"Over the last three years," "I have been in the position to make a close study of the Forsytes." "Fleur, of course, being half french, is not typical, but her father decidedly is, and on reflection, perhaps their strongest characteristic is a sort of honest, dogged determination." "It seemed to me, and to my father, that the Elderson affair was over," "but the Forsytes never give up." "They just wait." "Are you praying?" "No, of course not, duckie." "It's coué." "It's what?" "La méthode coué." "Emile coué." "You know, auto-suggestion, all about the subconscious." "Haven't you read his book?" "No." "But it's the rage!" "Self-mastery by conscious auto-suggestion." "What's that supposed to mean?" "Well, it sounds better in the french, I'll agree... oh, french." "Yes." "Michael and I went to one of his lectures." "Very impressive." "The idea is that all you have to do is repeat over and over again..." ""every day in every way, I'm getting better and better."" "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better." "It's mumbo jumbo." "No, dear." "The repetition, it trains the subconscious mind." "Don't you see?" "Then the mind directs the part that's ill to cure itself." "Repetitious rubbish." "Ill?" "You're not ill, are you?" "Of course not, duckie, but it can affect anything physical, so I keep saying, "day by day, in every way, my baby's getting more and more male."" "But what you mustn't say is, "I will have a boy."" "Because this sets up a reaction." "What you get is a girl." "Or just as likely, you don't." "And another thing." "You tie knots in a piece of string and you count the number of times you repeat, day after day." "It's very soothing." "Or you can use beads." "Like a rosary?" "Yes." "You mean to tell me you believe in all this nonsense?" "I don't know, but you remember telling me about your father how he never went to bed without saying his prayers?" "Well, did he believe in it?" "I never asked him, but I imagine he thought that if there was something in it, he might as well get the benefit." "Exactly." "Well, as I told you, I don't care if it is a girl." "I know, duckie, but Michael does." "Yes." "So does that baronet chap too, I shouldn't wonder." "Oh, is Michael in?" "No, not yet, but I'll order tea now." "No, I'll do it." "Good old Wilfrid." "Do you know, miss Perren, I really do think these are better than "Copper coin"." "What do you think?" "Well, I should call them...outré?" "Well, they're outré enough for the highbrow critics, but they're strange too, and to be strange, you've got to have guts." "If you'll excuse the phrase, miss perren." "Certainly, mr." "Mont." "Thank you." "Is this all?" "Yes, for now." "Oh, make sure that Trade journal advert goes off today, will you?" "I'll let you see it before it goes." "Thanks." "Will you see Bicket now?" "Oh, help." "Yes, I suppose so." "Hello, Bicket." "Keeping well, sir?" "Frightfully well." "Thanks." "I suppose you've come about that loan i gave your wife." "It's quite all right, you know." "I can wait." "Australia's a good idea." "I should think the sooner you go there, the better." "Mrs. Bicket doesn't look too strong." "You...you've been a good sort to me, and, well, it's hard to say things." "Then don't." "It's not what you think." "I want the truth, mr." "Mont." "I picked this up downstairs, off one of your books." "There." "Is that my wife?" "I was right, wasn't I?" "That's her face, isn't it?" "Painted by that Aubrey Greene." "And if that's her face, then it's her body too, in that blasted gallery for anyone to have a look a bob a time." "What's it mean, eh?" "What's she been up to?" "You better tell me, or so help me... steady now, Bicket!" "Steady, is it?" "You'd be steady if your wife... all that money... you never gave it to her, never, so don't tell me you did." "I lent her 10 pounds to make up the round sum." "The rest she earned, honorably, and you ought to be proud of her." "Proud?" "My God!" "How did she earn it, eh?" "As a model, sitting to my friend, mr." "Greene, and other painters." "You know what a model is?" "Models?" "Painters?" "Yes, I've heard of them." "Swine, that's what they are." "All swine!" "Look, I was..." "I was stuck on her, and she's put this up on me." "You were stuck on her, and when she does her best to help you, you turn her down." "Is that it?" "Do you suppose she liked doing it?" "How should I know?" "Come off it, Bicket." "Do you happen to remember what you did for her?" "You never told her that?" "No, but I will if you don't pull yourself together." "What does it matter