Indeed，anythinguntowardwasnowsedulouslykeptfromJames。Withanotherlookroundatthefurniture，asiftogaugehissister’sexactposition，SoameswentouttowardsPiccadilly。Theeveningwasdrawingin——atouchofchillintheOctoberhaze。Hewalkedquickly，withhiscloseandconcentratedair。Hemustgetthrough，forhewishedtodineinSoho。OnhearingfromthehallporterattheIseeumthatMr。Dartiehadnotbeeninto-day，helookedatthetrustyfellowanddecidedonlytoaskifMr。GeorgeForsytewasintheClub。Hewas。Soames，whoalwayslookedaskanceathiscousinGeorge，asoneinclinedtojestathisexpense，followedthepage-
boy，slightlyreassuredbythethoughtthatGeorgehadjustlosthisfather。Hemusthavecomeinforaboutthirtythousand，be-
sideswhathehadunderthatsettlementofRoger’s，whichhadavoideddeathduty。HefoundGeorgeinabow-window，staringoutacrossahalf-eatenplateofmuffins。Histall，bulky，black-
clothedfigureloomedalmostthreatening，thoughpreservingstillthesupernaturalneatnessoftheracingman。Withafaintgrinonhisfleshyface，hesaid：”Hallo，Soames！Haveamuffin?””No，thanks，”murmuredSoames；and，nursinghishat，withthedesiretosaysomethingsuitableandsympathetic，added：”How’syourmother?””Thanks，”saidGeorge；”so-so。Haven’tseenyouforages。Younevergoracing。How’stheCity?”
Soames，scentingtheapproachofajest，closedup，andanswered：”IwantedtoaskyouaboutDartie。Ihearhe’s……””Flitted，madeabolttoBuenosAireswiththefairLola。GoodforWinifredandthelittleDarties。He’satreat。”
Soamesnodded。Naturallyinimicalasthesecousinswere，Dartiemadethemkin。”UncleJames’llsleepinhisbednow，”resumedGeorge；”Isupposehe’shadalotoffyou，too。”
Soamessmiled。”Ah！Yousawhimfurther，”saidGeorgeamicably。”He’sarealrouser。YoungValwillwantabitoflookingafter。IwasalwayssorryforWinifred。She’sapluckywoman。”
AgainSoamesnodded。”Imustbegettingbacktoher，”hesaid；”shejustwantedtoknowforcertain。Wemayhavetotakesteps。
Isupposethere’snomistake?””It’squiteO。K。，”saidGeorge——itwashewhoinventedsomanyofthosequaintsayingswhichhavebeenassignedtoothersources。”Hewasdrunkasalordlastnight；buthewentoffallrightthismorning。Hisship’stheTuscarora；”and，fishingoutacard，hereadmockingly：”’Mr。MontagueDartie，PosteRestante，BuenosAires。’Ishouldhurryupwiththesteps，ifIwereyou。Hefairlyfedmeuplastnight。””Yes，”saidSoames；”butit’snotalwayseasy。”Then，consciousfromGeorge’seyesthathehadrousedreminiscenceofhisownaffair，hegotup，andheldouthishand。Georgerosetoo。”RemembermetoWinifred……You’llenterherfortheDivorceStakesstraightoffifyouaskme。”
Soamestookasidelonglookbackathimfromthedoorway。Georgehadseatedhimselfagainandwasstaringbeforehim；helookedbigandlonelyinthoseblackclothes。Soameshadneverknownhimsosubdued。’Isupposehefeelsitinaway，’hethought。’Theymusthaveaboutfiftythousandeach，alltold。Theyoughttokeeptheestatetogether。Ifthere’sawar，housepropertywillgodown。
UncleRogerwasagoodjudge，though。’AndthefaceofAnnetterosebeforehiminthedarkeningstreet；herbrownhairandherblueeyeswiththeirdarklashes，herfreshlipsandcheeks，dewyandbloominginspiteofLondon，herperfectFrenchfigure。’Takesteps！’hethought。Re-enteringWinifred’shouseheencounteredVal，andtheywentintogether。AnideahadoccurredtoSoames。
HiscousinJolyonwasIrene’strustee，thefirststepwouldbetogodownandseehimatRobinHill。RobinHill！Theodd——theveryoddfeelingthosewordsbroughtback！RobinHill——thehouseBosinneyhadbuiltforhimandIrene——thehousetheyhadneverlivedin——thefatalhouse！AndJolyonlivedtherenow！H’m！Andsuddenlyhethought：’Theysayhe’sgotaboyatOxford！WhynottakeyoungValdownandintroducethem！It’sanexcuse！Lessbald——verymuchlessbald！’So，astheywentupstairs，hesaidtoVal：”You’vegotacousinatOxford；you’venevermethim。Ishouldliketotakeyoudownwithmeto-morrowtowherehelivesandintroduceyou。You’llfindituseful。”
Val，receivingtheideawithbutmoderatetransports，Soamesclinchedit。”I’llcallforyouafterlunch。It’sinthecountry——notfar；
you’llenjoyit。”
Onthethresholdofthedrawing-roomherecalledwithaneffortthatthestepshecontemplatedconcernedWinifredatthemoment，nothimself。
WinifredwasstillsittingatherBuhlbureau。”It’squitetrue，”hesaid；”he’sgonetoBuenosAires，startedthismorning——we’dbetterhavehimshadowedwhenhelands。I’llcableatonce。Otherwisewemayhavealotofexpense。Thesoonerthesethingsaredonethebetter。I’malwaysregrettingthatI
didn’t……”hestopped，andlookedsidelongatthesilentWinifred。”Bytheway，”hewenton，”canyouprovecruelty?”
