"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." "Love is an emotion that most Forsytes disapprove of, unless they happen to fall in love." "Even then, if they can, they get over it pretty quickly, not being able to reconcile with their principles the extravagance involved." "But these two young Forsytes had got it badly, as they say nowadays, and having got it, it was their property." "Woe betide anyone who tried to deprive them of it." "Well, mr." "Forsyte, what you going to do with this small lot?" "Oh, Profond, you told me you collect paintings." "Well, I've bought a few, myself." "What do you think of these two?" "The real one, I like." "This one, charming, but not good, I think." "Now this one is rather fine, I think." "Do you want to sell it?" "Huh?" " Yes." "What do you want for it, mr." "Forsyte?" "What I gave for it." "All right." "I'll be glad to take that small picture." "Not that I care much for pictures." "How much, please?" "Five hundred pounds." "What do you care for?" "Oh, I don't know." "We human beings, we're like a lot of monkeys, scrambling after empty nuts, but I don't worry." "We're born and we die." "Half the world's starving." "I feed a small lot of babies out in my mother's country, but what's the use?" "Might as well throw my money in the river." "Well, what's the point?" "Why spend your money on pictures?" "I don't want you to have it if you don't care for it." "Oh, that's all right, mr." "Forsyte." "I'll be happy to have that picture." "The english are awful funny about pictures, hm?" "So are my people." "They're all awful funny." "I don't understand you." "It's like hats, small or large, turning up or down, just the fashion." "Awful funny." "Ah, you're a cynic." "I hope so." "Aren't you?" "That's a fashion too." "I don't believe in it." "Soames, mr." "Mont is here to see you." "Who?" " Ah, yes, come in." "Hello, sir." "Hello." "And may I introduce monsieur Profond?" "How do you do?" "Prosper, would you care for a walk before tea?" "Very much." "So long as it's a small walk." "Excuse me." "Well, sir." "Some pictures." "I say... hm?" " Isn't that your..." "My daughter?" " Yes." "No, it's a copy of a Goya from the Prado in Madrid, called La vendimia, but I'm told there's a resemblance." "It's very like her." "Is she here, sir?" " She'll be in after tea." "Shall we look at the rest of the pictures?" "This is a maris, James Maris." "Yes, I know." "Didn't he just paint and paper them?" "Of course, Matthew was the real swell." "You could really dig into his surfaces." "Ah, here's old whistler." "They say his stuff won't last, you know." "Commercially?" "Oh, lord, no.Organically." "Well, he painted on black, you see, and sooner or later, it'll all come through." "I should sell him off, sir,quick." "What are you, mr." "Mont, if I may ask?" "A painter?" "No, I was going to be, but the war put a stop to that." "Then, in the trenches, I used to dream of the stock exchange, snug and warm, and just noisy enough," "but shares have gone phut, haven't they?" "Napoo." "What do you recommend, sir?" " Got any money?" "Well, I've got a father." "I kept him alive during the war, so he's bound to keep me now." "He's a baronet, with land." "The combination adds up to a fatal disease." "I keep telling him he ought to die of it, but he won't." "Then there's the question, should he be allowed to hang on to his property?" "Should I, when I inherit?" "What do you think, sir?" "This is a mauve." "So it is." "Good old haystacks." "So there we were, all square coming to the 18th," "Mackenzie hit a screamer down the middle." "Mackenzie?" "The chap I was playing, the pro." "The scot." "All professionals are scot, I believe." "Not at all, mama." "Ever hear of Vardon?" "Still very fit and there's an american chap, what's-his-name?" "Hagen?" "Yes, that's it." "However, as i was saying," "Mackenzie's on the fairway, 200 yards from the green." "I'm off to the left, hooked my drive, you see?" "Thickish rough, but not a bad lie, so I took my baffy... you took your what, dear?" "Baffy." "It's a kind of spoon." "Oh, spoon..." "risky, but it came off." "Bang." "The ball's on the green, 10 feet from the pin." "Games, mrs." "Cardigan." "Your husband talks a lot about them." "He talks of nothing else, and when he's not talking about them, he's playing them." "But Imogen, why?" " To keep fit, of course." "Jack's probably the fittest man in England." "Dear me." "Are you fit, Prosper?" "When, wham!" "I rammed home the putt fora birdie, and that was that." "Aw, so you lost after all... no, damn it, mama, I won!" "I beat the pro." "Oh, well done, dear." "Yes." "Hooray." "Thanks." "Look here, who's for a set of tennis after tea?" "What about you, Profond?" " Do you good,you know." "Keep you fit." "What's the use of keeping fit?" " A good question." "What do you keep fit for?" " Yes, Jack." "What do you keep fit for?" " Well, I mean to say... don't let them..." "ah, mr." "Mont." "Come in and meet our family." "This is my sister-in-law, mrs." "Dartie." "Did I hear a car just draw up?" "Miss Fleur is walking up from the station." "Walking, but it'S..." "very well, go." "I say, miss Forsyte." "Who are you?" " Michael Mont." "Oh, it's all right." "I've been having tea with your people." "I hope you enjoyed it.Goodbye. No, wait." "I can'T." "I'm late now." "But you must... well, why do you think i came here today?" "You were hungry and thirsty?" "Oh, splendid." "A girl with wit." "Your father invited me to see his pictures." "My father did?" "He must be losing his grip." "But much as I like pictures, I really only came to see you." "So you've seen me, and now may I go in?" "But if you do, I shan't see you again today." "Mr. Mont, I'm late and tired and enough is enough." "For you, perhaps." "All right, but I shall be back soon." "Thanks for the warning." "So long, F.F. So long, M.M." "Tomorrow, Annette." "I shall stroll in the garden, and think of tomorrow." "You've come back at last." "Is that all from a bad parent?" " Why did you stay away so long, making me anxious about you?" "Darling, it was very harmless." "How do you know what's harmless and what isn't?" "Well, then, suppose you tell me, and be quite frank about it." "You're my only comfort, and yet you go on like this." "Like what?" "You know what i told you." "I don't choose to have anything to do with that branch of the family." "Yes, but I don't see why I shouldn't." "I'm not going to give you any reasons." "You know my wishes, and yet you stayed on for four days because of that boy." "I suppose he came back with you today." "I don't want to know anything." "I'm not going to pry, but Fleur, you ought to trust me." "Look, supposing... suppose I promise not to see him for, say, the next six weeks?" "Six weeks." "Six years. 60 years." "Now, don't delude yourself, Fleur." "Don't delude yourself!" "Daddy, what is it?" "What is it?" "Don't tell me there's anything other than just caprice between you." "I couldn't bear it." "Good heavens, no." "Caprice, of course." "But I like my caprices, and I don't like yours." "Caprices." "Ah, what a small fuss, as monsieur Profond would say." "Father, I don't like that man." "Why not?" "No reason." "Caprice, perhaps." "No, you're quite right." "It's not caprice." "I don't like him, either." "I shan't let him have my Gauguin." "What Winifred and Imogen see in him, I don't know." "Or mother." "Your mother's got..." "Fleur, you changed the subject." "I meant to." "I don't like to see you upsetting yourself over nothing." "I mean it, it's nothing." "Now, I'll stick to my promise, so cheer up." "Well, goodbye, dad." "Goodbye, Jon." "Take care of your mother." "Enjoy yourself." "Goodbye, son." "Goodbye, dearest, now don't forget to ask June down if you're lonely." "Oh, June, with you not here, she'll look upon me as one of her lame ducks." "She'll be down." "My darling... take care." "Goodbye." "This is Kingston 49." "Will you get me Richmond 87, please?" "Yes, eight-seven." "Thank you." "Hello?" "Dr. Dewar." "Forsyte here." "How are you?" " Yes, it's a long time since we've had a game of chess together." "Yes." "What about coming over tonight, have a spot of dinner, hm?" "Good, splendid." "Oh, about 7:00." "Yes." "Now, bring your bag of tricks with you, will you, doc?" "Oh, no, nothing serious, just a short attack this morning before breakfast, but you did tell me to let you know." "Oh, no." "No, they've gone." "Of course they've gone." "No, they're not to be told." "Yes." "All right." "Oh, that's fine." "See you tonight, then." "Bye, doc." "Just in case." "Now, father, give me your hat, and I'll ring for tea." "You must tell me exactly what that old idiot sir Humphrey said to you." "Exactly the same as dr." "Dewar, but in slightly more pompous language." "You see, now if only you'd listen to me, and go to Pondridge." "Pondridge?" "I told you, the faith healer." "Fine person." "No, thank you, june." "For my age, I'm a perfectly healthy