Jolyonhadreachedthewords：”Mydear，Iwantyoutocomewithme，”when，glancingatherface，heperceivedbyherblueeyesmovingfromsidetoside——likethetailofapreoccupiedcatthatshewasnotattending。”Dad，isittruethatIabsolutelycan’tgetatanyofmymoney?””Onlytheincome，fortunately，mylove。””Howperfectlybeastly！Can’titbedonesomehow?Theremustbeaway。IknowIcouldbuyasmallGalleryfortenthousandpounds。””AsmallGallery，”murmuredJolyon，”seemsamodestdesire。Butyourgrandfatherforesawit。””Ithink，”criedJunevigorously，”thatallthiscareaboutmoneyisawful，whenthere’ssomuchgeniusintheworldsimplycrushedoutforwantofalittle。Ishallnevermarryandhavechildren；
whyshouldn’tIbeabletodosomegoodinsteadofhavingitalltiedupincaseofthingswhichwillnevercomeoff?””OurnameisForsyte，mydear，”repliedJolyonintheironicalvoicetowhichhisimpetuousdaughterhadneverquitegrownaccustomed；”andForsytes，youknow，arepeoplewhososettletheirpropertythattheirgrandchildren，incasetheyshoulddiebeforetheirparents，havetomakewillsleavingthepropertythatwillonlycometothemselveswhentheirparentsdie。Doyoufollowthat?NordoI，butit’safact，anyway；welivebytheprinciplethatsolongasthereisapossibilityofkeepingwealthinthefamilyitmustnotgoout；ifyoudieunmarried，yourmoneygoestoJollyandHollyandtheirchildreniftheymarry。Isn’titpleasanttoknowthatwhateveryoudoyoucannoneofyoubedestitute?””Butcan’tIborrowthemoney?”
Jolyonshookhishead。”YoucouldrentaGallery，nodoubt，ifyoucouldmanageitoutofyourincome。”
Juneutteredacontemptuoussound。”Yes；andhavenoincomelefttohelpanybodywith。””Mydearchild，”murmuredJolyon，”wouldn’titcometothesamething?””No，”saidJuneshrewdly，”Icouldbuyfortenthousand；thatwouldonlybefourhundredayear。ButIshouldhavetopayathousandayearrent，andthatwouldonlyleavemefivehundred。IfIhadtheGallery，Dad，thinkwhatIcoulddo。IcouldmakeEricCobbley’snameinnotime，andeversomanyothers。””Namesworthmakingmakethemselvesintime。””Whenthey’redead。””Didyoueverknowanybodyliving，mydear，improvedbyhavinghisnamemade?””Yes，you，”saidJune，pressinghisarm。
Jolyonstarted。’I?’hethought。’Oh！Ah！Nowshe’sgoingtoaskmetodosomething。Wetakeitout，weForsytes，eachinourdifferentways。’
Junecameclosertohiminthecab。”Darling，”shesaid，”youbuytheGallery，andI’llpayyoufourhundredayearforit。Thenneitherofuswillbeanytheworseoff。Besides，it’sasplendidinvestment。”
Jolyonwriggled。”Don’tyouthink，”hesaid，”thatforanartisttobuyaGalleryisabitdubious?Besides，tenthousandpoundsisalump，andI’mnotacommercialcharacter。”
Junelookedathimwithadmiringappraisement。”Ofcourseyou’renot，butyou’reawfullybusinesslike。AndI’msurewecouldmakeitpay。It’llbeaperfectwayofscoringoffthosewretcheddealersandpeople。”Andagainshesqueezedherfather’sarm。
Jolyon’sfaceexpressedquizzicaldespair。”WhereisthisdesirableGallery?Splendidlysituated，Isuppose?””JustoffCorkStreet。”
’Ah！’thoughtJolyon，’Iknewitwasjustoffsomewhere。NowforwhatIwantoutofher！’”Well，I’llthinkofit，butnotjustnow。YourememberIrene?I
wantyoutocomewithmeandseeher。Soamesisafterheragain。
Shemightbesaferifwecouldgiveherasylumsomewhere。”
Thewordasylum，whichhehadusedbychance，wasofallmostcalculatedtorouseJune’sinterest。”Irene！Ihaven’tseenhersince！Ofcourse！I’dlovetohelpher。”
