
had begun by resting, but to their host of the previous hour, as to whom, there
on the velvet bench, with a final collapse of all consistency, he treated
himself to the comfort of indiscretion. »Where do you see him come out?«
    Little Bilham, in meditation, looked at him with a kindness almost paternal.
»Don't you like it over here?«
    Strether laughed out - for the tone was indeed droll; he let himself go.
»What has that to do with it? The only thing I've any business to like is to
feel that I'm moving him. That's why I ask you whether you believe I am? Is the
creature« - and he did his best to show that he simply wished to ascertain -
honest?
    His companion looked responsible, but looked it through a small dim smile.
»What creature do you mean?«
    It was on this that they did have for a little a mute interchange. »Is it
untrue that he's free? How then,« Strether asked wondering, »does he arrange his
life?«
    »Is the creature you mean Chad himself?« little Bilham said.
    Strether here, with a rising hope, just thought, »We must take one of them
at a time.« But his coherence lapsed. »Is there some woman? Of whom he's really
afraid of course I mean - or who does with him what she likes.«
    »It's awfully charming of you,« Bilham presently remarked, »not to have
asked me that before.«
    »Oh I'm not fit for my job!«
    The exclamation had escaped our friend, but it made little Bilham more
deliberate. »Chad's a rare case!« he luminously observed. »He's awfully
changed,« he added.
    »Then you see it too?«
    »The way he has improved? Oh yes - I think every one must see it. But I'm
not sure,« said little Bilham, »that I didn't like him about as well in his
other state.«
    »Then this is really a new state altogether?«
    »Well,« the young man after a moment returned, »I'm not sure he was really
meant by nature to be quite so good. It's like the new edition of an old book
that one has been fond of - revised and amended, brought up to date, but not
quite the thing one knew and loved. However that may
