stillmoreamazingwastohimnobloodrelation。Notoutandout，ofcourse；onlyalifeinterest——onlytheincomefromit！Still，thereitwas；andoldJolyon’sclaimtobetheperfectForsytewasendedonceforall。That，then，wasthefirstreasonwhytheburialofSusanHayman——atWoking——madelittlestir。Thesecondreasonwasaltogethermoreexpansiveandimperial。BesidesthehouseonCampdenHill，SusanhadaplaceleftherbyHaymanwhenhediedjustovertheborderinHants，wheretheHaymanboyshadlearnedtobesuchgoodshotsandriders，asitwasbelieved，whichwasofcourseniceforthem，andcreditabletoeverybody；andthefactofowningsomethingreallycountrifiedseemedsomehowtoexcusethedispersionofherremains——thoughwhatcouldhaveputcremationintoherheadtheycouldnotthink！Theusualinvitations，however，hadbeenissued，andSoameshadgonedownandyoungNicholas，andtheWillhadbeenquitesatisfactorysofarasitwent，forshehadonlyhadalifeinterest；andeverythinghadgonequitesmoothlytothechildreninequalshares。
ThethirdreasonwhySusan’sburialmadelittlestirwasthemostexpansiveofall。ItwassummedupdaringlybyEuphemia，thepale，thethin：”Well，Ithinkpeoplehavearighttotheirownbodies，evenwhenthey’redead。”ComingfromadaughterofNicholas，aLiberaloftheoldschoolandmosttyrannical，itwasastartlingremark——showinginaflashwhatalotofwaterhadrununderbridgessincethedeathofAuntAnnin’86，justwhentheproprietorshipofSoamesoverhiswife’sbodywasacquiringtheuncertaintywhichhadledtosuchdisaster。Euphemia，ofcourse，spokelikeachild，andhadnoexperience；forthoughwelloverthirtybynow，hernamewasstillForsyte。But，makingallallowances，herremarkdidundoubtedlyshowexpansionoftheprincipleofliberty，decentralisationandshiftinthecentralpointofpossessionfromotherstooneself。WhenNicholasheardhisdaughter’sremarkfromAuntHesterhehadrappedout：”Wivesanddaughters！There’snoendtotheirlibertyinthesedays。I
knewthat’Jackson’casewouldleadtothings——lugginginHabeasCorpuslikethat！”Hehad，ofcourse，neverreallyforgiventheMarriedWoman’sPropertyAct，whichwouldsohaveinterferedwithhimifhe——hadnotmercifullymarriedbeforeitwaspassed。But，intruth，therewasnodenyingtherevoltamongtheyoungerForsytesagainstbeingownedbyothers；that，asitwere，Colonialdispositiontoownoneself，whichistheparadoxicalforerunnerofImperialism，wasmakingprogressallthetime。Theywereallnowmarried，exceptGeorge，confirmedtotheTurfandtheIseeumClub；
Francie，pursuinghermusicalcareerinastudioofftheKing’sRoad，Chelsea，andstilltaking’lovers’todances；Euphemia，livingathomeandcomplainingofNicholas；andthosetwoDromios，GilesandJesseHayman。Ofthethirdgenerationtherewerenotverymany——youngJolyonhadthree，WinifredDartiefour，youngNicholassixalready，youngRogerhadone，MarianTweetymanone；
St。JohnHaymantwo。Buttherestofthesixteenmarried——Soames，RachelandCicelyofJames’family；EustaceandThomasofRoger’s；
Ernest，ArchibaldandFlorenceofNicholas’；AugustusandAnnabelSpenderoftheHayman’s——weregoingdowntheyearsunreproduced。
Thus，ofthetenoldForsytestwenty-oneyoungForsyteshadbeenborn；butofthetwenty-oneyoungForsytestherewereasyetonlyseventeendescendants；anditalreadyseemedunlikelythattherewouldbemorethanafurtherunconsideredtrifleorso。Astudentofstatisticsmusthavenoticedthatthebirthratehadvariedinaccordancewiththerateofinterestforyourmoney。Grandfather’SuperiorDosset’Forsyteintheearlynineteenthcenturyhadbeengettingtenpercent。forhis，hencetenchildren。Thoseten，leavingoutthefourwhohadnotmarried，andJuley，whosehusbandSeptimusSmallhad，ofcourse，diedalmostatonce，hadaveragedfromfourtofivepercent。fortheirs，andproducedaccordingly。
Thetwenty-onewhomtheyproducedwerenowgettingbarelythreepercent。intheConsolstowhichtheirfatherhadmostlytiedtheSettlementstheymadetoavoiddeathduties，andthesixofthemwhohadbeenreproducedhadseventeenchildren，orjustthepropertwoandfive-sixthsperstem。
Therewereotherreasons，too，forthismildreproduction。A
