”Dicky！”saidJames。”You’realwayswastingyourmoneyonsomething。”Buthesufferedthechangetobemadetillhisneckalsoshone，murmuringvaguely：”He’sanextravagantchap，I’mafraid。”
Alittlebrighterintheeye，withrathermorecolourthanusualinhischeeks，hetookhisseatinthedrawing-roomtowaitforthesoundofthefront-doorbell。”I’vemadeitaproperdinnerparty，”Emilysaidcomfortably；”I
thoughtitwouldbegoodpracticeforImogen——shemustgetusedtoitnowshe’scomingout。”
Jamesutteredanindeterminatesound，thinkingofImogenassheusedtoclimbabouthiskneeorpullChristmascrackerswithhim。”She’llbepretty，”hemuttered，”Ishouldn’twonder。””Sheispretty，”saidEmily；”sheoughttomakeagoodmatch。””Thereyougo，”murmuredJames；”she’dmuchbetterstayathomeandlookafterhermother。”AsecondDartiecarryingoffhisprettygranddaughterwouldfinishhim！HehadneverquiteforgivenEmilyforhavingbeenasmuchtakeninbyMontagueDartieashehimselfhadbeen。”Where’sWarmson?”hesaidsuddenly。”IshouldlikeaglassofMadeirato-night。””There’schampagne，James。”
Jamesshookhishead。”Nobody，”hesaid；”Ican’tgetanygoodoutofit。”
Emilyreachedforwardonhersideofthefireandrangthebell。”YourmasterwouldlikeabottleofMadeiraopened，Warmson。””No，no！”saidJames，thetipsofhisearsquiveringwithvehemence，andhiseyesfixedonanobjectseenbyhimalone。”Lookhere，Warmson，yougototheinnercellar，andonthemiddleshelfoftheendbinontheleftyou’llseesevenbottles；taketheoneinthecentre，anddon’tshakeit。It’sthelastoftheMadeiraIhadfromMr。Jolyonwhenwecameinhere——neverbeenmoved；itoughttobeinprimeconditionstill；butIdon’tknow，I
can’ttell。””Verygood，sir，”respondedthewithdrawingWarmson。”Iwaskeepingitforourgoldenwedding，”saidJamessuddenly，”butIshan’tlivethreeyearsatmyage。””Nonsense，James，”saidEmily，”don’ttalklikethat。””Ioughttohavegotitupmyself，”murmuredJames，”he’llshakeitaslikelyasnot。”Andhesankintosilentrecollectionoflongmomentsamongtheopengas-jets，thecobwebsandthegoodsmellofwine-soakedcorks，whichhadbeenappetisertosomanyfeasts。InthewinefromthatcellarwaswrittenthehistoryofthefortyoddyearssincehehadcometotheParkLanehousewithhisyoungbride，andofthemanygenerationsoffriendsandacquaintanceswhohadpassedintotheunknown；itsdepletedbinspreservedtherecordoffamilyfestivity——allthemarriages，births，deathsofhiskithandkin。Andwhenhewasgonethereitwouldbe，andhedidn’tknowwhatwouldbecomeofit。It’dbedrunkorspoiled，heshouldn’twonder！
>Fromthatdeepreverietheentranceofhissondraggedhim，followedverysoonbythatofWinifredandhertwoeldest。
Theywentdownarm-in-arm——JameswithImogen，thedebutante，becausehisprettygrandchildcheeredhim；SoameswithWinifred；
EmilywithVal，whoseeyeslightingontheoystersbrightened。
Thiswastobeaproperfull’blowout’with’fizz’andport！Andhefeltinneedofit，afterwhathehaddonethatday，asyetundivulged。Afterthefirstglassortwoitbecamepleasanttohavethisbombshelluphissleeve，thispieceofsensationalpatriotism，orexample，rather，ofpersonaldaring，todisplay——forhispleasureinwhathehaddoneforhisQueenandCountrywassofarentirelypersonal。Hewasnowa’blood，’indissolublyconnectedwithgunsandhorses；hehadarighttoswagger——not，ofcourse，thathewasgoingto。Heshouldjustannounceitquietly，whentherewasapause。And，glancingdownthemenu，hedeterminedon’Bombeauxfraises’asthepropermoment；therewouldbeacertainsolemnitywhiletheywereeatingthat。Onceortwicebeforetheyreachedthatrosysummitofthedinnerhewasattackedbyremembrancethathisgrandfatherwasnevertoldanything！
Still，theoldboywasdrinkingMadeira，andlookingjollyfit！
Besides，heoughttobepleasedatthisset-offtothedisgraceofthedivorce。Thesightofhisuncleopposite，too，wasasharpincentive。Hewassofarfrombeingasportsmanthatitwouldbeworthalottoseehisface。Besides，bettertotellhismotherinthiswaythanprivately，whichmightupsetthemboth！Hewassorryforher，butafterallonecouldn’tbeexpectedtofeelmuchforotherswhenonehadtopartfromHolly。
Hisgrandfather’svoicetravelledtohimthinly。”Val，tryalittleoftheMadeirawithyourice。Youwon’tgetthatupatcollege。”
