AuntsJuleyandHester，ratherhurtthattheirpresentshadnotreceivedspecialmention——theyforgoteveryyearthatJamescouldnotbeartoreceivepresents，’throwingawaytheirmoneyonhim，’
ashealwayscalledit——were’delighted’；itshowedthatJameswasingoodspirits，andthatwassoimportantforhim。AndtheybegantowaitforWinifred。Shecameatfour，bringingImogen，andMaud，justbackfromschool，and’gettingsuchaprettygirl，too，’sothatitwasextremelydifficulttoaskfornewsaboutAnnette。
AuntJuley，however，summonedcouragetoenquirewhetherWinifredhadheardanything，andifSoameswasanxious。”UncleSoamesisalwaysanxious，Auntie，”interruptedImogen；”hecan’tbehappynowhe’sgotit。”
ThewordsstruckfamiliarlyonAuntJuley’sears。Ah！yes；thatfunnydrawingofGeorge’s，whichhadnotbeenshownthem！ButwhatdidImogenmean?Thatherunclealwayswantedmorethanhecouldhave?Itwasnotatallnicetothinklikethat。
Imogen’svoiceroseclearandclipped：”Imagine！Annette’sonlytwoyearsolderthanme；itmustbeawfulforher，marriedtoUncleSoames。”
AuntJuleyliftedherhandsinhorror。”Mydear，”shesaid，”youdon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout。
YourUncleSoamesisamatchforanybody。He’saverycleverman，andgood-lookingandwealthy，andmostconsiderateandcareful，andnotatallold，consideringeverything。”
Imogen，turningherlusciousglancefromonetotheotherofthe’olddears，’onlysmiled。”Ihope，”saidAuntJuleyquiteseverely，”thatyouwillmarryasgoodaman。””Ishan’tmarryagoodman，Auntie，”murmuredImogen；”they’redull。””Ifyougoonlikethis，”repliedAuntJuley，stillverymuchupset，”youwon’tmarryanybody。We’dbetternotpursuethesubject；”andturningtoWinifred，shesaid：”HowisMontague?”
Thatevening，whiletheywerewaitingfordinner，shemurmured：”I’vetoldSmithertogetuphalfabottleofthesweetchampagne，Hester。IthinkweoughttodrinkdearJames’health，and——andthehealthofSoames’wife；only，let’skeepthatquitesecret。I’llJustsaylikethis，’Andyouknow，Hester！’andthenwe’lldrink。
ItmightupsetTimothy。””It’smorelikelytoupsetus，”saidAuntNester。”Butwemust，I
suppose；forsuchanoccasion。””Yes，”saidAuntJuleyrapturously，”itisanoccasion！Onlyfancyifhehasadearlittleboy，tocarrythefamilyon！Idofeelitsoimportant，nowthatIrenehashadason。WinifredsaysGeorgeiscallingJolyon’TheThree-Decker，’becauseofhisthreefamilies，youknow！Georgeisdroll。Andfancy！IreneislivingafterallinthehouseSoameshadbuiltforthemboth。ItdoesseemhardondearSoames；andhe’salwaysbeensoregular。”
Thatnightinbed，excitedandalittleflushedstillbyherglassofwineandthesecrecyofthesecondtoast，shelaywithherprayer-bookopenedflat，andhereyesfixedonaceilingyellowedbythelightfromherreading-lamp。Youngthings！Itwassoniceforthemall！AndshewouldbesohappyifshecouldseedearSoameshappy。But，ofcourse，hemustbenow，inspiteofwhatImogenhadsaid。Hewouldhaveallthathewanted：property，andwife，andchildren！Andhewouldlivetoagreenoldage，likehisdearfather，andforgetallaboutIreneandthatdreadfulcase。Ifonlysheherselfcouldbeheretobuyhischildrentheirfirstrocking-horse！Smithershouldchooseitforheratthestores，niceanddappled。Ah！howRogerusedtorockheruntilshefelloff！Ohdear！thatwasalongtimeago！Itwas！’InmyFather’shousearemanymansions——’Alittlescrattlingnoisecaughtherear——
’butnomice！’shethoughtmechanically。Thenoiseincreased。
There！itwasamouse！HownaughtyofSmithertosaytherewasn’t！
Itwouldbeeatingthroughthewainscotbeforetheyknewwheretheywere，andtheywouldhavetohavethebuildersin。Theyweresuchdestructivethings！Andshelay，withhereyesjustmoving，followinginhermindthatlittlescrattlingsound，andwaitingforsleeptoreleaseherfromit。
CHAPTERXII
BIRTHOFAFORSYTE
Soameswalkedoutofthegardendoor，crossedthelawn，stoodonthepathabovetheriver，turnedroundandwalkedbacktothegardendoor，withouthavingrealisedthathehadmoved。Thesoundofwheelscrunchingthedriveconvincedhimthattimehadpassed，andthedoctorgone。What，exactly，hadhesaid?”Thisistheposition，Mr。Forsyte。IcanmakeprettycertainofherlifeifIoperate，butthebabywillbeborndead。IfIdon’toperate，thebabywillmostprobablybebornalive，butit’sagreatriskforthemother——agreatrisk。IneithercaseIdon’tthinkshecaneverhaveanotherchild。Inherstatesheobviouslycan’tdecideforherself，andwecan’twaitforhermother。It’sforyoutomakethedecision，whileI’mgettingwhat’snecessary。
Ishallbebackwithinthehour。”