now?" "When I think of her... lying like that, naked, for all the men in the world to see," "and getting 50 quid for it." "50 quid!" "Do you think I believe that was earned honest?" "You don't believe it because you're ignorant." "A girl can do what she did and still remain perfectly honest, as I haven't the faintest doubt she is." "She did it because she couldn't bear to see you selling balloons in the gutter." "She wanted to get you out, give you both a chance, and now that you've got the chance she's given you, all you want to do is kick her down." "That's all very well, but it hasn't happened to you." "No, but I'll tell you this." "If she cared to, your wife could make good money for herself now, enough to keep herself decently and enjoy life." "Well, most girls who found themselves in her position wouldn't think twice about it." "They'd ditch you in 60 seconds flat and small blame to them.." "Why didn't she tell me?" "Why didn't you tell her about stealing books?" "Oh, look here, Bicket." "There's really only one question." "Have you any reason to doubt your wife's love for you?" "I've only seen her twice, and I don't, and if she loves you, she wouldn't do you down." "How do I know?" "How do I know that?" "You've just got to trust her, Bicket." "We all of us have to do that sometimes." "You've just got to believe in her, that's all." "Well, if you can't do that, if you can't bring yourself to do that, then I'm sorry," "but you're not much of a man." "Bicket..." "Oh, don't clear yet, Coaker." "Mr. Mont will want some fresh tea." "Yes, madam." "This letter just arrived for mr." "Forsyte... sent round from your club, sir." "Sir?" "What?" "Oh." "Ye Bart, will you be staying for supper?" "If I may, if you don't mind my not changing." "Not a bit." "But I'd better have a word with cook." "Hello, my darling." "Hello, Michael." "Two prehistoric hats?" "Both parents?" "Mm-hm, both, and for dinner." "Go and and have a word with them." "I'd rather talk to you." "Later." "Are you all right?" "Rather." "Good evening, sir." "Hello, Bart. Nice to see you." "Well, the fat's in the fire with a vengeance now, Mont." "Hm?" "Why?" "Your precious school chum, Elderson." "He's levanted, skipped the country." "What?" "I don't believe..." "listen to this." ""My dear mr." "Forsyte, I'm on my way to immunity" ""from the consequences of any peccadillo "I may have been guilty of." ""By the time this reaches you," ""I shall be out of the country." ""If your object was to corner me, "I cannot congratulate you on your tactics." ""If on the other hand, "you intended butterfield's visit as a warning" ""that you were still pursuing the matter," ""I should like to add new thanks to those "which I expressed when I saw you a few days ago." ""Believe me, dear faithfully yours, Robert Elderson."" "Well, I'm damned." "Well, happy release." "You're well rid of him." "It's a pretty kettle of fish." "Where it'll end, I can't tell." "But this isn't this the end, sir?" "The end?" "Well, here's his confession in my hand." "Why not tear it up?" "Say Elderson's developed consumption or something?" "You think that would be honorable?" "I'm sorry, sir." "May I?" "What?" "Yes." "Can I help, sir?" "Avoid frivolity, if you can, and keep it to yourself." "I don't want Fleur worried." "That's all right, sir." "I'll dutch oyster the whole thing." "Here." "Well, forsyte, what do you think?" "Constantinople?" "Monte Carlo, more like." "Secret commission, it's not an extraditable offense." "I should think he's really gone to escape his women." "Women?" "I understand he kept two." "I should say that's one too many." "I said the fat was in the fire and I meant it." "Surely, my dear fellow, it's been there ever since the french occupied the Ruhr." "Elderson's cut is lucky." "We appoint a new manager." "What more can we do?" "I don't want a scandal any more than you do, but we have conclusive evidence of a fraud." "We know Elderson was illegally paid for putting through business by which the shareholders have suffered a complete loss." "How can we keep this knowledge from them?" "But the mischief's done, sir." "How will the knowledge help them?" "I will not undertake the responsibilities of concealment." "Well, we'd be accessories after the fact." "It might come out at any time." "Hmm." "I should be glad to spare Elderson's name." "After all, we were at Winchester together." "Yes, I'm aware of that." "But what risk is there of its coming out?" "Elderson won't mention it, nor will young Butterfield if you tell him not to." "No, and those who