"And I infer that that's where your aunt would like me to be.""She said your apartments ought to be very distinct.""That certainly would be best." And I listened with respect while she told me that up above I was free to take whatever I liked;that there was another staircase, but only from the floor on which we stood, and that to pass from it to the garden-story or to come up to my lodging I should have in effect to cross the great hall.
This was an immense point gained; I foresaw that it would constitute my whole leverage in my relations with the two ladies.
When I asked Miss Tita how I was to manage at present to find my way up she replied with an access of that sociable shyness which constantly marked her manner.
"Perhaps you can't.I don't see--unless I should go with you."She evidently had not thought of this before.
We ascended to the upper floor and visited a long succession of empty rooms.The best of them looked over the garden; some of the others had a view of the blue lagoon, above the opposite rough-tiled housetops.
They were all dusty and even a little disfigured with long neglect, but I saw that by spending a few hundred francs I should be able to convert three or four of them into a convenient habitation.
My experiment was turning out costly, yet now that I had all but taken possession I ceased to allow this to trouble me.
I mentioned to my companion a few of the things that I should put in, but she replied rather more precipitately than usual that I might do exactly what I liked; she seemed to wish to notify me that the Misses Bordereau would take no overt interest in my proceedings.
I guessed that her aunt had instructed her to adopt this tone, and Imay as well say now that I came afterward to distinguish perfectly (as I believed) between the speeches she made on her own responsibility and those the old lady imposed upon her.She took no notice of the unswept condition of the rooms and indulged in no explanations nor apologies.
I said to myself that this was a sign that Juliana and her niece (disenchanting idea!) were untidy persons, with a low Italian standard;but I afterward recognized that a lodger who had forced an entrance had no locus standi as a critic.We looked out of a good many windows, for there was nothing within the rooms to look at, and still I wanted to linger.I asked her what several different objects in the prospect might be, but in no case did she appear to know.
She was evidently not familiar with the view--it was as if she had not looked at it for years--and I presently saw that she was too preoccupied with something else to pretend to care for it.
Suddenly she said--the remark was not suggested:
"I don't know whether it will make any difference to you, but the money is for me.""The money?"
"The money you are going to bring."
"Why, you'll make me wish to stay here two or three years."I spoke as benevolently as possible, though it had begun to act on my nerves that with these women so associated with Aspern the pecuniary question should constantly come back.
"That would be very good for me," she replied, smiling.
"You put me on my honor!"
She looked as if she failed to understand this, but went on:
"She wants me to have more.She thinks she is going to die.""Ah, not soon, I hope!" I exclaimed with genuine feeling.