"And so, the world war is over." "The war that came upon us like a thunderclap in 1914." "Someone described it as the war to end war." "It seems far morlikely, judging by the increase in general noise and disturbance, that what we have achieved is the peace to end all peace." "And now the soldiers are coming home." "To what, I wonder?" "A land fit for heroes?" " Let us hope so indeed, for that's the least that heroes deserve." "But I take leave to doubt it." "One hero may acquire an earldom." "A thousand qualify for handsome medals." "But what can anyone do for a million heroes?" "Yet, in this altered world, Forsytes persist." "All the old aunts and uncles are dead, save Timothy." "A hundred years old in 1919, he never leaves his own room." "George can still be seen at the window of the hotch-potch, though his income is reduced, and he sows no more wild oats." "Winifred, a grandmother, and fashionable as ever." "June, who managed a hospital for four years, is busy acquiring a whole new family of lame ducks." "And I seem to be an old man although I may not feel it and never when I look at Irene, who, to my mind, has aged not at all." "But I was too old for anything in the war, and my son Jon, short for Jolyon the sixth, was, thank God,just too young." "Hello, darling.Good walk?" " Oh, ripping." "Miles and miles through Richmond park and back." "Oh, it's not the real country, of course, but it's just the place to walk and think." "Deep thoughts, Jon?" "Pretty deep." "Dad?" "Yeah?" "Remember what we talked about last night?" "Yes, old son, I do." "You feel at a loose end, now that your king and country doesn't need you." "University is out?" "I'm afraid so, if you don't mind." "But apart from that, you're ready for anything." "Except the law, of course." "And medicine, banking- and business." "Insurance." "Architecture." "The stock exchange." "How about the church?" "No go?" "Although you are musical... oh, not enough talent, mother." "And I can't draw either." "Poor old Jon." "Well, I sympathize." "I was exactly the same at your age." "Irene, my love, what are we going to do with this young wastrel?" "Jon's been thinking." "I have an idea he's made up his mind." "Have you, Jon?" "I'm pretty sure." "If it won't cost you too much, I'd like to have a shot at farming." "Farming?" "Well, that's turning the family wheel full circle." "We'll be back where we were under the first Jolyon in 1760." "Perhaps he'll grow a better turnip than he did." "Certainly he will." "But why, Jon?" "Why do you want to?" "It's an open-air life." "I hate stuffing indoors." "Besides..." "oh, I don't know... what is it, darling?" " There's a better reason." "Well, except for art, and that's out of the question for me, it seems about the only sort of life that doesn't hurt anyone." "I mean, golly, it sounds pi!" "I don't think so." "Go on." "Most jobs you do, you're competing with other people, trying to beat them, do them down." "Have you ever heard farmers haggling at market?" "Yes, dad, but you don't have to be dishonest or grasping." "That's true enough." "And that's only a small part of it, in any case." "The important thing is to be working the soil, the land itself and the animals, making things grow." "I think I should like to do that." "Then why not try?" "What do you think, dad?" " Isn't it a good scheme?" "It will serve." "And if you really take to it, you'll do more good than most men, and that's precious little." "But we have to be practical." "How do we set about it?" "I've been into that." "I know exactly what to do." "You have been thinking." "And not just today." "I wanted to be sure." "You were quite right." "Agricultural college, I suppose." "Yes, dad,but before that, at least a year's apprenticeship on a good farm somewhere." "How about Sussex?" "Oh, that would be first-rate." "Holly?" "Jo, is that...?" "Why not?" "Val and holly, they have plenty of room down at wansdon." "Jon can stay with them." "There must be a farmer in the area who would take him, hm?" "I'll write now." "oh, dad." "Will you really?" "That's marvelous." "Well, see you both at lunch." "Farmer." "I doubt whether he'll stick it." "I give him