man." "Only one thing wrong with me, and that's a weak heart, and no amount of faith will ever heal that, my dear.Such prejudice." "That's just what's keeping Pondridge back." "He can't make two ends meet, but if only people... ah, now I understand." "You're trying to kill two birds with one stone." "Cure, you mean." "Somehow I wish I'd never mentioned my ailment." "You didn't." "I got it out of you." "No wine with your dinner." "No Port, no cigar." "A little rest after luncheon." "Father, dear, I'm not a fool." "That you are not." "Does Irene know?" " No." "And she's not to be told." "I wonder if that's wise." "Ah, Trudi." "Tea, please, and bring some lemon for mr." "Forsyte." "Thank you, Trudi." "Thank you very much." "Great heavens above." "What was that?" "Trudi?" "An austrian refugee." "What happened to the belgian refugees?" " I got them a better place." "More money than I could afford." "But Trudi..." "June." "Yes, father?" "I don't like asking people to do things, but I want to make this quite clear." "You are not to mention this matter of my illness." "Not to Irene, not to anyone." "Very well, but I think people should face up to things." "Anyway, how do you imagine you'll keep it dark, if you're going to change all your habits?" "Ah, now, there I thought you might help me." "I?" "How?" " Among your more modern friends, isn't there some prophet of the simple life?" "One of these non-smoking, non-drinking, non-anything consumers of lime juice, who do nothing all day but contemplate their navels?" "Yes, as a matter of fact." "Ram Hummergee." "But how did you know about him?" "Well, there had to be." "From now on, I'm his disciple." "I want you to spread it around..." "discreetly,of course, that I'm a total convert to mr... what did you say his name was?" " Hummergee." "Mr. Hummergee's gospel of nothingness." "Agreed?" "It won't work." "Irene's far too perceptive." "Yes." "Yes, my dear June." "I'm afraid you're right." "What's all this about Jon and Soames' girl?" "Who told you that?" "I met Winifred." "She knows all about that unfortunate meeting at wansdon." "And don't forget, I saw that little monkey drop her handkerchief on purpose." "Are you going to tell Jon?" "Tell him what, June?" " About Irene and Soames,of course." "We decided not to." "Oh, you mean Irene did." "Isn't that why she's taken him off to spain?" "Well, I think he ought to be told." "He's old enough to know the facts and make up his own mind." "Anyway, he'll find out someday." "Yes, I'm afraid he will." "If it were left to you, you'd tell him." "I might." "Then why don't you?" " I won't go against Irene's instinct." "Oh, that's very feeble of you." "Yes, perhaps, but forgive me, my dear june." "It really is none of your business." "Certainly, it is." "He's my half-brother, isn't he?" "I'll go and take my hat off." "Help yourself to tea when it comes." "Hello." "How do you do?" "I'm a cousin of your father'S." "Yes." "I saw you in that art gallery." "Is your father in?" " He won't be very long, if you'd like to wait." "Your name is Fleur,isn't it?" " Yes." "What do you think of Jon?" "He's quite a nice boy." "Not a bit like Holly or me, is he?" "Not a bit." "I do wish you'd tell me why our families don't get on." "You know, the surest way to make people find out the worst is to keep them ignorant." "I quite agree." "My father said it was a quarrel over property." "I don't believe it, of course." "They wouldn't have been so bourgeois." "My grandfather was a very generous man, and so is my father." "Neither of them was in the least bit bourgeois." "No, thank you." "What was it, then?" " Why do you want to know?" "Only because they won't tell me." "Well, it was about property, but there's more than one kind." "That makes it worse." "Now you really must tell me." "Is there anything between you and Jon?" "Because if there is, I think you'd better drop it." "If there were, that isn't the way to make me." "I like you, Fleur." "I don't like your father." "I never have." "We may as well be frank." "Is that what you came to tell him?" "No." "I came down to see you." "How charming of you." "I'm a lot older than you, but I do sympathize." "It's horrid not to have your own way." "I really think you might tell me." "It's not my secret, but I'll see what I can do, because I think both you and jon ought to be told." "Look...next time you're in London, come and see me." "That's where I live." "I generally have young people in the evenings, but I shouldn't tell your father you're coming." "Now I'll say goodbye." "Goodbye." "You'll be late for dinner if you don't hurry and change." "It won't take me a tick." "I was out with Michael oh, not on that confounded motorcycle." "No, dear." "That's for flappers." "Didn't I hear the telephone?" "Yes, it was mother." "She's stopping in town until tomorrow." "She is, is she?" "Dining and going to the theater with Imogen, she said." "Father, who do you think came to see you today whilst you were out?" "Guess." "I never guess." "Your cousin, June Forsyte." "What did she want?" "I don't know, but it was rather breaking through the family feud, wasn't it?" "Feud?" "What feud?" " The one that exists in your imagination." "I suppose she wanted me to buy a picture." "Or perhaps it was just family affection." "She's only a first cousin,once removed." "And the daughter of your enemy." "Why do you say a thing like that?" "Sorry,I thought he was." "Enemy... ancient history." "As you say." "I can't think what makes you say things like that." "Cousin June." "What?" "Well, if you know all about it, why plague me?" "oh, darling, I don't want to plague you." "As you say, it's ancient history,and who cares?" "I must get a handkerchief." "I'll fetch you one." "No, father, no." "I disagree entirely." "You've forgotten what it's like to be young, and you don't understand the new age." "Well, that may be, but... why should it matter so terribly if Jon learns the truth about his mother?" " Who pays any attention to that sort of thing nowadays?" "The marriage laws are just as they were 20 years ago but we've moved on far beyond them." "Who cares now whether irene broke those laws?" "Well, you're missing the point entirely." "This is a matter of human feeling." "Exactly." "The human feelings of those two youngsters." "My dear girl, you're talking utter nonsense." "No, I'm not." "If they're really in love, they'll be happy." "She won't care about what happened years ago, so let the dead past bury its dead." "Some things can never be buried." "I could understand it if Fleur had been Philip Bosinney's daughter." "Now, that, you might resent." "Irene loved him, but she never loved soames." "Well, that just shows how little you understand." "Jon,if I know him, wouldn't mind a love past." "I never have." "But the brutality of a union without love..." "June, this girl's father once owned Jon's mother." "Owned her, just as surely as if she'd been a negro slave." "You can't lay that ghost, so don't try to." "You're asking us to see our son married to the flesh and blood of a man who once possessed Irene against her will, who raped her pitilessly when she resisted." "Father, I... no, I will not mince words." "I want it clear, once and for all." "Oh, now I've gone and got myself all worked up." "Father, I'm sorry." "It's all right, little one." "It's my fault." "A glass of water,please." "Of course." "Two weeks... two weeks before she's back." "So, as I say, sir, it's only our boat club ball at maidenhead, but we do ourselves pretty well." "We have a band down from London, that sort of thing." "I think Fleur will enjoy i hope so." "it's good of you to let me take her, sir." "Not at all." "Are you sure you won't join us, sir?" "No, thank you." "Yes, what is it, Coaker?" "Miss Fleur asked me to say she'll be down in a minute, sir, and these letters came by in the afternoon post." "I don't think you've seen them." "I'm glad to have five minutes alone with you, sir." "The fact is, sir, I want to talk about Fleur." "Oh?" " I'm so fearfully gone on her, sir." "I thought you'd better know." "That's very good of you." "It's a bit old-fashioned, of course, going to fathers first, but, well, I've seen my own governor." "What did sir lawrence say?" "Frankly, sir, he astonished me." "Matter of fact, he rather cottons to the idea." "He rather cottons?" "Yes." "Do you, sir?" "When you've been through the war, you can't help being in a hurry." "To get married and then get unmarried afterwards?" "Not from Fleur." "Imagine, sir, if you were me." "Fleur's too young." "No, sir." "We're all awfully old nowadays." "You may think you are." "My advice to you is to go away and forget about it." "Oh, lord, no, sir." "I can't do that." "If I don't keep hanging around, I haven't got a dog's chance, and to show you I mean business, I've got a job." "Well, glad to hear it." "Yes, I've joined a publisher." "My governor's putting up the stakes." "Let me say this to you." "I