ItwasJolyon’sturntosqueezeherarm，inwarmadmirationforthisspirited，generous-heartedlittlecreatureofhisbegetting。”Ireneisproud，”hesaid，withasidelongglance，insuddendoubtofJune’sdiscretion；”she’sdifficulttohelp。Wemusttreadgently。Thisistheplace。Iwiredhertoexpectus。Let’ssendupourcards。””Ican’tbearSoames，”saidJuneasshegotout；”hesneersateverythingthatisn’tsuccessful”
Irenewasinwhatwascalledthe’Ladies’drawing-room’ofthePiedmontHotel。
Nothingifnotmorallycourageous，Junewalkedstraightuptoherformerfriend，kissedhercheek，andthetwosettleddownonasofaneversatonsincethehotel’sfoundation。JolyoncouldseethatIrenewasdeeplyaffectedbythissimpleforgiveness。”SoSoameshasbeenworryingyou?”hesaid。”Ihadavisitfromhimlastnight；hewantsmetogobacktohim。””You’renotgoing，ofcourse?”criedJune。
Irenesmiledfaintlyandshookherhead。”Buthispositionishorrible，”shemurmured。”It’shisownfault；heoughttohavedivorcedyouwhenhecould。”
Jolyon，rememberedhowferventlyintheolddaysJunehadhopedthatnodivorcewouldsmirchherdeadandfaithlesslover’sname。”LetushearwhatIreneisgoingtodo，”hesaid。
Irene’slipsquivered，butshespokecalmly。”I’dbettergivehimfreshexcusetogetridofme。””Howhorrible！”criedJune。”WhatelsecanIdo?””Outofthequestion，”saidJolyonveryquietly，”sansamour。”
Hethoughtshewasgoingtocry；but，gettingupquickly，shehalfturnedherbackonthem，andstoodregainingcontrolofherself。
Junesaidsuddenly：”Well，IshallgotoSoamesandtellhimhemustleaveyoualone。
Whatdoeshewantathisage?””Achild。It’snotunnatural””Achild！”criedJunescornfully。”Ofcourse！Toleavehismoneyto。Ifhewantsonebadlyenoughlethimtakesomebodyandhaveone；thenyoucandivorcehim，andhecanmarryher。”
JolyonperceivedsuddenlythathehadmadeamistaketobringJune——
herviolentpartizanshipwasfightingSoames’battle。”ItwouldbebestforIrenetocomequietlytousatRobinHill，andseehowthingsshape。””Ofcourse，”saidJune；”only……”
IrenelookedfullatJolyon——inallhismanyattemptsafterwardstoanalyzethatglancehenevercouldsucceed。”No！Ishouldonlybringtroubleonyouall。Iwillgoabroad。”
Heknewfromhervoicethatthiswasfinal。Theirrelevantthoughtflashedthroughhim：’Well，Icouldseeherthere。’Buthesaid：”Don’tyouthinkyouwouldbemorehelplessabroad，incasehefollowed?””Idon’tknow。Icanbuttry。”
Junesprangupandpacedtheroom。”It’sallhorrible，”shesaid。”Whyshouldpeoplebetorturedandkeptmiserableandhelplessyearafteryearbythisdisgustingsanctimoniouslaw?”Butsomeonehadcomeintotheroom，andJunecametoastandstill。JolyonwentuptoIrene：”Doyouwantmoney?”No。”Andwouldyoulikemetoletyourfiat?””Yes，Jolyon，please。””Whenshallyoubegoing?””To-morrow。””Youwon’tgobackthereinthemeantime，willyou?”Thishesaidwithananxietystrangetohimself。”No；I’vegotallIwanthere。””You’llsendmeyouraddress?”
Sheputoutherhandtohim。”Ifeelyou’rearock。””Builtonsand，”answeredJolyon，pressingherhandhard；”butit’sapleasuretodoanything，atanytime，rememberthat。Andifyouchangeyourmind……！Comealong，June；saygood-bye。”
JunecamefromthewindowandflungherarmsroundIrene。”Don’tthinkofhim，”shesaidunderherbreath；”enjoyyourself，andblessyou！”
WithamemoryoftearsinIrene’seyes，andofasmileonherlips，theywentawayextremelysilent，passingtheladywhohadinterruptedtheinterviewandwasturningoverthepapersonthetable。
OppositetheNationalGalleryJuneexclaimed：”Ofallundignifiedbeastsandhorriblelaws！”