three years." "However, it's healthy, harmless." "Jo?" " Yes." "I'm sure holly would love to have him there,but what about val?" "Oh, nothing much wrong with Val nowadays." "He's got the Dartie charm, all right, but there's Forsyte shrewdness there too, and South africa did him a world of good." "I was only thinking, they see an awful lot of Winifred, and..." "Behind winifred, you always see Soames, don't you?" "It's stupid, I know." "No, no, my darling." "But Val is 40 years old." "He and Holly run their own lives." "As for Soames, he's more than 75 miles away from Wansdon." "Ah, Soames." "Haven't seen you since the armistice." "Good of you to look in." "Not at all." "Sit down." "How's your wife?" " Oh, quite well, thank you." "This belgian chap, Prosper Profond, do you know him?" "We've met, at my sister'S." "Amusing chap, but a pretty rum customer, I'd say." "He's a member here." "Really?" "Oh, they'll take anyone now,if he's got money." "Breeding's dead, Soames." "We're all engulfed in one vast, petrol-smelling, democratic cheerio." "Quite." "What did you want to see me about?" "My property, such as it is." "Can't you attorneys invent some way to dodge this damned income tax?" "I used to have 3000 a year." "Now I've got a beggarly two, and the cost of living's doubled." "Ah, the turf is in danger." "Well, they brought me up to do nothing, and when these labor chaps get in, they'll have the lot." "Yours too." "Well, I'll have a look at your investments." "Thanks." "Is there anything else?" "Old Timothy." "May go off the hooks any moment." "Has he made his will?" "Yes." "They say he's like a mummy." "Where will you put him?" "He ought to have a pyramid." "Highgate." "The family vault." "Well, I suppose the old girls would miss him if he were anywhere else." "Is there anything else?" "I really must be getting on." "No, but go and see old Timothy in his mausoleum." "The old chap might want to prophesy." "Hello, Profond." "You know my cousin Soames?" "Mr. Forsyte." "I'm pleased to see you again." "How do you do?" "You are a connoisseur, I think, of paintings." "I have a small collection." "I've got a small lot myself." "Post-impressionists, mostly." "They're awful dead, impressionists,but I find them amusing." "I should like to see your paintings, mr." "Forsyte." "Well, ask my sister to bring you over sometime." "Thank you." "A pleasure." "Goodbye." "Unsociable devil." "How did you know he was a connoisseur?" "A small bird told me." "I find that people tell me things." "His wife is a french lady, and rather beautiful." "A small bit young for him." "Not his first wife, I think." "By no means, and thereby hangs a tale." "A very strange tale, my dear Profond." "Epatant." "Stunning!" "He's caught it, don't you think?" "Jargon!" "Caught it?" "!" "Caught you,don't you mean?" "He's pulling your leg." "One must be adult, of course, to understand vospovitch." "No, you've missed the point." "When Vospovitch fabricated this little lot, he said to himself, "let's see how much these fools will swallow."" "And they've just lapped it up." "I resent that." "He's an innovator, a great rebel and a satirist," "Don't you see that?" "The whole future of art lies in satire." "It's bound to." "People are sick of sentiment." "And beauty?" " No room for poor, old beauty?" "My dear boy." "What on earth has beauty got to do with art?" "I beg your pardon, sir.My fault." "Not at all." "Glad to hear that you like beauty." "That's rare these days." "Oh, I dote on it, sir but you and I are the last of the old guard, I'm afraid." "Well, if you really like pictures... some pictures." "I can show you a few good ones." "There's my card." "Drop in any sunday." "Well, that's awfully good of you, sir." "I'll drop in like a shot." "My name's, Mont..." "Michael." "If that's Jupiter, I dread to think what Juno's like." "Good god!" "I say, is this by one of June's lame ducks?" "Vospovitch?" "I believe it is, darling." "He's a proper caution,isn't he?" "Shall we move on?" "Oh, disgraceful!" "Quite disgraceful." "Soames!" "Oh, how are you?" "I haven't seen you for 20 years." "No." "What brought you here?" "Oh, my sins." "Such stuff!" "Stuff?" "Oh, of