Strether - the worst ambassador of all time

Despite my exasperation, chronicled here yesterday, have continued with Henry James's "The Ambassadors" in part for the amusement of seeing how effectively James avoids coming to the point: for example, in section read last night, after a leisurely account of the Strether's pleasure at a Paris morning, Strether receives a telegram. Does he read it? No. Not right off. He ponders, and meanders. Then reads it. Crumples it up. Walks around. Goes out for a walk. Comes home. Goes to sleep or tries to. Walks again. Comes back and writes a letter. Tears it up. Goes to sleep. This is one of the most active sections of the novel in that at least he is doing something - but can't you just tell us what's in the telegram? Not that we couldn't guess - James is no master of suspense, not in these late, laborious novels. We learn later, when Strether has a conversation with the now returned to Paris Miss Gostrey, that Strether's betrothed and Chad's mother, Mrs. Newsome, is sending her sister, Mrs. Pocock (and spouse?) to Paris to see what the hell's going on - as noted, Strether is the worst ambassador in the world, completely unable to fulfill his mission of persuading Chad to come home to the U.S. Strether admits this to Miss Gostrey - he tells her in so many words what we've known all along: he's smitten with Europe and with the people he's met there. He hasn't quite confessed to falling in love with Miss Gostrey - perhaps he isn't in love with her. It's also obvious that he's taken with Mme de Vionnet, but it would be pretty awful for him if he were to become Chad's rival (though it might make a better novel). Of course I think he's really taken with Chad's pal Little Bilham, though that's an area where James won't tread except by insinuation. In any case, the plot of the Ambassadors will never take off like a rocket, but it's slowly building toward a confrontation, and Strether at some point will have to come clean: either he's honorably fulfilling his mission for Mrs. Newsome or he'll have to break off and decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life; presumably, he's on her dime - and Paris might be a lot less "charming," as he would put it, if he's picking up the tab.