Soamesshookhishead。Ifthewholethingwerenotdisposedofwithinthenextfewmonthsthefellowwouldturnupagainlikeabadpenny。Itsavedathousandayearatleasttogetridofhim，besidesalltheworrytoWinifredandhisfather。’ImuststiffenDreamer’sback，’hethought；’wemustpushiton。’
Winifred，whohadadoptedakindofhalf-mourningwhichbecameherfairhairandtallfigureverywell，arrivedinJames’barouchedrawnbyJames’pair。SoameshadnotseenitintheCitysincehisfatherretiredfrombusinessfiveyearsago，anditsincongruitygavehimashock。’Timesarechanging，’hethought；’onedoesn’tknowwhat’llgonext！’Tophatsevenwerescarcer。HeenquiredafterVal。Val，saidWinifred，wrotethathewasgoingtoplaypolonextterm。Shethoughthewasinaverygoodset。Sheaddedwithfashionablydisguisedanxiety：”Willtherebemuchpublicityaboutmyaffair，Soames?Mustitbeinthepapers?It’ssobadforhim，andthegirls。”
Withhisowncalamityallrawwithinhim，Soamesanswered：”Thepapersareapushinglot；it’sverydifficulttokeepthingsout。Theypretendtobeguardingthepublic’smorals，andtheycorruptthemwiththeirbeastlyreports。Butwehaven’tgottothatyet。We’reonlyseeingDreamerto-dayontherestitutionquestion。Ofcourseheunderstandsthatit’stoleadtoadivorce；
butyoumustseemgenuinelyanxioustogetDartieback——youmightpracticethatattitudeto-day。”
Winifredsighed。”Oh！WhataclownMonty’sbeen！”shesaid。
Soamesgaveherasharplook。ItwascleartohimthatshecouldnottakeherDartieseriously，andwouldgobackonthewholethingifgivenhalfachance。Hisowninstincthadbeenfirminthismatterfromthefirst。TosavealittlescandalnowwouldonlybringonhissisterandherchildrenrealdisgraceandperhapsruinlateronifDartiewereallowedtohangontothem，goingdown-hillandspendingthemoneyJameswouldleavehisdaughter。Thoughitwasalltiedup，thatfellowwouldmilkthesettlementssomehow，andmakehisfamilypaythroughthenosetokeephimoutofbankruptcyorevenperhapsgaol！Theylefttheshiningcarriage，withtheshininghorsesandtheshining-hattedservantsontheEmbankment，andwalkeduptoDreamerQ。C。’sChambersinCrownOfficeRow。”Mr。Bellbyishere，sir，”saidtheclerk；”Mr。Dreamerwillbetenminutes。”
Mr。Bellby，thejunior——notasjuniorashemighthavebeen，forSoamesonlyemployedbarristersofestablishedreputation；itwas，indeed，somethingofamysterytohimhowbarristersevermanagedtoestablishthatwhichmadehimemploythem——Mr。Bellbywasseated，takingafinalglancethroughhispapers。HehadcomefromCourt，andwasinwigandgown，whichsuitedanosejuttingoutlikethehandleofatinypump，hissmallshrewdblueeyes，andratherprotrudinglowerlip——nobettermantosupplementandstiffenDreamer。
TheintroductiontoWinifredaccomplished，theyleapedtheweatherandspokeofthewar。Soamesinterruptedsuddenly：”Ifhedoesn’tcomplywecan’tbringproceedingsforsixmonths。I
wanttogetonwiththematter，Bellby。”
Mr。Bellby，whohadtheghostofanIrishbrogue，smiledatWinifredandmurmured：”TheLaw’sdelays，Mrs。Dartie。””Sixmonths！”repeatedSoames；”it’lldriveituptoJune！Weshan’tgetthesuitontillafterthelongvacation。Wemustputthescrewon，Bellby”——hewouldhaveallhisworkcutouttokeepWinifreduptothescratch。”Mr。Dreamerwillseeyounow，sir。”
Theyfiledin，Mr。Bellbygoingfirst，andSoamesescortingWinifredafteranintervalofoneminutebyhiswatch。
DreamerQ。C。，inagownbutdivestedofwig，wasstandingbeforethefire，asifthisconferencewereinthenatureofatreat；hehadtheleathery，ratheroilycomplexionwhichgoeswithgreatlearning，aconsiderablenosewithglassesperchedonit，andlittlegreyishwhiskers；heluxuriatedintheperpetualcockingofoneeye，andtheconcealmentofhislowerwithhisupperlip，whichgaveasmotheredturntohisspeech。Hehadaway，too，ofcomingsuddenlyroundthecorneronthepersonhewastalkingto；this，withadisconcertingtoneofvoice，andahabitofgrowlingbeforehebegantospeak——hadsecuredareputationsecondinProbateandDivorcetoveryfew。Havinglistened，eyecocked，toMr。Bellby’sbreezyrecapitulationofthefacts，hegrowled，andsaid：”Iknowallthat；”andcomingroundthecorneratWinifred，smotheredthewords：”Wewanttogethimback，don’twe，Mrs。Dartie?”
