”NotsofarasIknow，”saidJolyon，consciousoftheintentwatchfulnessinSoames’face。”Well，that’sallIhadtosay。Anyonewhocomesbetweenmanandwife，youknow，incursheavyresponsibility。”Jolyonroseandmadehimaslightbow。”Good-bye，”hesaid，and，withoutofferingtoshakehands，movedaway，leavingSoamesstaringafterhim。’WeForsytes，’thoughtJolyon，hailingacab，’areverycivilised。Withsimplerfolkthatmighthavecometoarow。Ifitweren’tformyboygoingtothewar……’Thewar！Agustofhisolddoubtsweptoverhim。A
preciouswar！Dominationofpeoplesorofwomen！Attemptstomasterandpossessthosewhodidnotwantyou！Thenegationofgentledecency！Possession，vestedrights；andanyone’agin’’em——
outcast！’ThankHeaven！’hethought，’Ialwaysfelt”agin”’em，anyway！’Yes！EvenbeforehisfirstdisastrousmarriagehecouldrememberfumingoverthebludgeoningofIreland，orthematrimonialsuitsofwomentryingtobefreeofmentheyloathed。Parsonswouldhaveitthatfreedomofsoulandbodywerequitedifferentthings！Perniciousdoctrine！Bodyandsoulcouldnotthusbeseparated。Freewillwasthestrengthofanytie，andnotitsweakness。’IoughttohavetoldSoames，’hethought，’thatIthinkhimcomic。Ah！buthe’stragic，too！’Wasthereanything，indeed，moretragicintheworldthanamanenslavedbyhisownpossessiveinstinct，whocouldn’tseetheskyforit，orevenenterfullyintowhatanotherpersonfelt！’Imustwriteandwarnher，’
hethought；’he’sgoingtohaveanothertry。’AndallthewayhometoRobinHillherebelledatthestrengthofthatdutytohissonwhichpreventedhimfrompostingbacktoParis……
ButSoamessatlonginhischair，thepreyofanolessgnawingache——ajealousache，asifithadbeenrevealedtohimthatthisfellowheldprecedenceofhimself，andhadspunfreshthreadsofresistancetohiswayout。’Doesthatmeanthatyou’reagainstme?’hehadgotnothingoutofthatdisingenuousquestion。
Feminist！Phraseyfellow！’Imustn’trushthings，’hethought。
’Ihavesomebreathingspace；he’snotgoingbacktoParis，unlesshewaslying。I’llletthespringcome！’Thoughhowthespringcouldservehim，savebyaddingtohisache，hecouldnottell。
Andgazingdownintothestreet，wherefigureswerepassingfrompooltopoolofthelightfromthehighlamps，hethought：’Nothingseemsanygood——nothingseemsworthwhile。I’mloney——that’sthetrouble。’
Heclosedhiseyes；andatonceheseemedtoseeIrene，inadarkstreetbelowachurch——passing，turninghernecksothathecaughtthegleamofhereyesandherwhiteforeheadunderalittledarkhat，whichhadgoldspanglesonitandaveilhangingdownbehind。
Heopenedhiseyes——sovividlyhehadseenher！Awomanwaspassingbelow，butnotshe！Ohno，therewasnothingthere！
CHAPTERXIII
HEREWEAREAGAIN！’
Imogen’sfrocksforherfirstseasonexercisedthejudgmentofhermotherandthepurseofhergrandfatherallthroughthemonthofMarch。WithForsytetenacityWinifredquestedforperfection。Ittookhermindofftheslowlyapproachingritewhichwouldgiveherafreedombutdoubtfullydesired；tookhermind，too，offherboyandhisfastapproachingdepartureforawarfromwhichthenewsremaineddisquieting。Likebeesbusyonsummerflowers，orbrightgadflieshoveringanddartingoverspikyautumnblossoms，sheandher’littledaughter，’tallnearlyasherselfandwithabustmeasurementnotfarinferior，hoveredintheshopsofRegentStreet，theestablishmentsofHanoverSquareandofBondStreet，lostinconsiderationandthefeeloffabrics。DozensofyoungwomenofstrikingdeportmentandpeculiargaitparadedbeforeWinifredandImogen，drapedin’creations。’Themodels——’Verynew，modom；quitethelatestthing——’whichthosetworeluctantlyturneddown，wouldhavefilledamuseum；themodelswhichtheywereobligedtohavenearlyemptiedJames’bank。Itwasnogooddoingthingsbyhalves，Winifredfelt，inviewoftheneedformakingthisfirstandsoleuntarnishedseasonaconspicuoussuccess。
Theirpatienceintryingthepatienceofthoseimpersonalcreatureswhoswamaboutbeforethemcouldalonehavebeendisplayedbysuchasweremovedbyfaith。ItwasforWinifredalongprostrationbeforeherdeargoddessFashion，ferventasaCatholicmightmakebeforetheVirgin；forImogenanexperiencebynomeanstoounpleasant——sheoftenlookedsonice，andflatterywasimpliciteverywhere：inaworditwas’amusing。’
Ontheafternoonofthe20thofMarch，having，asitwere，guttedSkywards，theyhadsoughtrefreshmentoverthewayatCaramelandBaker’s，and，storedwithchocolatefrothedatthetopwithcream，turnedhomewardsthroughBerkeleySquareofaneveningtouchedwithspring。Openingthedoor——freshlypaintedalightolive-green；
nothingneglectedthatyeartogiveImogenagoodsend-off——
Winifredpassedtowardsthesilverbaskettoseeifanyonehadcalled，andsuddenlyhernostrilstwitched。Whatwasthatscent?
