Thesuit——DartieversusDartie——forrestitutionofthoseconjugalrightsconcerningwhichWinifredwasatheartsodeeplyundecided，followedthelawsofsubtractiontowardsdayofjudgment。ThiswasnotreachedbeforetheCourtsroseforChristmas，butthecasewasthirdonthelistwhentheysatagain。WinifredspenttheChristmasholidaysathoughtmorefashionablythanusual，withthematterlockedupinherlow-cutbosom。JameswasparticularlyliberaltoherthatChristmas，expressingtherebyhissympathy，andrelief，attheapproachingdissolutionofhermarriagewiththat’preciousrascal，’whichhisoldheartfeltbuthisoldlipscouldnotutter。
ThedisappearanceofDartiemadethefallinConsolsacomparativelysmallmatter；andastothescandal——therealanimushefeltagainstthatfellow，andtheincreasingleadwhichpropertywasattainingoverreputationinatrueForsyteabouttoleavethisworld，servedtodrugamindfromwhichallallusionstothematterexcepthisownwerestudiouslykept。WhatworriedhimasalawyerandaparentwasthefearthatDartiemightsuddenlyturnupandobeytheOrderoftheCourtwhenmade。Thatwouldbeaprettyhow-de-do！Thefearpreyedonhiminfactsomuchthat，inpresentingWinifredwithalargeChristmascheque，hesaid：”It’schieflyforthatchapoutthere；tokeephimfromcomingback。”Itwas，ofcourse，topitchawaygoodmoney，butallinthenatureofinsuranceagainstthatbankruptcywhichwouldnolongerhangoverhimifonlythedivorcewentthrough；andhequestionedWinifredrigorouslyuntilshecouldassurehimthatthemoneyhadbeensent。
Poorwoman！——itcosthermanyapangtosendwhatmustfinditswayintothevanity-bagof’thatcreature！’Soames，hearingofit，shookhishead。TheywerenotdealingwithaForsyte，reasonablytenaciousofhispurpose。Itwasveryriskywithoutknowinghowthelandlayoutthere。Still，itwouldlookwellwiththeCourt；
andhewouldseethatDreamerbroughtitout。”Iwonder，”hesaidsuddenly，”wherethatballetgoesaftertheArgentine”；neveromittingachanceofreminder；forheknewthatWinifredstillhadaweakness，ifnotforDartie，atleastfornotlaunderinghiminpublic。Thoughnotgoodatshowingadmiration，headmittedthatshewasbehavingextremelywell，withallherchildrenathomegapinglikeyoungbirdsfornewsoftheirfather——Imogenjustonthepointofcomingout，andValveryrestiveaboutthewholething。HefeltthatValwastherealheartofthemattertoWinifred，whocertainlylovedhimbeyondherotherchildren。Theboycouldspokethewheelofthisdivorceyetifhesethismindtoit。AndSoameswasverycarefultokeeptheproximityofthepreliminaryproceedingsfromhisnephew’sears。Hedidmore。HeaskedhimtodineattheRemove，andoverVal’scigarintroducedthesubjectwhichheknewtobenearesttohisheart。”Ihear，”hesaid，”thatyouwanttoplaypoloupatOxford。”
Valbecamelessrecumbentinhischair。”Rather！”hesaid。”Well，”continuedSoames，”that’saveryexpensivebusiness。Yourgrandfatherisn’tlikelytoconsenttoitunlesshecanmakesurethathe’snotgotanyotherdrainonhim。”Andhepausedtoseewhethertheboyunderstoodhismeaning。