I don't care," Mamie laughed, "WHAT happens." Strether had a pause while he wondered if it mightn't happen that he should give her the pleasure of learning that he found her nicer than he had really dreamed--a pause that ended when he had said to himself that, so far as it at all mattered for her, she had in fact perhaps already made this out.

He risked accordingly a different question--though conscious, as soon as he had spoken, that he seemed to place it in relation to her last speech.

"But that Mademoiselle de Vionnet is to be married--I suppose you've heard of THAT." For all, he then found, he need fear! "Dear, yes; the gentleman was there: Monsieur de Montbron, whom Madame de Vionnet presented to us." "And was he nice ?" Mamie bloomed and bridled with her best reception manner.

"Any man's nice when he's in love." It made Strether laugh.

"But is Monsieur de Montbron in love--already--with YOU ?" "Oh that's not necessary--it's so much better he should be so with HER: which, thank goodness, I lost no time in discovering for myself.