OnForsyte’Changenewsoftheenlistmentspreadfast，togetherwiththereportthatJune，nottobeoutdone，wasgoingtobecomeaRedCrossnurse。Theseeventsweresoextreme，sosubversiveofpureForsyteism，astohaveabindingeffectuponthefamily，andTimothy’swasthrongednextSundayafternoonbymemberstryingtofindoutwhattheythoughtaboutitall，andexchangewitheachotherasenseoffamilycredit。GilesandJesseHaymanwouldnolongerdefendthecoastbutgotoSouthAfricaquitesoon；JollyandValwouldbefollowinginApril；astoJune——well，youneverknewwhatshewouldreallydo。
TheretirementfromSpionKopandtheabsenceofanygoodnewsfromtheseatofwarimpartedanairofrealitytoallthis，clinchedinstartlingfashionbyTimothy。TheyoungestoftheoldForsytes——
scarcelyeighty，infactpopularlysupposedtoresembletheirfather，’SuperiorDosset，’eveninhisbest-knowncharacteristicofdrinkingSherry——hadbeeninvisibleforsomanyyearsthathewasalmostmythical。Alonggenerationhadelapsedsincetherisksofapublisher’sbusinesshadworkedonhisnervesattheageofforty，sothathehadgotoutwithamerethirty-fivethousandpoundsintheworld，andstartedtomakehislivingbycarefulinvestment。Puttingbyeveryyear，atcompoundinterest，hehaddoubledhiscapitalinfortyyearswithouthavingonceknownwhatitwasliketoshakeinhisshoesovermoneymatters。Hewasnowputtingasidesometwothousandayear，and，withthecarehewastakingofhimself，expected，soAuntHestersaid，todoublehiscapitalagainbeforehedied。Whathewoulddowithitthen，withhissistersdeadandhimselfdead，wasoftenmockinglyqueriedbyfreespiritssuchasFrancie，Euphemia，oryoungNicholas’second，Christopher，whosespiritwassofreethathehadactuallysaidhewasgoingonthestage。Alladmitted，however，thatthiswasbestknowntoTimothyhimself，andpossiblytoSoames，whoneverdivulgedasecret。
ThosefewForsyteswhohadseenhimreportedamanofthickandrobustappearance，notverytall，withabrown-redcomplexion，greyhair，andlittleoftherefinementoffeaturewithwhichmostoftheForsyteshadbeenendowedby’SuperiorDosset’s’wife，awomanofsomebeautyandagentletemperament。Itwasknownthathehadtakensurprisinginterestinthewar，stickingflagsintoamapeversinceitbegan，andtherewasuneasinessastowhatwouldhappeniftheEnglishweredrivenintothesea，whenitwouldbealmostimpossibleforhimtoputtheflagsintherightplaces。Astohisknowledgeoffamilymovementsorhisviewsaboutthem，littlewasknown，savethatAuntHesterwasalwaysdeclaringthathewasveryupset。Itwas，then，inthenatureofaportentwhenForsytes，arrivingontheSundayaftertheevacuationofSpionKop，becameconscious，oneaftertheother，ofapresenceseatedintheonlyreallycomfortablearmchair，backtothelight，concealingthelowerpartofhisfacewithalargehand，andweregreetedbytheawedvoiceofAuntHester：”YourUncleTimothy，mydear。”
Timothy’sgreetingtothemallwassomewhatidentical；andrather，asitwere，passedoverbyhimthanexpressed：”Howdedo?Howdedo?’Xcusemegettin’up！”
Franciewaspresent，andEustacehadcomeinhiscar；WinifredhadbroughtImogen，breakingtheiceoftherestitutionproceedingswiththewarmthoffamilyappreciationatVal’senlistment；andMarianTweetymanwiththelastnewsofGilesandJesse。ThesewithAuntJuleyandHester，youngNicholas，Euphemia，and——ofallpeople！——George，whohadcomewithEustaceinthecar，constitutedanassemblyworthyofthefamily’spalmiestdays。Therewasnotonechairvacantinthewholeofthelittledrawing-room，andanxietywasfeltlestsomeoneelseshouldarrive。
TheconstraintcausedbyTimothy’spresencehavingwornoffalittle，conversationtookamilitaryturn。GeorgeaskedAuntJuleywhenshewasgoingoutwiththeRedCross，almostreducinghertoastateofgaiety；whereonheturnedtoNicholasandsaid：”YoungNick’sawarriorbold，isn’the?When’shegoingtodonthewildkhaki?”
