Read Henry James: Complete Stories 1864-1874 Online

Authors: Henry James

Tags: #test

Henry James: Complete Stories 1864-1874 (47 page)

Page 273

lambency which must have been a part of her adventurous youth and which had outlived passions and faculties. None the less I asked, Wouldn't it be possible for you to come down there yourself? Wouldn't it do you good to sit there in the shade, in the sweet air?

Oh, sir, when I move out of this it won't be to sit in the air, and I'm afraid that any that may be stirring around me won't be particularly sweet! It will be a very dark shade indeed. But that won't be just yet, Miss Bordereau continued, cannily, as if to correct any hopes that this courageous allusion to the last receptacle of her mortality might lead me to entertain. I have sat here many a day and I have had enough of arbours in my time. But I'm not afraid to wait till I'm called.

Miss Tita had expected some interesting talk, but perhaps she found it less genial on her aunt's side (considering that I had been sent for with a civil intention) than she had hoped. As if to give the conversation a turn that would put our companion in a light more favourable she said to me, Didn't I tell you the other night that she had sent me out? You see that I can do what I like!

Do you pity herdo you teach her to pity herself? Miss Bordereau demanded, before I had time to answer this appeal. She has a much easier life than I had when I was her age.

You must remember that it has been quite open to me to think you rather inhuman.

Inhuman? That's what the poets used to call the women a hundred years ago. Don't try that; you won't do as well as they! Juliana declared. There is no more poetry in the worldthat I know of at least. But I won't bandy words with you, she pursued, and I well remember the old-fashioned, artificial sound she gave to the speech. You have made me talk, talk! It isn't good for me at all. I got up at this and told her I would take no more of her time; but she detained me to ask, Do you remember, the day I saw you about the rooms, that you offered us the use of your gondola? And when I assented, promptly, struck again with her disposition to make a good thing of being there and wondering what she now had in her eye, she broke out, Why don't you take that girl out in it and show her the place?

Page 274

Oh dear aunt, what do you want to do with me? cried the girl, with a piteous quaver. I know all about the place!

Well then, go with him as a cicerone! said Miss Bordereau, with an effect of something like cruelty in her implacable power of retortan incongruous suggestion that she was a sarcastic, profane, cynical old woman. Haven't we heard that there have been all sorts of changes in all these years? You ought to see them and at your age (I don't mean because you're so young), you ought to take the chances that come. You're old enough, my dear, and this gentleman won't hurt you. He will show you the famous sunsets, if they still go on
do
they go on? The sun set for me so long ago. But that's not a reason. Besides, I shall never miss you; you think you are too important. Take her to the Piazza; it used to be very pretty, Miss Bordereau continued, addressing herself to me. What have they done with the funny old church? I hope it hasn't tumbled down. Let her look at the shops; she may take some money, she may buy what she likes.

Poor Miss Tita had got up, discountenanced and helpless, and as we stood there before her aunt it would certainly have seemed to a spectator of the scene that the old woman was amusing herself at our expense. Miss Tita protested, in a confusion of exclamations and murmurs; but I lost no time in saying that if she would do me the honour to accept the hospitality of my boat I would engage that she should not be bored. Or if she did not want so much of my company the boat itself, with the gondolier, was at her service; he was a capital oar and she might have every confidence. Miss Tita, without definitely answering this speech, looked away from me, out of the window, as if she were going to cry; and I remarked that once we had Miss Bordereau's approval we could easily come to an understanding. We would take an hour, whichever she liked, one of the very next days. As I made my obeisance to the old lady I asked her if she would kindly permit me to see her again.

For a moment she said nothing; then she inquired, Is it very necessary to your happiness?

It diverts me more than I can say.

You are wonderfully civil. Don't you know it almost kills
me?

Page 275

How can I believe that when I see you more animated, more brilliant than when I came in?

That is very true, aunt, said Miss Tita. I think it does you good.

Isn't it touching, the solicitude we each have that the other shall enjoy herself? sneered Miss Bordereau. If you think me brilliant to-day you don't know what you are talking about; you have never seen an agreeable woman. Don't try to pay me a compliment; I have been spoiled, she went on. My door is shut, but you may sometimes knock.

With this she dismissed me and I left the room. The latch closed behind me, but Miss Tita, contrary to my hope, had remained within. I passed slowly across the hall and before taking my way downstairs I waited a little. My hope was answered; after a minute Miss Tita followed me. That's a delightful idea about the Piazza, I said. When will you goto-night, to-morrow?

She had been disconcerted, as I have mentioned, but I had already perceived and I was to observe again that when Miss Tita was embarrassed she did not (as most women would have done) turn away from you and try to escape, but came closer, as it were, with a deprecating, clinging appeal to be spared, to be protected. Her attitude was perpetually a sort of prayer for assistance, for explanation; and yet no woman in the world could have been less of a comedian. From the moment you were kind to her she depended on you absolutely; her self-consciousness dropped from her and she took the greatest intimacy, the innocent intimacy which was the only thing she could conceive, for granted. She told me she did not know what had got into her aunt; she had changed so quickly, she had got some idea. I replied that she must find out what the idea was and then let me know; we would go and have an ice together at Florian's and she should tell me while we listened to the band.

Oh, it will take me a long time to find out! she said, rather ruefully; and she could promise me this satisfaction neither for that night nor for the next. I was patient now, however, for I felt that I had only to wait; and in fact at the end of the week, one lovely evening after dinner, she stepped into my gondola, to which in honour of the occasion I had attached a second oar.

