But the pilgrim from Milrose permitted himself still to observe the scene from behind the clear glass plate of that retreat.

Strether ended, as he sat, by a fresh scrutiny of his compressed missive, which he smoothed out carefully again as he placed it on his table.

There it remained for some minutes, until, at last looking up, he saw Waymarsh watching him from within.

It was on this that their eyes met--met for a moment during which neither moved.

But Strether then got up, folding his telegram more carefully and putting it into his waistcoat pocket.
A few minutes later the friends were seated together at dinner; but Strether had meanwhile said nothing about it, and they eventually parted, after coffee in the court, with nothing said on either side.
Our friend had moreover the consciousness that even less than usual was on this occasion said between them, so that it was almost as if each had been waiting for something from the other.