course, it hasn't arrived yet." "And it never will." "Oh, this place must be making a complete loss." "Naturally it is." "How do you know?" "It's my gallery." "Your ga...?" "What makes you put on a show like this?" "I'm trying to sell art, not groceries." "Well, this rubbish won't sell." "Whenever you say something like that, Soames, you should pause and then think of Cézanne." "Cézanne?" " Yeah, he could paint, but this stuff..." "look." "Take this, now what's this called, hm?" "Future town." "Now, who'd want to buy a thing like that?" "Or live with it afterwards?" "What's the fellow up to?" "It's a vision." "The devil it is!" "Well, you take my advice and close this exhibition." "Oh, you... you Forsyte!" "You're one yourself." "Of a sort." "Ah, there you are, my dears." "How lovely to see you." "Hello, June." "You are looking very well." "Oh, I'm well." "I'm always well, but honestly, some people!" "Irene, I must talk to you for a moment." "Peekaboo." "Jon?" "Jon." "I want you to see this." "Well, father, there you are." "I'm off, sir." "It's all too much for me." "I don't know what we're coming to." "Oh, that's all right, sir, they don't either." "Who was that?" "Oh, fellow called Mont or something." "We talked about the pictures." "You aren't going to buy any." "Certainly not." "You're a punctual young lady,I must say." "I was kept at aunt Winifred'S." "Oh, who was there?" "Imogen Cardigan and her jack." "Fit as a flea and twice as stupid." "Ooh, and that monsieur Profond." "That chap." "What does your aunt see in him?" "No idea." "He looks pretty." "Mother says she likes him." "Anyway, he left early." "Cous Val and his wife were there too, full of their new place on the downs." "Do you know that cousin Val is training racehorses?" "Breeding too, I think." "They've asked me down to stay." "What's his wife like?" "Very quiet, but nice, I think." "He's a markety chap, your cousin." "No, no." "They seem awfully devoted." "Anyway, I promised to go sometime." "Racehorses!" "Pity the war didn't put a stop to that sort of thing." "He's taking after his father." "Yes?" "What did he do?" "Montague Dartie?" "He took an interest in horses and broke his neck 10 years ago." "Out riding?" "No, walking down stairs." "Oh, perfectly normal stairs." "In a house in Paris, where they played baccarat." "Oh, I had to go over there, had a lot of trouble with the french." "Did aunt Winifred pine?" "No, I don't know." "I don't think so." "Look!" "What?" "Don't you think that woman's absolutely beautiful?" "Which woman?" "Not the dotty one in front,the other." "oh, I say, thanks awfully." "Yes, I think it's mine." "F.F. Fleur forsyte." "Yes, it's mine, all right." "Forsyte?" "Well, that's my name too!" "Perhaps we're cousins." "We must be." "There aren't any others." "I live at Mapledurham." "Where do you?" "Robin hill." "Did you hear that, father?" "Isn't it odd?" "Are we cousins?" "What's that?" "Oh, distant perhaps." "My name's Jolyon, sir." "Jon for short." "Ah, yes... distant." "We must be going." "Jon, dear... oh, yes." "Yes." "Au revoir." "Au revoir." "You don't like them." "Why?" "What on earth makes you think that?" "It was obvious.Oh?" "You must know them, but you didn't admit it." "I've never seen the boy before in my life." "But you've seen the others." "Well, your grandfather and his brother had a quarrel." "The two families don't know each other." "How romantic!" "It's like the bible or a victorian novel." "What sort of quarrel?" "About a house." "It's ancient history." "Now come along, Fleur." "We must meet your mother at Paddington." "Yes, but don't you think she's beautiful?" "Who?" "The boy's mother." "I can't say I noticed." "Oh, I saw the corner of your eye." "You see far too much if you ask me." "What's her husband like?" "He must be your first cousin." "He may be dead for all I know." "I haven't seen him for 20 years." "He once insulted me." "You didn't avenge it, and it rankles." "Poor father." "You let me have a go." "Darling?" "Nice to have Holly again, isn't it?" "If only for one night." "She seems content." "No, better than that." "She looks happy." "What is it, my love?" "We had an