- One morning later in the week, Strether is eating breakfast with Waymarsh when he suddenly suspects that something big is about to happen. He can just feel it from the way Waymarsh butters his roll.
- Waymarsh comes out and says he's been speaking with Sarah, and that she'll come by the hotel in an hour to talk to Strether about something important. Waymarsh also drops a weird comment about how Sarah is coming over for Strether's own good. He wasn't wrong about that roll.
- Strether then asks if Sarah has any some sort of unexpected news from home, which Waymarsh responds to by saying that they are leaving Paris. Who, pray tell, does he mean by "they"? Well, of course the group will include Sarah, her husband Jim, and Mamie.
- But here's a funny thing: Waymarsh is going to go with them. Now it's clear that Waymarsh is on the Newsomes' side, and that he might also have something going on with Sarah. Plus, they're all going to go to Switzerland before heading back to America.
- Strether asks Waymarsh if it's Sarah's mission to bring him (Strether) along, too, but Waymarsh is totally tightlipped.
- Strether tells Waymarsh that he hopes he enjoys his time in Switzerland. After all, the two of them are very old and they need to enjoy things while they can.
- Waymarsh doesn't like this comment at all, but his usual comebacks don't have the power they once did. Must have lost his knack at the circus.