He had formerly, with a great deal of action, expressed very little; and he now expressed whatever was necessary with almost none at all.

It was as if in short he had really, copious perhaps but shapeless, been put into a firm mould and turned successfully out.

The phenomenon--Strether kept eyeing it as a phenomenon, an eminent case--was marked enough to be touched by the finger.

He finally put his hand across the table and laid it on Chad's arm.

"If you'll promise me--here on the spot and giving me your word of honour--to break straight off, you'll make the future the real right thing for all of us alike.