encounter today." "Oh, with whom?" "Soames." "He and his daughter were in the gallery." "Mm-hm." "How did he look?" "Grey, but otherwise the same." "And the daughter?" "Pretty." "At least Jon thought so." "You didn't...?" "No." "But he knows her name." "The girl dropped her handkerchief, and Jon picked it up." "June was with you." "Did she put her foot in it?" "No, but it was all very awkward and strained, and Jon saw that." "I wonder if we've been wise to keep it from him." "I wonder." "He's bound to find out sooner or later." "The later the better, jo." "When you're young, your judgment is harsh." "When you were 19, what would you have thought of your mother if she had done what I have?" "He loves you very deeply." "Yes." "Yes, he does." "What does he know about the realities of life?" "About passion and jealousy?" "The grief in an unhappy marriage?" "He knows nothing at all.He must have asked you about Soames and the girl." "What did you say?" "Just that we didn't know them." "That you didn't care for the family, or they for you." "But I expect you'll be questioned too." "Well... this promises to take the place of air raids." "After all, one misses them." "We've known it would happen sometime..." "I won't have him blame you, my darling." "If he hears about it from someone else, it's bound to be wrong and garbled." "I'd better tell him myself." "Not yet, Jo." "Please, not yet." "All right." "I'll trust your instinct." "Shall we go down?" "Yes." "Who is it?" "Soames." "Come in." "Nearly ready?" "As you see." "Winifred coming next week?" "Yes, and the Cardigans and monsieur Profond." "Why him?" "He amuses Winifred." "Well, I want someone to amuse Fleur." "She's restive." "Oh, didn't you know?" "She was born restive." "Now, what did you do in London?" "Oh, I enjoyed myself." "Ribbandry, I suppose." "Has Fleur got her summer dresses?" "You don't ask me if I have mine." "You don't mind if I do or not." "True." "Well, she has, and I have mine." "Terribly expensive." "That chap Profond... what does he do?" "He goes racing." "Also he goes yachting when he feels like it." "He's a ..." "Sometimes, but sometimes is very amusing." "There's a touch of the tar-brush about him." "Tar-brush?" "Mm." "His mother was armenian." "Well, that explains it." "Does he even know anything about pictures?" "Oh, he knows about everything." "He's a man of the world." "That's a new frock." "Yes." "Will you hook me up?" "It's too low." "Here." "Hm?" "So coarse." "What's that?" "Oh." "It was meant to be a surprise." "I'm surprised." "Well, you said I looked like the girl in the Goya." "Eh, it's only a copy." "I know." "You had it done because she looks like me, didn't you?" "So I thought I'd have this made as a, well, a fancy dress." "Do you like it?" "Looks extravagant enough for you." "It is, isn't it?" "Sweetie, hm?" "Where's Robin hill?" " What?" "It's near Richmond, in Surrey." "Is the house there?" "What house?" "The one they quarreled about." "I told you not to bother your head about..." "Why not?" "A family feud?" " Exciting." "What did you do in the great feud, father?" "Never you mind." "But if I'm to keep it up... who wants you to?" " You do." "I?" "I said it had nothing to do with you." "So you did." "And you know something?" "I entirely agree." "Well, I must say, driving all the way up from Wansdon today and back again tomorrow... what sort of a motorcar did you say it was?" "Angus-sanderson." "Scotch." "Very reliable." "Good." "Oh, we got used to women driving during the war, but I don't know." "I seem to have a sort of affinity with cars, like Val has with horses" "and you have with Val?" "Still." "After 20 years." "We're suited, as they say." "I'm glad." "On better acquaintance, how do you like Jon?" " Oh, very much." "It'll be fun to have him at Wansdon." "Sensitive, isn't he?" "Yes." "Impressionable." "But underneath, good,solid fiber." "I hope so." "Dear Robin hill." "That doesn't change." "No, and it never will." "Not if I can prevent it." "It's good to have you home again, little one." "Wish you'd been able to bring Jolly back with you." "I know." "But you've got Irene and Jon." "So count your blessings." "I