ten o’clock in the morning
It was as if in short , after an instant , Strether had not only had it from him , but had recognised that so far as this went the instant had cleared the air . Our friend understood and approved ; he had the sense that they would n't otherwise speak of it . This would be all , and it would mark in himself a kind of intelligent generosity . It was with grim Sarah then -- Sarah grim for all her grace -- that Waymarsh had begun at ten o'clock in the morning to save him . Well -- if he _ could _ , poor dear man , with his big bleak kindness ! The upshot of which crowded perception was that Strether , on his own side , still showed no more than he absolutely had to . He showed the least possible by saying to Mrs. Pocock after an interval much briefer than our glance at the picture reflected in him : `` Oh it 's as true as they please !