Thanks, Cutter.

On the legal matter, the 1902 periodical publication, and I think 1904 book publication, are on the other side of a Great Divide.

The meaning and role of "your good friend" is really interesting, and as you say not easily described . . . though I think pretty clearly quite vital and necessary. She seems to both enable the discourse (spoken and silent) and (in a valuable way) to inhibit it! In a way, she represents how beside the point beauty itself can be, how beside the point even the ability to make charming and insightful remarks can be ("Although they do not talk of it at school.") Even weary-heartedness is in a way beside the point . . . which is--is it, maybe?-- that sometimes one has a thought for only one particular person's ears?