Valwatchedtheslowliquidfillinghisglass，theessentialoiloftheoldwineglazingthesurface；inhaleditsaroma，andthought：
’Nowforit！’Itwasarichmoment。Hesipped，andagentleglowspreadinhisveins，alreadyheated。Witharapidlookround，hesaid，”IjoinedtheImperialYeomanryto-day，Granny，”andemptiedhisglassasthoughdrinkingthehealthofhisownact。”What！”Itwashismother’sdesolatelittleword。”YoungJollyForsyteandIwentdowntheretogether。””Youdidn’tsign?”fromUncleSoames。”Rather！WegointocamponMonday。””Isay！”criedImogen。
AlllookedatJames。Hewasleaningforwardwithhishandbehindhisear。”What’sthat?”hesaid。”What’shesaying?Ican’thear。”
EmilyreachedforwardtopatVal’shand。”It’sonlythatValhasjoinedtheYeomanry，James；it’sveryniceforhim。He’lllookhisbestinuniform。””Joinedthe——rubbish！”camefromJames，tremulouslyloud。”Youcan’tseetwoyardsbeforeyournose。He——he’llhavetogooutthere。Why！he’llbefightingbeforeheknowswhereheis。”
ValsawImogen’seyesadmiringhim，andhismotherstillandfashionablewithherhandkerchiefbeforeherlips。
Suddenlyhisunclespoke。”You’reunderage。””Ithoughtofthat，”smiledVal；”Igavemyageastwenty-one。”
Heheardhisgrandmother’sadmiring，”Well，Val，thatwaspluckyofyou；”wasconsciousofWarmsondeferentiallyfillinghischampagneglass；andofhisgrandfather’svoicemoaning：”Idon’tknowwhat’llbecomeofyouifyougoonlikethis。”
Imogenwaspattinghisshoulder，hisunclelookingathimsidelong；
onlyhismothersatunmoving，till，affectedbyherstillness，Valsaid：”It’sallright，youknow；weshallsoonhavethemontherun。I
onlyhopeIshallcomeinforsomething。”
Hefeltelated，sorry，tremendouslyimportantallatonce。ThiswouldshowUncleSoames，andalltheForsytes，howtobesportsmen。
Hehadcertainlydonesomethingheroicandexceptionalingivinghisageastwenty-one。
Emily’svoicebroughthimbacktoearth。”Youmustn’thaveasecondglass，James。Warmson！””Won’ttheybeastonishedatTimothy’s！”burstoutImogen。”I’dgiveanythingtoseetheirfaces。Doyouhaveasword，Val，oronlyapopgun?””Whatmadeyou?”
Hisuncle’svoiceproducedaslightchillinthepitofVal’sstomach。Madehim?Howanswerthat?Hewasgratefulforhisgrandmother’scomfortable：”Well，Ithinkit’sverypluckyofVal。I’msurehe’llmakeasplendidsoldier；he’sjustthefigureforit。Weshallallbeproudofhim。””WhathadyoungJollyForsytetodowithit?Whydidyougotogether?”pursuedSoames，uncannilyrelentless。”Ithoughtyouweren’tfriendlywithhim?””I’mnot，”mumbledVal，”butIwasn’tgoingtobebeatenbyhim。”
Hesawhisunclelookathimquitedifferently，asifapproving。
Hisgrandfatherwasnoddingtoo，hisgrandmothertossingherhead。
Theyallapprovedofhisnotbeingbeatenbythatcousinofhis。
Theremustbeareason！Valwasdimlyconsciousofsomedisturbingpointoutsidehisrangeofvision；asitmightbe，theunlocatedcentreofacyclone。And，staringathisuncle’sface，hehadaquiteunaccountablevisionofawomanwithdarkeyes，goldhair，andawhiteneck，whosmeltnice，andhadprettysilkenclotheswhichhehadlikedfeelingwhenhewasquitesmall。ByJove，yes！
AuntIrene！Sheusedtokisshim，andhehadbittenherarmonce，playfully，becausehelikedit——sosoft。Hisgrandfatherwasspeaking：”What’shisfatherdoing?””He’sawayinParis，”Valsaid，staringattheveryqueerexpressiononhisuncle’sface，like——likethatofasnarlingdog。”Artists！”saidJames。Thewordcomingfromtheverybottomofhissoul，brokeupthedinner。
Oppositehismotherinthecabgoinghome，Valtastedtheafter-
fruitsofheroism，likemedlarsover-ripe。
Sheonlysaid，indeed，thathemustgotohistailor’satonceandhavehisuniformproperlymade，andnotjustputupwithwhattheygavehim。Buthecouldfeelthatshewasverymuchupset。Itwasonhislipstoconsoleherwiththespokenthoughtthathewouldbeoutofthewayofthatbeastlydivorce，butthepresenceofImogen，andtheknowledgethathismotherwouldnotbeoutoftheway，restrainedhim。Hefeltaggrievedthatshedidnotseemmoreproudofhim。WhenImogenhadgonetobed，heriskedtheemotional。”I’mawfullysorrytohavetoleaveyou，Mother。””Well，Imustmakethebestofit。Wemusttryandgetyouacommissionassoonaswecan；thenyouwon’thavetoroughitso。