to effect。 It was evidently
never used save as a passage； and little even as that。
I may add that by the time the door opened again through
which the maidservant had escaped； my eyes had grown used
to the want of light。
I had not meant by my private ejaculation that I must myself cultivate
the soil of the tangled enclosure which lay beneath the windows；
but the lady who came toward me from the distance over the hard；
shining floor might have supposed as much from the way in which； as I
went rapidly to meet her； I exclaimed； taking care to speak Italian：
〃The garden； the gardendo me the pleasure to tell me if it's yours！〃
She stopped short； looking at me with wonder； and then； 〃Nothing here
is mine；〃 she answered in English； coldly and sadly。
〃Oh； you are English； how delightful！〃 I remarked； ingenuously。
〃But surely the garden belongs to the house？〃
〃Yes； but the house doesn't belong to me。〃 She was a long；
lean； pale person； habited apparently in a dull…colored
dressing gown； and she spoke with a kind of mild literalness。
She did not ask me to sit down； any more than years before
（if she were the niece） she had asked Mrs。 Prest； and we stood
face to face in the empty pompous hall。
〃Well then； would you kindly tell me to whom I must address myself？
I'm afraid you'll think me odiously intrusive； but you know I MUST
have a gardenupon my honor I must！〃
Her face was not young； but it was simple； it was not fresh； but it was mild。
She had large eyes which were not bright； and a great deal of hair which
was not 〃dressed；〃 and long fine hands which werepossiblynot clean。
She clasped these members almost convulsively as； with a confused；
alarmed look； she broke out； 〃Oh； don't take it away from us；
we like it ourselves！〃
〃You have the use of it then？〃
〃Oh； yes。 If it wasn't for that！〃 And she gave a shy； melancholy smile。
〃Isn't it a luxury； precisely？ That's why； intending to be
in Venice some weeks； possibly all summer； and having some
literary work； some reading and writing to do； so that I must
be quiet； and yet if possible a great deal in the open air
that's why I have felt that a garden is really indispensable。
I appeal to your own experience；〃 I went on； smiling。
〃Now can't I look at yours？〃
〃I don't know； I don't understand；〃 the poor woman murmured；
planted there and letting her embarrassed eyes wander all
over my strangeness。
〃I mean only from one of those windowssuch grand ones
as you have hereif you will let me open the shutters。〃
And I walked toward the back of the house。 When I had advanced
halfway I stopped and waited； as if I took it for granted she would
accompany me。 I had been of necessity very abrupt； but I strove
at the same time to give her the impression of extreme courtesy。
〃I have been looking at furnished rooms all over the place；
and it seems impossible to find any with a garden attached。
Naturally in a place like Venice gardens are rare。 It's absurd
if you like； for a man； but I can't live without flowers。〃
〃There are none to speak of down there。〃 She came nearer to me； as if；
though she mistrusted me； I had drawn her by an invisible thread。
I went on again； and she continued as she followed me： 〃We have a few；
but they are very common。 It costs too much to cultivate them；
one has to have a man。〃
〃Why shouldn't I be the man？〃 I asked。 〃I'll work without wages；
or rather I'll put in a gardener。 You shall have the sweetest
flowers in Venice。〃
She protested at this； with a queer little sigh which might
also have been a gush of rapture at the picture I presented。
Then she observed； 〃We don't know youwe don't know you。〃
〃You know me as much as I know you： that is much more； because you
know my name。 And if you are English I am almost a countryman。〃
〃We are not English；〃 said my companion； watching me helplessly while I threw
open the shutters of one of the divisions of the wide high window。
〃You speak the language so beautifully： might I ask what you are？〃
Seen from above the garden was certainly shabby； but I perceived
at a glance that it had great capabilities。 She made no rejoinder；
she was so lost in staring at me； and I exclaimed； 〃You don't mean
to say you are also by chance American？〃
〃I don't know； we used to be。〃
〃Used to be？ Surely you haven't changed？〃
〃It's so many years agowe are nothing。〃
〃So many years that you have been living here？ Well； I don't wonder
at that； it's a grand old house。 I suppose you all use the garden；〃
I went on； 〃but I assure you I shouldn't be in your way。
I would be very quiet and stay in one corner。〃
〃We all use it？〃 she repeated after me； vaguely； not coming close
to the window but looking at my shoes。 She appeared to think me
capable of throwing her out。
〃I mean all your family； as many as you are。〃
〃There is only one other； she is very oldshe never goes down。〃
〃Only one other； in all this great house！〃 I feigned to be not only amazed
but almost scandalized。 〃Dear lady； you must have space then to spare！〃
〃To spare？〃 she repeated； in the same dazed way。
〃Why； you surely don't live （two quiet womenI see YOU
are quiet； at any rate） in fifty rooms！〃 Then with a burst
of hope and cheer I demanded： 〃Co