Page:The Aspern Papers.djvu/191

 'Do you expect me to repeat to him?'

'Not in the least,' she broke in; 'I will do it myself.' At this I uttered some strong inarticulate protest, and she went on with a sort of simplicity: 'I was very glad at first, but it would have been better if we hadn't met.'

'I don't agree to that, for you interest me immensely.'

'I don't care for that—if I can interest him.'

'You must remember then that your charges are strangely vague, considering how violent they are. Never had a girl a more innocent appearance. You know how I have admired it.'

'You know nothing about her. I do, for she is the work of my hand!' Mrs. Pallant declared, with a bitter laugh. I have watched her for years and little by little, for the last two or three, it has come over me. There is not a tender spot in her whole composition. To arrive at a brilliant social position, if it were necessary, she would see me drown in this lake without lifting a finger, she would stand there and see it—she would push me in—and never feel a pang. That's my young lady! To climb up to the top and be splendid and envied there—to do it at any cost or by any meanness and cruelty, is the only thing she has a heart for. She would lie for it, she would steal for it, she would kill for it!' My companion brought out these words with a tremendous low distinctness and an air of sincerity that was really solemn. I watched her pale face and glowing eyes; she held me in a kind of stupor, but her strange, almost vindictive earnestness imposed itself. I found myself believing her, pitying her more than I pitied the girl. It was as if she had been bottled