distrustoftheirearningpowers，naturalwhereasufficiencyisguaranteed，togetherwiththeknowledgethattheirfathersdidnotdie，keptthemcautious。Ifonehadchildrenandnotmuchincome，thestandardoftasteandcomfortmustofnecessitygodown；whatwasenoughfortwowasnotenoughforfour，andsoon-itwouldbebettertowaitandseewhatFatherdid。Besides，itwasnicetobeabletotakeholidaysunhampered。Soonerinfactthanownchildren，theypreferredtoconcentrateontheownershipofthem-
selves，conformingtothegrowingtendencyfindesiecle，asitwascalled。Inthisway，littleriskwasrun，andonewouldbeabletohaveamotor-car。Indeed，Eustacealreadyhadone，butithadshakenhimhorribly，andbrokenoneofhiseyeteeth；sothatitwouldbebettertowaittilltheywerealittlesafer。Inthemeantime，nomorechildren！EvenyoungNicholaswasdrawinginhishorns，andhadmadenoadditiontohissixforquitethreeyears。
Thecorporatedecay，however，oftheForsytes，theirdispersionrather，ofwhichallthiswassymptomatic，hadnotadvancedsofarastopreventarallywhenRogerForsytediedin1899。Ithadbeenaglorioussummer，andafterholidaysabroadandattheseatheywerepracticallyallbackinLondon，whenRogerwithatouchofhisoldoriginalityhadsuddenlybreathedhislastathisownhouseinPrincesGardens。AtTimothy’sitwaswhisperedsadlythatpoorRogerhadalwaysbeeneccentricabouthisdigestion——hadhenot，forinstance，preferredGermanmuttontoalltheotherbrands?Bethatasitmay，hisfuneralatHighgatehadbeenperfect，andcomingawayfromitSoamesForsytemadealmostmechanicallyforhisUncleTimothy’sintheBayswaterRoad。The’OldThings’——AuntJuleyandAuntHester——wouldliketohearabout。it。Hisfather——
James——ateighty-eighthadnotfeltuptothefatigueofthefuneral；andTimothyhimself，ofcourse，hadnotgone；sothatNicholashadbeentheonlybrotherpresent。Still，therehadbeenafairgathering；anditwouldcheerAuntsJuleyandHesteruptoknow。Thekindlythoughtwasnotunmixedwiththeinevitablelongingtogetsomethingoutofeverythingyoudo，whichisthechiefcharacteristicofForsytes，andindeedofthesanerelementsineverynation。InthispracticeoftakingfamilymatterstoTimothy’sintheBayswaterRoad，Soameswasbutfollowinginthefootstepsofhisfather，whohadbeeninthehabitofgoingatleastonceaweektoseehissistersatTimothy’s，andhadonlygivenitupwhenhelosthisnerveateighty-six，andcouldnotgooutwithoutEmily。TogowithEmilywasofnouse，forwhocouldreallytalktoanyoneinthepresenceofhisownwife?LikeJamesintheolddays，SoamesfoundtimetogotherenearlyeverySunday，andsitinthelittledrawing-roomintowhich，withhisundoubtedtaste，hehadintroducedagooddealofchangeandchinanotquiteuptohisownfastidiousmark，andatleasttworatherdoubtfulBarbizonpictures，atChristmastides。Hehimself，whohaddoneextremelywellwiththeBarbizons，hadforsomeyearspastmovedtowardstheMarises，Israels，andMauve，andwashopingtodobetter。IntheriversidehousewhichhenowinhabitednearMapledurhamhehadagallery，beautifullyhungandlighted，towhichfewLondondealerswerestrangers。Itserved，too，asaSundayafternoonattractioninthoseweek-endpartieswhichhissisters，WinifredorRachel，occasionallyorganisedforhim。Forthoughhewasbutataciturnshowman，hisquietcollecteddeterminismseldomfailedtoinfluencehisguests，whoknewthathisreputationwasgroundednotonmereaestheticfancy，butonhispowerofgaugingthefutureofmarketvalues。WhenhewenttoTimothy’shealmostalwayshadsomelittletaleoftriumphoveradealertounfold，anddearlyhelovedthatcooofpridewithwhichhisauntswouldgreetit。Thisafternoon，however，hewasdifferentlyanimated，comingfromRoger’sfuneralinhisneatdarkclothes——notquiteblack，forafterallanunclewasbutanuncle，andhissoulabhorredexcessivedisplayoffeeling。Leaningbackinamarqueteriechairandgazingdownhisuplifted，noseatthesky-bluewallsplasteredwithgoldframes，hewasnoticeablysilent。Whetherbecausehehadbeentoafuneralornot，thepeculiarForsytebuildofhisfacewasseentothebestadvantagethisafternoon——afaceconcaveandlong，withajawwhichdivestedoffleshwouldhaveseemedextravagant：altogetherachinnyfacethoughnotatallill-looking。HewasfeelingmorestronglythaneverthatTimothy’swashopelessly’rum-ti-too’andthesoulsofhisauntsdismallymid-Victorian。