"Papers!" "Papers!" "War in South Africa." "There have been many little wars in my time, necessary little wars in remote parts of the world brought about by the need to enforce the pax britannica," "the freedom of the seas and the peaceful growth of the trade." "This war is no exception." "For the first time, at least in my memory, the people of England are divided as to its value and its justice." "Even among the Forsytes, the younger ones naturally, there are those who maintain that the boers are right and we are wrong." "Well, of course they don't stand a chance, sir." "But I'm told they can shoot pretty well." "I've got a son in the Inniskillings, sir." "Warmson, I didn't even know you were married." "No, sir." "I don't speak of it." "I expect he'll be going out there soon." "There you are, Soames." "Ah, uncle." "I've seen your father." "He's not very spry." "No." "How are you?" " Poorly... very poorly." "I've been to Harrogate, didn't do any good." "And now we've got this confounded war." "It's Chamberlain's fault you know, stormy petrel." "I distrust him." "I'll tell you something, my boy." "House property is bound to go down." "You'll have trouble with roger's estate." "I often told him he ought to get out of house property." "But there, he was a stubborn chap." "I have it in hand." "I dare say." "You've got a head on you." "Thank you, uncle." "They tell me at Timothy's that fellow Dartie's gone at last." "Yes." "Good riddance." "He was a rotten egg." "It will be a relief to your father." "To us all." "You be careful, or he'll turn up again." "Winifred ought to have the tooth out, I should say." "No use hanging on, eh?" "I'm advising her." "Good." "Well, the brougham's waiting, so I'd better get home." "As I said, I'm very poorly." "Good night, my boy." "Good night, uncle." "Very poorly." "82 and he's never been ill in his life." "I've got, what, 30 or possibly 40 years." "I'm not going to waste them." "Where's Soames, I should like to know?" " I want to see soames." "He'll be here soon, dear." "Now drink your negus." "It'll do you good." "These boers..." "I shan't live to see the end of this." "Oh, nonsense, dear." "It'll be over by christmas." "What do you know about it?" " Well, Nicholas says..." "Nicholas?" " It's a pretty mess at this time of night too." "Oh, there you are." "Father." "Oh, good, dear." "Mother." "Nicholas was here." "Yes, I know." "I saw him." "He'll catch his death of cold,I shouldn't wonder." "I can't go out in the evenings." "Soames, dear, have you dined?" "Yes, thank you, mother, at the club." "Oh." "Plenty to say there about it all." "Gabby lot." "You mark my words, Soames, consols will go to par." "Well, I knew how it'd be." "All comes from that fellow, Gladstone." "Nicholas blames Chamberlain." "Tar of the same brush." "That chap, Buller, he's no good." "They should send Kitchener or Roberts." "I don't know." "For all I can tell, Val may go and enlist." "Oh, come now, James." "You talk as if there were danger." "And so there is." "They tell me very young Roger's volunteered, or whatever they call it." "Val wouldn't be so stupid." "Volunteer indeed." "In his first year at Oxford?" " Rubbish, dear." "No, mother's right." "Val's got a lot to learn, but he's no fool." "No." "Jolly fine breakfast, very civil of you to ask me." "Cigarette?" "Thanks, no, I'm in training." "My dear jolly, what for?" "Not football?" " Rowing." "Oh, good lord." "But that's masochism." "It's what?" "New word." "It means getting hurt and enjoying it." "Thanks." "Look here." "Didn't I see you at crum's roulette party the other evening?" "How did you do?" " I didn't play." "Oh, I won 15 quid." "It's a rotten game," "I think." "Oh, really?" "I rather like as for that chap crum," "I was at harrow with him." "Awful fool." "Too la-di-da for me." "He's a friend of mine." "Oh." "Sorry." "What do you think of the war?" " Rotten." "Why don't the boers come out and fight?" "Well, why should they?" " I rather admire them." "They can ride and shoot, but they're a lousy lot." "More coffee?" "No, thanks." "Your people coming up this term?" " You've met them, haven't you?" "My father and sister are coming up next week." "Oh, good." "Perhaps you'd like to ask them see over Bnc, not that there is much to see." "Thanks." "I'll ask them." "Would they lunch?" " I've got rather a decent scout." "Afraid there won't be time." "Their two days are packed." "But you will ask