You didn't come out to do that to him." "Doesn't it depend," Strether returned after a moment, "on what you mean by breaking up ?" "Oh you know well enough what I mean!" His silence seemed again for a little to denote an understanding.

"You take for granted remarkable things." "Yes, I do--to the extent that I don't take for granted vulgar ones.
You're perfectly capable of seeing that what you came out for wasn't really at all to do what you'd now have to do." "Ah it's perfectly simple," Strether good-humouredly pleaded.

"I've had but one thing to do--to put our case before him.

To put it as it could only be put here on the spot--by personal pressure.

My dear lady," he lucidly pursued, "my work, you see, is really done, and my reasons for staying on even another day are none of the best.