Page 276

We swept in the course of five minutes into the Grand Canal; whereupon she uttered a murmur of ecstasy as fresh as if she had been a tourist just arrived. She had forgotten how splendid the great water-way looked on a clear, hot summer evening, and how the sense of floating between marble palaces and reflected lights disposed the mind to sympathetic talk. We floated long and far, and though Miss Tita gave no high-pitched voice to her satisfaction I felt that she surrendered herself. She was more than pleased, she was transported; the whole thing was an immense liberation. the gondola moved with slow strokes, to give her time to enjoy it, and she listened to the plash of the oars, which grew louder and more musically liquid as we passed into narrow canals, as if it were a revelation of Venice. When I asked her how long it was since she had been in a boat she answered, Oh, I don't know; a long timenot since my aunt began to be ill. This was not the only example she gave me of her extreme vagueness about the previous years and the line which marked off the period when Miss Bordereau flourished. I was not at liberty to keep her out too long, but we took a considerable
giro
before going to the Piazza. I asked her no questions, keeping the conversation on purpose away from her domestic situation and the things I wanted to know; I poured treasures of information about Venice into her ears, described Florence and Rome, discoursed to her on the charms and advantages of travel. She reclined, receptive, on the deep leather cushions, turned her eyes conscientiously to everything I pointed out to her, and never mentioned to me till some time afterwards that she might be supposed to know Florence better than I, as she had lived there for years with Miss Bordereau. At last she asked, with the shy impatience of a child, Are we not really going to the Piazza? That's what I want to see! I immediately gave the order that we should go straight; and then we sat silent with the expectation of arrival. As some time still passed, however, she said suddenly, of her own movement, I have found out what is the matter with my aunt: she is afraid you will go!

What has put that into her head?

She has had an idea you have not been happy. That is why she is different now.

You mean she wants to make me happier?

Page 277

Well, she wants you not to go; she wants you to stay.

I suppose you mean on account of the rent, I remarked candidly.

Miss Tita's candour showed itself a match for my own. Yes, you know; so that I shall have more.

How much does she want you to have? I asked, laughing. She ought to fix the sum, so that I may stay till it's made up.

Oh, that wouldn't please me, said Miss Tita. It would be unheard of, your taking that trouble.

But suppose I should have my own reasons for staying in Venice?

Then it would be better for you to stay in some other house.

And what would your aunt say to that?

She wouldn't like it at all. But I should think you would do well to give up your reasons and go away altogether.

Dear Miss Tita, I said, it's not so easy to give them up!

She made no immediate answer to this, but after a moment she broke out: I think I know what your reasons are!

I daresay, because the other night I almost told you how I wish you would help me to make them good.

I can't do that without being false to my aunt.

What do you mean, being false to her?

Why, she would never consent to what you want. She has been asked, she has been written to. It made her fearfully angry.

Then she
has
got papers of value? I demanded, quickly.

Oh, she has got everything! sighed Miss Tita, with a curious weariness, a sudden lapse into gloom.

These words caused all my pulses to throb, for I regarded them as precious evidence. For some minutes I was too agitated to speak, and in the interval the gondola approached the Piazzetta. After we had disembarked I asked my companion whether she would rather walk round the square or go and sit at the door of the café; to which she replied that she would do whichever I liked bestI must only remember again how little time she had. I assured her there was plenty to do both, and we made the circuit of the long arcades. Her spirits revived at the sight of the bright shop-windows, and she

Page 278

lingered and stopped, admiring or disapproving of their contents, asking me what I thought of things, theorising about prices. My attention wandered from her; her words of a while before, Oh, she has got everything! echoed so in my consciousness. We sat down at last in the crowded circle at Florian's, finding an unoccupied table among those that were ranged in the square. It was a splendid night and all the world was out-of-doors; Miss Tita could not have wished the elements more auspicious for her return to society. I saw that she enjoyed it even more than she told; she was agitated with the multitude of her impressions. She had forgotten what an attractive thing the world is, and it was coming over her that somehow she had for the best years of her life been cheated of it. This did not make her angry; but as she looked all over the charming scene her face had, in spite of its smile of appreciation, the flush of a sort of wounded surprise. She became silent, as if she were thinking with a secret sadness of opportunities, for ever lost, which ought to have been easy; and this gave me a chance to say to her, Did you mean a while ago that your aunt has a plan of keeping me on by admitting me occasionally to her presence?

She thinks it will make a difference with you if you sometimes see her. She wants you so much to stay that she is willing to make that concession.

And what good does she consider that I think it will do me to see her?

I don't know; she thinks it's interesting, said Miss Tita, simply. You told her you found it so.

So I did; but every one doesn't think so.

No, of course not, or more people would try.

Well, if she is capable of making that reflection she is capable also of making this further one, I went on: that I must have a particular reason for not doing as others do, in spite of the interest she offersfor not leaving her alone. Miss Tita looked as if she failed to grasp this rather complicated proposition; so I continued, If you have not told her what I said to you the other night may she not at least have guessed it?

I don't know; she is very suspicious.

But she has not been made so by indiscreet curiosity, by persecution?

Other books

Iron Man by Tony Iommi

No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson

The Long Run by Leo Furey

Seven Days by Leigh, Josie

Flight Patterns by Karen White

The Forgetting Machine by Pete Hautman

Lightning Rider by Jen Greyson

The Silver Falcon by Katia Fox

Terror of Constantinople by Blake, Richard

Assassins' Dawn by Stephen Leigh