paid the commission certainly won't." "So beyond the three of us here, nobody knows." "And it's not as if we profited by it." "No." "It won't do." "Out from the law, and you'll never know where you'll finish up." "The shareholders have suffered a loss by this, and they have a right to every fact within the directors' knowledge." "They may have some form of restitution, even financial remedy against ourselves." "If that's so, Forsyte, I'm with you." "I take it that you'll support a proposal to the board that we hold a shareholder's meeting." "I will, of course, if you think we must." "I do." "I don't know what we're coming to." "Well, if we did, sir, shouldn't we all die of boredom?" "Speak for yourself." "All this unreliability." "It's a symptom of the age." "There's no moral stamina, no grit." "Well, I'm no judge of morals... but as for grit, I don't agree with you." "Oh?" "Look at Butterfield standing up to Elderson the other day." "Look at the unemployed." "How they stick it, I can't imagine." "What about that girl?" "What girl?" "Mrs. Bicket." "Husband down end out, so what does she do?" "Give up?" "Not on your life." "She gets herself a job modeling and earns enough to take them both to australia." "Wouldn't you say that took some courage, sir?" "You've been a long time." "Yeah, well, I nearly didn't come home at all." "I see you know, then." "I know you've been making a show of yourself all over London." "I want to hear the rest." "The rest?" "What else have you been getting up to?" "The whole bleeding story, and don't give me no lies for I won't stand for it." "If you believe there's any more...that's enough." "Oh, for God's sake." "Don't be mysterious." "I'm half off me nut!" "Yes, I can see that, and I can see this." "You're not what I thought you are." "Do you think i liked doing it?" "Do you think I wanted to stand there with my clothes off?" "Here." "It's honest money, all of it." "Take it." "Go to Australia without me." "And leave you to them bleeding painters?" "And leave me to myself." "Take it." "Not me." "Well, I can't take it." "I only earned that money to get you out of this hole." "What, 50 quid?" "You expect me to believe they're going to pay you all that just for sitting... five shillings an hour." "That's the rate of pay." "Cleaning doorsteps is a shilling an hour, and I'd have done that if I'd been strong enough, or if I could have found the work." "I'd have done anything... except one thing." "Vic, will you swear... swear to me you never let them touch you?" "Yes, I can swear that." "Vic... vic... when you were ill..." "I stole for you." "God's truth, Vic." "I got the sack for it." "What did you steal?" "Books." "All your extra feeding was books." "Tony... why didn't you tell me?" "I don't care, Vic." "I don't care about anything, so help me, so long as you're fond of me." "Neither do I, tony." "Let's get away from this town, this country." "Let's get out of it all." "Oh, what do you look like?" "Are you all right, darling?" "Yes, of course, Michael, but should you have left them?" "Lord, yes." "They're a funny old pair, chalk and cheese, but they get on pretty well." "Are you sure you're not ailing?" "It's just the heat." "Oh, Michael, if it goes on being hot as this, the whole thing is going to be rather a bore." "Oh, but it won't." "Three days and a thunderstorm, and you've got six weeks to go." "Anyway, english summer." "By that time, it'll probably be snowing." "And as for you, nose out of joint, except there's no nose to put." "Michael..." "I don't seem to care about anything now." "It's a funny feeling." "It's the weather." "No." "It's this whole business." "It's too long." "Everything's ready." "Now it all seems rather stupid." "One more person in the world, one more out of it... what does it matter?" "Don't, Fleur." "You mustn't." "Is wilfrid's book out yet?" "In a fortnight." "I'm sorry I gave you such a bad time there." "I only didn't want to lose him." "Nor did I, goodness knows." "He's never written, I suppose?" "No, no." "Well, I expect he's over it by now." "Nothing lasts." "I do." "Oh, you..." "I'm not as good as you deserve." "I think you are." "No, I'm selfish, especially now." "Oh, well, that's just the 11th baronet." "Perhaps." "I only hope he'll be like you." "If he's like me, I shall disown him." "Anyway, sons take after their mothers." "I meant in character." "I want him so much to be, well, cheerful, and not restless, to have the feeling that life's worth." "He will." "We'll tell him." "Michael, I don't want him greedy and self-centered like