them, though?" "Well, it's very good of you." "Well, I have to see my tutor." "Oh." "But look here, then." "They're dining with me here on wednesday." "Perhaps you'd care to join us?" "Oh, that's very kind of you." "What time?" "7,30." "Dress?" "No." "Your people coming up?" "Well, my sister, Imogen, wants to, but mother..." "mother can't leave town at the moment." "This is such a bore, Soames." "There's something almost indecent about mentioning one's private affairs to total strangers." "Yes, I know, but it has to be done." "Well, yes, but Val he's written to say he wants to play polo next term." "He seems to be in a very good set." "Good set or not, he's got to face it." "Oh, Soames." "Soames, will there be much publicity?" "It's so bad for him." "I wish you wouldn't..." "and imogen." "Yes, the newspapers, I know." "But it hasn't got to that yet." "We're merely seeing dreamer on the question of restitution." "Now, he understands that we're aiming at a divorce, but we don't mention that." "You must seem genuinely anxious to get Monty back." "Yes." "Ah, Forsyte." "Bellby." "Uh, winifred, this is mr." "Bellby." "Bellby, this is my sister, mrs." "Dartie." "Good day to you." "Please, sit down." "Thank you." "Now, I've..." "ah, mrs." "Dartie, isn't it?" "I have here three..." "Got the facts of the case in his head already." "Able fellow, able fellow." "Yes, I want to get a move on with this." "If Dartie doesn't comply with the restitution order, we can't bring divorce proceedings for six months." "The law's delays, mrs." "Dartie." "Six months brings us to the end of june." "There there's the long vacation." "I want to put the screw on." "So we want to get him back, don't we, mrs." "Dartie?" "Oh, yes." "Yes, indeed." "In fact, I..." "my sister's position is intolerable." "Exactly." "Now, can we rely on the cabled refusal or must we wait till after christmas to give him a chance to have written?" " That's the point, isn't it?" "The sooner we..." "what do you say, Bellby?" "We can't be on before the middle of december." "No need to give him more rope than that." "No." "Why should my sister be incommoded by his choosing to go off...to Jericho." "Quite so." "People oughtn't to go to jericho, ought they, mrs." "Dartie?" "No." "I agree." "We can go forward." "Is there anything more?" "No, I just wanted you to meet my sister." "Delighted." "Delighted." "Good day, mrs." "Dartie." "Bellby here will keep me informed." "Well, goodbye, mr." "Bellby." "Thank you for being so helpful." "Not at all." "Not at all." "There now." "Thank you." "Thank you, Bellby." "We should be all right if we keep moving." "Yes." "Oh, Soames." "I keep thinking of Monty." "If only he wasn't such a clown." "The evidence of the stewardess will be very complete." "Let me come in." "Just for a moment." "Very well." "Why are you here?" "Didn't I make it quite plain last time, I..." "Irene." "It's your birthday." "Is it?" "I bought this for you." "Soames, no." "I couldn'T." "Well, why not?" "Just as a sign that there's no ill-feeling." "Irene, let bygones be bygones." "Well, if I can, surely you might." "Let's begin again." "I know I wanted a divorce." "I know I wanted to get married again, but... well, after I saw you the other evening," "well, surely you can't want to live the rest of your life in this hole." "Come back to me, and I'll give you everything you want." "You shall lead your own life,I swear it." "Yes, I know, I know, I know." "This time I mean it." "I ask only..." "only one thing." "I want a son." "Don't look like that." "I want one." "I must have a son." "Well, is it so unnatural to want a son by one's own wife?" "You wrecked our life." "Is it so very unflattering to you that in spite of everything," "I..." "I still want you?" "Irene... oh, for god's sake." "Look, it's not too late." "It's not..." "don't!" "I'm alone here." "You won't behave again as you did once before." "I'm not going until you give me a reasonable answer." "Reason has nothing to do with it." "You can only have the truth." "I would rather die." "As bad as that?" "That's very pretty." "Sorry." "You wanted an answer." "I can't help the truth,can I?" "Truth?" "What do women know of the truth?" "It's nerves, that's what it is,nerves." "Yes, they don't lie." "Haven't you discovered that?" " You have got a lover." "I'm sure of it." "Otherwise you wouldn't be such an idiot." "If you didn't believe what i told you, you wouldn't be