"I thought that was what you were to do." But Strether had his answer ready.

"I'm speaking--in connexion with her--of his manners and morals, his character and life.

I'm speaking of him as a person to deal with and talk with and live with--speaking of him as a social animal." "And isn't it as a social animal that you also want him ?" "Certainly; so that it's as if she had saved him FOR us." "It strikes you accordingly then," the young man threw out, "as for you all to save HER ?" "Oh for us 'all'-- !" Strether could but laugh at that.

It brought him back, however, to the point he had really wished to make.

"They've accepted their situation--hard as it is.