That may be, you know, what they want.

And if Chad wants it too, and little Bilham wants it, and even we, at a pinch, could do with it--that is if she doesn't prevent repatriation--why it may be plain sailing yet." It was always the case for him in these counsels that each of his remarks, as it came, seemed to drop into a deeper well.

He had at all events to wait a moment to hear the slight splash of this one.

"I don't see why if Mr.Newsome wants to marry the young lady he hasn't already done it or hasn't been prepared with some statement to you about it.
And if he both wants to marry her and is on good terms with them why isn't he 'free' ?" Strether, responsively, wondered indeed.

"Perhaps the girl herself doesn't like him." "Then why does he speak of them to you as he does ?" Strether's mind echoed the question, but also again met it.