the aspern papers-第5章

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nearer　to　him　at　that　first　moment　of　seeing　her　than　I　ever

had　been　before　or　ever　have　been　since。　　Yes；　I　remember

my　emotions　in　their　order；　even　including　a　curious　little

tremor　that　took　me　when　I　saw　that　the　niece　was　not　there。

With　her；　the　day　before；　I　had　become　sufficiently　familiar；

but　it　almost　exceeded　my　courage　（much　s　I　had　longed　for　the　event）

to　be　left　alone　with　such　a　terrible　relic　as　the　aunt。

She　was　too　strange；　too　literally　resurgent。　　Then　came　a　check；

with　the　perception　that　we　were　not　really　face　to　face；

inasmuch　as　she　had　over　her　eyes　a　horrible　green　shade　which；

for　her；　served　almost　as　a　mask。　　I　believed　for　the　instant

that　she　had　put　it　on　expressly；　so　that　from　underneath　it

she　might　scrutinize　me　without　being　scrutinized　herself。

At　the　same　time　it　increased　the　presumption　that　there　was

a　ghastly　death's…head　lurking　behind　it。　　The　divine　Juliana

as　a　grinning　skullthe　vision　hung　there　until　it　passed。

Then　it　came　to　me　that　she　WAS　tremendously　old

so　old　that　death　might　take　her　at　any　moment；　before　I　had　time

to　get　what　I　wanted　from　her。　　The　next　thought　was　a　correction

to　that；　it　lighted　up　the　situation。　　She　would　die　next　week；

she　would　die　tomorrowthen　I　could　seize　her　papers。

Meanwhile　she　sat　there　neither　moving　nor　speaking。　　She　was

very　small　and　shrunken；　bent　forward；　with　her　hands　in　her　lap。

She　was　dressed　in　black；　and　her　head　was　wrapped　in　a　piece

of　old　black　lace　which　showed　no　hair。



My　emotion　keeping　me　silent　she　spoke　first；　and　the　remark

she　made　was　exactly　the　most　unexpected。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　III





〃Our　house　is　very　far　from　the　center；　but　the　little　canal

is　very　comme　il　faut。〃



〃It's　the　sweetest　corner　of　Venice　and　I　can　imagine　nothing　more　charming；〃

I　hastened　to　reply。　　The　old　lady's　voice　was　very　thin　and　weak；　but　it

had　an　agreeable；　cultivated　murmur；　and　there　was　wonder　in　the　thought

that　that　individual　note　had　been　in　Jeffrey　Aspern's　ear。



〃Please　to　sit　down　there。　　I　hear　very　well；〃

she　said　quietly；　as　if　perhaps　I　had　been　shouting　at　her；

and　the　chair　she　pointed　to　was　at　a　certain　distance。

I　took　possession　of　it；　telling　her　that　I　was　perfectly

aware　that　I　had　intruded；　that　I　had　not　been　properly

introduced　and　could　only　throw　myself　upon　her　indulgence。

Perhaps　the　other　lady；　the　one　I　had　had　the　honor　of　seeing

the　day　before；　would　have　explained　to　her　about　the　garden。

That　was　literally　what　had　given　me　courage　to　take　a　step

so　unconventional。　　I　had　fallen　in　love　at　sight　with　the　whole　place

（she　herself　probably　was　so　used　to　it　that　she　did　not　know

the　impression　it　was　capable　of　making　on　a　stranger）；　and　I

had　felt　it　was　really　a　case　to　risk　something。　　Was　her　own

kindness　in　receiving　me　a　sign　that　I　was　not　wholly　out　in

my　calculation？　　It　would　render　me　extremely　happy　to　think　so。

I　could　give　her　my　word　of　honor　that　I　was　a　most　respectable；

inoffensive　person　and　that　as　an　inmate　they　would　be　barely

conscious　of　my　existence。　　I　would　conform　to　any　regulations；

any　restrictions　if　they　would　only　let　me　enjoy　the　garden。

Moreover　I　should　be　delighted　to　give　her　references；　guarantees；

they　would　be　of　the　very　best；　both　in　Venice　and　in　England

as　well　as　in　America。



She　listened　to　me　in　perfect　stillness　and　I　felt　that　she　was　looking

at　me　with　great　attention；　though　I　could　see　only　the　lower　part

of　her　bleached　and　shriveled　face。　　Independently　of　the　refining

process　of　old　age　it　had　a　delicacy　which　once　must　have　been　great。

She　had　been　very　fair；　she　had　had　a　wonderful　complexion。

She　was　silent　a　little　after　I　had　ceased　speaking；　then　she　inquired；

〃If　you　are　so　fond　of　a　garden　why　don't　you　go　to　terra　firma；

where　there　are　so　many　far　better　than　this？〃



〃Oh；　it's　the　combination！〃　　I　answered；　smiling；　and　then；

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