I can't put my finger on him--I can't give him a label.Wasn't he a writer?
Surely he's a poet." I was determined that it should be she, not I, who should first pronounce Jeffrey Aspern's name.
My resolution was taken in ignorance of Miss Bordereau's extremely resolute character, and her lips never formed in my hearing the syllables that meant so much for her.
She neglected to answer my question but raised her hand to take back the picture, with a gesture which though ineffectual was in a high degree peremptory."It's only a person who should know for himself that would give me my price,"she said with a certain dryness.
"Oh, then, you have a price?" I did not restore the precious thing;not from any vindictive purpose but because I instinctively clung to it.
We looked at each other hard while I retained it.
"I know the least I would take.What it occurred to me to ask you about is the most I shall be able to get."She made a movement, drawing herself together as if, in a spasm of dread at having lost her treasure, she were going to attempt the immense effort of rising to snatch it from me.
I instantly placed it in her hand again, saying as I did so, "I should like to have it myself, but with your ideas I could never afford it."She turned the small oval plate over in her lap, with its face down, and I thought I saw her catch her breath a little, as if she had had a strain or an escape.This however did not prevent her saying in a moment, "You would buy a likeness of a person you don't know, by an artist who has no reputation?""The artist may have no reputation, but that thing is wonderfully well painted," I replied, to give myself a reason.
"It's lucky you thought of saying that, because the painter was my father.""That makes the picture indeed precious!" I exclaimed, laughing; and Imay add that a part of my laughter came from my satisfaction in finding that I had been right in my theory of Miss Bordereau's origin.Aspern had of course met the young lady when he went to her father's studio as a sitter.
I observed to Miss Bordereau that if she would entrust me with her property for twenty-four hours I should be happy to take advice upon it;but she made no answer to this save to slip it in silence into her pocket.
This convinced me still more that she had no sincere intention of selling it during her lifetime, though she may have desired to satisfy herself as to the sum her niece, should she leave it to her, might expect eventually to obtain for it."Well, at any rate I hope you will not offer it without giving me notice," I said as she remained irresponsive.
"Remember that I am a possible purchaser.""I should want your money first!" she returned with unexpected rudeness;and then, as if she bethought herself that I had just cause to complain of such an insinuation and wished to turn the matter off, asked abruptly what I talked about with her niece when I went out with her that way in the evening.
"You speak as if we had set up the habit," I replied.
"Certainly I should be very glad if it were to become a habit.
But in that case I should feel a still greater scruple at betraying a lady's confidence.""Her confidence? Has she got confidence?""Here she is--she can tell you herself," I said; for Miss Tita now appeared on the threshold of the old woman's parlor.
"Have you got confidence, Miss Tita? Your aunt wants very much to know.""Not in her, not in her!" the younger lady declared, shaking her head with a dolefulness that was neither jocular not affected.
"I don't know what to do with her; she has fits of horrid imprudence.
She is so easily tired--and yet she has begun to roam--to drag herself about the house." And she stood looking down at her immemorial companion with a sort of helpless wonder, as if all their years of familiarity had not made her perversities, on occasion, any more easy to follow.
"I know what I'm about.I'm not losing my mind.
I daresay you would like to think so," said Miss Bordereau with a cynical little sigh.
"I don't suppose you came out here yourself.Miss Tita must have had to lend you a hand," I interposed with a pacifying intention.