do count them, every single morning of my life." "Huh?" "No more music?" "Well, I'm going to have a nightcap." "I think we should all go to bed." "Jon and Holly have an early start in the morning." "Come and see us again soon, won't you?" "And bring Val." "Next time, I will." "He's at newmarket today, but not to bet." "Doesn't he bet?" "Occasionally." "But whenever he's tempted to take the plunge, he just remembers... well, he doesn'T." "What does he do?" " At newmarket?" "Well, there's a filly up for sale." "Great-granddaughter of Mayfly." "That's a strain of blood Val wants badly." "Well, here's luck to him." "I'm off to bed." "Good night, little one." "Good night, father." "Good night, Irene." "Good night, dear." "Coming, jon?" " Oh, not just yet." "It's a marvelous night." "I'll lock up, dad." "Thank you." "On such a night..." "Fleur... au revoir." "Dry or medium, Jon?" "Oh, dry, please." "Mm-hm." "So as I told you,my limit for the filly was 600." "The bidding went past that, and she went for 750." "I was just about to leave when this chap Profond came up." ""Well", he said, "I've bought that small filly, "but I don't want to" "You take her and give her to your wife."" "Extraordinary chap." "Mm, he's all of that." "By the way, Jon, talking of fillies, I've got a girl to stay for a few days." "Oh, yes?" " Yes." "She arrived this evening while you were putting the cows to bed." "Perhaps I should t... oh." "This is my little brother Jon," "Fleur's a cousin of ours, Jon." "How do you know?" "Jon's learning to be a farmer." "Really?" "How very odd." "You don't look the bucolic type." "I though we'd have coffee in here, do you mind?" "What?" "No, darling." "Now, Fleur, if you are going to ride, I should know how much you've done." "Well, not a great deal." "I was well-taught, but it'll take me a few days." "Hm, well, you better have blossom to pass the port, Jon." "Of course, Fleur's dad can't tell a horse from a cartwheel." "Can your dad ride?" "Well, he used to, but, well now, of course, well, you know." "Yes, quite." "I met him two or three times, years ago." "I was up at Oxford with your brother Jolly." "We had a row." "Did you?" "I should have loved to have seen that." "Two earnest young victorians battling it out in the quadrangle." "Oh, it was hardly like that." "Of course it was, Val." "Don't spoil it for me." "It was about you, Holly, wasn't it?" "Your brother didn't want you to marry cousin Val." "Why not, cousin Val?" "Did you have some dark, dreadful secret?" "Oh, we were all too young for dark secrets." "Oh, no." "No one's ever too young for that." "What do you say, Jon?" "Well... anyway, who won?" "I did." "Your cousin and I got married." "Now, Fleur, shall we leave them to a final glass?" "Oh, would you mind if...?" "It's too beautiful to stay indoors." "Come along, Jon." "I want to see the rose garden by moonlight." "Wonderful, isn't it?" "Wonderful." "Jon, you know there's been a feud between our families?" "Feud?" "No." "What about?" "Something romantic and silly." "That's why I pretended we hadn't met." "Shall we get up early tomorrow?" "We could go for a walk before breakfast and have it out." "I hate being slow about things, don't you?" "You're so quick, quicksilver." "Six o'clock, then." "I think your mother's beautiful." "So do I." "I thought you did." "Look." "One thing, beautiful." "I can't bear a lot of things together this is better than the whole rose garden, don't you think?" "There's nothing in the world so awful as caution." "Don't you agree?" "Smell the moonlight." "That's nice and old-fashioned." "You are frightfully silent, jon." "Still, I like silence when it's swift." "Did you think I dropped that handkerchief on purpose?" "No." "Well, I did." "Yes." "We better get back, or they'll start imagining things." "Tomorrow at 6:00?" "The snail won't even be up." "Come on." "Wonderful to be out so early." ""And the world so new and all."" "We've made one blooming error." "Oh?" "I'm hungry." "You're bright." "I never travel without it." "Come on, let's go up to the top." "Those trees." "What did you say they're called?" "Chanetonbury ring." "Look!" "A sparrow hawk." "Come