heard as
distinguished from things such as, on occasions like the present, she
only extravagantly guessed. "I seem with this freedom, you see, to
have guessed Mr. Chad. He's a young man on whose head high hopes are
placed at Woollett; a young man a wicked woman has got hold of and whom
his family over there have sent you out to rescue. You've accepted the
mission of separating him from the wicked woman. Are you quite sure
she's very bad for him?"

Something in his manner showed it as quite pulling him up. "Of course
we are. Wouldn't YOU be?"

"Oh I don't know. One never does--does one?--beforehand. One can only
judge on the facts. Yours are quite new to me; I'm really not in the
least, as you see, in possession of them: so it will be awfully
interesting to have them from you. If you're satisfied, that's all
that's required. I mean if you're sure you ARE sure: sure it won't do."

"That he should lead such a life? Rather!"

"Oh but I don't know, you see, about his life; you've not told me about
his life. She may be charming--his life!"

"Charming?"--Strether stared before him. "She's base, venal-out of the
streets."

"I see. And HE--?"

"Chad, wretched boy?"

"Of what type and temper is he?" she went on as Strether had lapsed.

"Well--the obstinate." It was as if for a moment he had been going to
say more and had then controlled himself.

That was scarce what she wished. "Do you like him?"

This time he was prompt. "No. How CAN I?"

"Do you mean because of your being so saddled with him?"

"I'm thinking of his mother," said Strether after a moment. "He has
darkened her admirable life." He spoke with austerity. "He has
worried her half to death."

"Oh that's of course odious." She had a pause as if for renewed
emphasis of this truth, but it ended on another note. "Is her life
very admirable?"

"Extraordinarily."

There was so much in the tone that Miss Gostrey had to devote another
pause to the appreciation of it. "And has he only HER? I don't mean
the bad woman in Paris," she quickly added--"for I assure you I
shouldn't even at the best be disposed to allow him more than one. But
has he only his mother?"

"He has also a sister, older than himself and married; and they're both
remarkably fine women."

"Very handsome, you mean?"

This promptitude--almost, as he might have thought, this precipitation,
gave him a brief drop; but he came up again. "Mrs. Newsome, I think, i