sighedandstarvedafterherandcouldn’trestaminuteuntilsheyielded——no！IfyoumeandoIadmireheryouthandprettiness，domysensesachealittlewhenIseehermovingabout——yes！DoI
thinkshewillkeepmestraight，makemeacreditablewifeandagoodmotherformychildren?——again，yes！””WhatmoredoIneed?andwhatmoredothree-quartersofthewomenwhoaremarriedgetfromthemenwhomarrythem?”Andiftheenquirerhadpursuedhisquery，”Anddoyouthinkitwasfairtohavetemptedthisgirltogiveherselftoyouforlifeunlessyouhavereallytouchedherheart?”hewouldhaveanswered：”TheFrenchseethesethingsdifferentlyfromus。Theylookatmarriagefromthepointofviewofestablishmentsandchildren；and，frommyownexperience，Iamnotatallsurethattheirsisnotthesensibleview。IshallnotexpectthistimemorethanIcanget，orshecangive。YearshenceIshouldn’tbesurprisedifIhavetroublewithher；butIshallbegettingold，Ishallhavechildrenbythen。I
shallshutmyeyes。Ihavehadmygreatpassion；hersisperhapstocome——Idon’tsupposeitwillbeforme。Iofferheragreatdeal，andIdon’texpectmuchinreturn，exceptchildren，oratleastason。ButonethingIamsureof——shehasverygoodsense！”
Andif，insatiate，theenquirerhadgoneon，”Youdonotlook，then，forspiritualunioninthismarriage?”Soameswouldhaveliftedhissidewaysmile，andrejoined：”That’sasitmaybe。IfI
getsatisfactionformysenses，perpetuationofmyself；goodtasteandgoodhumourinthehouse；itisallIcanexpectatmyage。I
amnotlikelytobegoingoutofmywaytowardsanyfar-fetchedsentimentalism。”Whereon，theenquirermustingoodtastehaveceasedenquiry。
TheQueenwasdead，andtheairofthegreatestcityuponearthgreywithunshedtears。Fur-coatedandtop-hatted，withAnnettebesidehimindarkfurs，SoamescrossedParkLaneonthemorningofthefuneralprocession，totherailsinHydePark。Littlemovedthoughheeverwasbypublicmatters，thisevent，supremelysymbolical，thissumming-upofalongrichperiod，impressedhisfancy。In’37，whenshecametothethrone，’SuperiorDosset’wasstillbuildinghousestomakeLondonhideous；andJames，astriplingoftwenty-six，justlayingthefoundationsofhispracticeintheLaw。Coachesstillran；menworestocks，shavedtheirupperlips，ateoystersoutofbarrels；’tigers’swungbehindcabriolets；womensaid，’La！’andownednoproperty；thereweremannersintheland，andpigstiesforthepoor；unhappydevilswerehangedforlittlecrimes，andDickenshadbutjustbeguntowrite。
Well-nightwogenerationshadslippedby——ofsteamboats，railways，telegraphs，bicycles，electriclight，telephones，andnowthesemotorcars——ofsuchaccumulatedwealth，thateightpercent。hadbecomethree，andForsyteswerenumberedbythethousand！Moralshadchanged，mannershadchanged，menhadbecomemonkeystwice-
removed，GodhadbecomeMammon——Mammonsorespectableastodeceivehimself：Sixty-fouryearsthatfavouredproperty，andhadmadetheuppermiddleclass；buttressed，chiselled，polishedit，tillitwasalmostindistinguishableinmanners，morals，speech，appearance，habit，andsoulfromthenobility。Anepochwhichhadgildedindividuallibertysothatifamanhadmoney，hewasfreeinlawandfact，andifhehadnotmoneyhewasfreeinlawandnotinfact。Anerawhichhadcanonisedhypocrisy，sothattoseemtoberespectablewastobe。AgreatAge，whosetransmutinginfluencenothinghadescapedsavethenatureofmanandthenatureoftheUniverse。
