You're at all events
the biggest she can get hold of." She embroidered, she abounded.
"I don't say it to interfere between you, but on the day she gets
hold of a bigger one--!" Strether had thrown back his head as in
silent mirth over something that struck him in her audacity or
felicity, and her flight meanwhile was already higher. "Therefore
close with her--!"
"Close with her?" he asked as she seemed to hang poised.
"Before you lose your chance."
Their eyes met over it. "What do you mean by closing?"
"And what do I mean by your chance? I'll tell you when you tell me
all the things YOU don't. Is it her GREATEST fad?" she briskly
pursued.
"The Review?" He seemed to wonder how he could best describe it.
This resulted however but in a sketch. "It's her tribute to the
ideal."
"I see. You go in for tremendous things."
"We go in for the unpopular side--that is so far as we dare."
"And how far DO you dare?"
"Well, she very far. I much less. I don't begin to have her faith.
She provides," said Strether, "three fourths of that. And she
provides, as I've confided to you, ALL the money."
It evoked somehow a vision of gold that held for a little Miss
Gostrey's eyes, and she looked as if she heard the bright dollars
shovelled in.
Pages:
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116