the Forsytes." "It's in my blood, you know." "I know it's ugly and I can't help it, so he must be like you." "How do you manage it?" "Do you think I'm not greedy?" "No, seriously.But I am." "Look at the way I want you." "Nothing will ever cure me of that." "Fleur... do you remember that day in the conservatory at Mapledurham?" "You were there, and you said," ""come back when I haven't got my wish."" "I remember." "Do you know I thought that was the end of everything, and I was finished, not an earthly chance." "I was a pig to you." "Never." "Yes." "But I was desperate." "I know, my darling." "But, michael, it's all gone." "I want you to be quite sure of that." "Yes, it's gone at last." "There's nothing wrong now except my own nature." "Well, if that's all... hop into bed now, darling." "I'd better go down and feed those old parents some brandy." "Well, mont, what do you think?" "It's a splendid work, but... yes, quite." "I'm inclined to agree with you." "Those eyes..." "exactly." "You can't be too careful at such times." "I'm sure you're right." "Well, if you'll give me a hand..." "certainly." "If you'll hold him..." "No, you hold him.I'll get a chair." "Have you got it?" "Yes, yes, lower away." "What on earth's going on?" "Your father thought..." "Forsyte had an idea... oh, dear." "I see." "Wrong mood, eh?" "Yes, too pessimistic." "Doesn't do for Fleur to keep on looking at it." "I hope you don't mind, michael." "Not at all, Bart." "It's very thoughtful of you both." "Oh, thank you." "Yes, well, put it away till it's over." "Ah, here we are." "Yes, you can say I wanted an opinion on the period or something." "Well, there's no doubt about that, sir... the present." "What?" "No, thank you." "Oh, yes." "The Greene chap." "Was that it he said?" "Eat the fruits of life, scatter the rinds... and get copped doing it." "Yeah." "Well, there's Elderson for you." "Except he didn't get copped." "That sort never do." "There's no justice." "Well, Michael, I must go." "My regards to Fleur and thank her for me, will you, for an excellent dinner?" "Of course, Bart." "Well, Forsyte," "I expect you'd like me to break this news to fontenoy?" "Yes, if you would." "He'll want the board to decide about calling the shareholders, but if you insist, they'll do it." "Well, in that case, I shall have to insist." "Good night." "Good night." "What about a cab,Bart?" "No, thanks." "I'll pick one up." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Well, good night." "Good night, Bart." "Does your father realize the position we might be in?" "Probably." "He's pretty bright, real though he doesn't approve of showing it." "Of course, if the shareholders come down on us hard... they won't get much out of poor old Bart." "All he's got is land." "Most of that's mortgaged or entailed." "I dare say." "My own assets are only too easy to realize." "So I've come to a decision." "I'm going to settle another 50,000 on fleur and the child." "But, sir, should you?" "What else would I do with it?" "As long as I know she's all right, they can take all I've got." "It can't come to that, sir." "Probably not, but we have to be prepared for the worst." "I shall want you to come down to the office next week." "Whatever you say." "Then I shall go to bed now." "There'll be a storm, I shouldn't wonder." "Sir?" "Is Fleur's mother still living in Paris?" "I believe so." "Why?" "Well, forgive me, sir, but shouldn't she be here?" "No." "Well, in that case, I wonder, would you mind if I asked mrs." "Dartie?" "I mean, when Fleur's time comes... she and Fleur get on well together..." "I see." "You think she should have another woman about?" "Well, yes." "Well... you may be right." "I would never have thought to mention it myself, but...yes, I'm glad you brought it up." "Yes." "Good night." "Good night, sir, and thank you." "Fleur!" "Fleur, my darling, it's all right." "All right, darling, all right." "Michael, I was..." "I was dreaming." "All right." "It was horrible." "All right, my darling." "Oh, Michael." "Where's Ting?" "He's under the bed, I bet." "Oh, look, do you want him up?" "No, no." "He hates thunder." "I never liked it much myself, and now it hurts." "Oh, darling." "Shh." "I wish it were all over." "It will be soon." "Come on." "Back into bed." "There you are." "If I come through, I'm going to be quite different to you." "Come through?" "Of course you'll come through." "Oh..." "I'm afraid." "You mustn't be, darling." "You mustn'T." "Look, sweetheart, you'll probably know nothing about it." "This twilight sleep thing..." "I shan't