AndtowitnessthepassingofthisAge，London——itspetandfancy——
waspouringforthhercitizensthrougheverygateintoHydePark，hubofVictorianism，happyhunting-groundofForsytes。Underthegreyheavens，whosedrizzlejustkeptoff，thedarkconcoursegatheredtoseetheshow。The’goodold’Queen，fullofyearsandvirtue，hademergedfromherseclusionforthelasttimetomakeaLondonholiday。FromHoundsditch，Acton，Ealing，Hampstead，Islington，andBethnalGreen；fromHackney，Hornsey，Leytonstone，Battersea，andFulham；andfromthosegreenpastureswhereForsytesflourish——MayfairandKensington，St。James’andBelgravia，BayswaterandChelseaandtheRegent’sPark，thepeopleswarmeddownontotheroadswheredeathwouldpresentlypasswithduskypompandpageantry。NeveragainwouldaQueenreignsolong，orpeoplehaveachancetoseesomuchhistoryburiedfortheirmoney。
Apitythewardraggedon，andthattheWreathofVictorycouldnotbelaiduponhercoffin！Allelsewouldbetheretofollowandcommemorate——soldiers，sailors，foreignprinces，half-mastedbunting，tollingbells，andaboveallthesurging，great，dark-coatedcrowd，withperhapsasimplesadnesshereandtheredeepinheartsbeneathblackclothesputonbyregulation。Afterall，morethanaQueenwasgoingtoherrest，awomanwhohadbravedsorrow，livedwellandwiselyaccordingtoherlights。
Outinthecrowdagainsttherailings，withhisarmhookedinAnnette’s，Soameswaited。Yes！theAgewaspassing！WhatwiththisTradeUnionism，andLabourfellowsintheHouseofCommons，withcontinentalfiction，andsomethinginthegeneralfeelofeverything，nottobeexpressedinwords，thingswereverydifferent；herecalledthecrowdonMafekingnight，andGeorgeForsytesaying：”They’reallsocialists，theywantourgoods。”
LikeJames，Soamesdidn’tknow，hecouldn’ttell——withEdwardonthethrone！ThingswouldneverbeassafeagainasundergoodoldViccy！Convulsivelyhepressedhisyoungwife’sarm。There，atanyrate，wassomethingsubstantiallyhisown，domesticallycertainagainatlast；somethingwhichmadepropertyworthwhile——arealthingoncemore。Pressedcloseagainstherandtryingtowardothersoff，Soameswascontent。Thecrowdswayedroundthem，atesandwichesanddroppedcrumbs；boyswhohadclimbedtheplane-treeschatteredabovelikemonkeys，threwtwigsandorange-peel。Itwaspasttime；theyshouldbecomingsoon！And，suddenly，alittlebehindthemtotheleft，hesawatallishmanwithasofthatandshortgrizzlingbeard，andatallishwomaninalittleroundfurcapandveil。JolyonandIrenetalking，smilingateachother，closetogetherlikeAnnetteandhimself！Theyhadnotseenhim；
andstealthily，withaveryqueerfeelinginhisheart，Soameswatchedthosetwo。Theylookedhappy！Whathadtheycomeherefor——inherentlyillicitcreatures，rebelsfromtheVictorianideal?
Whatbusinesshadtheyinthiscrowd?Eachofthemtwiceexiledbymorality——makingaboast，asitwere，ofloveandlaxity！Hewatchedthemfascinated；admittinggrudginglyevenwithhisarmthrustthroughAnnette’sthat——thatshe——Irene——No！hewouldnotadmitit；andheturnedhiseyesaway。Hewouldnotseethem，andlettheoldbitterness，theoldlongingriseupwithinhim！AndthenAnnetteturnedtohimandsaid：”Thosetwopeople，Soames；
theyknowyou，Iamsure。Whoarethey?”
