- When Chad doesn't return from his walk with Jeanne, good old Maria Gostrey comes over to Strether saying that Chad has asked her to keep him (Strether) company.
- Maria is amazed to realize that the de Vionnets have been the women Strether has talked to her about all along (he has never mentioned their names to her—we know, it seemed like he told her everything, and then some).
- Basically, Maria knows Madame de Vionnet from way back, and could have told Strether everything he needed to know about her.
- Miss Gostrey realizes that now that Madame de Vionnet knows she's in town, she'll try to visit. But Gostrey plans on avoiding her. It's not because she doesn't like Madame de Vionnet. It's because she doesn't want to get caught up in Strether's drama. She's happy to be a spectator to the whole thing, but doesn't want to be an actor.
- Based on what Maria Gostrey tells Strether, he realizes that Madame de Vionnet can't be a day younger than 38 years old, which makes her at least eight years older than Chad. Although Strether is also willing to admit that de Vionnet looks more like 28 than 38. He also learns that Madame de Vionnet is actually a Countess, meaning that she's from an old aristocratic French family. So he knows that she comes from a privileged background.
- This is when the alarm bells reminding us of the time Maria said maybe Chad's girlfriend was too good for his own fam start ring-a-dinging in our heads.
- Maria announces that she thinks (nay, knows) that Madame de Vionnet has molded Chad into a cultured man for the sake of marrying him to her daughter, Jeanne. Further, she thinks that de Vionnet is going to try to get Strether's blessing for the marriage, since she knows that Chad respects Strether.
- This makes Strether feel a bit used, but he's still not complaining about having so many women suddenly interested in his opinion.
- Strether says that he's not sure if he wants to go meet Madame de Vionnet alone. But Maria insists that he has to, since he would have done the same had he tracked down the "evil" woman he expected to find Chad with.
- Maria also mentions that she's confident Madame de Vionnet won't tell Strether anything about her (Maria's) past that she doesn't want him to know. It's an odd statement, but Strether will let it slide for now.
- After this meeting, Strether goes to see Chad again, and he asks him outright if he's engaged to Jeanne de Vionnet. Chad shakes his head and says nope. And that's that.
- But wait, Strether says. Then whey can't Chad come back to the States? He just won't accept the fact that Chad doesn't want to go back to boring old Woollett.
- Basically, Chad says that he owes everything to Madame de Vionnet for transforming him into such a classy, smart man with sexy grey streaks in his hair. He can't bear the thought of leaving her and seeming ungrateful.
- Strether answers this by making Chad a deal: if he (Strether) goes to see Madame de Vionnet with an open mind, Chad has to have an open mind about coming home. Chad says deal, and away we go.
- Strether mentions that he's afraid of Madame de Vionnet in a strange way. But Chad says there's nothing to be afraid of, other than liking the woman too much. Uh huh.
- Predictably, Strether then admits that he's afraid of this very thing, because he's even more afraid of doing something to anger Chad's mother, Mrs. Newsome.
- Before ending their meeting, Strether feels like he has to ask Chad one last thing—is Madame de Vionnet a virtuous person. Or in other words, does she lead a moral life without boozing or sleeping around. Chad replies that her life is indeed "virtuous."
- Once again, Strether never asks for confirmation on what this word actually means. The uncertainties go on.