have it if it's not good for him." "I mean, is it?" "Everybody says it is." "What makes you think it's not safe?" "Only that it isn't natural." "I want to do it properly." "Who's that?" "It's probably your father." "All right, darling." "Is she all right?" "Yes, yes." "Don't worry." "All this rumpus... she oughtn't be alone." "She won't be." "Well, call me if there's anything." "Yes, I will." "Every way in every day I'm getting better and better." "No." "Every day in every way, I'm getting better and better... every day in every way, I'm getting better and better." "Better and better... oh, balderdash and bunkum!" "Aunt, dear." "Should you?" "Before luncheon?" "No, perhaps not." "But I do enjoy the mixing up part and the shaking." "Now, you see, dear, this thing is called a shaker, so what do they call the person who does it?" "The shakee?" "Yes... what are you concocting?" "A ragger-jagger." "A what?" "It's oxford slang for rum jar." "You know, like the prince of wales." "Oh, yes, the pragger wagger, and a wagger-pagger-bagger." "Is a wastepaper basket." "Exactly." "Oh, now, let me see." "Yes, I think it ought to be cooked." "Now, would you try one?" "Oh, of course." "Will you be seeing uncle Soames?" "Yes, dear." "Why?" "Well, you know old cousin George left his three race horses to Val in his will?" "Yes, and 12,000 pounds to a very dubious lady indeed." "It should have been the other way around." "Here we are." "Golly." "Yes, well, you see, dear, the ingredients should be quite carefully measured." "Let's have some sherry instead." "Now, what about those horses?" "Well..." "Val doesn't want to take them." "Why not?" "Gift horse in the mouth, you know." "Val says they're about 500 years old." "Two are broken-winded, and the other falls down if you look at it." "Poor thing." "And he says that by the time he's paid legacy duty, boxed them off to a sale and sold them, he'll be out of pocket." "Dear me." "Well, couldn't he put them out to grass or whatever it is?" "Val says they'll die of exposure and old age and he doesn't want them on his conscience." "No, I should think not." "So he wants to know whether he can write and say he's not rich enough to take them." "Well, I'll ask Soames." "I shall be seeing him and Fleur." "Oh." "Now, you don't like her, do you?" "Not much." "And Michael?" "Well, I think so." "I don't really know him." "He's a dear." "He called in this morning." "He asked me if I'd go and stay at south square during Fleur's confinement." "And shall you?" "Oh, yes, dear." "Aunts have to make themselves useful." "But I wanted to know if you and Val would come up and look after the house for me." "Have some evenings out, theaters and so on." "Well, I'd love to, but... well, Val." "Yes, he hates town, doesn't he?" "So unlike his poor father." "When will it be, aunt, Fleur's baby?" "In about 10 days' time then let me know when you want me." "Good health." "Bung ho." "Thank you." "Mr. Michael Mont, I think." "I've been expecting you." "Mr. Forsyte won't be long." "Is the mrs." "Michael well, I hope?" "Thanks." "As well as..." "yes." "It makes you anxious." "Take a seat." "Thank you." "Perhaps you'd like to read the draft." "Oh, thank you very much." "It seems to mean something." "Eh?" "What's that?" "Calculating what might happen if something else doesn'T." "It must be rather like being a bookmaker." "We don't waste our time here." "You'll excuse me." "Ah, Michael." "Hello, sir." "I've asked your father to meet us here." "We can go on to the shareholder's meeting together." "Oh, have you read that?" "Well, I... understand it?" "Up to a point, I think." "Now... the interest on this 50,000 is Fleur's until her eldest child, if it's a boy, attains the age of 21." "Then the capital becomes his absolutely." "Lucky little chap." "If it's a girl, half the interest is Fleur'S." "The other half is paid to the girl at 21, or when she marries, if earlier, and the capital of that half goes to her child or children, lawfully begotten, at majority or marriage, in equal shares." "The other half of the capital falls into fleur's estate and can be disposed by her will." "You make it wonderfully clear." "Now wait." "If fleur has no children... no children!" "Anything is possible." "And in my experience, the contingencies not provided for are those which usually happen." "In such a case, the income is fleur's for life, and the capital hers at death to do with what she likes with." "Well, ought she to make a fresh will?" "Gradman, bring me the deed, will you?" "Yes." "Not unless she wants