He took up an oar and, since he was to have the credit of pulling,
pulled.
"That will make it all the pleasanter if it so happens that we DO
meet," Madame de Vionnet had further observed in reference to Mrs.
Pocock's mention of her initiated state; and she had immediately
added that, after all, her hostess couldn't be in need with the
good offices of Mr. Strether so close at hand. "It's he, I gather,
who has learnt to know his Paris, and to love it, better than any
one ever before in so short a time; so that between him and your
brother, when it comes to the point, how can you possibly want for
good guidance? The great thing, Mr. Strether will show you," she
smiled, "is just to let one's self go."
"Oh I've not let myself go very far," Strether answered, feeling
quite as if he had been called upon to hint to Mrs. Pocock how
Parisians could talk. "I'm only afraid of showing I haven't let
myself go far enough. I've taken a good deal of time, but I must
quite have had the air of not budging from one spot." He looked at
Sarah in a manner that he thought she might take as engaging, and
he made, under Madame de Vionnet's protection, as it were, his
first personal point. "What has really happened has been that, all
the while, I've done what I came out for.
Pages:
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456