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〃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。
〃And did you suggest that？〃
〃I told her that you would perhaps give a good deal。〃
〃What made you think that？〃
〃I told her I thought you were rich。〃
〃And what put that idea into your head？〃
〃I don't know； the way you talked。〃
〃Dear me； I must talk differently now；〃 I declared。
〃I'm sorry to say it's not the case。〃
〃Well；〃 said Miss Tita； 〃I think that in Venice the forestieri；
in general； often give a great deal for something that after all isn't much。〃
She appeared to make this remark with a comforting intention； to wish to
remind me that if I had been extravagant I was not really foolishly singular。
We walked together along the sala； and as I took its magnificent
measure I said to her that I was afraid it would not form a part of my
quartiere。 Were my rooms by chance to be among those that opened into it？
〃Not if you go above； on the second floor；〃 she answered with a little
startled air； as if she had rather taken for granted I would know
my proper place。
〃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 seeunless 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 I
may 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 viewit was as if she
had not looked at it for yearsand I presently saw that she was
too preoccupied with something else to pretend to care for it。
Suddenly she saidthe 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