I'm the one that ought to feel condescending." What had he said in his note?
Recalling it as well as he could--for it was one, the last, of more than a dozen notes he had written in two hours of that evening--recalling phrases he was pretty sure he had put into the one he had finally sent, in despair of a better, it seemed to him he had given her a wholly false impression--an impression of her superiority and of his fear and awe.

That would never do.

He must set her right, must show her he was breaking the engagement only because she was not up to his standard.

Besides, he wished to see her again to make sure he had been victimized into an engagement by a purely physical, swiftly-evanescent imagining.

Yes, he must see her, must have a look at her, must have a talk with her.
"It's the only decent, courageous thing to do in the circumstances.
Sending that note looked like cowardice--would be cowardice if I didn't follow it up with a visit.