to show,
and this she expressed with a dry glitter that recalled to him a fine
Woollett winter morning. "I've never wanted for opportunities to see
my brother. We've many things to think of at home, and great
responsibilities and occupations, and our home's not an impossible
place. We've plenty of reasons," Sarah continued a little piercingly,
"for everything we do"--and in short she wouldn't give herself the
least little scrap away. But she added as one who was always bland and
who could afford a concession: "I've come because--well, because we do
come."

"Ah then fortunately!"--Madame de Vionnet breathed it to the air. Five
minutes later they were on their feet for her to take leave, standing
together in an affability that had succeeded in surviving a further
exchange of remarks; only with the emphasised appearance on Waymarsh's
part of a tendency to revert, in a ruminating manner and as with an
instinctive or a precautionary lightening of his tread, to an open
window and his point of vantage. The glazed and gilded room, all red
damask, ormolu, mirrors, clocks, looked south, and the shutters were
bowed upon the summer morning; but the Tuileries garden and what was
beyond it, over which the whole place hung, were things visible through
gaps; so that the far-spreading presence of Paris came up in coolness,
dimness and invitation, in the twinkle of gilt-tipped palings, the
crunch of gravel, the click of hoofs, the crack of whips, things that
suggested some parade of the circus. "I think it probable," said Mrs.
Pocock, "that I shall have the opportunity of going to my brother's
I've no doubt it's very pleasant indeed." She spoke as to Strether, but
her face was turned with an intensity of brightness to Madame de
Vionnet, and there was a moment during which, while she thus fronted
her, our friend expected to hear her add: "I'm much obliged to you,
I'm sure, for inviting me there." He guessed that for five seconds
these words were on the point of coming; he heard them as clearly as if
they had been spoken; but he presently knew they had just failed--knew
it by a glance, quick and fine, from Madame de Vionnet, which told him
that she too had felt them in the air, but that the point had luckily
not been made in any manner requiring notice. This left her free to
reply only to what had been said.

"That the Boulevard Malesherbes may be common ground for us offers me
the best prospect I see for the pleasure of meetin