to." "Now, get bellman in." "You and he can witness." "This meeting this afternoon, I don't know, but anything can happen, but whatever happens, this deed should stand." "It's very good of you, sir." "We'll take it down to the bank on the way." "I've asked the trustees to meet us there." "Remember them?" "Cousins of Fleur's, I think." "Second cousins." "Young Roger's eldest and young Nicholas' son... very young Nicholas." "What about his son, sir?" "Very, very young Nicholas would sound almost insulting." "Hm." "What are you going to call yours?" "If it's a boy, Christopher." "If it's a girl, Anne." "Yes, very neat." "I'm afraid I got in wrong with your clerk, sir." "Gradman?" "Well, accidentally, I called him a bookmaker." "Huh." "Yes." "Oh, he's a character." "There aren't many of them left." "I don't know." "Here's another one." "Ah." "Yes." "Morning, Forsyte." "Nice place, this." "Cool." "Hello, Bart." "This is a post-nuptial settlement on my daughter." "I deliver this as my act and deed." "Are you ready, Bart?" "Ready for the guillotine?" "That white piping will show the blood." "Old Fontenoy will feel it if things go wrong." "It's a rum show, isn't it?" "How titles still work." "I mean... there can't be any belief in their business capacity." "Character?" "That's still important?" "No, Bart. Shareholders' complex." "Their parents showed them a lord when they were young." "Bart, I should like to be with you." "They won't let you in." "No?" "Certainly not." "What papers are sure not to be represented?" ""Country life". "Horse and hound"." ""Gardener's weekly"." "Well, I'll slide in on them." "Well, Michael," "I hope you'll see us die game." "Are you telling the meeting that mr." "Elderson took bribes?" "Unlawful commission." "Surely, that's the same thing!" "And are you saying that it was known to the board over five months ago, four whole months before Elderson absconded?" "And if this is the case, may I ask why the board failed to take immediate action?" "Because, mr." "Botterill, the board as a whole was not informed." "Not informed?" "Why was the board not informed?" "It first came to the attention of mr." "Forsyte, one of your directors." "I think it best that he gives you his own account." "As you know, the clerk, Butterfield, reported to me what he had overheard." "There was not proof, no corroboration of his story." "It was his unsupported word against that of mr." "Elderson, a man of considerable reputation and authority." "Miss Sawdry?" "Surely, but... wouldn't it have been in order to inform the board?" "Perhaps you are unaware, madam, that such a course could have led to criminal proceedings." "But surely, would you not have been privileged?" "As between members of the board, perhaps, but any leakage would have made us liable." "However, I did inform sir Lawrence Mont." "And did sir Lawrence agree to keep it all dark?" "You must understand, sir, that mr." "Elderson had enjoyed our confidence for many years." "There had been no possible reason to doubt him." "I preferred to wait and see." "What does the chairman say to that?" "We're all perfectly satisfied with the attitude of our co-directors in a very delicate situation." "Well, I'm not, I can tell you." "If you'd acted quicker, we might have got that money back from him." "As you support the action, or should I say, inaction, of these two directors, it's clear the board as a whole is responsible for allowing a suspected person to remain as manager." "Hear, hear!" "The policy of foreign insurance was initiated by Elderson for his own ends." "We have made a severe loss by it." "The question, therefore, for the shareholders, is clearly this:" "Can we any longer trust this board to conduct our affairs?" "No." "It's a serious matter, this, gentlemen." "I propose that the board withdraw and leave us to discuss it." "Hear, hear!" "If that is your wish, gentlemen, we shall be happy to comply with it." "Will those in favor of the motion hold up their hands?" "Carried." "Now, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please." "As shareholders, we must protect ourselves, and from what we've just heard, I think there's only one way to do that." "In the first place, the board ought never to have touched anything to do with the germans." "In the second place, I say they showed bad judgment." "In my opinion, we should propose a vote of no confidence." "No!" "If you'll forgive my saying so, sir, your proposal seems to be a very rough-and-ready justice." "I should be interested to know how you would have handled the situation if