But her fear's groundless." He had met again his companion's sufficiently searching look.

"Are you tired of her ?" Chad gave him in reply to this, with a movement of the head, the strangest slow smile he had ever had from him.

"Never." It had immediately, on Strether's imagination, so deep and soft an effect that our friend could only for the moment keep it before him.
"Never ?" "Never," Chad obligingly and serenely repeated.
It made his companion take several more steps.

"Then YOU'RE not afraid." "Afraid to go ?" Strether pulled up again.

"Afraid to stay." The young man looked brightly amazed.