Thesubjectonwhichalonehewantedtotalk——hisownundivorcedposition——wasunspeakable。Andyetitoccupiedhismindtotheexclusionofallelse。ItwasonlysincetheSpringthatthishadbeensoandanewfeelinggrownupwhichwasegginghimontowardswhatheknewmightwellbefollyinaForsyteofforty-five。Moreandmoreoflatehehadbeenconsciousthathewas’gettingon。’ThefortunealreadyconsiderablewhenheconceivedthehouseatRobinHillwhichhadfinallywreckedhismarriagewithIrene，hadmountedwithsurprisingvigourinthetwelvelonelyyearsduringwhichhehaddevotedhimselftolittleelse。Hewasworthto-daywelloverahundredthousandpounds，andhadnoonetoleaveitto——norealobjectforgoingonwithwhatwashisreligion。Evenifheweretorelaxhisefforts，moneymademoney，andhefeltthathewouldhaveahundredandfiftythousandbeforeheknewwherehewas。Therehadalwaysbeenastronglydomestic，philoprogenitivesidetoSoames；baulkedandfrustrated，ithadhiddenitselfaway，butnowhadcreptoutagaininthishis’primeoflife。’Concretedandfocussedoflatebytheattractionofagirl’sundoubtedbeauty，ithadbecomeaveritableprepossession。AndthisgirlwasFrench，notlikelytoloseherhead，oracceptanyunlegalisedposition。
Moreover，Soameshimselfdislikedthethoughtofthat。Hehadtastedofthesordidsideofsexduringthoselongyearsofforcedcelibacy，secretively，andalwayswithdisgust，forhewasfastidious，andhissenseoflawandorderinnate。Hewantednoholeandcornerliaison。AmarriageattheEmbassyinParis，afewmonths’travel，andhecouldbringAnnettebackquiteseparatedfromapastwhichintruthwasnottoodistinguished，forsheonlykepttheaccountsinhermother’sSohoRestaurant；hecouldbringherbackassomethingverynewandchicwithherFrenchtasteandself-possession，toreignat’TheShelter’nearMapledurham。OnForsyte’ChangeandamonghisriversidefriendsitwouldbecurrentthathehadmetacharmingFrenchgirlonhistravelsandmarriedher。Therewouldbetheflavourofromance，andacertaincachetaboutaFrenchwife。No！Hewasnotatallafraidofthat。Itwasonlythiscursedundivorcedconditionofhis，and——andthequestionwhetherAnnettewouldtakehim，whichhedarednotputtothetouchuntilhehadaclearandevendazzlingfuturetoofferher。
Inhisaunts’drawing-roomheheardwithbutmuffledearsthoseusualquestions：Howwashisdearfather?Notgoingout，ofcourse，nowthattheweatherwasturningchilly?WouldSoamesbesuretotellhimthatHesterhadfoundboiledhollyleavesmostcomfortingforthatpaininherside；apoulticeeverythreehours，withredflannelafterwards。Andcouldherelishjustalittlepotoftheirverybestprunepreserveitwassodeliciousthisyear，andhadsuchawonderfuleffect。Oh！andabouttheDarties——hadSoamesheardthatdearWinifredwashavingamostdistressingtimewithMontague?Timothythoughtshereallyoughttohaveprotect-
ion。Itwassaid——butSoamesmustn’ttakethisforcertain——thathehadgivensomeofWinifred’sjewellerytoadreadfuldancer。ItwassuchabadexamplefordearValjustashewasgoingtocollege。Soameshadnotheard?Oh，buthemustgoandseehissisterandlookintoitatonce！AnddidhethinktheseBoerswerereallygoingtoresist?Timothywasinquiteastewaboutit。ThepriceofConsolswassohigh，andhehadsuchalotofmoneyinthem。DidSoamesthinktheymustgodowniftherewasawar?
Soamesnodded。Butitwouldbeoververyquickly。ItwouldbesobadforTimothyifitwasn’t。AndofcourseSoames’dearfatherwouldfeelitverymuchathisage。LuckilypoordearRogerhadbeensparedthisdreadfulanxiety。AndAuntJuleywithalittlehandkerchiefwipedawaythelargeteartryingtoclimbthepermanentpoutonhernowquitewitheredleftcheek；shewasrememberingdearRoger，andallhisoriginality，andhowheusedtostickpinsintoherwhentheywerelittletogether。AuntHester，withherinstinctforavoidingtheunpleasant，herechimedin：DidSoamesthinktheywouldmakeMr。ChamberlainPrimeMinisteratonce?Hewouldsettleitallsoquickly。ShewouldliketoseethatoldKrugersenttoSt。Helena。ShecouldremembersowellthenewsofNapoleon’sdeath，andwhata，reliefithadbeentohisgrandfather。OfcoursesheandJuley……”Wewereinpantalettesthen，mydear”——hadnotfeltitmuchatthetime。