Thedecision！Whatadecision！Notimetogetaspecialistdown！
Notimeforanything！
Thesoundofwheelsdiedaway，butSoamesstillstoodintent；then，suddenlycoveringhisears，hewalkedbacktotheriver。Tocomebeforeitstimelikethis，withnochancetoforeseeanything，noteventogethermotherhere！Itwasforhermothertomakethatdecision，andshecouldn’tarrivefromParistillto-night！Ifonlyhecouldhaveunderstoodthedoctor’sjargon，themedicalniceties，soastobesurehewasweighingthechancesproperly；
buttheywereGreektohim——likealegalproblemtoalayman。Andyethemustdecide！Hebroughthishandawayfromhisbrowwet，thoughtheairwaschilly。Thesesoundswhichcamefromherroom！
Togobacktherewouldonlymakeitmoredifficult。Hemustbecalm，clear。Ontheonehandlife，nearlycertain，ofhisyoungwife，deathquitecertain，ofhischild；and——nomorechildrenafterwards！Ontheother，deathperhapsofhiswife，nearlycertainlifeforthechild；and——nomorechildrenafterwards！
Whichtochoose?……Ithadrainedthislastfortnight——theriverwasveryfull，andinthewater，collectedroundthelittlehouse-boatmooredbyhislanding-stage，weremanyleavesfromthewoodsabove，broughtoffbyafrost。Leavesfell，livesdrifteddown——Death！Todecideaboutdeath！Andnoonetogivehimahand。Lifelostwaslostforgood。Letnothinggothatyoucouldkeep；for，ifitwent，youcouldn’tgetitback。Itleftyoubare，likethosetreeswhentheylosttheirleaves；barerandbareruntilyou，too，witheredandcamedown。And，byaqueersomersaultofthought，heseemedtoseenotAnnettelyinguptherebehindthatwindow-paneonwhichthesunwasshining，butIrenelyingintheirbedroominMontpellierSquare，asitmightconceivablyhavebeenherfatetolie，sixteenyearsago。Wouldhehavehesitatedthen?
Notamoment！Operate，operate！Makecertainofherlife！Nodecision——amereinstinctivecryforhelp，inspiteofhisknow-
ledge，eventhen，thatshedidnotlovehim！Butthis！Ah！therewasnothingovermasteringinhisfeelingforAnnette！Manytimestheselastmonths，especiallysinceshehadbeengrowingfright-
ened，hehadwondered。Shehadawillofherown，wasselfishinherFrenchway。Andyet——sopretty！Whatwouldshewish——totaketherisk。’Iknowshewantsthechild，’hethought。’Ifit’sborndead，andnomorechanceafterwards——it’llupsetherterribly。Nomorechance！Allfornothing！Marriedlifewithherforyearsandyearswithoutachild。Nothingtosteadyher！She’stooyoung。
Nothingtolookforwardto，forher——forme！Forme！’Hestruckhishandsagainsthischest！Whycouldn’thethinkwithoutbringinghimselfin——getoutofhimselfandseewhatheoughttodo?Thethoughthurthim，thenlostedge，asifithadcomeincontactwithabreastplate。Outofoneself！Impossible！Outintosoundless，scentless，touchless，sightlessspace！Theveryideawasghastly，futile！Andtouchingtherethebedrockofreality，thebottomofhisForsytespirit，Soamesrestedforamoment。Whenoneceased，allceased；itmightgoon，butthere’dbenothinginit！
Helookedathiswatch。Inhalfanhourthedoctorwouldbeback。
Hemustdecide！Ifagainsttheoperationandshedied，howfacehermotherandthedoctorafterwards?Howfacehisownconscience?
Itwashischildthatshewashaving。Iffortheoperation——thenhecondemnedthembothtochildlessness。Andforwhatelsehadhemarriedherbuttohavealawfulheir?Andhisfather——atdeath’sdoor，waitingforthenews！’It’scruel！’hethought；’Ioughtnevertohavesuchathingtosettle！It’scruel！’Heturnedtowardsthehouse。Somedeep，simplewayofdeciding！Hetookoutacoin，andputitback。Ifhespunit，heknewhewouldnotabidebywhatcameup！Hewentintothedining-room，furthestawayfromthatroomwhencethesoundsissued。Thedoctorhadsaidtherewasachance。Inherethatchanceseemedgreater；theriverdidnotflow，northeleavesfall。Afirewasburning。Soamesunlockedthetantalus。Hehardlyevertouchedspirits，butnow——hepouredhimselfoutsomewhiskyanddrankitneat，cravingafasterflowofblood。’ThatfellowJolyon，’hethought；’hehadchildrenalready。
HehasthewomanIreallyloved；andnowasonbyher！AndI——I’maskedtodestroymyonlychild！Annettecan’tdie；it’snotpossible。She’sstrong！’
Hewasstillstandingsullenlyatthesideboardwhenheheardthedoctor’scarriage，andwentouttohim。Hehadtowaitforhimtocomedownstairs。”Well，doctor?””Thesituation’sthesame。Haveyoudecided?””Yes，”saidSoames；”don’toperate！””Not?Youunderstand——therisk’sgreat?”
InSoames’setfacenothingmovedbutthelips。”Yousaidtherewasachance?””Achance，yes；notmuchofone。””Yousaythebabymustbeborndeadifyoudo?””Yes。”