here." "Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?" "Do you ever think that I found out my mistake, my terrible mistake, the very first night of our marriage?" "That I went on trying for three years?" "You know I tried." "Was it for myself?" "I don't know what it was for." "I've never understood you." "I never shall." "Look... what's the matter with me?" " I ask you, what is it?" "I'm not lame, I'm not loathsome." "I'm not a fool, nor a bore." "What is it?" "What's the mystery about me?" "Eh?" "Well, it's not for me to say." "Your coach knows best." "But if there is a fault, I'd say you've a tendency to snatch a bit, Jolly." "All rowed fast, but none so fast as stroke." "Exactly." "Shut up." "I say, I'm sorry about tonight." "That was a bore." "Well, he wanted to give you lunch and show you bnc, so I thought I'd ask him to dinner then you needn't go." "Why, is that such a terrible thing?" "Oh, I don't like him." "Why not?" "Oh, I don't know." "He just seems so awfully showy and bad form." "Well, he's only a second cousin, isn't he?" "What are his people like?" " Well, you better ask Holly." "She's met his uncle." "I like Val." "But his uncle, not so much." "Yes, I'd be surprised if you did." "Come and talk to me, dad, while I'm changing." "Well, what about the young lady?" "Well, she'll be all right." "There's some magazines over there." "All right." "Punch and the illustrated." "I say, sorry, dad." "Hm?" "This can't be for me." "It's re-addressed from Robin Hill." "From somebody called Irene." "Oh." "That's my fault, for having you christened Jolyon." "Honestly, I don't imagine... no." "No." "No, son." "It's all right." "You'll have to excuse me." "I must go out to send a telegram." "Well, you don't have to." "My scout can take it." "No, you go and change." "I'll be back in good time for dinner." "It's all right." "Well, if you think i'm going to tell you..." "I don't want you to." "But it's dashed rum." "Is it?" "Well, we were just talking about Val's uncle." "Yes?" "Well, the letter began..." "no "dear mr." "Forsyte",or anything." "It just said, "Soames came again tonight, my 36th birthday."" "Oh." "And it ended, "yours affectionately, Irene."" "Don't you think that's rum?" "Not a bit." "What?" "Because I know who she is." "Oh?" "You never met her." "Don't you remember,when grandpapa died?" "Ah, lord yes, now I do." "She was married to cousin Soames, wasn't she?" "But they've been separated for years." "Daddy's her trustee." "I got it all out of June." "Yes." "Well, it's still a jolly rum letter." "That's all I can say." "That's all you have said." "Now look here." "Hello." "Hello." "Come in." "Oh, I say." "You're alone." "Yes." "Yes, I am for the moment." "What luck." "My father's out, and Jolly's changing." "Oh." "It's marvelous to see you again." "I say, would you wear this?" "Thank you." "Val?" " Mm?" "I never said anything about our ride together." "Oh, rather not." "That's just between us." "How's that filly of yours?" " Very well, thank you." "Do tell me about Oxford." "Must be lovely." "Oh, well, it's marvelous to be able to do what you like." "And I ride quite a lot." "Oh, I'm so glad." "I expect you have to go to a lot of lectures." "Well, they're rather a bore, but no one makes you go to them." "There's quite a lot of decent chaps up here, but..." "I wish I were in town so that i could come down and see you." "I thought robin hill was a ripping place." "Oh, it is!" "But I want to go... everywhere." "See everything." "I wish I were a gypsy." "You're rather like one, you know." "Am I?" "To go mad rabbiting everywhere and live in the open." "Well, let's do it." "Oh, yes, let'S." "Marvelous!" "Just you and I together." "What nonsense." "You can't do that sort of thing when you're grown up." "Oh, cousins can." "Anyway, I believe in doing what you want to do." "Next vac begins in june, you know, and it goes on for simply ages." "We'll watch our chance." "Well, it wouldn't come off." "Why?" "Who's going to stop it?" "Not your father or your brother." "What about your uncle?" "Old uncle Soames?" "That dried-up old fossil?" "Who's going to ask him?" "Entrez." "Monsieur Forsyte." "Good evening, Annette." "Good evening, monsieur." "Won't you sit down?" " Thank you." "I've been dining here." "Oh." "If I'd only known." "But now I am quite sure you have enough time for another cup of special coffee or liqueur perhaps?" "Or cognac?" "Cognac." "Thank you." "Oh, I see you're