YoungNicholas，smilingwithasortofsweetdeprecation，intimatedthatofcoursehismotherwasveryanxious。”TheDromiosareoff，Ihear，”saidGeorge，turningtoMarianTweetyman；”weshallallbetheresoon。Enavant，theForsytes！
Roll，bowl，orpitch！Who’sforacooler?”
AuntJuleygurgled，Georgewassodroll！ShouldHestergetTimothy’smap?Thenhecouldshowthemallwheretheywere。
AtasoundfromTimothy，interpretedasassent，AuntHesterlefttheroom。
GeorgepursuedhisimageoftheForsyteadvance，addressingTimothyasFieldMarshal；andImogen，whomhehadnotedatoncefor’aprettyfilly，’——asVivandiere；andholdinghistophatbetweenhisknees，hebegantobeatitwithimaginarydrumsticks。Thereceptionaccordedtohisfantasywasmixed。Alllaughed——Georgewaslicensed；butallfeltthatthefamilywasbeing’rotted’；andthisseemedtothemunnatural，nowthatitwasgoingtogivefiveofitsmemberstotheserviceoftheQueen。Georgemightgotoofar；andtherewasreliefwhenhegotup，offeredhisarmtoAuntJuley，marcheduptoTimothy，salutedhim，kissedhisauntwithmockpassion，said，”Oh！whatatreat，dearpapa！Comeon，Eustace！”andwalkedout，followedbythegraveandfastidiousEustace，whohadneversmiled。
AuntJuley’sbewildered，”Fancynotwaitingforthemap！Youmustn’tmindhim，Timothy。He’ssodroll！”brokethehush，andTimothyremovedthehandfromhismouth。”Idon’tknowwhatthingsarecomin’to，”hewasheardtosay。”What’sallthisaboutgoin’outthere?That’snotthewaytobeatthoseBoers。”
Franciealonehadthehardihoodtoobserve：”Whatis，then，UncleTimothy?””Allthisnew-fangledvolunteerin’andexpense——lettin’moneyoutofthecountry。”
JustthenAuntHesterbroughtinthemap，handlingitlikeababywitheruptions。WiththeassistanceofEuphemiaitwaslaidonthepiano，asmallColwoodgrand，lastplayedon，itwasbelieved，thesummerbeforeAuntAnndied，thirteenyearsago。Timothyrose。Hewalkedovertothepiano，andstoodlookingathismapwhiletheyallgatheredround。”Thereyouare，”hesaid；”that’sthepositionuptodate；andverypooritis。H’m！””Yes，”saidFrancie，greatlydaring，”buthowareyougoingtoalterit，UncleTimothy，withoutmoremen?””Men！”saidTimothy；”youdon’twantmen——wastin’thecountry’smoney。YouwantaNapoleon，he’dsettleitinamonth。””Butifyouhaven’tgothim，UncleTimothy?””That’stheirbusiness，”repliedTimothy。”WhathavewekepttheArmyupfor——toeattheirheadsoffintimeofpeace！Theyoughttobeashamedofthemselves，comin’onthecountrytohelpthemlikethis！Leteverymansticktohisbusiness，andweshallgeton。”
Andlookingroundhim，headdedalmostangrily：”Volunteerin’，indeed！Throwin’goodmoneyafterbad！Wemustsave！Conserveenergythat’stheonlyway。”Andwithaprolongedsound，notquiteasniffandnotquiteasnort，hetrodonEuphemia’stoe，andwentout，leavingasensationandafaintscentofbarley-sugarbehindhim。