don't dislike you." "Good, I hope." "But Fleur means everything to me." "Well, I know that, sir, but so she does to me." "Yes, I dare say." "It will rest with her in the end, I know that." "Then I hope it will rest with her for a very long time." "You aren't very cheering, sir." "No." "No, my experience of life has not made me anxious to couple people in a hurry." "I'm glad you told me." "I shall say nothing to Fleur." "Hello, M.M. Haven't I been quick?" "Oh, don't wait up, father." "Probably be fearfully late." "Don't wear yourself out." "How are you going?" "Michael's father lent us the car." "Don't drive too fast." "Never do, sir." ""Cautious cuthbert", they call me." "Come on, Michael." "Don't make those horrible jokes." "Nerves, pure nerves." "Good night, sir." ""Cautious cuthbert."" "They've gone?" "Fleur came to say good night." "Somehow, this evening," "I couldn't be bothered with Michael." "A nice boy, but how he chatters." "I've had this." "Obviously written by someone with a spite against foreigners." "It's anonymous." "Well?" "Dirty." "Yes, I agree, degrading, but is it true?" "What if it is?" "You admit it?" "I admit nothing." "It's foolish of you to ask, and dangerous." "Do you remember what you were when I married you?" "Do you remember that I was not half your age?" "I'm not going to argue with you." "I demand that you stop this liaison at once." "I think of the matter entirely as it affects Fleur." "Oh, yes, naturally." "Will you do as I say?" "I refuse to tell you." "Then I shall have to..." "I must make you." "No, Soames." "You're helpless." "So don't do things you may regret." "There shall be no more letters, I promise you." "That is enough." "You know, when two people live like we do, it is better for them to be quiet about each other." "Now, you are old, but I am not, not yet." "You don't want people to laugh at you, do you?" "You see?" "You have made me practical." "You are... a bad woman." "I think not." "Oh, living with you has not improved me, I admit, but I am not a bad woman, only sensible,as you will be when you think about it." "I shall see this man and warn him off." "Soames, you make me laugh." "You have as much of me as you want, which is very little, and you want the rest of me to be dead." "Well, I'm not going to be dead at my age." "Now, myself, I shall make no scandal, and I advise you to be quiet also." "Now, that is all I have to say to you." "Now I observe that you do want me a little." "Yes?" "Well then, I suggest you come back in 10 minutes." "Ah, there you are,my love." "Feel fresher now?" "Thank you, darling , a lovely bath after a dusty journey." "Come and sit down." "I'll ring for some tea." "Jo..." "you look tired and thinner." "Have you not been well?" "Oh, certainly,I've been well." "If I'm thinner, I could do with it, and as for being tired, well..." "I've grown weary waiting for you." "Now tell me,how did it go?" "Oh, I loved Spain, and Jon was very sweet to me." "He liked everything he saw and he learned a lot, I think." "Good." "Also, he fell in love... what?" "With a Goya picture in the Prado at Madrid." "It's called "La vendimia"." "Jon bought a colored postcard of it and carried it everywhere." "Yes, I remember it." "I saw it when I was there in '92." "I always hoped Jon would take to Goya, but why that particular one?" "I can only guess, but the girl in it has a distinct resemblance to Fleur Forsyte." "He'd take it out, you know, and look at it when he thought i wouldn't notice." "It was strange, darling." "Six weeks away together, and we talked of everything under the sun, except..." "Except what was uppermost in both your minds." "So the cure was a failure." "I don't know, but I fear so." "By the way, where is he?" "Hello?" "Hello, Fleur?" " Is that you, Fleur?" "Yes, Jon, here I am." "Are you speaking from home?" "No, the post office." "Clever, Jon, but I'm at home, so we must be quick." "All right, but...do you love me?" " I'll tell you tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" "Can you make some excuse to go to London?" "I'll meet you there." "I'll manage it somehow." "Where, the talisman club?" " Yes, stratton street, 2:00." "Goodbye, Jon." "Goodbye." "Oh, Jon." "Thank you." "Oh, yes, thank you." "Golly, the female athenaeum." "Do you really belong here?" " Convenient, isn't it?" "I asked you on the telephone." "I know." "Indiscreet." "Oh, I don't care." "Has anybody cut in?" "Well, there is this young idiot, but he doesn't count." "Well then, Fleur... yes, Jon, I do." "Very much." "Oh, Jon, don't look at me like that." "Not here." "Now, listen, I've found something out." "What, about the feud?" "Yes." "I believe my father wanted to marry your mother, and your father got her instead." "And, well, if my father was in love with her, that would make him pretty mad, don't you think?" "Not if she loved my father best." "But suppose they were engaged?" "If we were engaged, and you found you loved someone better," "I might go crackers, but I shouldn't bear a grudge." "Oh, I should, Jon." "You must never do that to me." "Oh, how could I?" "Excuse me." "Thank you." "Isn't there anywhere in this blasted town where we can be alone?" "No, but I've had an idea." "I'm staying the night with aunt Winifred." "Are you going to Robin hill?" "Yes." "Well, suppose we take the train together." "You could show me the house." "I shouldn't come up, of course." "That would be splendid." "We'll walk as far as the copse." "I'll be back in time for dinner." "I'd love to see where you live, Jon." "Come on, then." "Sorry." "Milking time." "The farmyard's up there, beyond the copse." "Farmer Jon." "Could I see it?" "I didn't know you were interested in cows." "Well, you are, aren't you?" "Yes." "Well, then I am." "Where's the house?" " Up there." "If we go through we can see the gardens and the house beyond." "Well, then let's go that way." "The cows can wait." "I want to know everything there is to know about you." "Well, Jon?" "And Fleur, isn't it?" "Yes." "How do you do?" "It was nice of Jon to bring you down to see us." "We weren't coming to the house." "I just wanted Fleur to see where I live." "Of course, dear." "Won't you come up and have some tea?" "Oh, thanks awfully, but I have to get back to London." "Jon and I met by accident." "I'd heard about Robin hill, so I made him bring me down." "I'm glad you did." "Now do come." "We'll send you back to the station directly after tea." "My husband will enjoy meeting you." "Jon tells me you've been in Spain." "Did you enjoy it?" "Very much." "Such a dramatic country, but the people, some of them, dreadfully poor, and nobody seems to care." "Yes, well, at least they've got the sunshine." "Well, as i was saying, june persuaded me to buy this gallery." "Genius flourishes there, she says, and some day,it must pay its way." "When all the geese are recognized as swans." "I'm afraid I'm one of the back numbers." "I can't appreciate the new stuff." "Surely you can if it's good." "But what is good?" "You and jon must tell us." "Well, it's supposed to be satirical, isn't it?" "Oh, but it must be more than that." "What do you think, Jon?" "I don't know at all." "No, you're right, Irene." "It's more than satire." "These young people are tired of us, our gods and our ideals." "Smash down our idols." "Off with our heads." "Let's get back to nothing." "Jon writes poetry, did you know?" "No?" "No doubt you'll join him and the others in stamping on what's left of us." "Property." "Beauty." "Sentiment." "All smoke." "One mustn't own anything nowadays, not even one's feelings." "They stand in the way of good old nothing." "It isn't true." "I don't want to stamp on anything." "No?" "Well, what is true, Jon?" "Well, I think we only want to live, and we don't know how because of the past." "Ah, the past." "Old ownerships." "Old passions and their aftermath." "Yes." "I'm sounding like a garrulous old man." "Give me a cigarette, Jon." "I'll puff smoke with the best of you." "Well, I think i ought to be going." "It's been awfully jolly to meet you both." "It was good of you to come, and very thoughtful of jon to bring you." "Yes, well, Jon, see fleur to the car." "Goodbye." "My regards to your aunt Winifred." "Yes, thank you." "You know, it's awfully silly..." "I don't know what to call you." "Would cousin Jolyon do?" "Yes, I should think it might." "Goodbye." "Darling, that wasn't like you." "I know, I know." "Intolerance." "I was angry on your behalf." "He shouldn't have brought her here without letting you know." "What do you think of her?" "She's everything jon said of her." "Quick." "Clever." "Attractive." "I agree." "And other things he doesn't dream of." "Selfish." "Calculating." "Determined." "Possessive, like her father before her." "She'll get him if she can." "Jo... oh, darling, what we are to do?" "What we should have done three months ago." "No... sooner or later, we must tell him." "He goes back to Holly's on Saturday." "Wait