expecting another guest." "Sorry." "Yes, we are expec... not for a while yet." "And it is not important,Annette." "There." "Thank you." "I shall order the coffee." "Well..." "Annette." "Well, monsieur." "Well, you have some queer customers out there." "Riff-raff." "Republicans." "Pro-boers, foreigners." "Yes?" "Annette, why do you think i come here?" "Why?" "Because the cuisine is good." "Yes, it is." "But you can get just as good elsewhere, hm?" "Better, perhaps." "Well then, for ambience, the atmosphere, as you call it?" "Hardly." "Yes." "As you say, too much riff-raff and foreigners." "Not your style, monsieur." "Well, there can be only one reason." "You know it?" "Oh, certainly." "You come, like a good son, to look after your father's property." "Annette, you know very well that..." "I managed to get away early from the hospital." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't know there was anyone else here." "Hello, Charles." "Monsieur Forsyte, may I present dr." "Fryer?" "How do you do, sir?" "How do you do?" "That was a splendid evening, Jolly." "I thoroughly enjoyed i'm only sorry you're going tomorrow." "Do you have to?" " Oh, I'm afraid so." "Business." "Hard luck on holly though." "Hundreds of dashing, young undergraduates and she hasn't met one." "Oh, I don't know." "Mr. Jolyon, nice seeing you again, sir." "Next time you come down, we'll... you'll show us the treasures of Brasenose college." "We shall enjoy it." "Thank you." "Good night." "Goodnight, sir." "Come along, Holly." "Goodbye, Val." "Good night, Holly." "Good luck, Jolly." "Thank you." "Haven't finished your port." "Oh." "Well..." "Let me fill your glass." "Oh, thanks awfully." "Here's to general buller, and damnation to the boers." "Don't you like the toast?" "I'll drink to general Buller, but I won't drink damnation to anyone." "My dear jolly, isn't that the least bit priggish?" "I don't think so." "Oh, well." "Thanks for a very decent dinner." "Wait a minute." "Yes?" "What were you saying to my sister?" "I beg your pardon?" "My hearing's pretty good." "Well, that's nice." "You were fixing up something." "What was it?" " It's my business." "It's mine too!" "She's only a kid." "You leave her alone." "And suppose she doesn't want me to?" "Now, look here!" "Yes, you're about to do something?" "I was about to punch you on the nose but..." "But you remembered that I'm your guest." "Golly, Forsyte." "You are a prig." "Get out!" "Thanks." "Come and dine with me sometime." "I'll punch you on the nose like Billy-O." "It's all right, plunket, I know the way." "Thank you, I should by now." "Father?" "Ah, there you are, little one." "So you got my letter." "Yes, father." "Good." "And thank you for sending the carriage, but there was no need." "I was coming to see you anyway." "June, what I wanted to say..." "I'm furious." "Do you remember my telling you about Eric Cobbley?" "Cobbley?" " Ah, the one-armed sculptor?" "No, the painter." "Oh." "Oh, he's a genius, you know, but terribly hard up and he has a wife and two children." "Well, I arranged a one-man show for him at the Barkington." "The manager came to see his work." "Oh, wonderful work." "And now he's changed his mind." "Cobley?" "No, the manager." "That beastly manager." "He had the cheek to say that from the selling point of view, it'd be a one-horse show." "If that isn't commercial cowardice." "Absolutely." "Now, June,what I wanted to say..." "Dad, is it true that I simply can't touch any of my money?" "Fortunately, only the income." "How perfectly foul." "There must be some way." "I want to buy a small gallery." "That seems a modest desire." "But your grandfather foresaw it." "Oh, all this care about money." "It's awful when there's so much genius in the world being crushed for want of a little." "Why shouldn't I do some good with mine instead of having it all tied up for things which will never happen?" "My darling June, our name happens to be Forsyte and we live by the principle that so long as there is a possibility of keeping property inside the family, it must not get out." "Think what I could do." "Make Eric Cobbley's name in no time, and lots of others." "Names worth making make themselves." "When they're dead." "Did you ever know anybody living who was improved by having his name made?" "Yes." "You." "Ah, now you're up to something." "Darling..." "Yes, all right." "I know." "You buy the gallery, and I'll pay your rent." "Four hundred