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with rather a flight of fancy； 〃It's the idea of a garden
in the middle of the sea。〃
〃It's not in the middle of the sea； you can't see the water。〃
I stared a moment； wondering whether she wished to convict me of fraud。
〃Can't see the water？ Why； dear madam； I can come up to the very gate
in my boat。〃
She appeared inconsequent； for she said vaguely in reply
to this； 〃Yes； if you have got a boat。 I haven't any；
it's many years since I have been in one of the gondolas。〃
She uttered these words as if the gondolas were a curious
faraway craft which she knew only by hearsay。
〃Let me assure you of the pleasure with which I would put mine at
your service！〃 I exclaimed。 I had scarcely said this； however； before I
became aware that the speech was in questionable taste and might also do me
the injury of making me appear too eager； too possessed of a hidden motive。
But the old woman remained impenetrable and her attitude bothered me
by suggesting that she had a fuller vision of me than I had of her。
She gave me no thanks for my somewhat extravagant offer but remarked that the
lady I had seen the day before was her niece； she would presently come in。
She had asked her to stay away a little on purpose； because she herself wished
to see me at first alone。 She relapsed into silence； and I asked myself
why she had judged this necessary and what was coming yet； also whether
I might venture on some judicious remark in praise of her companion。
I went so far as to say that I should be delighted to see her again：
she had been so very courteous to me； considering how odd she must
have thought mea declaration which drew from Miss Bordereau another
of her whimsical speeches。
〃She has very good manners； I bred her up myself！〃 I was on the point
of saying that that accounted for the easy grace of the niece； but I
arrested myself in time； and the next moment the old woman went on：
〃I don't care who you may beI don't want to know； it signifies very
little today。〃 This had all the air of being a formula of dismissal；
as if her next words would be that I might take myself off now that she had
had the amusement of looking on the face of such a monster of indiscretion。
Therefore I was all the more surprised when she added； with her soft；
venerable quaver； 〃You may have as many rooms as you likeif you will
pay a good deal of money。〃
I hesitated but for a single instant； long enough to ask
myself what she meant in particular by this condition。
First it struck me that she must have really a large sum
in her mind； then I reasoned quickly that her idea of a large
sum would probably not correspond to my own。 My deliberation；
I think； was not so visible as to diminish the promptitude
with which I replied； 〃I will pay with pleasure and of course
in advance whatever you may think is proper to ask me。〃
〃Well then； a thousand francs a month；〃 she rejoined instantly；
while her baffling green shade continued to cover her attitude。
The figure； as they say； was startling and my logic had been at fault。
The sum she had mentioned was； by the Venetian measure of such matters；
exceedingly large； there was many an old palace in an out…of…the…way
corner that I might on such terms have enjoyed by the year。
But so far as my small means allowed I was prepared to spend money；
and my decision was quickly taken。 I would pay her with a smiling face
what she asked； but in that case I would give myself the compensation
of extracting the papers from her for nothing。 Moreover if she had asked
five times as much I should have risen to the occasion； so odious would
it have appeared to me to stand chaffering with Aspern's Juliana。
It was queer enough to have a question of money with her at all。
I assured her that her views perfectly met my own and that on the morrow
I should have the pleasure of putting three months' rent into her hand。
She received this announcement with serenity and with no apparent sense
that after all it would be becoming of her to say that I ought to see
the rooms first。 This did not occur to her and indeed her serenity
was mainly what I wanted。 Our little bargain was just concluded
when the door opened and the younger lady appeared on the threshold。
As soon as Miss Bordereau saw her niece she cried out almost gaily；
〃He will give three thousandthree thousand tomorrow！〃
Miss Tita stood still； with her patient eyes turning from one
of us to the other； then she inquired； scarcely above her breath；
〃Do you mean francs？〃
〃Did you mean francs or dollars？〃 the old woman asked of me at this。
〃I think francs were what you said；〃 I answered； smiling。
〃That is very good；〃 said Miss Tita； as if she had become conscious
that her own question might have looked overreaching。
〃What do YOU know？ You are ignorant；〃 Miss Bordereau remarked；
not with acerbity but with a strange； soft coldness。
〃Yes； of moneycertainly of money！〃 Miss Tita hastened to exclaim。
〃I am sure you have your own branches of knowledge；〃
I took the liberty of saying； genially。 There was something
painful to me； somehow； in the turn the conversation had taken；
in the discussion of the rent。
〃She had a very good education when she was young。
I looked into that myself；〃 said Miss Bordereau。
Then she added； 〃But she has learned nothing since。〃
〃I have always been with you；〃 Miss Tita rejoined very mildly；
and evidently with no intention of making an epigram。
〃Yes； but for that！〃 her aunt declared with more satirical force。
She evidently meant that but for this her niece would never have got
on at all； the point of the observation however being lost on Miss Tita；
though she blushed at hearing her history revealed to a stranger。
Miss Bordereau went on； addressing herself to me： 〃And what time will
you come tomorrow with the money？〃
〃The sooner the better。 If it suits you I will come at noon。〃
〃I am always here but I have my hours；〃 said the old woman；
as if her convenience were not to be taken for granted。
〃You mean the times when you receive？〃
〃I never receive。 But I will see you at noon； when you come
with the money。〃
〃Very good； I shall be punctual；〃 and I added； 〃May I shake hands with you；
on our contract？〃 I thought there ought to be some little form； it would
make me really feel easier； for I foresaw that there would be no other。
Besides； though Miss Bordereau could not today be called personally attractive
and there was something even in her wasted antiquity that bade one stand at
one's distance； I felt an irresistible desire to hold in my own for a moment
the hand that Jeffrey Aspern had pressed。
For a minute she made no answer； and I saw that my proposal
failed to meet with her approbation。 She indulged in no movement
of withdrawal； which I half…expected； she only said coldly；
〃I belong to a time when that was not the custom。〃
I felt rather snubbed but I exclaimed good humoredly to Miss Tita；
〃Oh； you will do as well！〃 I shook hands with her while she replied；
with a small flutter； 〃Yes； yes； to show it's all arranged！〃
〃Shall you bring the money in gold？〃 Miss Bordereau demanded；
as I was turning to the door。
I looked at her for a moment。 〃Aren't you a little afraid；
after all； of keeping such a sum as that in the house？〃
It was not that I was annoyed at her avidity but I was really
struck with the disparity between such a treasure and such
scanty means of guarding it。
〃Whom should I be afraid of if I am not afraid of you？〃
she asked with her shrunken grimness。
〃Ah well；〃 said I； laughing； 〃I shall be in point of fact a protector and I
will bring gold if you prefer。〃
〃Thank you；〃 the old woman returned with dignity and with an inclination
of her head which evidently signified that I might depart。 I passed
out of the room； reflecting that it would not be easy to circumvent her。
As I stood in the sala again I saw that Miss Tita had followed me；
and I supposed that as her aunt had neglected to suggest that I should
take a look at my quarters it was her purpose to repair the omission。
But she made no such suggestion； she only stood there with a dim； though not
a languid smile； and with an effect of irresponsible； incompetent youth
which was almost comically at variance with the faded facts of her person。
She was not infirm； like her aunt； but she struck me as still more helpless；
because her inefficiency was spiritual； which was not the case with Miss
Bordereau's。 I waited to see if she would offer to show me the rest
of the house； but I did not precipitate the question； inasmuch as my plan
was from this moment to spend as much of my time as possible in her society。
I only observed at the end of a minute：
〃I have had better fortune than I hoped。 It was very kind of her to see me。
Perhaps you said a good word for me。〃
〃It was the idea of the money；〃 said Miss Tita。