- The time has come for Strether to sit down and finally have it out with Sarah Pocock. The cards are on the table, the gloves are off…you see where things are headed here.
- Strether gets down to brass tacks and asks Sarah if Chad blames their failure to return to America all on him. Sarah, in turn, answers by asking Strether if he plans on blaming it all on Chad. Direct hit number one. Or so she thinks.
- Strether takes a deep breath, braces himself, and says that no matter what's been said, he'll take full responsibility for his and Chad's non-return. And he would like to see Chad again before his next meeting with Sarah.
- Sarah, though, says she's got no plans to meet Strether at all before she leaves. In other words, this might be a breakup conversation she's having on her mom's behalf.
- Strether then asks Sarah if her instructions from Mrs. Newsome are to break his will and drag him home. But as always, Sarah won't say anything about Mrs. Newsome at all. This is like a shadowy presence in this book, sending representatives (ahem, ambassadors) but never revealing her own thoughts.
- Sarah tells Strether that the way he's been acting is nothing short of an outrage. He has totally blown off his duty to the Newsome family.
- Strether says that Sarah needs to acknowledge Chad's improvement under the influence of Madame de Vionnet, but Sarah counters that Chad's only devotion should be to his family. It's disgusting that he would choose another family over his own flesh and blood. Yep, she said disgusting.
- And here comes the boom. Sarah says that Madame de Vionnet is a shameful woman, not even an "apology for a decent woman" (10.3.16). Burn!
- At this point, Strether realizes that there is nothing in the world that will ever convince the Pococks that they're not better than everyone else. Sarah doesn't have any evidence to back up her claim about Madame de Vionnet, but that ain't gonna stop her.
- She goes on to tell Strether that he's mad if he thinks any woman in the world could ever hold a candle to her mother. Which is just delusional, if you ask us.
- Strether comes out and accuses Sarah of being a prejudiced, ignorant woman. He can't believe that after all she's seen, she can still be some pig-headed about her family's superiority. Doesn't she see that the Newsomes are just big fish in a small pond back in Woollett?
- Sarah says that Chad's changes are "hideous" (10.3.30).
- Strether concludes by saying that if Sarah truly thinks this, then they're at a total impasse and all they can do is part ways. Sarah agrees and gets up to leave.
- At this point, Strether knows that his relationship with the whole Newsome family is now probably at an end.
- Big loss.