Doyouknowanydrill，Val?””Notascrap。””Ihopetheywon’tworryyoumuch。Imusttakeyouabouttogetthethingsto-morrow。Good-night；kissme。”
Withthatkiss，softandhot，betweenhiseyes，andthosewords，’I
hopetheywon’tworryyoumuch，’inhisears，hesatdowntoacigarette，beforeadyingfire。Theheatwasoutofhim——theglowofcuttingadash。Itwasalladamnedheart-achingbore。’I’llbeevenwiththatchapJolly，’hethought，trailingupthestairs，pasttheroomwherehismotherwasbitingherpillowtosmotherasenseofdesolationwhichwastryingtomakehersob。
AndsoononlyoneofthedinersatJames’wasawake——Soames，inhisbedroomabovehisfather’s。
SothatfellowJolyonwasinParis——whatwashedoingthere?
HangingroundIrene！ThelastreportfromPolteedhadhintedthattheremightbesomethingsoon。Coulditbethis?Thatfellow，withhisbeardandhiscursedamusedwayofspeaking——sonoftheoldmanwhohadgivenhimthenickname’ManofProperty，’andboughtthefatalhousefromhim。SoameshadeverresentedhavinghadtosellthehouseatRobinHill；neverforgivenhisuncleforhavingboughtit，orhiscousinforlivinginit。
Recklessofthecold，hethrewhiswindowupandgazedoutacrossthePark。BleakanddarktheJanuarynight；littlesoundoftraffic；afrostcoming；baretrees；astarortwo。’I’llseePolteedto-morrow，’hethought。’ByGod！I’mmad，Ithink，towantherstill。Thatfellow！If……?Um！No！’
CHAPTERX
DEATHOFTHEDOGBALTHASAR
Jolyon，whohadcrossedfromCalaisbynight，arrivedatRobin——
HillonSundaymorning。Hehadsentnowordbeforehand，sowalkedupfromthestation，enteringhisdomainbythecoppicegate。
Comingtothelogseatfashionedoutofanoldfallentrunk，hesatdown，firstlayinghisovercoatonit。
’Lumbago！’hethought；’that’swhatloveendsinatmytimeoflife！’AndsuddenlyIreneseemedverynear，justasshehadbeenthatdayoframblingatFontainebleauwhentheyhadsatonalogtoeattheirlunch。Hauntinglynear！Odourdrawnoutoffallenleavesbythepale-filteringsunlightsoakedhisnostrils。’I’mgladitisn’tspring，’hethought。Withthescentofsap，andthesongofbirds，andtheburstingoftheblossoms，itwouldhavebeenunbearable！’IhopeIshallbeoveritbythen，oldfoolthatI
am！’andpickinguphiscoat，hewalkedonintothefield。Hepassedthepondandmountedthehillslowly。
Nearthetopahoarsebarkinggreetedhim。UponthelawnabovetheferneryhecouldseehisolddogBalthasar。Theanimal，whosedimeyestookhismasterforastranger，waswarningtheworldagainsthim。Jolyongavehisspecialwhistle。Evenatthatdistanceofahundredyardsandmorehecouldseethedawningrecognitionintheobesebrown-whitebody。Theolddoggotoffhishaunches，andhistail，close-curledoverhisback，beganafeeble，excitedfluttering；hecamewaddlingforward，gatheredmomentum，anddisappearedovertheedgeofthefernery。Jolyonexpectedtomeethimatthewicketgate，butBalthasarwasnotthere，and，ratheralarmed，heturnedintothefernery。Onhisfatside，lookingupwitheyesalreadyglazing，theolddoglay。”Whatisit，mypooroldman?”criedJolyon。Balthasar’scurledandfluffytailjustmoved；hisfilmingeyesseemedsaying：”I
can’tgetup，master，butI’mgladtoseeyou。”
Jolyonkneltdown；hiseyes，verydimmed，couldhardlyseetheslowlyceasingheaveofthedog’sside。Heraisedtheheadalittle——veryheavy。”Whatisit，dearman?Whereareyouhurt?”Thetailflutteredonce；theeyeslostthelookoflife。Jolyonpassedhishandsallovertheinertwarmbulk。Therewasnothing——thehearthadsimplyfailedinthatobesebodyfromtheemotionofhismaster’sreturn。
Jolyoncouldfeelthemuzzle，whereafewwhitishbristlesgrew，coolingalreadyagainsthislips。Hestayedforsomeminuteskneeling；withhishandbeneaththestiffeninghead。Thebodywasveryheavywhenheboreittothetopofthefield；leaveshaddriftedthere，andhestreweditwithacoveringofthem；therewasnowind，andtheywouldkeephimfromcuriouseyesuntiltheafternoon。’I’llburyhimmyself，’hethought。EighteenyearshadgonesincehefirstwentintotheSt。John’sWoodhousewiththattinypuppyinhispocket。Strangethattheolddogshoulddiejustnow！Wasitanomen?Heturnedatthegatetolookbackatthatrussetmound，thenwentslowlytowardsthehouse，verychokyinthethroat。
Junewasathome；shehadcomedownhotfootonhearingthenewsofJolly’senlistment。HispatriotismhadconqueredherfeelingfortheBoers。TheatmosphereofhishousewasstrangeandpockettywhenJolyoncameinandtoldthemofthedogBalthasar’sdeath。