on!" "Yes, but I'd like to know,wouldn't you?" "Mother just said that father didn't get on with the family." "And my father said it was a quarrel over property." "Oh, I dare say." "That generation thought of nothing but property." "That was the cause of the war." "Hm, I never thought of that." "Anyway, we've all got it." "Just as well." "I don't suppose i'd be any good at making money." "I don't suppose i'd should like you if you were." "This is rather sudden." "Do you often do it?" "Oh, who will o'er the downs so free oh, who will with me ride?" "Oh, who will up and follow me to win a blooming bride?" "Her father he has locked the door her mother keeps the key but neither door nor bolts shall part my own true love from me this week, La Scala, next week, Covent garden." "I don't think." "Now I am hungry." "I'm sorry." "You are rather a darling." "What's the time?" "Well, it says 3:00." "I forgot to wind it." "Come on, we'd better get on." "Do you know "The lass of Richmond hill"?" " Yes, but you sing it." "yes, but you must come in on, "I'd crowns resign", yes." "On Richmond hill there lives a lass more bright than mayday morn' her charms all other maid's surpass a rose without a thorn this lass so neat with smile so sweet has won my right goodwill." "I'd crowns resign to call thee mine sweet lass of Richmond hill" "Jon, I tell you, they won't let us be friends." "Why not?" "Well, you don't know my father." "He expects so much of me." "By the time you've finished living up to it, you might as well be dead." "Yes, life's so short." "I want to live forever and know everything." "And love everybody?" "Oh, no I only want to love once." "You." "You are coming on." "Now, look, Jon, we just came out to get an appetite for breakfast and lost our way." "See?" "Are you a good liar?" "Not very, but I can try." "You see, it's serious." "They'll stop us if they can." "So when we get in," "I'm going to be rather beastly to you." "And I want to be the same to me ." "Impossible." "Well, do your best." "But in case of accidents..." "Now remember, we lost our way." "And when we get in, look sulky and leave the rest to me." "But, Fleur..." "come on." "We must run." "Oh, Soames, I do think that's a horrid thing." "Hm?" "Gauguin, horrid?" "Perhaps it is, but I gave 500 for it." "Did you indeed?" "Women aren't made like that even when they're black." "You didn't come upstairs to tell me that." "No." "Do you know that Jo's boy is staying with Val and his wife?" "What?" "!" "How do you know?" "I had a letter from Val." "When?" "This morning." "Oh, why didn't you say something before?" "Well, Fleur does what she likes." "You've always spoiled her." "And besides, where's the harm?" "Where's the harm?" "!" "Why, she... oh, you should tell her, Soames, about that old business." "You really should." "Girls are different these days." "Where they pick it up from, I can't imagine, but they seem to know everything." "If you don't like to speak of it, I could." "No, not yet." "Never, if I can help it." "Well, I think you're wrong, but..." "it's your affair." "And I'd sell that great horrid thing if I were you." "Winifred." "I had this on wednesday." ""Home on friday." On friday, another one." ""Home sunday afternoon." And you say where's the harm?" "Fleur?" "Sh.Close your eyes." "You can open them." "I wanted you to see my Goya dress." "This ought to be a basket of grapes, really." "Do you like it?" "It's a dream." "So are you." "Oh, no." "Touch and see." "I'm real, aren't I?" "And so is the dress." "As real as grapes and wine." "It's called "La vendemia", the vintage." "When you kiss me, I can't think." "Then don'T." "But I must." "Jon, you're going home on saturday, aren't you?" "For the weekend, yes." "Now, look..." "I'm going home to Mapledurham on sunday by the 3:40 from the junction at Reigate." "It wanders all the way around to reading." "Now, suppose we meet at the station?" "We could go together." "And have three whole hours... yes, but Fleur... and then you could catch the train back here." "Anything to be with you,anything, but why do we have to pretend?" "Because it's serious about our people." "Look, I want you to find