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why even now and before taking the trouble of becoming an inmate
（which might be wretchedly uncomfortable after all； even if it succeeded）；
I had not the resource of simply offering them a sum of money down。
In that way I might obtain the documents without bad nights。
〃Dearest lady；〃 I exclaimed； 〃excuse the impatience of my tone when I
suggest that you must have forgotten the very fact （surely I communicated
it to you） which pushed me to throw myself upon your ingenuity。
The old woman won't have the documents spoken of； they are personal；
delicate； intimate； and she hasn't modern notions； God bless her！
If I should sound that note first I should certainly spoil the game。
I can arrive at the papers only by putting her off her guard；
and I can put her off her guard only by ingratiating
diplomatic practices。 Hypocrisy； duplicity are my only chance。
I am sorry for it； but for Jeffrey Aspern's sake I would do worse still。
First I must take tea with her； then tackle the main job。〃
And I told over what had happened to John Cumnor when he wrote to her。
No notice whatever had been taken of his first letter； and the second
had been answered very sharply； in six lines； by the niece。
〃Miss Bordereau requested her to say that she could not imagine what
he meant by troubling them。 They had none of Mr。 Aspern's papers；
and if they had should never think of showing them to anyone
on any account whatever。 She didn't know what he was talking
about and begged he would let her alone。〃 I certainly did not want
to be met that way。
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Prest after a moment； provokingly； 〃perhaps after all they
haven't any of his things。 If they deny it flat how are you sure？〃
〃John Cumnor is sure； and it would take me long to tell
you how his conviction； or his very strong presumption
strong enough to stand against the old lady's not unnatural fib
has built itself up。 Besides； he makes much of the internal
evidence of the niece's letter。〃
〃The internal evidence？〃
〃Her calling him 'Mr。 Aspern。'〃
〃I don't see what that proves。〃
〃It proves familiarity； and familiarity implies the possession
of mementoes； or relics。 I can't tell you how that 'Mr。' touches me
how it bridges over the gulf of time and brings our hero near
to menor what an edge it gives to my desire to see Juliana。
You don't say； 'Mr。' Shakespeare。〃
〃Would I； any more； if I had a box full of his letters？〃
〃Yes； if he had been your lover and someone wanted them！〃
And I added that John Cumnor was so convinced； and so all the more
convinced by Miss Bordereau's tone； that he would have come
himself to Venice on the business were it not that for him there
was the obstacle that it would be difficult to disprove his
identity with the person who had written to them； which the old
ladies would be sure to suspect in spite of dissimulation
and a change of name。 If they were to ask him point…blank
if he were not their correspondent it would be too awkward
for him to lie； whereas I was fortunately not tied in that way。
I was a fresh hand and could say no without lying。
〃But you will have to change your name；〃 said Mrs。 Prest。
〃Juliana lives out of the world as much as it is possible to live；
but none the less she has probably heard of Mr。 Aspern's editors；
she perhaps possesses what you have published。〃
〃I have thought of that；〃 I returned； and I drew out of my pocketbook
a visiting card； neatly engraved with a name that was not my own。
〃You are very extravagant； you might have written it；〃
said my companion。
〃This looks more genuine。〃
〃Certainly； you are prepared to go far！ But it will be awkward
about your letters； they won't come to you in that mask。〃
〃My banker will take them in； and I will go every day to fetch them。
It will give me a little walk。〃
〃Shall you only depend upon that？〃 asked Mrs。 Prest。
〃Aren't you coming to see me？〃
〃Oh； you will have left Venice； for the hot months； long before
there are any results。 I am prepared to roast all summer
as well as hereafter； perhaps you'll say！ Meanwhile； John Cumnor
will bombard me with letters addressed； in my feigned name；
to the care of the padrona。〃
〃She will recognize his hand；〃 my companion suggested。
〃On the envelope he can disguise it。〃
〃Well； you're a precious pair！ Doesn't it occur to you that even if you
are able to say you are not Mr。 Cumnor in person they may still suspect
you of being his emissary？〃
〃Certainly； and I see only one way to parry that。〃
〃And what may that be？〃
I hesitated a moment。 〃To make love to the niece。〃
〃Ah；〃 cried Mrs。 Prest； 〃wait till you see her！〃
II
〃I must work the gardenI must work the garden；〃 I said to myself；
five minutes later； as I waited； upstairs； in the long；
dusky sala； where the bare scagliola floor gleamed vaguely
in a chink of the closed shutters。 The place was impressive
but it looked cold and cautious。 Mrs。 Prest had floated away；
giving me a rendezvous at the end of half an hour by some
neighboring water steps； and I had been let into the house；
after pulling the rusty bell wire； by a little red…headed；
white…faced maidservant； who was very young and not ugly and
wore clicking pattens and a shawl in the fashion of a hood。
She had not contented herself with opening the door from above
by the usual arrangement of a creaking pulley； though she
had looked down at me first from an upper window； dropping the
inevitable challenge which in Italy precedes the hospitable act。
As a general thing I was irritated by this survival of
medieval manners； though as I liked the old I suppose I ought
to have liked it； but I was so determined to be genial that I
took my false card out of my pocket and held it up to her；
smiling as if it were a magic token。 It had the effect of
one indeed； for it brought her； as I say； all the way down。
I begged her to hand it to her mistress； having first written on
it in Italian the words； 〃Could you very kindly see a gentleman；
an American； for a moment？〃 The little maid was not hostile；
and I reflected that even that was perhaps something gained。
She colored； she smiled and looked both frightened and pleased。
I could see that my arrival was a great affair； that visits
were rare in that house； and that she was a person who would
have liked a sociable place。 When she pushed forward the heavy
door behind me I felt that I had a foot in the citadel。
She pattered across the damp； stony lower hall and I followed
her up the high staircasestonier still； as it seemed
without an invitation。 I think she had meant I should wait
for her below； but such was not my idea； and I took up my
station in the sala。 She flitted； at the far end of it；
into impenetrable regions； and I looked at the place with my
heart beating as I had known it to do in the dentist's parlor。
It was gloomy and stately； but i