till the next time he come, and then, Jo...if you still feel that he must be told, we'll tell him together." "Oh, there you are, Fleur." "Prosper was just asking after you." "That was kind of him." "I'm awful pleased to see you again, miss Forsyte." "Hell amuse him for me, there's a love." "Imogen's youngest has the mumps." "I must go and ring her up." ""Ring her up."" "Extraordinary expression." "Aunt Ann wouldn't have approved at all." "Help yourself to sherry, darlings." "I didn't get that small picture i bought from your father." "Is he well?" "I was saying today i want to see him have some pleasure." "He worries." "You think so?" "Shall I tell you what would give him pleasure?" "Is there something i can do for you?" "Yes." "Pass by on the other side." "You dislike me." "Do I?" " I think so." "Why?" "Because you make me feel life isn't worth living." "Don't worry, miss Forsyte." "Things don't last." "For me, they do, especially likes and dislikes." "That makes me a small bit unhappy." "You surprise me." "Oh, yes." "I do not like to annoy people." "I'm going on my yacht." "Oh?" " Where?" "Small voyage to the south seas or somewhere." "So... not to worry." "When are you leaving?" "Three, four weeks." "Whenever the yacht's ready." "Perhaps you will tell your father, yes?" "I was hearing at the club about his old trouble." "What do you mean?" "Before you were born, that small trouble he had." "Tell me what you heard." "Why, you know all that." "I do, but I'd like to make sure you haven't got it wrong." "Oh, no, I don't think so." "Mr. George Forsyte told me..." "about your father's first wife." "Of course, what about her?" "Well... how they were divorced, and she married his cousin, Jolyon, afterwards." "It was a small bit unpleasant, I should think." "I met their boy with mr." "Val Dartie." "Nice young fellow." "Well, miss Forsyte, I must be going now." "Excuse me, please, to your aunt." "Good night, miss Forsyte." "Oh, has Prosper gone?" "He's so amusing, don't you think?" "Fleur?" " Fleur, dear..." "is something wrong?" "He told me that father was married before, to Jon's mother." "Is it true?" "Your father didn't wish you to hear, though why, I can't imagine." "Those things do happen." "We've forgotten it all years ago." "Tell me about it." "Darling, are you sure?" "Yes, please." "Please." "Oh, Fleur, dear." "It's so long now,I hardly remember." "Irene and your father never really got on." "There was a young man, an architect...that house." "What?" "Yes, he built Robin hill for your father." "But the poor boy was run over and killed." "Jo's father, old Jolyon, bought the house, and Jo went to live there with his family." "Irene ran away from your father." "Years later, she met Jo again, and there was a divorce." "I see." "And that's all there is to it." "Not so very terrible." "And it's all worked out for the best." "Has it?" "Has it?" "Haven't you left out all that matters?" "I don't understand." "All the feelings." "The bitterness, the hatred that exists between Jon's family and mine." "You make the whole thing sound like an old-fashioned minuet." "Thank you for telling me." "Impossible to believe in such a treatment, not even in America, where I starved for my art." "A barbarous country without principles, without traditions, without taste, without a soul." "So I pack my bags and baggages." "I shake its filthy dust from my bruised feet, and I come here to England." "And what happens?" "I'll tell you." "You are housed and fed and looked after." "I commission paintings, I promise you a show at my gallery... ah!" "That is deadly word,"promise."" "All is promises, but where is performances?" "That serpent, Paul Post, and that goat, Vospovitch, they have a show, but I, Boris Strumolowski, I have no show." "I told you, in six weeks' time... six weeks!" "In six weeks, the rich americans will all be home in their revolting New York." "Well, that ought to suit you, since you despise them so much." "There speaks England, the most selfish country in the world." "The country of greedy philistines, bloodsuckers, the destroyers of real people." "Irishman." "Hindus." "Boers." "Egyptians." "The exploiters of subject race and all artists!" "tradesmen." "Hypocrites." "Profiteers." "I spit on England." "Then why did you come?" "We didn't ask you." "Are there any cigarettes?" "England, the grave of idealists." "You come and sponge on us, and then you shout abuse." "If you think that's playing the game..." "game?" "What game?" "One does not sponge." "One takes what is owing." "A tenth part of what is owing." "You will repent to say that." "Not a bit of it." "We know very well,we artists." "You take all and give nothing." "So I want nothing!" "Nothing from you." "Very well." "You may pack your things and leave at once." "As I expected." "Typical." "But I can live on nothing." "Often I had to, for the sake of art." "It is you, bourgeois like you, that force us to spend money." "And you!" "You poor, starving immigrant from Europe, exploited and beaten down by the english." "But your day will come." "Your day will come." "Never mind, Trudi." "Never mind." "There you are, Fleur." "So you remembered to come." "Yes." "What a wild young man." "Is he always like that?" " No." "He's a child, really." "Very talented." "Oh, I'm afraid I lost my temper just now." "Good for you." "Will he be back?" " Oh, yes." "The poor boy has nothing." "But not yet.It'll take him an hour or two to simmer down." "Are these his?" "Yes." "Golly." "Have you come about Jon?" "Yes." "You said we ought to be told." "Well, I've found out." "Oh... not nice, is it?" "Not very." "What are you going to do?" " Could you possibly... could I see Jon tomorrow?" "Here, on his way down to Wansdon?" "I'd have to telephone Robin hill... you could write him a note." "I'd post it for you." "He'll get it in the morning." "Yes." "All right, I'll do that." "My father wouldn't agree, but I think you're right not to be affected by old, forgotten things." "I shouldn't have taken it lying down, I can tell you." "You'll have a bad time with your own father, but he'll come around in time." "I dare say, you can do pretty much as you like with him." "There." "2:30 tomorrow." "I shan't be in." "Fleur, when you tell Jon?" "I don't intend to tell him." "What?" " I don't want jon to suffer." "He'll have to be told." "I must just see him once more." "Writing would be too cruel." "You mean you're not in love with Jon?" "People will assume that I'm in love with him." "But I'm not." "Not now, anyway." "So I shall see him tomorrow and put an end to the whole thing." "The Eton and Harrow match at Lord's criket ground." "The resurrection,after four years of war, of England's pride and glory... or to put it more shortly, the top hat." "Not all Forsytes, by a long chalk, have been to either school, but they attend the festival if they can because it reassures them to see so many people like themselves." "The game itself matters to some extent." "The loyalties are divided and emotion runs high." "But tradition is the thing, and tradition is best expressed in terms of..." "lunch." "What reserves of power there are in the british realm." "Enough pigeons, lobsters, salmon mayonnaise, strawberries and champagne to feed the 10,000 here today." "And no miracle." "Maclaren made 424 for Lancashire." "I doubt if anyone will ever beat that, though, mind you, there's a very good young australian." "Ponsford,they call him." "Hello, sir." "Enjoying the game?" " No." "Can't blame you.They don't get their noses down to it these days." "Are you expecting someone else, mama?" "Darling, Prosper said he might come, but he's so busy with his yacht." "I'm a small bit late, mrs." "Dartie." "So sorry." "How do you do, mrs." "Cardigan?" "How do you do, young mrs." "Dartie?" "Gentlemen?" "So pleasant, the english aristocrats at play." "Madam..." "Bonjour, Prosper." "What about the belgian aristocrats?" "Don't they play?" "Certainly they do, but not cricket." "Europeans don't go out of their way to bore each other." "Oh, english are not bored, Annette." "They just go out of their way to appear so." "Excellent." "But what about the english girls?" "There's a great change in them since the war, you know." "Do you mean in their morals?" "Oh, they are as moral as they ever were, but now they have the opportunity." "Really, Prosper." "You become more cynical every day." "What do you say, mrs." "Forsyte?" "Don't you think human nature is always the same?" "Human nature in England is not the same as anywhere else." "Well, I don't know so much about this small country, but I should say the pot was boiling everywhere." "We all want pleasure, and we always did." "Excuse me." "It's stuffy in here." "Soames, dear, are you all right?" " Yes, thank you." "These luncheons..." "it's too much on a hot day." "Yes." "Oh, I wish we were back 40 years." "It's been very amusing after all." "Sometimes I even wish monty was back." "What