wisdom they had struck out
was to make things ravishing to the Pococks. No, if Madame de Vionnet compassed
that, compassed the ravishment of the Pococks, Madame de Vionnet would be
prodigious. It would be a beautiful plan if it succeeded, and it all came to the
question of Sarah's being really bribeable. The precedent of his own case helped
Strether perhaps but little to consider she might prove so; it being distinct
that her character would rather make for every possible difference. This idea of
his own bribeability set him apart for himself; with the further mark in fact
that his case was absolutely proved. He liked always, where Lambert Strether was
concerned, to know the worst, and what he now seemed to know was not only that
he was bribeable, but that he had been effectually bribed. The only difficulty
was that he couldn't quite have said with what. It was as if he had sold
himself, but hadn't somehow got the cash. That, however, was what,
characteristically, would happen to him. It would naturally be his kind of
traffic. While he thought of these things he reminded Chad of the truth they
mustn't lose sight of - the truth that, with all deference to her susceptibility
to new interests, Sarah would have come out with a high firm definite purpose.
»She hasn't come out, you know, to be bamboozled. We may all be ravishing -
nothing perhaps can be more easy for us; but she hasn't come out to be ravished.
She has come out just simply to take you home.«
    »Oh well, with her I'll go,« said Chad good-humouredly. »I suppose you'll
allow that.« And then as for a minute Strether said nothing: »Or is your idea
that when I've seen her I shan't want to go?« As this question, however, again
left his friend silent he presently went on: »My own idea at any rate is that
they shall have while they're here the best sort of time.«
    It was at this that Strether spoke. »Ah there you are! I think if you really
wanted to go -!«
    »Well?« said Chad to bring it out.
    »Well, you wouldn't trouble about our good time. You wouldn't care what sort
of a time we have.«
    Chad could always take in the easiest way in the world any ingenious
suggestion. »I see. But can I help it? I