And the tune to which this morning Sarah wasn't delighted--the tune to which, to adopt your metaphor, she refused to drink--leaves us on that side nothing more to hope." Chad had a pause, and then as if consolingly: "It was never of course really the least on the cards that they would be 'delighted.'" "Well, I don't know, after all," Strether mused.

"I've had to come as far round.

However"-- he shook it off--"it's doubtless MY performance that's absurd." "There are certainly moments," said Chad, "when you seem to me too good to be true.

Yet if you are true," he added, "that seems to be all that need concern me." "I'm true, but I'm incredible.

I'm fantastic and ridiculous--I don't explain myself even TO myself.