a year." "It would be a splendid investment." "Well, it all seems a little dubious to me." "An artist buying his own gallery." "Well, 10,000 pounds is rather a large lump." "I'm not a commercial character." "No, but you're awfully businesslike." "And it would be a perfect way of scoring off those wretched dealers and people." "Where is this desirable gallery?" "Just off Cork street." "I thought it would be "just off" somewhere." "All right, I'll think about it." "Not now." "I had an urgent reason for seeing you, remember?" "Oh, I'm sorry." "June, I need your help." "Irene's in trouble." "Soames is after her again, pestering her to go back to him." "She'll be safer if we can find her asylum somewhere." "Irene." "Is she coming here?" "I think possibly she's here already." "I can't bear Soames." "I never could." "He sneers at everything that isn't successful." "She's proud, difficult to help." "We must tread gently." "Mrs. Heron is here, sir." "Yes, thank you, Plunket." "I'm late because i've been trespassing." "I came up through the coppice and garden." "I always used to." "You can never trespass here, my dear, history makes that impossible." "History?" "I once told uncle jolyon that love was forever." "Well, it isn'T." "Only aversion lasts." "There." "I've wanted to do that for years." "Thank you." "Now... come and sit down, both of you." "June." "So soames is worrying you again?" " As I told you in my letter, he wants me to go back to him." "You won't, of course no, but his position is horrible." "That's his own fault." "He should've divorced you years ago if..." "all right, let's hear what irene is going to do." "I'd better give him fresh excuse to get rid of me." "No!" "Well, what else can I do?" " Without love, out of the question." "Well, I shall go to soames and tell him to leave you alone." "What does he want at his age?" "A child." "It's not unnatural." "A child." "Something to leave his money to." "Well, if he wants one badly enough, let him take somebody and have one." "Then you can divorce him, and he can marry her." "Let's try and keep calm about this, shall we?" "Ring the bell for plunket and we'll all have some tea." "Irene, I'm going to suggest you come here to us to live until we see how things shape." "Of course." "No, I should only bring trouble on you all." "I shall go to paris." "But if he follows you there, won't you feel more helpless?" " I don't know." "I can but try." "Do you need any money?" " No, would you like me to let your flat?" "Oh, yes, jo, please." "When shall you be going?" "Tomorrow." "And you'll let me have your address?" " I feel you're a rock." "Built on sand." "But if there is anything i can do at any time, you must let me know." "I will." "Meanwhile, if you change your mind, there will be a home for you here." "Oh, yes." "Always." "Thank you." "I'll remember that." "Ohld people be tortured and kept miserable and helpless year after year?" "Whoever made these sanctimonious, disgusting laws ought to be shot." "And of all the undignified and revolting beasts, well, Soames is the worst." "This is a pleasure, mr." "Forsyte." "I could've visited you." "I was passed." "I if a client sends for me, he takes what precautions he likes." "If he comes here, we convince him that we have no leakages." "I may safely say we lead in security, if nothing else." "Now, sir, what can I do for you?" "I've come to you early like this because there's not an hour to lose." "Have you a really reliable woman free?" "Hm, the very woman." "Then send her at once to watch mrs." "Irene Heron, flat D, Truro mansions, Chelsea, until further notice." "Precisely." "Divorce, I presume?" "I'll put it into the cipher category." "Under that system, a name is never mentioned." "We work by numbers." "You keep that, sir." "It's your key." "I retain this duplicate." "Now, the party watched is number 17." "The watcher, 19." "The mansion's 25." "Yourself, I mean, of course, your firm is 31." "Any person we suspect is 47, and, well, so on." "Now, any special hint or instruction?" "No." "No, that is everything compatible with the...?" "Of course." "And... expense?" "Within reason." "Now, keep it entirely in your own hands." "Entirely." "Good morning, sir." "Good morning." "Send in mrs." "Blanch." "Ah, mrs." "Blanch." "This party is to be watched." "Every possible precaution, even more than usual, is to be taken." "You look very nice, val." "Oh..." "just pull your coat collar