Winifredsaidinadullvoice：”Idon’tknow。Whatiscruelty?””Well，hashestruckyou，oranything?”
Winifredshookherself，andherjawgrewsquare。”Hetwistedmyarm。Orwouldpointingapistolcount?Orbeingtoodrunktoundresshimself，or——No——Ican’tbringinthechildren。””No，”saidSoames；”no！Iwonder！Ofcourse，there’slegalseparation——wecangetthat。Butseparation！Um！””Whatdoesitmean?”askedWinifreddesolately。”Thathecan’ttouchyou，oryouhim；you’rebothofyoumarriedandunmarried。”Andagainhegrunted。Whatwasit，infact，buthisownaccursedposition，legalised！No，hewouldnotputherintothat！”Itmustbedivorce，”hesaiddecisively；”failingcruelty，there’sdesertion。There’sawayofshorteningthetwoyears，now。WegettheCourttogiveusrestitutionofconjugalrights。Thenifhedoesn’tobey，wecanbringasuitfordivorceinsixmonths’time。
Ofcourseyoudon’twanthimback。Buttheywon’tknowthat。
Still，there’stheriskthathemightcome。I’drathertrycruelty。”
Winifredshookherhead。”It’ssobeastly。””Well，”Soamesmurmured，”perhapsthereisn’tmuchrisksolongashe’sinfatuatedandgotmoney。Don’tsayanythingtoanybody，anddon’tpayanyofhisdebts。”
Winifredsighed。Inspiteofallshehadbeenthrough，thesenseoflosswasheavyonher。Andthisideaofnotpayinghisdebtsanymorebroughtithometoherasnothingelseyethad。Somerichnessseemedtohavegoneoutoflife。Withoutherhusband，withoutherpearls，withoutthatintimatesensethatshemadeabraveshowabovethedomesticwhirlpool，shewouldnowhavetofacetheworld。Shefeltbereavedindeed。
Andintothechillykissheplacedonherforehead，Soamesputmorethanhisusualwarmth。”IhavetogodowntoRobinHillto-morrow，”hesaid，”toseeyoungJolyononbusiness。He’sgotaboyatOxford。I’dliketotakeValwithmeandintroducehim。Comedownto’TheShelter’fortheweek-endandbringthechildren。Oh！bytheway，no，thatwon’tdo；I’vegotsomeotherpeoplecoming。”Sosaying，heleftherandturnedtowardsSoho。
CHAPTERIV
SOHO
OfallquartersinthequeeradventurousamalgamcalledLondon，SohoisperhapsleastsuitedtotheForsytespirit。’So-ho，mywildone！’Georgewouldhavesaidifhehadseenhiscousingoingthere。Untidy，fullofGreeks，Ishmaelites，cats，Italians，tomatoes，restaurants，organs，colouredstuffs，queernames，peoplelookingoutofupperwindows，itdwellsremotefromtheBritishBodyPolitic。Yethasithaphazardproprietaryinstinctsofitsown，andacertainpossessiveprosperitywhichkeepsitsrentsupwhenthoseofotherquartersgodown。ForlongyearsSoames’
acquaintanceshipwithSohohadbeenconfinedtoitsWesternbastion，WardourStreet。Manybargainshadhepickedupthere。
EvenduringthosesevenyearsatBrightonafterBosinney’sdeathandIrene’sflight，hehadboughttreasurestheresometimes，thoughhehadnoplacetoputthem；forwhentheconvictionthathiswifehadgoneforgoodatlastbecamefirmwithinhim，hehadcausedaboardtobeputupinMontpellierSquare：
FORSALE
THELEASEOFTHISDESIRABLERESIDENCE
EnquireofMessrs。LessonandTukes，CourtStreet，Belgravia。