- Okay, not never again. We zoom in on Strether sitting in Madame de Vionnet's house, because how could he resist? (And by "he" we mean Henry James resisting the chance for drama).
- Basically it sounds like she's blubbering out an apology and he's all like, "There there, yes, everything's fine." Although we know it's not.
- Madame de Vionnet can't stop talking about how awful he must think she is for being a liar and an adulteress. She says she understands if Strether now plans on taking Chad to America. She doesn't deserve his support anymore.
- She still hopes, though, that Strether will stay with her and Chad in Paris forever. Yes, even after the whole admission of guilt thing.
- Madame goes on to say that she hates herself and hates life. Strether, though, says that she's being a little melodramatic. Even though we remember his own philosophical musings a chapter earlier.
- But there's more. It seems like Strether has already told Madame de Vionnet that he plans on leaving Paris. We don't get a sense of when this is supposed to happen.
- As Madame de Vionnet keeps crying, Strether realizes just how terrified she is of losing Chad. He feels for her, but isn't sure if he can (or will) do anything to help.
- After all, she's still married, and would probably have to do something about that if she wants to be with Chad. It is the early twentieth century, after all.
- Madame de Vionnet says that it's her entire life she's afraid for. Now that Strether has seen her for what she really is, she feels like she's seen herself for what she is, too. Sounds scary. She doesn't know what's going to happen to her and she definitely can't keep up the charade.
- Strether tells her that there might be one more thing he can still do for her. But of course we can't find out what it is yet.
- Anyway, Madame argues that Strether doesn't owe her anything and that she doesn't deserve his help. All she asks is that he stay in Paris with her and Chad so they can live the rest of their days together. Yes, just that one little bitty request.
- She laments that Strether probably doesn't care what she thinks of him, but she definitely cares what he thinks of her. She asks him if there was truly no time when he suspected that she and Chad were in an intimate relationship.
- Now the truth is that Strether has more or less suspected this throughout the book, but always talked himself out of it. To Madame's question, though, he simply says no.
- She asks him to think of her every now and then in the future; he just repeats his earlier point that there might still be something he can do for her. Without saying what it is.
- She says the only help she wants from him is for them to keep being friends. But he admits that this might not be possible. So what's the thing??