up a little more at the back." "If they bully you... they won'T." "I shall be very cool." "It's the only way." "And I shan't have to give evidence or anything, shall I?" " No, dear." "It's all arranged." "There" "It's Happerly Brown, so we should be on first." "This way." "Uncle, you're not going to let those beastly papers in, are you?" "I understand you want to play polo at Oxford." "Rather." "That's a very expensive business." "You're grandfather won't foot the bill unless he's sure there's no other drain on him." "Come along." "Winifred." "Val." "You don't have to take your furs off." "Fuggy sort of place." "Remember, you must seem genuinely anxious to get him back." "Dartie versus Dartie." "There was a crisis early in october, and the respondent wrote my client this letter from his club." "I propose to read it with the emendations necessary to the epistle of a gentleman who has been, shall we say dining, me lud." "Old brute." "You're not paid to make jokes." ""I'm leaving the country tomorrow." ""I'm tired of being insulted by you." ""You brought it on yourself." ""No self-respecting man can stand it." ""I took the photograph of Imogen, give her my love." ""Goodbye "I shall not ask you for anything again." ""I don't care what your family say, it's all their doing." "I'm going to live a new life." ""I'm tired of being insulted by you."" "My client will tell your ludship that these so-called insults consisted in her calling him" ""the limit."" "A very mild expression I venture to suggest in all the circumstances." "Next day, my lud, the respondent left by the steamship Tuscarora for Buenos Aires." "Since when we have nothing from him but a cabled refusal in answer to the letter which my client wrote in great distress, begging him to return to her." "With your ludship's permission i shall now put mrs." "Dartie in the box." "Mrs. Dartie." "Say after me:" "I swear that the evidence i shall give," "I swear that the evidence i shall give, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God." "So help me God." "You are the wife of Montague Dartie, of 64 Green street, London?" "Yes." "Now, mrs." "Dartie I should like to ask you, why did your husband really leave you?" " Not because you called him"the limit", you know." "No, my lord, but it had gone on a long time." "What had gone on?" "Our differences about money." "But you supplied the money." "Do you suggest he left you to better his position?" "No, my lord, but you see," "I had refused to give him any more money." "It took him a long time to believe that, but he did at last." "And when he did..." "I see." "You refused, but you have sent him some since?" "My lord, I wanted him back." "And did you think that would bring him?" "Well?" "I don't know, my lord." "I acted on my father's advice." "One more question, mrs." "Dartie." "Are you still fond of your husband?" "Yes, my lord." "Thank you, mrs." "Dartie." "That is all." "Thank you, my lord." "I want it sent at once." "Immediately, you understand?" "To mr." "Forsyte." "Send it by hand." "Ready?" " Number 19's latest report to hand." "Number 17 left number 25 three days ago for Victoria station and took the boat-train for Paris." "She was alone." "Nineteen, according to instructions, followed, and will communicate further." "I judged that you would authorize this expenditure in view of the importance of the matter." "Here they are." "Warmson, I'll let you know when we're ready for luncheon." "Thank you, madam." "Now, don't worry, dear." "You'll know in a minute." "It's a new-fangled way of doing things." "I'll just go and meet them." "I don't know." "I can't tell how it's all going to end." "Father, how are you?" "We got the decree of restitution." "Who was the judge?" "Happerly Browne." "A pretty shrewd chap." "Now, look here, Soames, when the divorce comes up, suppose Happerly Browne is the judge again." "Quite possible." "Well, won't it smell fishy?" "Suppose it comes out that we knew of misconduct" "He'll forget." "Good morning to you, mr." "Forsyte." "Why, sir, he'll try 100 cases between then and now." "Besides, he's bound to give us a divorce for precedence, according to the evidence, if it's satisfactory." "We won't let him know that mrs." "Dartie had knowledge of the facts." "Dreamer does these things very well." "He has a fatherly touch about him." "Well, so long as Dartie doesn't obey the order of the court." "We don't want him turning up again." "I must