 lowering the lamp and
seeing to a sufficiency of blanket. It somehow ministered for him to indulgence
to feel Waymarsh, who looked unnaturally big and black in bed, as much tucked in
as a patient in a hospital and, with his covering up to his chin, as much
simplified by it. He hovered in vague pity, to be brief, while his companion
challenged him out of the bedclothes. »Is she really after you? Is that what's
behind?«
    Strether felt an uneasiness at the direction taken by his companion's
insight, but he played a little at uncertainty. »Behind my coming out?«
    »Behind your prostration or whatever. It's generally felt, you know, that
she follows you up pretty close.«
    Strether's candour was never very far off. »Oh it has occurred to you that
I'm literally running away from Mrs. Newsome?«
    »Well, I haven't known but what you are. You're a very attractive man,
Strether. You've seen for yourself,« said Waymarsh, »what that lady downstairs
makes of it. Unless indeed,« he rambled on with an effect between the ironic and
the anxious, »it's you who are after her. Is Mrs. Newsome over here?« He spoke
as with a droll dread of her.
    It made his friend - though rather dimly - smile. »Dear no; she's safe,
thank goodness - as I think I more and more feel - at home. She thought of
coming, but she gave it up. I've come in a manner instead of her; and come to
that extent - for you're right in your inference - on her business. So you see
there is plenty of connexion.«
    Waymarsh continued to see at least all there was. »Involving accordingly the
particular one I've referred to?«
    Strether took another turn about the room, giving a twitch to his
companion's blanket and finally gaining the door. His feeling was that of a
nurse who had earned personal rest by having made everything straight.
»Involving more things than I can think of breaking ground on now. But don't be
afraid - you shall have them from me: you'll probably find yourself having quite
as much of them as you can do with. I shall - if we keep together - very much
depend on your impression of some of them.«
    Waymarsh's acknowledgement of this tribute was characteristically indirect.
»You mean to say you don'
