"That's what I wanted them to come out for--to see for themselves if she's bad for him." "And now that they've done so they won't admit that she's good even for anything ?" "They do think," Strether presently admitted, "that she's on the whole about as bad for me.

But they're consistent of course, inasmuch as they've their clear view of what's good for both of us." "For you, to begin with"-- Maria, all responsive, confined the question for the moment--"to eliminate from your existence and if possible even from your memory the dreadful creature that I must gruesomely shadow forth for them, even more than to eliminate the distincter evil--thereby a little less portentous--of the person whose confederate you've suffered yourself to become.

However, that's comparatively simple.

You can easily, at the worst, after all, give me up." "I can easily at the worst, after all, give you up." The irony was so obvious that it needed no care.

"I can easily at the worst, after all, even forget you." "Call that then workable.