congratulate you, mrs." "Dartie." "You have a natural gift for giving evidence." "Where's Val, dear?" "We were expecting him." "He sent his apologies, mama." "He has an important appointment." "Appointment?" "What appointment?" " How should I know?" " But..." " But he'll come to dinner very soon." "Good, dear." "Your father does so like to see him." "I do hope won't come on till after the summer vacation." "I'd like the season to be over too." "Don't fret." "There have to be an interval of six months." "After that, the sooner the better." "Mr. Soames, sir." "This was sent round from your office." "They said it was marked private and urgent." "Thank you." "I expect you'll have a lot of extra expenses." "Dear papa, thank you." "That's a new hat you've got on." "Look... tell Val i want to see him." "Paris?" "What the devil?" "Jo!" "What news, poor exile?" "Today only good news." "You have some to see me." "Today?" "Why?" "Has Soames..." "No." "Nothing." "Ah, that's a comfort." "Well, I've let your flat." "And like a good steward, I bring you money." "You're very kind." "I hope you didn't come over especially for that." "No, no, no." "As a matter of fact," "I come here quite often, especially in the winter." "I know, the roasting chestnuts and the wood smoke." "Yes, but there's a more important reason." "Is anything more important?" " No Forsytes." "Of course." "Touring Forsytes." "In summer, Paris is full of them." "They annoy me." "They always look as if they want to be somewhere else as soon as possible." "They gobble up the opera, the Louvre, Notre Dame, yes, damn it, even the Moulin rouge." "And they looked shocked, as if to say," ""now show us something we can really disapprove of."" "You're desperate hard on them." "No more than they deserve." "But in three whole days, Irene, I haven't seen a single Forsyte." "It's a refreshment for my soul." "Three whole days before calling on me?" "Well, I meant to call the day I arrived..." "But you didn't." "I wanted to, but..." "in England, we find it a little difficult to do the natural thing." "I wanted to see you, very badly as a matter of fact but it took me three whole days to admit to anything so natural." "And now?" "Well, now I'm a naturalized frenchman again." "May I take you out to luncheon?" "Enchanté, monsieur." "Good." "I know just the place." "Thank you, Jo." "I'll go and get ready." "Is all well at Robin hill?" " Holly?" "Holly." "Well, she's growing up." "There's a certain look in her eye." "I think I know what it is, but I daren't mention it." "No?" "Why not?" "I should think you could say anything." "To my children, about their emotions?" "Tell them not to have any because I don't approve?" "When I've never been able to manage my own?" "You're the dearest man." "Jolly, you startled me." "Oh?" " Have you any reason to be startled?" "Why do you ask?" "Because I've been riding in the park." "I saw you and that fellow Dartie." "Well..." "Do you know that we had a row last term?" "Who won?" " Oh, don't be an idiot!" "Nobody won." "It wasn't that kind of row." "What was it about?" " Never you mind." "But I do mind." "I mind very much." "So you'd better tell me." "Was it about me?" "Well... well, yes." "I told him to leave you alone." "That was impertinent of you, and very poor tactics." "Now look here..." "for goodness sake, Jolly!" "You know very well you shouldn't see him alone without telling anyone." "Well, who ought I to tell?" "You?" "Dad isn't here." "Why shouldn't I ride with him?" " Because he's not to be trusted." "I think he's a bounder and a rotter." "It's your own fault for not liking him." "Will you stop going out with him?" "No." "We'll see about that." "He isn't a rotter." "He's not." "He's not." "And here is niobe." "She's kept me company during many lonely hours." "She's a pretty thing." "Not my idea of a cheerful companion." "No?" " Well, now I don't need her." "Not cold?" "Not a bit." "You were telling me about June's mother." "Poor Frances." "Yes." "But I should of thought as a Forsyte wife, you'd have been spared no details of that business." "I wasn'T." "Shall I tell you what I did hear?" "After so long?" "Is it so important?" " It is to me because... because, well, even then i suspected that what I was shown was only one side of the coin." "You were a monster." "Oh, was I?" " Oh, yes." "And Frances, an angel." "A young unsophisticated girl from Leicestershire from a very good family, they