Thenewshadaunifyingeffect。Alinkwiththepasthadsnapped——
thedogBalthasar！Twoofthemcouldremembernothingbeforehisday；toJuneherepresentedthelastyearsofhergrandfather；toJolyonthatlifeofdomesticstressandaestheticstrugglebeforehecameagainintothekingdomofhisfather’sloveandwealth！
Andhewasgone！
IntheafternoonheandJollytookpicksandspadesandwentouttothefield。Theychoseaspotclosetotherussetmound，sothattheyneednotcarryhimfar，and，carefullycuttingoffthesurfaceturf，begantodig。Theyduginsilencefortenminutes，andthenrested。”Well，oldman，”saidJolyon，”soyouthoughtyouought?””Yes，”answeredJolly；”Idon’twanttoabit，ofcourse。”
HowexactlythosewordsrepresentedJolyon’sownstateofmind”Iadmireyouforit，oldboy。Idon’tbelieveIshouldhavedoneitatyourage——toomuchofaForsyte，I’mafraid。ButIsupposethetypegetsthinnerwitheachgeneration。Yourson，ifyouhaveone，maybeapurealtruist；whoknows?””Hewon’tbelikeme，then，Dad；I’mbeastlyselfish。””No，mydear，thatyouclearlyarenot。”Jollyshookhishead，andtheydugagain。”Strangelifeadog’s，”saidJolyonsuddenly：”Theonlyfour-footerwithrudimentsofaltruismandasenseofGod！”
Jollylookedathisfather。”DoyoubelieveinGod，Dad?I’veneverknown。”
Atsosearchingaquestionfromonetowhomitwasimpossibletomakealightreply，Jolyonstoodforamomentfeelinghisbacktriedbythedigging。”WhatdoyoumeanbyGod?”hesaid；”therearetwoirreconcilableideasofGod。There’stheUnknowableCreativePrinciple——onebelievesinThat。Andthere’stheSumofaltruisminmannaturallyonebelievesinThat。””Isee。ThatleavesoutChrist，doesn’tit?”
Jolyonstared。Christ，thelinkbetweenthosetwoideas！Outofthemouthofbabes！Herewasorthodoxyscientificallyexplainedatlast！ThesublimepoemoftheChristlifewasman’sattempttojointhosetwoirreconcilableconceptionsofGod。AndsincetheSumofhumanaltruismwasasmuchapartoftheUnknowableCreativePrincipleasanythingelseinNatureandtheUniverse，aworselinkmighthavebeenchosenafterall！Funny——howonewentthroughlifewithoutseeingitinthatsortofway！”Whatdoyouthink，oldman?”hesaid。
Jollyfrowned。”Ofcourse，myfirstyearwetalkedagoodbitaboutthatsortofthing。Butinthesecondyearonegivesitup；
Idon’tknowwhy——it’sawfullyinteresting。”
JolyonrememberedthathealsohadtalkedagooddealaboutithisfirstyearatCambridge，andgivenitupinhissecond。”Isuppose，”saidJolly，”it’sthesecondGod，youmean，thatoldBalthasarhadasenseof。””Yes，orhewouldneverhavebursthispooroldheartbecauseofsomethingoutsidehimself。””Butwasn’tthatjustselfishemotion，really?”
Jolyonshookhishead。”No，dogsarenotpureForsytes，theylovesomethingoutsidethemselves。”
Jollysmiled。”Well，IthinkI’mone，”hesaid。”Youknow，IonlyenlistedbecauseIdaredValDartieto。””Butwhy?””Webareachother，”saidJollyshortly。”Ah！”mutteredJolyon。Sothefeudwenton，untothethirdgeneration——thismodernfeudwhichhadnoovertexpression?
’ShallItelltheboyaboutit?’hethought。Buttowhatend——ifhehadtostopshortofhisownpart?
AndJollythought：’It’sforHollytolethimknowaboutthatchap。
Ifshedoesn’t，itmeansshedoesn’twanthimtold，andIshouldbesneaking。Anyway，I’vestoppedit。I’dbetterleavewellalone！’
Sotheydugoninsilence，tillJolyonsaid：”Now，oldman，Ithinkit’sbigenough。”And，restingontheirspades，theygazeddownintotheholewhereafewleaveshaddriftedalreadyonasunsetwind。”Ican’tbearthispartofit，”saidJolyonsuddenly。”Letmedoit，Dad。Henevercaredmuchforme。”
Jolyonshookhishead。”We’lllifthimverygently，leavesandall。I’drathernotseehimagain。I’lltakehishead。Now！”
Withextremecaretheyraisedtheolddog’sbody，whosefadedtanandwhiteshowedhereandthereundertheleavesstirredbythewind。Theylaidit，heavy，cold，andunresponsive，inthegrave，andJollyspreadmoreleavesoverit，whileJolyon，deeplyafraidtoshowemotionbeforehisson，beganquicklyshovellingtheearthontothatstillshape。Therewentthepast！Ifonlytherewereajoyfulfuturetolookforwardto！Itwaslikestampingdownearthonone’sownlife。Theyreplacedtheturfcarefullyonthesmoothlittlemound，and，gratefulthattheyhadsparedeachother’sfeelings，returnedtothehousearm-in-arm。
CHAPTERXI
TIMOTHYSTAYSTHEROT