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never worried at my keeping her so long away from her aunt。
She talked freely； answering questions and asking them and not
even taking advantage of certain longish pauses with which they
inevitably alternated to say she thought she had better go in。
It was almost as if she were waiting for somethingsomething I
might say to herand intended to give me my opportunity。
I was the more struck by this as she told me that her aunt
had been less well for a good many days and in a way that was
rather new。 She was weaker； at moments it seemed as if she
had no strength at all； yet more than ever before she wished
to be left alone。 That was why she had told her to come out
not even to remain in her own room； which was alongside；
she said her niece irritated her； made her nervous。
She sat still for hours together； as if she were asleep；
she had always done that； musing and dozing； but at such times
formerly she gave at intervals some small sign of life；
of interest； liking her companion to be near her with her work。
Miss Tita confided to me that at present her aunt was so
motionless that she sometimes feared she was dead； moreover she
took hardly any foodone couldn't see what she lived on。
The great thing was that she still on most days got up；
the serious job was to dress her； to wheel her out of her bedroom。
She clung to as many of her old habits as possible and she
had always； little company as they had received for years；
made a point of sitting in the parlor。
I scarcely knew what to think of all thisof Miss Tita's
sudden conversion to sociability and of the strange
circumstance that the more the old lady appeared to decline
toward her end the less she should desire to be looked after。
The story did not hang together； and I even asked myself whether
it were not a trap laid for me； the result of a design to make
me show my hand。 I could not have told why my companions
（as they could only by courtesy be called） should have this purpose
why they should try to trip up so lucrative a lodger。
At any rate I kept on my guard； so that Miss Tita should not
have occasion again to ask me if I had an arriere…pensee。
Poor woman； before we parted for the night my mind was at rest
as to HER capacity for entertaining one。
She told me more about their affairs than I had hoped；
there was no need to be prying； for it evidently drew
her out simply to feel that I listened； that I cared。
She ceased wondering why I cared； and at last； as she spoke of
the brilliant life they had led years before； she almost chattered。
It was Miss Tita who judged it brilliant； she said that when they
first came to live in Venice； years and years before （I saw
that her mind was essentially vague about dates and the order
in which events had occurred）； there was scarcely a week
that they had not some visitor or did not make some delightful
passeggio in the city。 They had seen all the curiosities；
they had even been to the Lido in a boat （she spoke as if I might
think there was a way on foot）； they had had a collation there；
brought in three baskets and spread out on the grass。
I asked her what people they had known and she said； Oh！ very
nice onesthe Cavaliere Bombicci and the Contessa Altemura；
with whom they had had a great friendship。 Also English people
the Churtons and the Goldies and Mrs。 Stock…Stock； whom
they had loved dearly； she was dead and gone； poor dear。
That was the case with most of their pleasant circle
（this expression was Miss Tita's own）； though a few were left；
which was a wonder considering how they had neglected them。
She mentioned the names of two or three Venetian old women； of a
certain doctor； very clever； who was so kindhe came as a friend；
he had really given up practice； of the avvocato Pochintesta；
who wrote beautiful poems and had addressed one to her aunt。
These people came to see them without fail every year；
usually at the capo d'anno； and of old her aunt used
to make them some little presenther aunt and she together：
small things that she； Miss Tita； made herself； like paper
lampshades or mats for the decanters of wine at dinner or those
woolen things that in cold weather were worn on the wrists。
The last few years there had not been many presents；
she could not think what to make； and her aunt had lost her
interest and never suggested。 But the people came all the same；
if the Venetians liked you once they liked you forever。
There was something affecting in the good faith of this
sketch of former social glories； the picnic at the Lido had
remained vivid through the ages； and poor Miss Tita evidently
was of the impression that she had had a brilliant youth。
She had in fact had a glimpse of the Venetian world in
its gossiping； home…keeping； parsimonious； professional walks；
for I observed for the first time that she had acquired
by contact something of the trick of the familiar；
soft…sounding； almost infantile speech of the place。
I judged that she had imbibed this invertebrate dialect
from the natural way the names of things and people
mostly purely localrose to her lips。 If she knew little
of what they represented she knew still less of anything else。
Her aunt had drawn inher failing interest in the table mats
and lampshades was a sign of thatand she had not been able
to mingle in society or to entertain it alone； so that the matter
of her reminiscences struck one as an old world altogether。
If she had not been so decent her references would have seemed
to carry one back to the queer rococo Venice of Casanova。
I found myself falling into the error of thinking of her too
as one of Jeffrey Aspern's contemporaries； this came from her
having so little in common with my own。 It was possible；
I said to myself； that she had not even heard of him；
it might very well be that Juliana had not cared to lift even
for her the veil that covered the temple of her youth。 In this
case she perhaps would not know of the existence of the papers；
and I welcomed that presumptionit made me feel more safe with her
until I remembered that we had believed the letter of disavowal
received by Cumnor to be in the handwriting of the niece。
If it had been dictated to her she had of course to know what it
was about； yet after all the effect of it was to repudiate
the idea of any connection with the poet。 I held it probable
at all events that Miss Tita had not read a word of his poetry。
Moreover if； with her companion； she had always escaped
the interviewer there was little occasion for her having
got it into her head that people were 〃after〃 the letters。
People had not been after them； inasmuch as they had not
heard of them； and Cumnor's fruitless feeler would have been
a solitary accident。
When midnight sounded Miss Tita got up； but she stopped at the door
of the house only after she had wandered two or three times
with me round the garden。 〃When shall I see you again？〃
I asked before she went in； to which she