said." "Yes, her mother was an honorable." "For all I know, she still is." "She'll only be about 70, and still riding to hounds, I shouldn't wonder." "But you were cruel to Frances." "Was I?" " Yes." "You behaved disgracefully with June's governess." "Quite a common girl, they said." "Foreign... german." "She was austrian." "And quite uncommon." "And frances?" "Tell me about her." "I will tell you." "Although why, I don't know," "I have never told anyone." "That's a good reason." "Frances should never have married, least of all, me." "Why?" "Because to her, the act of love was an obscenity." "I see." "Do you understand then?" " Yes." "I know that it can be for a woman." "As I know it can be her greatest joy." "And Helene?" "We were deeply in love." "If only..." "Yes?" "if only she could've believed that I was happy with her, that I wanted nothing else but our life together." "Do you still mourn for her?" "No." "No, not anymore." "Remember telling me once that love doesn't last?" "Well, grief goes too." "Yes." "Even she, I suppose, stopped weeping in the end." "I was awfully worried about you today." "Why didn't you turn up?" "What happened?" " Well, nothing, except..." "Val, Jolly knows about our riding together." "Well, what about it?" "Is he in?" " No, but I expect he will be soon." "Then..." "Holly, there's something i have to tell you." "It's about my father." "He's not..." "I mean, they're trying to divorce him." "Mother took him to court, and the judge ordered him to come back." "Were you there?" " Mm." "Was it horrid?" " Pretty bad." "Of course, nothing's come out yet, but it will soon." "Divorce suits are beastly." "I wanted to tell you because, well, because I love you, Holly, and I want you to marry me." "And if you don't love me, I don't..." "Val." "My god." "Who was that?" "Jolly." "Well, I don't care." "Now we're engaged." "I beg your pardon." "I wasn't spying." "Well, anyway it's none of your business." "Oh, yes, it is." "Holly, you'd better go." "No!" "Holly and I are engaged." "This is our house,and I won't insult you in it." "But my father's away, and I'm in charge of my sister." "You've taken advantage of me." "I didn't mean to." "Oh, I think you did, or you would have waited for my father to come back." "There were reasons." "What reasons?" "Family reasons." "I've just told her." "You're only kids." "We're not." "Yes, you are." "You're not 20." "And what are you?" " I am 20." "Only just." "Anyway, I'm as good a man as you." "We'll see about that." "I dare you to do what I'm going to do." "Dare me?" " Dare you." "And I know very well you won't." "I haven't forgotten you are a fire-eater." ""Damnation to the boers" and all that." "But I think that's about all you are." "What?" "I'm going to join the imperial yeomanry and I dare you to do the same, mr." "Val Dartie." "Take your time." "Sit down." "Think it over." "All right." "Done." "Tomorrow then?" " We'll meet at the main recruiting office at 12:00." "I shall be there." "Well, at least there will be lots of riding and shooting, anyway." "Val." "Mm, marveilleux!" "Superbe!" "Merci." "Really, Jo, the most wonderful food." "Whoever invented crepe suzette was a genius, don't you think?" "Ranking with Beethoven and Michelangelo?" "No, no." "Nothing's as solid as that." "Mozart, yes, and fragonard." "There, now you will think of me as a greedy gourmand, but I don't care." "Where else except in Paris could we eat so well?" "For that matter, where else could we be so free?" "To talk and stroll and make our little expeditions:" "Versailles." "Fontainebleau." "The galleries." "Yes, Paris agrees with you." "You suit each other." "You've been happy here?" " Since you came, yes." "But not before?" "When I was a girl at the conservatoire, it was thrilling." "But then soames brought me here after our wedding." "And for many years, I couldn't think of Paris without a kind of horror." "Yet you came back." "I thought, "how stupid!"" "I was determined to... to lay the ghost?" "And is it laid?" "Well and truly." "Thanks so much to you, my dear Jo." "I wish I could take the credit." "These past few weeks have been so wonderful for me." "Our companionship." "Your relish for beauty." "And you, irene." "You, yourself, how you have illuminated for me the smallest pleasures." "Wonderful weeks." "Weeks I shall never forget." "Forget?" "Is it over?" ""Have joined imperial yeomanry." "Jolly."" "You must go home at once." "Tomorrow."