They descended slowly together and had, in the court of the hotel, some further talk, of which the upshot was that they presently separated.

Chad Newsome departed, and Strether, left alone, looked about, superficially, for Waymarsh.

But Waymarsh hadn't yet, it appeared, come down, and our friend finally went forth without sight of him.
III At four o'clock that afternoon he had still not seen him, but he was then, as to make up for this, engaged in talk about him with Miss Gostrey.

Strether had kept away from home all day, given himself up to the town and to his thoughts, wandered and mused, been at once restless and absorbed--and all with the present climax of a rich little welcome in the Quartier Marboeuf.

"Waymarsh has been, 'unbeknown' to me, I'm convinced"-- for Miss Gostrey had enquired--"in communication with Woollett: the consequence of which was, last night, the loudest possible call for me." "Do you mean a letter to bring you home ?" "No--a cable, which I have at this moment in my pocket: a 'Come back by the first ship.'" Strether's hostess, it might have been made out, just escaped changing colour.