Theeffectofsomethingsaidwithconvictionbyonewhohasevidentlymadeasacrificetosayitiseverconsiderable。AndtheeightForsytesleftbehind，allwomenexceptyoungNicholas，weresilentforamomentroundthemap。ThenFranciesaid：”Really，Ithinkhe’sright，youknow。Afterall，whatistheArmyfor?Theyoughttohaveknown。It’sonlyencouragingthem。””Mydear！”criedAuntJuley，”butthey’vebeensoprogressive。
Thinkoftheirgivinguptheirscarlet。Theywerealwayssoproudofit。Andnowtheyalllooklikeconvicts。HesterandIweresayingonlyyesterdayweweresuretheymustfeelitverymuch。
FancywhattheIronDukewouldhavesaid！””Thenewcolour’sverysmart，”saidWinifred；”Vallooksquiteniceinhis。”
AuntJuleysighed。”IdosowonderwhatJolyon’sboyislike。Tothinkwe’veneverseenhim！Hisfathermustbesoproudofhim。””Hisfather’sinParis，”saidWinifred。
AuntHester’sshoulderwasseentomountsuddenly，asiftowardoffhersister’snextremark，forJuley’scrumpledcheekshadgushed。”WehaddearlittleMrs。MacAnderhereyesterday，justbackfromParis。Andwhomd’youthinkshesawthereinthestreet?You’llneverguess。””Weshan’ttry，Auntie，”saidEuphemia。”Irene！Imagine！Afterallthistime；walkingwithafairbeard……””Auntie！you’llkillme！Afairbeard……””Iwasgoingtosay，”saidAuntJuleyseverely，”afair-beardedgentleman。Andnotadayolder；shewasalwayssopretty，”sheadded，withasortoflingeringapology。”Oh！tellusabouther，Auntie，”criedImogen；”Icanjustrememberher。She’stheskeletoninthefamilycupboard，isn’tshe?Andthey’resuchfun。”
AuntHestersatdown。Really，Juleyhaddoneitnow！”Shewasn’tmuchofaskeletonasIrememberher，”murmuredEuphemia，”extremelywell-covered。””Mydear！”saidAuntJuley，”whatapeculiarwayofputtingit——notverynice。””No，butwhatwasshelike?”persistedImogen。”I’lltellyou，mychild，”saidFrancie；”akindofmodernVenus，verywell-dressed。”
Euphemiasaidsharply：”Venuswasneverdressed，andshehadblueeyesofmeltingsapphire。”
AtthisjunctureNicholastookhisleave。”Mrs。Nickisawfullystrict，”saidFranciewithalaugh。”Shehassixchildren，”saidAuntJuley；”it’sverypropersheshouldbecareful。””WasUncleSoamesawfullyfondofher?”pursuedtheinexorableImogen，movingherdarklusciouseyesfromfacetoface。
AuntHestermadeagestureofdespair，justasAuntJuleyanswered：”Yes，yourUncleSoameswasverymuchattachedtoher。””Isupposesheranoffwithsomeone?””No，certainlynot；thatis——notprecisely。’”Whatdidshedo，then，Auntie?””Comealong，Imogen，”saidWinifred，”wemustbegettingback。”
ButAuntJuleyinterjectedresolutely：”She——shedidn’tbehaveatallwell。””Oh，bother！”criedImogen；”that’sasfarasIeverget。””Well，mydear，”saidFrancie，”shehadaloveaffairwhichendedwiththeyoungman’sdeath；andthensheleftyouruncle。Ialwaysratherlikedher。””Sheusedtogivemechocolates，”murmuredImogen，”andsmellnice。””Ofcourse！”remarkedEuphemia。”Notofcourseatall！”repliedFrancie，whousedaparticularlyexpensiveessenceofgillyflowerherself。