you had been on the board." "It is extremely easy to condemn other people." "It's all very well in cases of this sort to blame a directorate, but speaking as a director myself," "I would like to know whom one is to trust if not one's manager." "Oh, that's a point there." "As to the policy of foreign insurance, we have had that before us at two general meetings, and we have pocketed the profits from it for nearly two years." "Have we said one voice against it?" "No." "I differ from the last speaker in his diagnosis of the case." "When a government makes a bad mistake of judgment, the electorate turns against it as soon as it feels the effects." "Call it rough-and-ready justice if you like, but it's the lesser of two evils," "and it's a sound check on administration." "The same goes for a board of directors." "It backs its judgment." "When it loses, it should pay." "ladies and gentlemen, I have proposed a vote of no confidence." "Will anyone second it?" "I do believe we are going too far, and I think we should compromise." "The directors that knew about the manager ought to go, but I think we should stop at that." "We're wasting time." "In business, you've got to trust somebody, and we've had no cause mistrust the board so far." "It's the same for them as far as I can see." "They had no previous reason to mistrust elderson." "It wouldn't be right to pass a vote of no confidence at this stage, not behind their backs." "Let's hear what assurances they can give us against this sort of thing happening again." "Have them in, by all means." "Pass a vote of no confidence to their faces for all I care, but there's one point nobody's touched on." "How far, if we do turn them out, could we make them liable for this loss?" "I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know the answer, but I should have thought there was a good sporting chance if we liked to take it." "But if we don't turn them out it's obvious we can't take it even if we wish to." "Yes." "Let them in." "Very well, ladies and gentlemen." "We'll have them in." "Yeah." "Fetch them in." "Would you come in, please,gentlemen?" "Well, ladies and gentlemen, we await your pleasure." "To put it shortly, mr." "Chairman, we're not satisfied." "No." "But before we take any resolution, we want to hear what you've got to say." "We wish to know, sir, what guarantee we have against anything of this kind happening in the future." "In the in the nature of things, sir, none whatever." "You can hardly suppose that had we had known our manager was not worthy of our confidence" "we would have continued him in the post for one moment." "That won't do.He's gone back on himself." "Yes." "They'll spot it." "That's just the point." "Two of you did know." "Yet there was this fellow for months afterwards, playing his own hand and cheating the society for all he was worth." "You have admitted collective responsibility." "You said that you were perfectly satisfied with the attitude of your co-directors in the matter." "Perhaps you would answer that point." "Yeah." "Hear, hear!" "Allow me a word." "Speaking for myself," "I find it impossible to accept the generous attempt of the chairman to shoulder a responsibility which clearly rests upon me." "If I made an error of judgment in not disclosing our suspicions," "I must pay the penalty." "And I think it will clear the situation if I tender my resignation to this meeting." "Well, I, apparently, am the other incriminated director." "Yes." "I'm not conscious of having done anything but my duty." "I am confident i made no mistake of judgment, and I consider it entirely unjust that I should be penalized." "I have had worries and anxieties enough without being made a scapegoat by shareholders who accepted this policy without a murmur and are now angry because they have made a loss by it." "You owe it to me that the policy has been dropped." "You owe it t that you no longer have a fraudulent person as a manager, and you owe it to me that you were called together to pass judgment on this matter." "I have no intention whatever of singing small, but there is another aspect to this affair." "I don't propose to go on giving my services to people who do not value them." "I have no patience for the attitude displayed here this afternoon." "If anyone here thinks he has a grievance against me, let him bring an action." "I shall be happy to carry it to the house of lords if necessary." "I have been familiar with the city all my life, and I have not been in the habit of meeting with suspicion and ingratitude." "If this is an