Imogenhadtakenupanovelsentfromthelibrary，andstoodabsorbed。Rathersharply，becauseofthequeerfeelinginherbreast，Winifredsaid：”Takethatup，dear，andhavearestbeforedinner。”
Imogen，stillreading，passedupthestairs。Winifredheardthedoorofherroomslammedto，anddrewalongsavouringbreath。Wasitspringticklinghersenses——whippingupnostalgiaforher’clown，’againstallwisdomandoutragedvirtue?Amalescent！A
faintreekofcigarsandlavender-waternotsmeltsincethatearlyautumnnightsixmonthsago，whenshehadcalledhim’thelimit。’
Whencecameit，orwasitghostofscent——sheeremanationfrommemory?Shelookedroundher。Nothing——notathing，notiniestdisturbanceofherhall，norofthediningroom。Alittleday-dreamofascent——illusory，saddening，silly！Inthesilverbasketwerenewcards，twowith’Mr。andMrs。PolegateThom，’andonewith’Mr。
PolegateThom’thereon；shesniffedthem，buttheysmelledsevere。
’Imustbetired，’shethought，’I’llgoandliedown。’Upstairsthedrawing-roomwasdarkened，waitingforsomehandtogiveiteveninglight；andshepassedonuptoherbedroom。This，too，washalf-curtainedanddim，foritwassixo’clock。Winifredthrewoffhercoat——thatscentagain！——thenstood，asifshot，transfixedagainstthebed-rail。Somethingdarkhadrisenfromthesofainthefarcorner。Awordofhorror——inherfamily——escapedher：”God！””It’sI——Monty，”saidavoice。
Clutchingthebed-rail，Winifredreachedupandturnedtheswitchofthelighthangingaboveherdressing-table。Heappearedjustontherimofthelight’scircumference，emblazonedfromtheabsenceofhiswatch-chaindowntobootsneatandsootybrown，but——yes！——
splitatthetoecap。Hischestandfacewereshadowy。Surelyhewasthin——orwasitatrickofthelight?Headvanced，lightednowfromtoe-captothetopofhisdarkhead-surelyalittlegrizzled！
Hiscomplexionhaddarkened，sallowed；hisblackmoustachehadlostboldness，becomesardonic；therewerelineswhichshedidnotknowabouthisface。Therewasnopininhistie。Hissuit——ah！——sheknewthat——buthowunpressed，unglossy！Shestaredagainatthetoe-capofhisboot。Somethingbigandrelentlesshadbeen’athim，’hadturnedandtwisted，rakedandscrapedhim。Andshestayed，notspeaking，motionless，staringatthatcrackacrossthetoe。”Well！”hesaid，”Igottheorder。I’mback。”
Winifred’sbosombegantoheave。Thenostalgiaforherhusbandwhichhadrushedupwiththatscentwasstrugglingwithadeeperjealousythananyshehadfeltyet。Therehewas——adark，andasifharried，shadowofhissleekandbrazenself！Whatforcehaddonethistohim——squeezedhimlikeanorangetoitsdryrind！
Thatwoman！”I’mback，”hesaidagain。”I’vehadabeastlytime。ByGod！I
camesteerage。I’vegotnothingbutwhatIstandupin，andthatbag。””Andwhohastherest?”criedWinifred，suddenlyalive。”Howdaredyoucome?Youknewitwasjustfordivorcethatyougotthatordertocomeback。Don’ttouchme！”
Theyheldeachtotherailofthebigbedwheretheyhadspentsomanyyearsofnightstogether。Manytimes，yes——manytimesshehadwantedhimback。Butnowthathehadcomeshewasfilledwiththiscoldanddeadlyresentment。Heputhishanduptohismoustache；
butdidnotfrizzandtwistitintheoldfamiliarway，hejustpulleditdownwards。”Gad！”hesaid：”IfyouknewthetimeI’vehad！””I’mgladIdon’t！””Arethekidsallright?”
Winifrednodded。”Howdidyougetin?””Withmykey。””Thenthemaidsdon’tknow。Youcan’tstayhere，Monty。”
Heutteredalittlesardoniclaugh。”Wherethen?””Anywhere。””Well，lookatme！That——thatdamned……””Ifyoumentionher，”criedWinifred，”IgostraightouttoParkLaneandIdon’tcomeback。”
Suddenlyhedidasimplething，butsouncharacteristicthatitmovedher。Heshuthiseyes。Itwasasifhehadsaid：’Allright！I’mdeadtotheworld！’”Youcanhavearoomforthenight，”shesaid；”yourthingsarestillhere。OnlyImogenisathome。”
Heleanedbackagainstthebed-rail。”Well，it’sinyourhands，”
andhisownmadeawrithingmovement。”I’vebeenthroughit。Youneedn’thittoohard——itisn’tworthwhile。I’vebeenfrightened；
I’vebeenfrightened，Freddie。”
Thatoldpetname，disusedforyearsandyears，sentashiverthroughWinifred。
’WhatamItodowithhim?’shethought。’WhatinGod’snameamI
todowithhim?’”Gotacigarette?”
Shegavehimonefromalittleboxshekeptupthereforwhenshecouldn’tsleepatnight，andlightedit。Withthatactionthematter-of-factsideofhernaturecametolifeagain。”Goandhaveahotbath。I’llputsomeclothesoutforyouinthedressing-room。Wecantalklater。”
Henodded，andfixedhiseyesonher——theylookedhalf-dead，orwasitthatthefoldsinthelidshadbecomeheavier?