Is that," Strether enquired, "the way he's going to try to get off?
These are the people," he explained, "that he must have gone down to see before I arrived.

They're the best friends he has in the world, and they take more interest than any one else in what concerns him.

As I'm his next best he sees a thousand reasons why we should comfortably meet.

He hasn't broached the question sooner because their return was uncertain--seemed in fact for the present impossible.

But he more than intimates that--if you can believe it--their desire to make my acquaintance has had to do with their surmounting difficulties." "They're dying to see you ?" Miss Gostrey asked.
"Dying.