He had seen Chad Newsome late the night before, and he had
had that morning, as a sequel to this conversation, a second
interview with Sarah. "But they're all off," he said, "at last."
It puzzled her a moment. "All?--Mr. Newsome with them?"
"Ah not yet! Sarah and Jim and Mamie. But Waymarsh with them--
for Sarah. It's too beautiful," Strether continued; "I find I don't
get over that--it's always a fresh joy. But it's a fresh joy too,"
he added, "that--well, what do you think? Little Bilham also goes.
But he of course goes for Mamie."
Miss Gostrey wondered. "'For' her? Do you mean they're already
engaged?"
"Well," said Strether, "say then for ME. He'll do anything for me;
just as I will, for that matter--anything I can--for him. Or for
Mamie either. SHE'LL do anything for me."
Miss Gostrey gave a comprehensive sigh. "The way you reduce people
to subjection!"
"It's certainly, on one side, wonderful. But it's quite equalled,
on another, by the way I don't. I haven't reduced Sarah, since
yesterday; though I've succeeded in seeing her again, as I'll
presently tell you. The others however are really all right.
Mamie, by that blessed law of ours, absolutely must have a young
man."
"But what must poor Mr.
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