Later on indeed he himself was booked to Jim, was to
take him that evening to the Varieties--which Strether was careful
to pronounce as Jim pronounced them.
Miss Gostrey drank it in. "What then to-night do the others do?"
"Well, it has been arranged. Waymarsh takes Sarah to dine at
Bignons.
She wondered. "And what do they do after? They can't come straight
home."
"No, they can't come straight home--at least Sarah can't.
It's their secret, but I think I've guessed it." Then as she waited:
"The circus."
It made her stare a moment longer, then laugh almost to
extravagance. "There's no one like you!"
"Like ME?"--he only wanted to understand.
"Like all of you together--like all of us: Woollett, Milrose and
their products. We're abysmal--but may we never be less so!
Mr. Newsome," she continued, "meanwhile takes Miss Pocock--?"
"Precisely--to the Francais: to see what you took Waymarsh and me
to, a family-bill."
"Ah then may Mr. Chad enjoy it as I did!" But she saw so much in
things. "Do they spend their evenings, your young people, like
that, alone together?"
"Well, they're young people--but they're old friends."
"I see, I see. And do THEY dine--for a difference--at Brebant's?"
"Oh where they dine is their secret too.
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