Jollywasanxiousthattheyshouldseehimrowing，sotheysetforthtotheriver。Holly，betweenherbrotherandherfather，feltelatedwhenheadswereturnedandeyesrestedonher。ThattheymightseehimtothebestadvantagetheylefthimattheBargeandcrossedtherivertothetowing-path。Slightinbuild——forofalltheForsytesonlyoldSwithinandGeorgewerebeefy——Jollywasrowing’Two’inatrialeight。Helookedveryearnestandstrenuous。WithprideJolyonthoughthimthebest-lookingboyofthelot；Holly，asbecameasister，wasmorestruckbyoneortwooftheothers，butwouldnothavesaidsofortheworld。Theriverwasbrightthatafternoon，themeadowslush，thetreesstillbeautifulwithcolour。Distinguishedpeaceclungaroundtheoldcity；Jolyonpromisedhimselfaday’ssketchingiftheweatherheld。TheEightpassedasecondtime，spurtinghomealongtheBarges——Jolly’sfacewasveryset，soasnottoshowthathewasblown。Theyreturnedacrosstheriverandwaitedforhim。”Oh！”saidJollyintheChristChurchmeadows，”IhadtoaskthatchapValDartietodinewithusto-night。HewantedtogiveyoulunchandshowyouB。N。C。，soIthoughtI’dbetter；thenyouneedn’tgo。Idon’tlikehimmuch。”
Holly’srathersallowfacehadbecomesuffusedwithpink。”Whynot?””Oh！Idon’tknow。Heseemstomerathershowyandbadform。Whatarehispeoplelike，Dad?He’sonlyasecondcousin，isn’the?”
Jolyontookrefugeinasmile。”AskHolly，”hesaid；”shesawhisuncle。””IlikedVal，”Hollyanswered，staringatthegroundbeforeher；”hisunclelooked——awfullydifferent。”ShestoleaglanceatJollyfromunderherlashes。”Didyouever，”saidJolyonwithwhimsicalintention，”hearourfamilyhistory，mydears?It’squiteafairytale。ThefirstJolyonForsyte——atalleventsthefirstweknowanythingof，andthatwouldbeyourgreat-great-grandfather——dweltinthelandofDorsetontheedgeofthesea，beingbyprofessionan’agriculturalist，’asyourgreat-auntputit，andthesonofanagriculturist——farmers，infact；yourgrandfatherusedtocallthem，’Verysmallbeer，’”HelookedatJollytoseehowhislordlinesswasstandingit，andwiththeothereyenotedHolly’smaliciouspleasureintheslightdropofherbrother’sface。”Wemaysupposehimthickandsturdy，standingforEnglandasitwasbeforetheIndustrialErabegan。ThesecondJolyonForsyte——
yourgreat-grandfather，Jolly；betterknownasSuperiorDossetForsyte——builthouses，sothechronicleruns，begattenchildren，andmigratedtoLondontown。Itisknownthathedranksherry。WemaysupposehimrepresentingtheEnglandofNapoleon’swars，andgeneralunrest。TheeldestofhissixsonswasthethirdJolyon，yourgrandfather，mydears——teamerchantandchairmanofcompanies，oneofthesoundestEnglishmenwhoeverlived——andtomethedearest。”Jolyon’svoicehadlostitsirony，andhissonanddaughtergazedathimsolemnly，”Hewasjustandtenacious，tenderandyoungatheart。Yourememberhim，andIrememberhim。Passtotheothers！Yourgreat-uncleJames，that’syoungVal’sgrand-
father，hadasoncalledSoames——wherebyhangsataleofnolovelost，andIdon’tthinkI’lltellityou。Jamesandtheothereightchildrenof’SuperiorDosset，’ofwhomtherearestillfivealive，maybesaidtohaverepresentedVictorianEngland，withitsprinciplesoftradeandindividualismatfivepercent。andyourmoneyback——ifyouknowwhatthatmeans。Atalleventsthey’veturnedthirtythousandpoundsintoacoolmillionbetweentheminthecourseoftheirlonglives。Theyneverdidawildthing——
unlessitwasyourgreat-uncleSwithin，whoIbelievewasonceswindledatthimble-rig，andwascalled’Four-in-handForsyte’
becausehedroveapair。Theirdayispassing，andtheirtype，notaltogetherfortheadvantageofthecountry。Theywerepedestrian，buttheytooweresound。IamthefourthJolyonForsyte——apoorholderofthename——””No，Dad，”saidJolly，andHollysqueezedhishand。”Yes，”repeatedJolyon，”apoorspecimen，representing，I’mafraid，nothingbuttheendofthecentury，unearnedincome，amateurism，andindividualliberty——adifferentthingfromindividualism，Jolly。YouarethefifthJolyonForsyte，oldman，andyouopentheballofthenewcentury。”
Ashespoketheyturnedinthroughthecollegegates，andHollysaid：”It’sfascinating，Dad。”
Noneofthemquiteknewwhatshemeant。Jollywasgrave。
TheRainbow，distinguished，asonlyanOxfordhostelcanbe，forlackofmodernity，providedonesmalloak-panelledprivatesitting-
room，inwhichHollysattoreceive，white-frocked，shy，andalone，whentheonlyguestarrived。Ratherasonewouldtouchamoth，Valtookherhand。Andwouldn’tshewearthis’measlyflower’?Itwouldlookrippinginherhair。Heremovedagardeniafromhiscoat。”Oh！No，thankyou——Icouldn’t！”Butshetookitandpinneditatherneck，havingsuddenlyrememberedthatword’showy’！Val’sbuttonholewouldgiveoffence；andshesomuchwantedJollytolikehim。DidsherealisethatValwasathisbestandquietestinherpresence，andwasthat，perhaps，halfthesecretofhisattractionforher?”Ineversaidanythingaboutourride，Val。””Rathernot！It’sjustbetweenus。”
Bytheuneasinessofhishandsandthefidgetingofhisfeethewasgivingherasenseofpowerverydelicious；asoftfeelingtoo——thewishtomakehimhappy。”DotellmeaboutOxford。Itmustbeeversolovely。”
Valadmittedthatitwasfrightfullydecenttodowhatyouliked；
thelectureswerenothing；andthereweresomeverygoodchaps。”Only，”headded，”ofcourseIwishIwasintown，andcouldcomedownandseeyou。”
Hollymovedonehandshylyonherknee，andherglancedropped。”Youhaven’tforgotten，”hesaid，suddenlygatheringcourage，”thatwe’regoingmad-rabbitingtogether?”
