She was not infirm, like her aunt, but she struck me as still more helpless,
because her inefficiency was spiritual, which was not the case with Miss
Bordereau's. I waited to see if she would offer to show me the rest
of the house, but I did not precipitate the question, inasmuch as my plan
was from this moment to spend as much of my time as possible in her society.
I only observed at the end of a minute:
"I have had better fortune than I hoped. It was very kind of her to see me.
Perhaps you said a good word for me."
"It was the idea of the money," said Miss Tita.
"And did you suggest that?"
"I told her that you would perhaps give a good deal."
"What made you think that?"
"I told her I thought you were rich."
"And what put that idea into your head?"
"I don't know; the way you talked."
"Dear me, I must talk differently now," I declared.
"I'm sorry to say it's not the case."
"Well," said Miss Tita, "I think that in Venice the forestieri,
in general, often give a great deal for something that after all isn't much."
She appeared to make this remark with a comforting intention, to wish to
remind me that if I had been extravagant I was not really foolishly singular.
We walked together along the sala, and as I took its magnificent
measure I said to her that I was afraid it would not form a part of my
quartiere. Were my rooms by chance to be among those that opened into it?
"Not if you go above, on the second floor," she answered with a little
startled air, as if she had rather taken for granted I would know
my proper place.
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