- When Strether gets back to his digs in Paris, he's not surprised to see that there's a telegram waiting for him. He assumes that it's from Chad, but is surprised to find that it's from Madame de Vionnet and that she wants to meet him later that night.
- He replies that he will, using as few words as possible. Remember, he's feeling pretty disenchanted right now.
- Strether spends the next few hours walking around Paris in a total fog. He doesn't know what he's going to do now that his illusion of Paris is gone. He can no longer stay and pretend that he's a good, moral person.
- Why? Because the only reason he's allowed himself to choose Paris over the Newsomes is because he thought that, morally, Paris was just as good. But now he sees that he was wrong.
- He suddenly realizes that he might never see Chad or Madame de Vionnet again.
- It's sad.