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of our dying companion。 All the same I took another look； endeavoring to
pick out mentally the place to try first； for a person who should wish
to put his hand on Miss Bordereau's papers directly after her death。
The room was a dire confusion； it looked like the room of an old actress。
There were clothes hanging over chairs； odd…looking shabby bundles
here and there； and various pasteboard boxes piled together；
battered； bulging； and discolored； which might have been fifty years old。
Miss Tita after a moment noticed the direction of my eyes again and；
as if she guessed how I judged the air of the place （forgetting I
had no business to judge it at all）； said； perhaps to defend herself
from the imputation of complicity in such untidiness：
〃She likes it this way； we can't move things。
There are old bandboxes she has had most of her life。〃
Then she added； half taking pity on my real thought；
〃Those things were THERE。〃 And she pointed to a small；
low trunk which stood under a sofa where there was just room for it。
It appeared to be a queer； superannuated coffer； of painted wood；
with elaborate handles and shriveled straps and with the color
（it had last been endued with a coat of light green） much rubbed off。
It evidently had traveled with Juliana in the olden time
in the days of her adventures； which it had shared。
It would have made a strange figure arriving at a modern hotel。
〃WERE therethey aren't now？〃 I asked； startled by
Miss Tita's implication。
She was going to answer； but at that moment the doctor came in
the doctor whom the little maid had been sent to fetch and whom she
had at last overtaken。 My servant； going on his own errand； had met
her with her companion in tow； and in the sociable Venetian spirit；
retracing his steps with them； had also come up to the threshold of Miss
Bordereau's room； where I saw him peeping over the doctor's shoulder。
I motioned him away the more instantly that the sight of his prying
face reminded me that I myself had almost as little to do there
an admonition confirmed by the sharp way the little doctor looked at me；
appearing to take me for a rival who had the field before him。
He was a short； fat； brisk gentleman who wore the tall hat of his
profession and seemed to look at everything but his patient。
He looked particularly at me； as if it struck him that I
should be better for a dose； so that I bowed to him and left
him with the women； going down to smoke a cigar in the garden。
I was nervous； I could not go further； I could not leave the place。
I don't know exactly what I thought might happen； but it seemed
to me important to be there。 I wandered about in the alleys
the warm night had come onsmoking cigar after cigar and looking
at the light in Miss Bordereau's windows。 They were open now；
I could see； the situation was different。 Sometimes the light moved；
but not quickly； it did not suggest the hurry of a crisis。
Was the old woman dying； or was she already dead？ Had the doctor
said that there was nothing to be done at her tremendous age but to
let her quietly pass away； or had he simply announced with a look
a little more conventional that the end of the end had come？
Were the other two women moving about to perform the offices that
follow in such a case？ It made me uneasy not to be nearer； as if I
thought the doctor himself might carry away the papers with him。
I bit my cigar hard as it came over me again that perhaps there
were now no papers to carry！
I wandered about for an hourfor an hour and a half。
I looked out for Miss Tita at one of the windows； having a
vague idea that she might come there to give me some sign。
Would she not see the red tip of my cigar moving about in the dark
and feel that I wanted eminently to know what the doctor had said？
I am afraid it is a proof my anxieties had made me gross that I
should have taken in some degree for granted that at such an hour；
in the midst of the greatest change that could take place
in her life； they were uppermost also in Miss Tita's mind。
My servant came down and spoke to me； he knew nothing save
that the doctor had gone after a visit of half an hour。
If he had stayed half an hour then Miss Bordereau was still alive：
it could not have taken so much time as that to enunciate
the contrary。 I sent the man out of the house； there were moments
when the sense of his curiosity annoyed me； and this was one of them。
HE had been watching my cigar tip from an upper window；
if Miss Tita had not； he could not know what I was after and I
could not tell him； though I was conscious he had fantastic
private theories about me which he thought fine and which I；
had I known them； should have thought offensive。
I went upstairs at last but I ascended no higher than the
sala。 The door of Miss Bordereau's apartment was open；
showing from the parlor the dimness of a poor candle。
I went toward it with a light tread； and at the same moment
Miss Tita appeared and stood looking at me as I approached。
〃She's bettershe's better；〃 she said； even before I had asked。
〃The doctor has given her something； she woke up； came back to life
while he was there。 He says there is no immediate danger。〃
〃No immediate danger？ Surely he thinks her condition strange！〃
〃Yes； because she had been excited。 That affects her dreadfully。〃
〃It will do so again then； because she excites herself。
She did so this afternoon。〃
〃Yes； she mustn't come out any more；〃 said Miss Tita； with one of her lapses
into a deeper placidity。
〃What is the use of making such a remark as that if you begin to rattle
her about again the first time she bids you？〃
〃I won'tI won't do it any more。〃
〃You must learn to resist her；〃 I went on。
〃Oh； yes； I shall； I shall do so better if you tell me it's right。〃
〃You mustn't do it for me； you must do it for yourself。
It all comes back to you； if you are frightened。〃
〃Well； I am not frightened now；〃 said Miss Tita cheerfully。
〃She is very quiet。〃
〃Is she conscious againdoes she speak？〃
〃No； she doesn't speak； but she takes my hand。 She holds it fast。〃
'Yes；〃 I rejoined； 〃I can see what force she still has
by the way she grabbed that picture this afternoon。
But if she holds you fast how comes it that you are here？〃
Miss Tita hesitated a moment； though her face was in deep shadow （she had her
back to the light in the parlor and I had put down my own candle far off；
near the door of the sala）； I thought I saw her smile ingenuously。
〃I came on purposeI heard your step。〃
〃Why； I came on tiptoe； as inaudibly as possible。〃
〃Well； I heard you；〃 said Miss Tita。
〃And is your aunt alone now？〃
〃Oh； no； Olimpia is sitting there。〃
On my side I hesitated。 〃Shall we then step in there？〃
And I nodded at the parlor； I wanted more and more to be
on the spot。
〃We can't talk thereshe will hear us。〃
I was on the point of replying that in th