do you think of people nowadays?" " Precious little style." "Oh, I don't know." "Look at that hat." "I wonder what's coming." "I'm not at all sure we shan't go back to crinolines and peg-tops." "No." "There's money, but little faith in things." "Is that chap really going to the south seas?" " Prosper?" "One never knows with Prosper." "He's a sign of the times, if you like." "Very well." "I shall tell him this evening." "Look, Prosper, that woman." "I'm sure I've seen her before somewhere." "She has much elegance." "Not english, I think." "Who is she?" "I don't know,but I have a feeling that Soames does." "Shall we go and sit down, Jo, or have you seen enough?" "Oh, enough for today, I think, my love." "It isn't fun anymore." "My father used to come with me before you were born." "And later, didn't you bring Jolly?" "Ah, yes." "He was at Harrow." "So whenever some disaster befell my side, instead of cheering his head off, he used to say, "bad luck, sir."" "He was an amiable sort of chap." "Jo looks older,a lot older." "Now he always had style." "She doesn't change." "No." "Winifred, why didn't Fleur come with you today?" "I came up here especially to meet her." "She'll be home with you this evening, dear." "She said there was something she had to think out." "Soames, she knows the whole story." "What?" "You didn't tell her..." "Of course not." "She found out and I always knew she would." "So she'll be seeing that boy." "What do you intend to do?" "Do?" "What can I do?" "Wait upon events." "That's all I can do." "Hello, Jon." "Hello, Fleur." "Jon, I want to talk seriously." "What's happened?" "Jon, if you don't want to lose me, we must get married." "You mean now?" "At once?" "At once." "Our people mean to stop us, yours and mine." "Well, they've said nothing to me." "Your mother's face was enough..." "and my father's." "I just don't see how they can feel like that, even if your father and my mother were engaged...after all these years?" "Perhaps you don't love me enough." "You know I do." "Then make sure of me." "Without telling them?" " Not till after." "It would hurt mother terribly." "You've got to choose." "I don't see why." "I mean, why not tell them?" "They can't stop us." "Well, yes, they can." "How?" "We're utterly dependent." "There'll be money pressures, all kinds of pressure." "Yes, but to deceive them..." "You couldn't really love me or you wouldn't hesitate.Fleur... oh, Jon." "It's just that..." "look, I've got it all planned out." "I've only got to go to Scotland for 21 days." "I can stay at Mary lamb's in Edinburgh, and then you come up there, and all we have to do is declare ourselves married before two witnesses and we shall be married." "Don't you see?" "People always accept a fait accompli." "It's so simple." "Oh, yes." "Yes, I'm sure it can be done." "All my life, they've been so good to me." "Fleur, we must give them time to get used to the idea." "It won't help." "I tell you, Jon, it won't." "So... you'd better just let me go." "No." "I shan't do that." "I expect you're right, but I must just have time to think." "It's only that... oh, Jon, I don't want to lose you." "You can't as long as you want me." "I can, and I will." "I swear to you, Jon... that if we wait, we'll lose each other." "Fleur, do you know anything you haven't told me?" "No, nothing." "My darling." "My darling, beloved Jon, please make sure of me." "We must make sure." "Promise me." "Please, promise me, Jon." "No, not now." "You know I want to, more than anything in the whole world." "It's like hitting them." "You don't love me." "You don't." "You couldn't love me, or you'd agree." "I never believed you'd be so cruel to me." "Will you have some tea, please?" "No, thank you." "I'm just leaving." "No tea?" " Oh, a little cup?" "It's ready." "No, no, thank you." "No." "A cigarette, perhaps?" "No." "May I..." "excuse me." "Could I leave this with you?" "Lawks, mr." "Soames, sir." "Cook let me in." "How is he, Smither?" "Oh, very well in himself, sir, but these last few days, he has been talking a great deal." "Only this morning, he said," ""my brother, James, he's getting old."" "Well, his mind wanders, you see, and then he will go on about them." "Has he said anything important?" " No, not really, mr." "Soames." "Oh, but he has turned against his will." "He won't look at it." "Well, it seems funny when he's had it out every day all these years." "Uncle Timothy," "I've come to see that everything's all right." "Have you got everything you want?" "No." "Can I get you anything?" "No." "Oh, thank you." "It's Soames, James' boy." "Is there nothing you want to tell me?" "You tell them all from me... tell Jolyon, Roger, and Nicholas... tell them all to hold on." "Hold on, do you hear?" "Consols are going up." "Yes, I'll tell them, uncle." "Yes." "That fly..." "Proper marvel, isn't he, sir?" " Yes." "The other day, he said, "they want my money", he said." "Well, it gave me such a turn, sir." ""Oh, I'm sure, mr." "Timothy", I said, "nobody wants your money."" ""My dear mistress", I said..." "that was miss Ann,that trained me..." ""well", I said, "miss ann never talked about money."" "It was all character with her." "Yes, indeed it was." "So he looked at me and he said, very dry-like," ""nobody wants my character", he said." "Fancy him saying a thing like that, sir." "Yes." "Thank you, smither." "You and cook, we're all indebted to you." "Oh, no, mr." "Soames." "Don't say that." "He's such a wonderful man." "Yes." "Well, goodbye, and..." "let me know if there's anything." "Hello, mother." "Hello, Fleur." "How was the cricket?" "I've no idea, but I saw some dreadful frocks." "I can imagine." "Did father come back with you?" "No." "He left immediately after lunch, and you didn't come at all." "We're not exactly a united family, are we?" "About the same as most, I expect." "Mr. Mont, madam." "Good evening, Michael." "How do you do?" "The maid said that Fleur was... yes." "Well, I called earlier, but they told me you were all up at lord'S." "Some of us were." "Who won?" "My dear boy..." "yes, sorry." "It's stupid of me." "I don't care either." "Michael, let me give you some advice." "What?" "Yes, of course." "Fleur confides nothing to me, and why should she?" "But I think she's going through a bad time." "Now, what will happen, I don't know, but I advise you, be patient." "One day, she may need someone to turn to, so if you are there that day, it may be you." "Thanks." "Oh, I'll be there." "I'm notoriously dogged." "Meantime, you'll find her out there." "Thank you." "Is Fleur home?" "She is, safe and sound, so you may breathe easily." "Where is she?" "At this moment, I think she is being proposed to." "Young mont?" "Who else?" "Soames... hm?" " I've decided to go to Paris... oh?" "To stay with my mother." "Your mother?" " Yes." "When are you going?" "On monday." "For how long?" "I don't know." "Will you need any money?" "Thank you." "I have enough." "Let us know when you're coming back." "Shall I give mama any message?" "Certainly." "My regards." "What luck, Soames." "What luck that you've never loved me." "Fleur, it's not that I'm trying to rush you or anything." "No, you'd better not." "But my dearest girl..." "I'm not your dearest girl." "Indeed you are." "You are my dearest girl whether you like it or not." "Fleur, I love you." "Yes, perhaps you do." "And I'm sorry." "Sorry?" "Yes, but that's no reason for my letting you go on and on about it." "Change the record, Michael." "You're in a groove." "Don't be modern, Fleur." "You aren't really like that." "No?" "Don't laugh at me." "It hurts like the devil." "Now, look, what do you expect me to do?" "Fold my hands and say," ""I'm deeply honored by your proposal, mr." "Mont, but my affections are engaged elsewhere?"" "Are they?" "That's my affair." "I see." "Also-ran Michael Mont?" "But I shan't give up, you know." "Then come back when I know I can't get my wish." "What is your wish, Fleur?" "Good night, Michael." "Good night." "Oh, here you are." "Has young Mont...?" " He's gone." "He's a trier." "I'll say that for him." "All this philandering... well, didn't you, at his age?" "No, we worked." "We didn't gather about, motoring and flying and... perhaps you had a grand passion." "Yes, if you must know." "Much good it did me." "Tell me about it." "Why?" " Is she alive?" "And married?" " Yes." "It's jon's mother, isn't it?" " And she was your first wife." "I don't want to be reminded." "I don't want to talk about it." "It's extremely painful." "People can't understand." "Grand passion... nobody knows what it means." "I do." "What?" "Perhaps I've inherited it for her son." "That's lunacy." "Don't be angry, father.Lunacy!" "I can't help it." "You don't know what you're doing." "Has that boy been told?" "Not yet." "That chap's son." "It's perverse." "You may think this is something i can arrange for you, but you're mistaken, I'm helpless." "Those two won't listen a word I say." "They hate