Hollysmiled。”Oh！Thatwasonlymake-believe。Onecan’tdothatsortofthingafterone’sgrownup，youknow。””Dashit！cousinscan，”saidVal。”NextLongVac——itbeginsinJune，youknow，andgoesonforever——we’llwatchourchance。”
But，thoughthethrillofconspiracyranthroughherveins，Hollyshookherhead。”Itwon’tcomeoff，”shemurmured。”Won’tit！”saidValfervently；”who’sgoingtostopit?Notyourfatheroryourbrother。”
AtthismomentJolyonandJollycamein；andromancefledintoVal’spatentleatherandHolly’swhitesatintoes，whereititchedandtingledduringaneveningnotconspicuousforopen-heartedness。
Sensitivetoatmosphere，Jolyonsoonfeltthelatentantagonismbetweentheboys，andwaspuzzledbyHolly；sohebecameun-
consciouslyironical，whichisfataltotheexpansivenessofyouth。
Aletter，handedtohimafterdinner，reducedhimtoasilencehardlybrokentillJollyandValrosetogo。Hewentoutwiththem，smokinghiscigar，andwalkedwithhissontothegatesofChristChurch。Turningback，hetookouttheletterandreaditagainbeneathalamp。”DEARJOLYON，”Soamescameagainto-night——mythirty-seventhbirthday。Youwereright，Imustn’tstayhere。I’mgoingto-morrowtothePiedmontHotel，butIwon’tgoabroadwithoutseeingyou。Ifeellonelyanddown-hearted。”Yoursaffectionately，”IRENE。”
Hefoldedtheletterbackintohispocketandwalkedon，astonishedattheviolenceofhisfeelings。Whathadthefellowsaidordone?
Heturned，intoHighStreet，downtheTurf，andonamongamazeofspiresanddomesandlongcollegefrontsandwalls，brightordarkshadowedinthestrongmoonlight。InthisveryheartofEngland’sgentilityitwasdifficulttorealisethatalonelywomancouldbeimportunedorhunted，butwhatelsecouldherlettermean?
Soamesmusthavebeenpressinghertogobacktohimagain，withpublicopinionandtheLawonhisside，too！’Eighteen-ninety-
nine！，’hethought，gazingatthebrokenglassshiningonthetopofavillagardenwall；’butwhenitcomestopropertywe’restillaheathenpeople！I’llgoupto-morrowmorning。Idaresayit’llbebestforhertogoabroad。’Yetthethoughtdispleasedhim。
WhyshouldSoameshuntheroutofEngland！Besides，hemightfollow，andoutthereshewouldbestillmorehelplessagainsttheattentionsofherownhusband！’Imusttreadwarily，’hethought；
’thatfellowcouldmakehimselfverynasty。Ididn’tlikehismannerinthecabtheothernight。’HisthoughtsturnedtohisdaughterJune。Couldshehelp?OnceonatimeIrenehadbeenhergreatestfriend，andnowshewasa’lameduck，’suchasmustappealtoJune’snature！HedeterminedtowiretohisdaughtertomeethimatPaddingtonStation。RetracinghisstepstowardstheRainbowhequestionedhisownsensations。Wouldhebeupsettinghimselfovereverywomaninlikecase?No！hewouldnot。Thecandourofthisconclusiondiscomfitedhim；and，findingthatHollyhadgoneuptobed，hesoughthisownroom。Buthecouldnotsleep，andsatforalongtimeathiswindow，huddledinanovercoat，watchingthemoonlightontheroofs。
NextdoorHollytoowasawake，thinkingofthelashesaboveandbelowVal’seyes，especiallybelow；andofwhatshecoulddotomakeJollylikehimbetter。Thescentofthegardeniawasstronginherlittlebedroom，andpleasanttoher。
AndVal，leaningoutofhisfirst-floorwindowinB。N。C。，wasgazingatamoonlitquadranglewithoutseeingitatall，seeinginsteadHolly，slimandwhite-frocked，asshesatbesidethefirewhenhefirstwentin。