The Ambassadors by Henry James (read people like a book .TXT) 📕

did after my visit to you,” he explained, “was to write straight off to Mrs. Newsome about you, and I’m at last, from one day to the other, expecting her answer. It’s this answer that will represent, as I believe, the consequences.”

Patient and beautiful was her interest. “I see⁠—the consequences of your speaking for me.” And she waited as if not to hustle him.

He acknowledged it by immediately going on. “The question, you understand, was how I should save you. Well, I’m trying it by thus letting her know that I consider you worth saving.”

“I see⁠—I see.” Her eagerness broke through.

“How can I thank you enough?” He couldn’t tell her that, however, and she quickly pursued. “You do really, for yourself, consider it?”

His only answer at first was to help her to the dish that had been freshly put before them. “I’ve written to her again since then⁠—I’ve left her in no doubt of what I think. I’ve told her all about you.”

“Thanks⁠—not so much. ‘All about’ me,” she went on⁠—“yes.”

“All it seems to me you’ve done for him.”

“Ah and you might have added all it seems to me!” She laughed again, while she took up her knife and fork, as in the cheer of these assurances. “But you’re not sure how she’ll take it.”

“No, I’ll not pretend I’m sure.”

“Voilà.” And she waited a moment. “I wish you’d tell me about her.”

“Oh,” said Strether with a slightly strained smile, “all that need concern you about her is that she’s really a grand person.”

Madame de Vionnet seemed to demur. “Is that all that need concern me about her?”

But Strether neglected the question. “Hasn’t Chad talked to you?”

“Of his mother? Yes, a great deal⁠—immensely. But not from your point of view.”

“He can’t,” our friend returned, “have said any ill of her.”

“Not the least bit. He has given me, like you, the assurance that she’s really grand. But her being really grand is somehow just what hasn’t seemed to simplify our case. Nothing,” she continued, “is further from me than to wish to say a word against her; but of course I feel how little she can like being told of her owing me anything. No woman ever enjoys such an obligation to another woman.”

This was a proposition Strether couldn’t contradict. “And yet what other way could I have expressed to her what I felt? It’s what there was most to say about you.”

“Do you mean then that she will be good to me?”

“It’s what I’m waiting to see. But I’ve little doubt she would,” he added, “if she could comfortably see you.”

It seemed to strike her as a happy, a beneficent thought. “Oh then couldn’t that be managed? Wouldn’t she come out? Wouldn’t she if you so put it to her? Did you by any possibility?” she faintly quavered.

“Oh no”⁠—he was prompt. “Not that. It would be, much more, to give an account of you that⁠—since there’s no question of your paying the visit⁠—I should go home first.”

It instantly made her graver. “And are you thinking of that?”

“Oh all the while, naturally.”

“Stay with us⁠—stay with us!” she exclaimed on this. “That’s your only way to make sure.”

“To make sure of what?”

“Why that he doesn’t break up. You didn’t come out to do that to him.”

“Doesn’t it depend,” Strether returned after a moment, “on what you mean by breaking up?”

“Oh you know well enough what I mean!”

His silence seemed again for a little to denote an understanding. “You take for granted remarkable things.”

“Yes, I do⁠—to the extent that I don’t take for granted vulgar ones. You’re perfectly capable of seeing that what you came out for wasn’t really at all to do what you’d now have to do.”

“Ah it’s perfectly simple,” Strether good-humouredly pleaded. “I’ve had but one thing to do⁠—to put our case before him. To put it as it could only be put here on the spot⁠—by personal pressure. My dear lady,” he lucidly pursued, “my work, you see, is really done, and my reasons for staying on even another day are none of the best. Chad’s in possession of our case and professes to do it full justice. What remains is with himself. I’ve had my rest, my amusement and refreshment; I’ve had, as we say at Woollett, a lovely time. Nothing in it has been more lovely than this happy meeting with you⁠—in these fantastic conditions to which you’ve so delightfully consented. I’ve a sense of success. It’s what I wanted. My getting all this good is what Chad has waited for, and I gather that if I’m ready to go he’s the same.”

She shook her head with a finer deeper wisdom. “You’re not ready. If you’re ready why did you write to Mrs. Newsome in the sense you’ve mentioned to me?”

Strether considered. “I shan’t go before I hear from her. You’re too much afraid of her,” he added.

It produced between them a long look from which neither shrank. “I don’t think you believe that⁠—believe I’ve not really reason to fear her.”

“She’s capable of great generosity,” Strether presently stated.

“Well then let her trust me a little. That’s all I ask. Let her recognise in spite of everything what I’ve done.”

“Ah remember,” our friend replied, “that she can’t effectually recognise it without seeing it for herself. Let Chad go over and show her what you’ve done, and let him plead with her there for it and, as it were, for you.”

She measured the depth of this suggestion. “Do you give me your word of honour that if she once has him there she won’t do her best to marry him?”

It made her companion, this enquiry, look again a while out at the view; after which he spoke without sharpness. “When she sees for herself what he is⁠—”

But she had already broken in. “It’s when she sees for herself what he is that she’ll want to marry him most.”

Strether’s attitude, that of due deference to what she said, permitted him to attend for a minute to his luncheon. “I doubt if that will