"
"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 embarrassing,
and I bent my head over Jeffrey Aspern's portrait.
What an odd expression was in his face! "Get out of it as
you can, my dear fellow!" I put the picture into the pocket
of my coat and said to Miss Tita, "Yes, I'll sell it for you.
I shan't get a thousand pounds by any means, but I shall
get something good."
She looked at me with tears in her eyes, but she seemed to try to smile
as she remarked, "We can divide the money."
"No, no, it shall be all yours." Then I went on, "I think I know
what your poor aunt wanted to say. She wanted to give directions
that her papers should be buried with her."
Miss Tita appeared to consider this suggestion for a moment;
after which she declared, with striking decision, "Oh no,
she wouldn't have thought that safe!"
"It seems to me nothing could be safer."
"She had an idea that when people want to publish they are capable--"
And she paused, blushing.
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