instance of present manners," "I have been familiar with the city long enough." "Mr. Chairman, I do not tender my resignation to this meeting." "I resign." "Hello, ting, old boy." "What's the matter?" "Oh, sir." "Coaker, what is it?" "Mrs. Mont, sir." "She's started." "What?" "When?" "Three hours ago now." "Mrs. Dartie's with her, and the doctor." "Oh, god!" "There you are, dear boy." "Now, you mustn't worry." "Everything's perfectly normal." "Normal?" "But it's 10 days too soon." "But that's absolutely splendid." "It's so much better than being late, you know." "The doctor thinks it might have been that thunderstorm." "It was most helpful." "And that is normal too." "Now, go downstairs like a sensible man." "I suggest you have a drink." "What?" "But when will it all be over?" "Not very long." "She's behaving beautifully." "Yes, she would." "Perhaps you might like to telephone my brother?" "He'd like to be told." "Yes, of course." "Run along then,dear." "There's nothing you can do here." "I'm quite well aware of that." "Thanks, aunt winifred." "I mean, for being here." "This thing... there's something chinese about it." "I wasn't expecting you back, mr." "Soames." "I was off early." "My wife's got a little party." "So I see." "I came in to ask you to draw up my resignation from the Forsyte trusts." "No, mr." "Soames." "You'd never... keep me in timothy's, but the rest can go." "Young roger can look after them." "He's got nothing else to do." "Dear me." "Well, they won't like it." "Well, they must lump it." "I want a rest." "Then I shan't see you so often." "There's never anything in Timothy'S." "I'm quite upset." "Won't you keep mrs." "Dartie's?" "Oh." "Well, yes." "Keep me in hers." "I shall be in about my own affairs." "Yes?" "Mr. Mont, sir." "For you." "Will you hold on?" "Hello?" "What did you say?" "What?" "!" "Yes, I'll be right about." "It's all right, Coaker." "I'll get it." "Well?" "No, not yet, sir." "Mrs. Dartie's with her." "She's being a brick." "Everything's going very well, apparently." "Good." "Won't you come in?" "Would you like a peg?" "I've got some brandy here." "Oh, yes, yes." "Anything." "Thank you." "That was some speech of yours this afternoon." "You certainly gave it to them between the eyes." "Yes." "Did it do the trick?" "Not half." "When I left, they were passing a vote of confidence in the board." "They would." "Well, it was all your doing, sir." "Very gallant, if I may say so." "Nothing of the sort." "I lost my temper." "What about your father?" "Oh, he pressed his resignation." "It was quite unnecessary." "Yes, so I told him." "He'll miss the fees." "It's hard going, sir.I'm sorry." "It's all over... and it's all quite marvelous." "Michael, you've got a son." "I'll take him now, mrs." "Mont, shall I?" "Oh, just a moment, nurse, please." "I want..." "Michael!" "I want Ting-a-ling to see him." "There's no telling him any fancy stories about the stork." "I'm afraid it's time for our sleep now, mr." "Mont." "Oh." "Well... thank you, nurse." "All right?" "Yes, I am now, but it was... oh, it was like being held down, Michael... months of not being yourself." "Well, the process is a bit behind the times." "Well, it's over." "Has anybody called?" "Everybody." "Really?" "Yes!" "Alison, Brenda..." "Bart, of course." "Aubrey... and Holly Dartie's downstairs now." "Well, aunt Winifred said last night you wanted to see her." "Yes, I did say something." "I can't think why." "Now, Michael, about godparents..." "Alison, of course, but what about men?" "I had a letter from Wilfrid Desert yesterday." "Where is he?" "In Arabia." "Fleur, would you like him?" "He's staying there, but I could hold a sponge for him in church." "Is he all right again?" "He says so." "Well, wilfrid, if you'd like that." "Yes." "That'll be Holly." "Hello." "Is it all right, Michael?" "Can I come in?" "Yes, of course." "Come in." "Hello, Fleur." "Congratulations." "Oh, thank you." "Would you like to see Christopher?" ""Kit" for short." "Very much." "Oh, thank you." "Well, just go straight in." "The nursery's next door." "Oh, but Holly... yes, Fleur?" "You were against me, weren't you, three years ago?" "Well, I... yes, yes, you were." "And it was... well, it was hard for me to forgive." "But I'm sort of starting all over again." "Shake hands?" "Well, of course." "Now, tell me." "What's the news of Jon?" "He's in North Carolina growing peaches." "Oh... farmer Jon." "And I rather think he's met a girl." "Oh, what's her name?" "Anne Wilmot." "Is she nice?" "I hope she is." "Jon deserves a nice girl."