n she was angry."

"Yes, I saw something of that, that night. She was terrible. Then I saw
her eyes. Lord, they were fine!"

"I see them--they stare at me in the dark!" said Miss Tita.

"You are nervous, with all you have been through."

"Oh, yes, very--very!"

"You mustn't mind; that will pass away," I said, kindly. Then I added,
resignedly, for it really seemed to me that I must accept the situation,
"Well, so it is, and it can't be helped. I must renounce." Miss Tita, at
this, looking at me, gave a low, soft moan, and I went on: "I only wish
to heaven she had destroyed them; then there would be nothing more to
say. And I can't understand why, with her ideas, she didn't."

"Oh, she lived on them!" said Miss Tita.

"You can imagine whether that makes me want less to see them," I
answered, smiling. "But don't let me stand here as if I had it in my
soul to tempt you to do anything base. Naturally you will understand if
I give up my rooms. I leave Venice immediately." And I took up my hat,
which I had placed on a chair. We were still there rather awkwardly,
on our feet, in the middle of the sala. She had left the door of the
apartments open behind her but she had not led me that way.

A kind of spasm came into her face as she saw me take my hat.
"Immediately--do you mean today?" The tone of the words was
tragical--they were a cry of desolation.

"Oh, no; not so long as I can be of the least service to you."

"Well, just a day or two more--just two or three days," she panted. Then
controlling herself, she added in another manner, "She wanted to say
something to me--the last day--something very particular, but she
couldn't."

"Something very particular?"

"Something more about the papers."

"And did you guess--have you any idea?"

"No, I have thought--but I don't know. I have thought all kinds of
things."

"And for instance?"

"Well, that if you were a relation it would be different."

"If I were a relation?"

"If you were not a stranger. Then it would be the same for you as for
me. Anything that is mine--would be yours, and you could do what you
like. I couldn't prevent you--and you would have no responsibility."

She brought out this droll explanation with a little nervous rush, as if
she were speaking words she had got by heart. They gave me an impression
of subtlety and at first I failed to follow. But after a moment her face
helped me to see further, and then a light came into my mind. It was
e