out all you can, and I will too." "But we've simply got to be secret, if we want to be together." "Will you be there?" "Promise you'll be there." "Of course I will." "Oh, much more of that, and I won't be able to leave you at all." "Oh, Fleur." "Good night, my darling jon." "Dream about me." "All my favorite pieces tonight." "Why?" "To please you." "I can play for your father every evening." "So you met your little friend again, from the gallery." "Yes, but how did you know...?" "Holly wrote to me." "What's Fleur like, on second thoughts?" "I think she'S... yes?" "Awfully jolly." "Oh, come, darling." "You can do better than that." "Well... she's pretty." "I know that." "And far too clever for me." "So quick." "She flickers like a flame in a draft, but direct too." "She says what she thinks." "And what does she think?" "Well, I don't know." "New thoughts, no clichés." "All I know is..." "she makes me feel like a perfect fool." "Yet you like her." "Yes." "Mother?" "Yes, Jon." "Tell me about the family quarrel." "Did fleur mention that?" "No." "Jon, dear, you must never tell lies, because of your face." "No one will ever believe them." "I know." "But there was a quarrel?" "What did Fleur tell you?" "Well, she doesn't know any details." "I look at you, and I can see that's the truth." "Yes, Jon, there was a quarrel, but I can't tell you about it." "Someday, perhaps, your father will." "I shall go and ask him now." "Ah, Jon." "See those cypresses down there?" "Your grandfather planted those, and they've done very, very well." "Remind me of Italy." "I wish you could have known your grandfather." "Were you married to mother when he was alive?" "Alas, no, but he knew her, Jon, and he loved her, as you and I do." "Are you like him?" "Oh, not really." "He was solid, you know." "Solid." "I know... if that portrait in the dining room's anything to go by." "Who painted it?" "Oh, one of June's lame ducks." "It's quite good." "Why did he quarrel with his brother?" "Is it so important to you?" "It seems to be." "Why?" "You want me to answer your questions, Jon,shouldn't you answer mine?" "That sounds fair, dad, but I'm not sure if it is." "No?" "Because... well, because grandfather died nearly 30 years ago." "It's old, ancient history." "That's true." "Over and done with long ago, and yet I know it's still affecting our lives... mother's life." "Oh?" "What makes you say that?" "I saw her face in June's gallery when... when we met some people." "I've never seen her look like that before." "So I think you ought to tell me because anything that affects mother affects me." "I shall have to look after her when..." "when I'm gone?" "No, dad." "Oh, yes, but it's true, son." "Of course it is." "After all, I'm a great deal older than she is, and by the nature of things, yes, you'll have to look after her." "You will, I know that." "That's one of my abiding comforts." "There's something you must understand, jon." "It isn't always best to know everything about those we love." "In fact, it's impossible, but even if it weren't, we shouldn't necessarily want to." "We all have secret thoughts." "Hidden emotions." "Even a young fledgling like yourself." "Social and domestic life would be intolerable if everything were laid bare." "And now, if this holds true people of the same generation, how much more so when there are many years between?" "Hm?" "It's a good, simple rule, jon." "I think it works." "If you want to confide in me or your mother, we'll be glad, but we won't force your confidence." "And if, sometime, we feel like telling you about that old family quarrel and all that it meant, then we shall." "All right?" "All right, dad." "Good, now let's talk of something else." "Your mother wants to go to Italy for a few weeks,and I can't get away just now." "Will you take her?" "Yes, dad, but I don't know." "Ought I to, after I've just started at Wansdon?" "Well, better now, than when you're more involved in more serious farming." "Hm?" "It would be marvelous, but... could I think it over?" "Well, of course.Sleep on it." "Let me know what you've decided." "Yes, I will." "Thank you, dad." "Good night." "Good night, old son." "Off