Soamesnosedsideways。”Whatpeople?””There，youseethem；justturningaway。Theyknowyou。””No，”Soamesanswered；”amistake，mydear。””Alovelyface！Andhowshewalk！Elleesttresdistinguee！”
Soameslookedthen。Intohislife，outofhislifeshehadwalkedlikethatswayinganderect，remote，unseizabIe；evereludingthecontactofhissoul！Heturnedabruptlyfromthatrecedingvisionofthepast。”You’dbetterattend，”hesaid，”they’recomingnow！”
Butwhilehestood，graspingherarm，seeminglyintentontheheadoftheprocession，hewasquiveringwiththesenseofalwaysmissingsomething，withinstinctiveregretthathehadnotgotthemboth。
Slowcamethemusicandthemarch，till，insilence，thelonglinewoundinthroughtheParkgate。HeheardAnnettewhisper，”Howsaditisandbeautiful！”felttheclutchofherhandasshestoodupontiptoe；andthecrowd’semotiongrippedhim。Thereitwas——thebieroftheQueen，coffinoftheAgeslowpassing！Andasitwentbytherecameamurmuringgroanfromallthelonglineofthosewhowatched，asoundsuchasSoameshadneverheard，sounconscious，primitive，deepandwild，thatneitherhenoranyknewwhethertheyhadjoinedinutteringit。Strangesound，indeed！TributeofanAgetoitsowndeath……Ah！Ah！……Theholdonlifehadslipped。Thatwhichhadseemedeternalwasgone！TheQueen——Godblessher！
Itmovedonwiththebier，thattravellinggroan，asafiremovesonovergrassinathinline；itkeptstep，andmarchedalongsidedownthedensecrowdsmileaftermile。Itwasahumansound，andyetinhuman，pushedoutbyanimalsubconsciousness，byintimateknowledgeofuniversaldeathandchange。Noneofus——noneofuscanholdonforever！
Itleftsilenceforalittle——averylittletime，tilltonguesbegan，eagertoretrieveinterestintheshow。SoameslingeredjustlongenoughtogratifyAnnette，thentookheroutoftheParktolunchathisfather’sinParkLane……
Jameshadspentthemorninggazingoutofhisbedroomwindow。Thelastshowhewouldsee，lastofsomany！Soshewasgone！Well，shewasgettinganoldwoman。Swithinandhehadseenhercrowned——
slimslipofagirl，notsooldasImogen！Shehadgotverystoutoflate。JolyonandhehadseenhermarriedtothatGermanchap，herhusband——hehadturnedoutallrightbeforehedied，andleftherwiththatsonofhis。Andherememberedthemanyeveningsheandhisbrothersandtheircronieshadwaggedtheirheadsovertheirwineandwalnutsandthatfellowinhissaladdays。Andnowhehadcometothethrone。Theysaidhehadsteadieddown——hedidn’tknow——couldn’ttell！He’dmakethemoneyflystill，heshouldn’twonder。Whatalotofpeopleoutthere！Itdidn’tseemsoverylongsinceheandSwithinstoodinthecrowdoutsideWestminsterAbbeywhenshewascrowned，andSwithinhadtakenhimtoCremorneafterwards——rackettychap，Swithin；no，itdidn’tseemmuchlongeragothanJubileeYear，whenhehadjoinedwithRogerinrentingabalconyinPiccadilly。
Jolyon，Swithin，Rogerallgone，andhewouldbeninetyinAugust！
AndtherewasSoamesmarriedagaintoaFrenchgirl。TheFrenchwereaqueerlot，buttheymadegoodmothers，hehadheard。Thingschanged！TheysaidthisGermanEmperorwashereforthefuneral，histelegramtooldKrugerhadbeeninshockingtaste。Heshouldnotbesurprisedifthatchapmadetroublesomeday。Change！H’m！
Well，theymustlookafterthemselveswhenhewasgone：hedidn’tknowwherehe’dbe！AndnowEmilyhadaskedDartietolunch，withWinifredandImogen，tomeetSoames’wife——shewasalwaysdoingsomething。AndtherewasIrenelivingwiththatfellowJolyon，theysaid。He’dmarryhernow，hesupposed。
’MybrotherJolyon，’hethought，’whatwouldhehavesaidtoitall?’Andsomehowtheutterimpossibilityofknowingwhathiselderbrother，oncesolookedupto，wouldhavesaid，soworriedJamesthathegotupfromhischairbythewindow，andbeganslowly，feeblytopacetheroom。
’Shewasaprettything，too，’hethought；’Iwasfondofher。
PerhapsSoamesdidn’tsuither——Idon’tknow——Ican’ttell。Weneverhadanytroublewithourwives。’Womenhadchangedeverythinghadchanged！AndnowtheQueenwasdead——well，thereitwas！Amovementinthecrowdbroughthimtoastandstillatthewindow，hisnosetouchingthepaneandwhiteningfromthechillofit。TheyhadgotherasfarasHydeParkCorner——theywerepassingnow！Whydidn’tEmilycomeupherewhereshecouldsee，insteadoffussingaboutlunch。Hemissedheratthatmoment——missedher！
Throughthebarebranchesoftheplane-treeshecouldjustseetheprocession，couldseethehatscomingoffthepeople’sheads——alotofthemwouldcatchcolds，heshouldn’twonder！Avoicebehindhimsaid：”You’vegotacapitalviewhere，James！””Thereyouare！”mutteredJames；”whydidn’tyoucomebefore?Youmighthavemissedit！”
Andhewassilent，staringwithallhismight。”What’sthenoise?”heaskedsuddenly。”There’snonoise，”returnedEmily；”whatareyouthinkingof?——
theywouldn’tcheer。””Icanhearit。””Nonsense，James！”
Nosoundcamethroughthosedoublepanes；whatJamesheardwasthegroaninginhisownheartatsightofhisAgepassing。