me, as people always hate those they have injured." "But Jon doesn't hate you." "He's her only son." "Probably means as much to her as you do to me." "It's a deadlock." "Never." "I won't accept that." "What do we care about the past?" "It's our lives, not yours or theirs." "Whose child are you?" "Whose child is he?" "The present is rooted in the past, the future in both." "There's no escaping it." "There's nothing in the way but sentiment." "Father, let's forget it all." "Oh, yes, that's easy to say." "Besides, you can't prevent us." "No, and if it were left to me, I don't suppose i should try." "I've always given you what you wanted, but you must understand me, Fleur there's nothing I can do." "I don't believe you." "You can, daddy, you can, so you must." "Must?" "Look, let me get this clear to you, Fleur." "You're my daughter, mine, my flesh and blood, and the reason why they won't let this marriage take place." "I'm the impediment." "Oh, what's the jargon...?" " The just cause and impediment." "Sherry, darling?" "Hm?" "No, no." "No, thank you,my love." "Not this evening." "Not this evening or any evening." "Jo... why don't you tell me about it?" "Tell you what?" "Very well, then." "I'll tell you." "While you were dressing this evening, I telephoned dr." "Dewar." "He hummed and hawed, of course, but I got it out of him." "It would take more than old dewar to resist you, and he must be 80 if he's a day." "You know, darling, some of these aren't too bad." "What about a retrospective show one day?" "You've known about this heart trouble for six months." "Have I?" " Since before we went to Spain." "Jo, how could you let us go knowing how I should suffer if... anything happened to you?" "My dearest one, I've had 20 years of happiness, more than I bargained for, more than I deserved." "No." "Oh, yes." "But I hadn't reckoned on this." "We're a long-lived race,we Forsytes." "My father, 86." "Uncle James, 90." "Old Timothy, still going strong at 100." "There isn't much the matter with me." "I have to be careful, that's all, not too much exertion." "But you even didn't tell me." "No, my love." "We're all under sentence of death." "I've just had a clearer warning than most." "You know,in all these years, only two things I regret:" "That long estrangement with my father... that's not your fault, jo." "No, perhaps not." "Not his, either." "He had principles, strong victorian principles." "And the other thing?" "My time with you has been all too short." "Two lifetimes wouldn't have been enough." "Don't leave us, Jo." "Don't leave us." "Oh, I don't intend to, my darling." "We need you, jon and I. We both need you." "I shall hold on." "I promise." "I shall hold on as long as I can." "Morning, Jon." "Morning." "Kippers or buttered eggs or both?" "Yes, thank you." "I saw father while you were away." "He worried me a bit." "Oh?" "Why?" " I don't think he's very well." "Of course, he'd never admit it." "He really is the most unselfish person." "He never interferes, yet he always seems to understand." "I think he's been an absolutely perfect father." "Don't you?" " Yes." "Coffee?" " Thank you." "I'll never forget during the boer war when I was engaged to Val... he and Jolly were out in South Africa, and June was going as a nurse, and then I asked father if I could go too." "I know he was wretched at the idea, but he never lifted a finger to stop me." "That was before he and mother were married, wasn't it?" "Oh, about a year before, yes." "Why?" "Oh, nothing." "Before that, wasn't she engaged to Fleur's father?" "I know there was something, but, of course, we were out there." "We didn't get any of the news." "Yes, but you've been back a long time now, haven't you?" "Why does everyone treat me like a child?" "Do you think I don't know there's something, something that I ought to know?" "Fleur told me that..." "Have you seen her?" "Yesterday." "I know she's awfully attractive, but you know, Jon, Val and I don't like her very much." "Why not?" "We think she's got rather a "having" nature." "Having?" "I don't know what you mean." "Don't be angry, Jon." "We can't all see people in the same light." "Then you shouldn't say things about them." "Holly, I'm going home." "Today?" " Yes." "Now." "I'm going to tell dad and mother that I want to marry Fleur." "Marry?" "But, Jon..." "No." "I've made up my mind." "You said dad never interferes." "Well, that's true, and my mother's the same, unselfish and generous," "but they haven't been open with me about this." "No one has." "Well, because of that, perhaps I haven't been, either, but I'm going to be now,and then we'll see." "When they know how I feel, they won't want to stop me." "Does Fleur know about this?" "I wrote to her last night and posted it at the station." "She'll get it this afternoon." "Well?" "It's so well,darling." "I don't see how it could be better." "Is there anything you'd like me to leave out?" "No." "He must know everything if he's to understand." "Perhaps I should tear it all up and start all over again, just say that you hated Soames?" "Hate is only a word." "It conveys nothing." "No, better as it is." "I'll post it today." "Jo, why did you decide this?" "Last night, after dinner, while you were playing, I came in here." "Yes, I know." "I sat down over there in my father's old chair." "I've been worrying about this business, how we've let it drag on month after month." "My doing, Jo." "Partly, but mine too." "I've always believed in going my own way, quietly if possible, and letting other people go theirs." "That's one of the reasons why I love you so much." "Yes, but it can also be weakness." "My darling, as I was sitting in that chair, suddenly I..." "I thought I heard the old boy speak to me, firm and resolute as he always was." "What did he say to you?" ""Are you facing it, Jo?" ""It's your past.Your wife.Your son." ""It's for you to decide." "You." "She's only a woman."" "I don't know." "I may have dreamed the whole thing." "All I know is the decision had to be made." "It's probably the last major decision i shall ever have to make." "I'm glad now I've faced up to it." "Will you forgive me?" "Jon!" "Jon... my... where did you spring from?" "Didn't you go to Wansdon?" "Yes, but I came back because I want to tell you something." "What is it, Jon?" " Fleur and I are engaged." "Don't you mean that you would like to be?" " No." "We are." "Have you spoken to her father?" " No, not yet." "I wanted to tell you first." "Jon, you're not yet 20." "I'm 72." "How can we understand each other over a thing like this?" "I know both of you are against Fleur." "We've never said so." "Exactly.But it's true,isn't it?" " Yes." "But you won't say why." "Fleur says it's because you were once engaged to her father." "Is that what they told her?" "No." "She found out." "But if that's all,it's ages ago." "Dad, you and mother love each other." "You must know how we feel." "Do you think it's fair to let old quarrels spoil our happiness?" "Jon, I could probably put you off by saying that you're both too young to know your own minds, but you wouldn't listen." "Besides, it doesn't meet the case." "Unfortunately, youth cures itself." "So I've decided..." "jo, please." "Before you go on..." "Jon, my darling, has your father ever given you cause to doubt his love for you or his word?" "No." "Of course not." "Then can't you trust him if he tells you...?" "Tells you this, Jon:" "Marry Fleur and your mother will be wretchedly unhappy to the end of her days." "Believe me, son, the past, whatever it was, can't be buried." "How can I believe that?" " Just because you say so?" "Fleur and I..." "I love her more than anything in the whole world." "More than your mother?" "I don't know." "I don't know!" "But to give Fleur up for nothing, for something I don't understand that you won't even talk about?" "Don't you see that if I do that, I'll feel..." "I know, I know darling." "You'll feel that we're unjust, that we insist on your trusting us and we won't trust you and this might put a barrier between us." "Yes, I'm sorry, mother." "Dear Jon..." "I've been selfish about this." "I couldn't bear for you to think ill of me, but now... tell him, Jo." "Tell him everything." "Sit down, Jon." "If you hadn't come home today, you'd have received this through the post tomorrow morning." "Do you want to read it or would you rather we talked about it?" "Just tell me, dad." "Very well." "I'll try, but I'm going to put you in the position of judging your own mother." "Judging for yourself what sort of a woman she's been." "Many years ago, she made a terrible and tragic mistake." "She was only 20." "Her parents were dead." "She had a stepmother closely related to Jezebel who brought all kinds of influence to bear, and she was persuaded into a disastrous marriage." "Mother was married before?" "Yes, Jon, to my cousin Soames." "Fleur's father." "Oh, my God." "Fleur's father...?" "You'll have to face up to it, Jon." "I'm afraid