to bed, darling?" "Yes." "Do you want to go to italy?" "With you, jon?" "Heavenly." "Good night, mother." "Good night, dear." "Well?" "He'll sleep on it." "I think you'd better let me tell him, my darling." "He only has to understand... only?" "He can't understand." "I might at his age." "But you were more of a realist and never so innocent." "Yes, that's true." "It's odd, isn't it?" "We'd tell our story to the world without shame, but our own son stumps us." "We've never cared about the world," "Jon... he's in love, Jo." "I feel sure he's in love." "And he'd say, "my mother once married without love.How could she?"" "It'll seem to him a crime, and so it was." "Why were we born young?" "If only we were born old and grew younger, we'd understand how things happen and drop all this damned intolerance." "But if Jon is in love... he is." "Then going to Italy won't help." "We're a tenacious breed, he'll know he's been sent there." "By instinct." "And he'll know why too." "No..." "nothing will cure him now but shock." "Well, at least let me try." "All right, my darling." "Just as you wish." "I'll take these, please." "Fleur." "Uh, first-class." "Two corner seats, please.Opposite." "Why leave it to him?" "Let me try for an empty carriage." "No good." "It's a stopping train." "Yes, but..." "after Maidenhead, perhaps." "Oh, Jon, look natural." "It's seemed like a month." "I know." "Well, how am I expected to look natural?" "Perhaps it's natural for you to look seriously happy." "Only when I see you." "Then I'll forgive you." "Come on, we'll miss the train." "Did you find out anything?" "Only that it's serious, whatever it is." "I told you it was." "What about you?" "Nothing." "Father closed up like a clam." "But I'll get to the bottom of it." "I think my people know..." "about us." "You didn't tell them, did you?" "Good lord, no, but... mother guessed, I'm sure." "What did they say?" "Not a word except..." "Fleur, they want me to go away." "Go where?" "To Italy with mother, for two months." "They really are serious." "What did you say?" "Well, that I'd think about it." "Jon, you must go." "Go?" "!" "Don't you see?" "You must go." "You can easily cut it to six weeks if you keep your head." "Don't speak of me and pretend to enjoy it." "When you get back,if we're just the same... well, they'll be convinced and stop being ridiculous." "Yes, and you'll have forgotten me." "Some other beast." "No other beast." "Domesticity." "If I ever thought we might be like that..." "I wonder." "No." "We're different." "You are." "I could never love anyone but you." "Oh, how can you tell?" "We're so young,and you're a man." "Think of the fun you might have." "All the girls you could meet just for the asking." "Yes, but I only want you." "What about me?" "I haven't begun either." "If you're going to talk like that," "I certainly shan't go to Spain or anywhere else." "I shall tell mother I must stay here and work." "God knows there's plenty to do in the state the world's in." "And you're going to do it?" "I can try." "Think of the people starving." "I won't make myself miserable for nothing." "But one ought to help." "Yes, I know, but you can't help people, Jon." "Their hope pull them out of one hole, and they get into another." "But aren't you sorry for them?" "Yes, of course I'm sorry, but you can't do anything." "Most people are fools and idiots, and nothing can cure that." "You can try." "I think they're just poor devils." "Yes." "Well, you go and help your poor devils and forget about me." "I must believe in things, Fleur." "We're all meant to enjoy life." "Yes, but you won't if you don't look out." "Still, there are a lot of people that are only happy when they're miserable." "Perhaps you're one of them." "Oh, Fleur... oh, don't let's be silly." "Time's too short." "Look, you can nearly see the house from here, we must say goodbye." "No, not yet." "Jon, today's the 23rd of may." "On the ninth of july, if you telephone The talisman, you'll get a message to say where to meet me." "Will you be there?" "I will." "Goodbye, Jon." "Remember, whatever they say or do, don't give in." "I never let go." "Do you?" "Never." "Never."