Soamesinterposedsharply：”Mysister’sposition，ofcourse，isintolerable。”
Dreamergrowled。”Exactly。Now，canwerelyonthecabledrefusal，ormustwewaittillafterChristmastogivehimachancetohavewritten——that’sthepoint，isn’tit?””Thesooner……”Soamesbegan。”Whatdoyousay，Bellby?”saidDreamer，comingroundhiscorner。
Mr。Bellbyseemedtosnifftheairlikeahound。”Wewon’tbeontillthemiddleofDecember。We’venoneedtogiveummoreropethanthat。””No，”saidSoames，”whyshouldmysisterbeincommodedbyhischoosingtogo””ToJericho！”saidDreamer，againcomingroundhiscorner；”quiteso。Peopleoughtn’ttogotoJericho，oughtthey，Mrs。Dartie?”
Andheraisedhisgownintoasortoffantail。”Iagree。Wecangoforward。Isthereanythingmore?””Nothingatpresent，”saidSoamesmeaningly；”Iwantedyoutoseemysister。”
Dreamergrowledsoftly：”Delighted。Goodevening！”Andletfalltheprotectionofhisgown。
Theyfiledout。Winifredwentdownthestairs。Soameslingered。
InspiteofhimselfhewasimpressedbyDreamer。”Theevidenceisallright，Ithink，”hesaidtoBellby。”Betweenourselves，ifwedon’tgetthethingthroughquick，wenevermay。
D’youthinkbeunderstandsthat?””I’llmakeum，”saidBellby。”Goodmanthough——goodman。”
Soamesnoddedandhastenedafterhissister。Hefoundherinadraught，bitingherlipsbehindherveil，andatoncesaid：”Theevidenceofthestewardesswillbeverycomplete。”
Winifred’sfacehardened；shedrewherselfup，andtheywalkedtothecarriage。And，allthroughthatsilentdrivebacktoGreenStreet，thesoulsofbothofthemrevolvedasinglethought：’Why，oh！whyshouldIhavetoexposemymisfortunetothepubliclikethis?Whyhavetoemployspiestopeerintomyprivatetroubles?