it's only the beginning." "To do him justice, it wasn't his fault." "He was deeply in love with her." "It was her fault she married him, her mistake." "Within a week of that marriage, she knew what a terrible mistake she had made." "For the next three years, your mother forced herself to do her duty, to submit to a man that she loathed, Jon, and believe me, that isn't too strong a word." "Those years must have been torment for her." "Then suddenly, she met another man who fell in love with her." "Yes, you." "You were still married,I suppose." "No, Jon." "I wasn't the man." "Then who was?" " The architect of this house." "His name was Philip Bosinney, but your mother fell in love too, and remember, for the first time." "I need hardly tell you, Jon, we don't precisely choose the person with whom we fall in love." "It just happens." "Yes." "Yes, it does." "I can imagine the struggle she went through." "She'd been strictly brought up." "Eventually, they loved in deed as well as in thought." "I suppose she thought that Soames would divorce her, and she would be able to marry bosinney." "But he wouldn't let her go?" " No, it was worse than that,I'm afraid." "What followed was a fearful tragedy, but I have to tell you about it, Jon, if you are to understand the real situation that you've got to face." "Yes, dad." "At the height of her passion for Philip Bosinney," "Soames Forsyte reasserted his rights over your mother... forcibly, Jon." "Forcibly." "The next day,she met young Bosinney and told him about it." "Within a few hours, he was dead." "Dead?" "How?" "He was run over in the street and killed instantly." "Did he...?" "No, I'm quite sure it was an accident." "I saw your mother again later that evening, but only for a second before Soames slammed the door in my face," "but I'll never forget how she looked." "I can see her now." "Is that when you fell in love with her?" " No, that was 11 years later." "She ran away from Soames that night and never returned to him." "Thank God for that." "The only friend she had during this period was your grandfather." "He left her some money in his will." "When he died,I became her trustee." "Soames never divorced her as he might have done." "He loved her, in his way, I suppose, and he held on." "He didn't try to get her back, did he?" "Oh, yes." "She was his property." "His property?" " That's the view he holds of life, Jon." "It was also the law." "Soames began a long campaign to get your mother to return to him and give him a child." "But when the pressure became almost persecution, she came down here and placed herself under my protection." "Eventually, Soames divorced her, and we were married,and you were born," "and we've lived in perfect happiness ever since." "At least, I have." "And I think your mother has too." "Shortly afterwards, soames married Fleur's mother, and she was born." "There you are, Jon." "That's the story." "Is that everything?" "Yes, everything." "You can see now why we wished to spare you the knowledge of it?" "Yes." "Yes, dad, I understand." "But don't you see what follows, Jon?" "Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be for you mother to see you married to the daughter of a man who possessed her like a slave?" "Who owned her like a slave, who ravished her... dad, don't." "No more, please!" "Break away, Jon." "You're on the threshold of life." "You're mother's 57." "Don't break her heart, I appeal to you." "Lift up your spirit." "Break away." "Jon, please." "Jon!" "Jon?" "Oh, my poor darling." "Well, father, I only hope you were right,that's all." "I only hope you were right." "So now you know it all, Jon." "Yes." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "In marrying fleur's father, I did a dreadful thing." "A marriage like that plays havoc with so many lives." "Oh, I'd risk it." "I would, even now." "It's just that I can't bear to make you unhappy." "Don't think of me." "Think only of yourself." "Aah!" "Aah!" "what was that?" "Jo?" "I..." "I think he's dead." "Why wasn't I with you, jo?" "Oh, why wasn't I with you?" "No, I'm sorry, miss." "Why not?" "Look, I've come all the way from Mapledurham." "If you could just come in and leave your name, please." "What is it?" "Has something happened?" " It's mr." "Forsyte, he... died two hours ago." "Well, I am sorry." "Would you tell mr." "Jon that I'll write?" "I am miss Forsyte, miss Fleur Forsyte." "She's late, sir." "I shall have to go in a minute." "Have some sherry?" " Thank you, sir." "Thanks." "Cheers, mrs." "Dartie." "Cheers, mr." "Mont." "Well, have you started publishing yet?" "Rather." "Rum show, isn't it?" "Business, I mean." "Oh, in what way?" " Well,businessmen always offer less than they afford to give." "They ought to offer more and then work backwards." "Look, we offer an author good terms, so naturally, he accepts." "We go into it, we find we can't publish at a profit, and tell him so." "Well, he feels we've been gener so he calms down, and all is sweetness and light." "You try buying pictures on that system." "An offer accepted is a contract, or didn't you know that?" "Oh." "Tell me, mr." "Mont, are you a partner yet?" "Not for six months." "The rest of the family had better get ready to retire." "You'll see, sir." "There's going to be a big change." "The possessive principle has got its shutters up." "Nonsense." "Well, look at me." "Well, I'm to inherit the estate, but I don't want the thing." "I'd cut the entail tomorrow if I could." "That's because you're not married." "Do you really think that marriage..." "Society is built on marriage, marriage and its consequences." "If you want to do away with that..." "oh, good lord, no." "I mean... no." "I shall have to think about that one, sir." "Yes." "Well, Fleur is late." "I shall have to be going." "Will you tell her I'm sorry to miss her, sir?" " Yes." "Goodbye, mr." "Mont." "Nice to meet you again." "Goodbye, Mrs. Dartie." "Oh, that's all right,sir." "I know my way." "My bike's just outside the conservatory." "I rather approve of him." "Yes, he has some style." "Talks a great deal of rubbish, of course." "But then we all did at his age." "I didn't." "Well, the boy's very sweet on fleur." "That's obvious, dear." "He's got some semblance of brains." "I may encourage it." "Yes, I should, if I were you." "Father never approved of the aristocracy, you know, but they do stand for something, even now." "Yes, well, I think i shall go and change, Soames." "Ah, there you are." "Hello, aunt." "Your father's been worrying." "Though why he should, I don't know." "You drive very well." "See you at dinner, dear." "Well, here I am." "Driving out alone like this..." "where have you been?" "To Robin hill." "Father, I've got something to tell you." "The family feud is over." "What have you done?" " Nothing." "Jon's father died this afternoon." "That chap... gone at last?" "He wasn't very old." "Don't you feel justice has been done now he's dead?" "I should like to have done him justice while he was alive." "I never had the chance." "Jon loved him, and so did Holly, and so did... well, and so did June, so he must have been quite a likable person." "Yes.I believe there was a superstition to that effect." "Darling,I've been thinking all the way back in the car." "It's really in your hands now." "Yes, you see, Jon wants to marry me, and he will marry me if his mother consents, so it's really up to you." "You can persuade her." "I can't..." "oh, yes." "Tell her that it doesn't mean renewing the past in any way, that he need never see you and you need never see him or her." "Only you can persuade her because only you can promise that." "Don't you see?" "Go and see her,just once." "It can't be done." "It's preposterous." "Help me, daddy." "I'm desperate." "I don't know what I'll do if you don't agree." "I'll do anything for your happiness, but this isn't... it is, it is." "Oh, I love him, daddy." "You can do it." "I know you can do it." "Then you know more than I do." "We'll wait, Jon and I." "A year, two years,if you like." "You don't care what I feel." "I do, I do, I do.Dad, you wouldn't want me to be utterly miserable." "You couldn't be happy if I were wretched." "Please... very well, then, very well." "I'll think it about it and see what I can do." "I can't go butting in there at a time like this." "Of course not." "But you will go?" "Now, promise me you'll go." "Yes, I'll go." "Oh, thank you." "You know you wouldn't mind seeing her, really." "Yes, Martin." "What is it?" "It's mr." "Forsyte, ma'am." "Who?" "Mr. Soames Forsyte." "He asked me to say he called concerning mr." "Jon." "Ask him to come in, please." "Yes, ma'am." "Mr. Forsyte, ma'am." "Martin, will you find mr." "Jon?" "He's probably in the studio." "Ask him to join us." "Very good, ma'am." "If this concerns Jon, perhaps he ought to be here." "Yes." "I apologize for coming, but this business must be settled one way or the other." "Will you sit down?" "No, thank you." "I've