Thewardraggedon。Nicholashadbeenheardtosaythatitwouldcostthreehundredmillionsifitcostapennybeforethey’ddonewithit！Theincome-taxwasseriouslythreatened。Still，therewouldbeSouthAfricafortheirmoney，onceforall。Andthoughthepossessiveinstinctfeltbadlyshakenatthreeo’clockinthemorning，itrecoveredbybreakfast-timewiththerecollectionthatonegetsnothinginthisworldwithoutpayingforit。So，onthewhole，peoplewentabouttheirbusinessmuchasiftherewerenowar，noconcentrationcamps，noslipperydeWet，nofeelingontheContinent，noanythingunpleasant。Indeed，theattitudeofthenationwastypifiedbyTimothy’smap，whoseanimationwassuspended——forTimothynolongermovedtheflags，andtheycouldnotmovethemselves，notevenbackwardsandforwardsastheyshouldhavedone。
Suspendedanimationwentfurther；itinvadedForsyte’Change，andproducedageneraluncertaintyastowhatwasgoingtohappennext。
TheannouncementinthemarriagecolumnofTheTimes，’JolyonForsytetoIrene，onlydaughterofthelateProfessorHeron，’hadoccasioneddoubtwhetherIrenehadbeenjustlydescribed。Andyet，onthewhole，reliefwasfeltthatshehadnotbeenenteredas’Irene，latethewife，’or’thedivorcedwife，’’ofSoamesForsyte。’Altogether，therehadbeenakindofsublimityfromthefirstaboutthewaythefamilyhadtakenthat’affair。’AsJameshadphrasedit，’Thereitwas！’Nousetofuss！Nothingtobehadoutofadmittingthatithadbeena’nastyjar’——inthephraseologyoftheday。
ButwhatwouldhappennowthatbothSoamesandJolyonweremarriedagain?Thatwasveryintriguing。GeorgewasknowntohavelaidEustacesixtofouronalittleJolyonbeforealittleSoames。
Georgewassodroll！Itwasrumoured，too，thatheandDartiehadabetastowhetherJameswouldattaintheageofninety，thoughwhichofthemhadbackedJamesnooneknew。