Theywerenotofmymaking。’
CHAPTERV
JOLLYSITSINJUDGMENT
Thepossessiveinstinct，which，sodeterminedlybalked，wasanimatingtwomembersoftheForsytefamilytowardsriddanceofwhattheycouldnolongerpossess，washardeningdailyintheBritishbodypolitic。Nicholas，originallysodoubtfulconcerningawarwhichmustaffectproperty，hadbeenheardtosaythattheseBoerswereapig-headedlot；theywerecausingalotofexpense，andthesoonertheyhadtheirlessonthebetter。HewouldsendoutWolseley！Seeingalwaysalittlefurtherthanotherpeople——whencethemostconsiderablefortuneofalltheForsytes——hehadperceivedalreadythatBullerwasnottheman——’abullofachap，whojustwentbutting，andiftheydidn’tlookoutLadysmithwouldfall。’
ThiswasearlyinDecember，sothatwhenBlackWeekcame，hewasenabledtosaytoeverybody：’Itoldyouso。’DuringthatweekofgloomsuchasnoForsytecouldremember，veryyoungNicholasattendedsomanydrillsinhiscorps，’TheDevil’sOwn，’thatyoungNicholasconsultedthefamilyphysicianabouthisson’shealthandwasalarmedtofindthathewasperfectlysound。Theboyhadonlyjusteatenhisdinnersandbeencalledtothebar，atsomeexpense，anditwasinawayanightmaretohisfatherandmotherthatheshouldbeplayingwithmilitaryefficiencyatatimewhenmilitaryefficiencyinthecivilianpopulationmightconceivablybewanted。
Hisgrandfather，ofcourse，pooh-poohedthenotion，toothoroughlyeducatedinthefeelingthatnoBritishwarcouldbeotherthanlittleandprofessional，andprofoundlydistrustfulofImperialcommitments，bywhich，moreover，hestoodtolose，forheownedDeBeers，nowgoingdownfast，morethanasufficientsacrificeonthepartofhisgrandson。
AtOxford，however，ratherdifferentsentimentsprevailed。Theinherenteffervescenceofconglomerateyouthhad，duringthetwomonthsofthetermbeforeBlackWeek，beengraduallycrystallisingoutintovividoppositions。Normaladolescence，everinEnglandofaconservativetendencythoughnottakingthingstooseriously，wasvehementforafighttoafinishandagoodlickingfortheBoers。
OfthislargerfactionValDartiewasnaturallyamember。Radicalyouth，ontheotherhand，asmallbutperhapsmorevocalbody，wasforstoppingthewarandgivingtheBoersautonomy。UntilBlackWeek，however，thegroupswereamorphous，withoutsharpedges，andargumentremainedbutacademic。Jollywasoneofthosewhoknewnotwherehestood。AstreakofhisgrandfatheroldJolyon’sloveofjusticeprevented，himfromseeingonesideonly。Moreover，inhissetof’thebest’therewasa’jumping-Jesus’ofextremelyadvancedopinionsandsomepersonalmagnetism。Jollywavered。Hisfather，too，seemeddoubtfulinhisviews。Andthough，aswasproperattheageoftwenty，hekeptasharpeyeonhisfather，watchfulfordefectswhichmightstillberemedied，stillthatfatherhadan’air’whichgaveasortofglamourtohiscreedofironictolerance。Artistsofcourse；werenotoriouslyHamlet-like，andtothisextentonemustdiscountforone’sfather，evenifonelovedhim。ButJolyon’soriginalview，thatto’putyournoseinwhereyouaren’twanted’astheUitlandershaddone’andthenworktheoracletillyougetontopisnotbeingquitethecleanpotato，’had，whetherfoundedinfactorno，acertainattractionforhisson，whothoughtadealaboutgentility。OntheotherhandJollycouldnotabidesuchashissetcalled’cranks，’andVal’ssetcalled’smugs，’sothathewasstillbalancingwhentheclockofBlackWeekstruck。One——two——three，camethoseominousrepulsesatStormberg，Magersfontein，Colenso。ThesturdyEnglishsoulreactingafterthefirstcried，’Ah！butMethuen！’afterthesecond：’Ah！butBuller！’then，ininspissatedgloom，hardened。
AndJollysaidtohimself：’No，damnit！We’vegottolickthebeggarsnow；Idon’tcarewhetherwe’rerightorwrong。’And，ifhehadknownit，hisfatherwasthinkingthesamethought。
ThatnextSunday，lastoftheterm，Jollywasbiddentowinewith’oneofthebest。’Afterthesecondtoast，’BulleranddamnationtotheBoers，’drunk——noheeltaps——inthecollegeBurgundy，henoticedthatValDartie，alsoaguest，waslookingathimwithagrinandsayingsomethingtohisneighbour。Hewassureitwasdisparaging。Thelastboyintheworldtomakehimselfconspicuousorcausepublicdisturbance，Jollygrewratherredandshuthislips。Thequeerhostilityhehadalwaysfelttowardshissecond-
cousinwasstronglyandsuddenlyreinforced。’Allright！’hethought，’youwait，myfriend！’Morewinethanwasgoodforhim，asthecustomwas，helpedhimtoremember，whentheyalltroopedforthtoasecludedspot，totouchValonthearm。