no doubt this is as painful for you as it is for me." "My daughter begged me to come, and I've got into the habit of indulging her." "I suppose you're fond of your son." "Devotedly." "Well..." "It rests with Jon." "It's a mad notion." "It is." "I suppose you thought they could have been... well, I'll make your mind easy." "If this marriage takes place, I don't want to see you or your son." "I promised Fleur i'd tell you that." "What am I to say to her when I go back?" "Tell her what I have told you." "It rests with Jon." "You don't oppose it?" "With all my heart, but I've said nothing against it, and I shall say nothing." "I remember... well, if this does lie in jon's hands,as you say," "I suppose i may take it for granted that this unnatural marriage will take place." "There'll be formalities." "Who do I deal with?" "Herrings?" "Do you propose to live with them?" "No." "What about this house?" "It will be as Jon wishes." "I built it for you." "If they marry, their children... do you believe in nemesis?" "Yes." "You do." "Well, I don't suppose i shall see you again." "Won't you shake hands and let the past die?" "Well, young man, I've come here on behalf of my daughter." "The decision rests with you." "Your mother leaves it entirely in your hands." "I brought myself to come here for my daughter's sake." "Now, what am I to say to her when I go back?" "Tell Fleur it's no good, please." "Jon!" "It's all right." "I must do as my father wished before he died." "If I... if I'd taken dad's word for it, and yours, I think he'd still be alive." "Jon, my darling... it's all right, mother." "It's all right." "I should have seen him out." "Excuse me." "Mother,let's go to Italy." "I should like that, of course, but I think you ought to go off by yourself for a while." "And leave you alone?" "I learned how to be alone a long time ago." "You ought to have a year at least." "Go and see the world." "Go at once, Jon." "Yes, yes." "If I'm going, I suppose it had better be at once." "But mother, if I wanted to stay out somewhere, America, perhaps... would you come out later?" "Wherever and whenever you send for me, but don't send unless you really want me." "England's too small." "I feel..." "I feel choky here." "It isn't true." "It can't be." "She got around you, she must have done." "Either that, or you didn't try." "Fleur... you couldn't have tried." "You betrayed me!" "I was a fool." "He couldn't just give me up, not like that." "Why did I ask you?" " Yes, why did you?" "I swallowed my pride, my own feelings, against my better judgment." "I did my best for you." "Do you swear it's the truth, that Jon gave me up of his own accord?" "Yes!" "Don't let them hurt you, Fleur." "They're not worth... what did you do?" "What could you have done to have made them hate you so?" "How can I ever forgive you?" "Who is it?" "Michael, old faithful, who else?" "Oh, Michael!" "When it came to the point, I never thought that Fleur would go through with it." "She'd taken a knock, I knew that, and I'd caught her on the rebound." "She needed a shoulder to cry on, and mine happened to be there." "No, it didn't happen." "I made damn sure it would be there." "Even so, she could have called it off, but she didn't." "Perhaps it was because, in our society, once you announce a wedding, the whole thing becomes inevitable." "The families take over, and the principals have nothing more to say." "Primitive, really." "So, what we have so far is not so much a marriage, more of an alliance." "The Forsytes with their money are joined to the Monts with their land." "And looking at them, Fleur's father and mine, who can say there's a pin to choose between them?" "You're being neglected, sir Lawrence." "Thank you,not at all." "Jolly thing, a wedding." "You've done it all very well, Winifred." "Oh, thank you, dear." "Where's Fleur?" "She's just going up to change." "She won't be long." "Yes, it's all rather nice." "Weddings don't alter, whatever else does." "Atavistic, wonderful." "Puts me in mind of frazer." "Oh, who?" "The golden bough, don't you know?" "Remember the tribe that buries the bride up to the waist?" "How amusing." "Didn't I see June?" " Yes, probably." "Dressed in a sort of tent." "What made you ask her?" "because I thought she wouldn't come, of course." "Fertility rites." "Orange blossom." "Rice... it's all splendidly pagan and animal, don't you think?" " Yes, I dare say." "Hm." "Excuse me." "Weren't you about to tell me something about an insurance company?" "Ah, yes." "The P.P.R.S." "Yes, I'm on the board." "Old clarence died last week." "Yes, I saw the obituary." "Rather overdone, I thought." "Would you be interested in taking his place?" "We need new blood." "As new as mine?" "Ah, a hit!" "But we're not all effete aristocrats." "Elderson, our managing director, is very much on the mark." "Well, what about it, forsyte?" "It's good of you to ask me, Mont." "Not at all." "You'd be doing us a favor." "Think about it, let me know." "Yes, thank you." "I will." "Well, Soames has got his filly to the starting gate, but will she stay the course?" "Yes, certainly, she will." "Where's her mother?" "In France with her mother." "Good thing too, from what I hear." "They tell me this young Mont's a budding socialist." "It's quite the thing, you know." "What?" "Oh, yes.All the young men are radicals these days." "Insurance, eh?" " Against what's coming." "Not a bad idea, what?" "Better to hunt with the hounds than run with the fox." "It's a craze, like mahjong." "When Michael comes into his property... yes, and when they start having puppies, that will change his tune." "Yes, it is rather complicated." "You see, Val is Fleur's first cousin, but I was a forsyte too, so I'm a second cousin." "Removed?" " I don't think so." "Yes, I'd like you to meet my best man." "Wilfrid?" "Wilfrid Desert, this is mr." "And mrs." "Val Dartie." "How do you do?" " I know, you're the poet." "You must be." "The one and only." "I read something of yours last week in the quarterly review."Black barrage."" "How much did you dislike it?" " Quite a lot." "Though I found it very moving, but too bitter for me, too... too astringent." "And you prefer sugar?" "I prefer Siegfried Sassoon, actually." "You haven't got beyond despair." "Is there anything beyond it?" "John Bunyan thought so." "And after all, poets are supposed to be giant killers, aren't they?" "We must go." "Val's pining for his horses." "I hope you'll be very happy." "I'm sure you will." "So long." "Goodbye." "Well, excuse my new family." "I rather like that one, the female half, I mean." "Her father was Jolyon forsyte, the painter." "The one who died a few months ago." "I know." "His work's rather old hat, but not half bad." "He seems a nice young man." "Mm?" "The poet?" " Michael Mont." "Val, I had a letter this morning from Jon." "Where is he?" " He's in British Columbia because he wants to be in California." "Well, he thinks it's too pleasant there." "Well, he's beginning to see a joke again." "He's bought a good piece of land and sent for Irene." "What on earth is she going to do out there?" " All she cares about is Jon." "Do you still think it's a happy outcome?" "Fleur wouldn't have been right for him at all." "Poor Fleur." "And poor Michael Mont." "That remains to be seen." "Thank you for coming up." "I was glad to." "Shall I unhook you?" "Please." "I suppose you think me a fool when it should have been Jon." "I don't know, Fleur." "Selfish beast." "Does Michael know about Jon?" "He knows that I was in love, that's all." "Then he knows what he's taking on." "Well, he wants me on any terms, and... oh, I don't care." "It'll get me away from home." "I had one letter from Jon." "Very short." "It says, "I'm not coming back to England." "Bless you always." "Jon." So you see, she's made safe." "Is that quite fair to Irene?" "She always told Jon he could do as he wished." "That's a bad joke." "Tell me, didn't she spoil your life too?" "I don't think anyone can spoil a life." "That's nonsense." "Things happen,but we bob up." "Oh, June, what am I doing?" "Fleur, don't." "Don't." "There, there now." "It'll be all right." "I promise you." "It'll all come out right." "Now, look." "You mustn't sit down under it." "We can't control life, but we can fight it." "Make the best of things, Fleur." "I've had to." "I held on like you for what I wanted..." "and failed in the end." "I cried as you're crying now." "Well..." "look at me." "It's all right." "Over now." "I'm sorry." "I shall forget him, I suppose, if I fly fast and far enough." "Then give me a kiss and dry your eyes." "Shall I wait?" "No, but thank you." "You've helped me through a bad moment." "Evening paper!" "Late edition!" "Government resigns!" "Election next month!" "Paper, sir?" "Thank you, sir." "Evening paper!" "Government resigns!" "Thank you, mr." "Mont." "One other thing, sir." "Yes, miss Perren?" "Bicket's here." "Oh, lord." "All right." "Better show him in." "Yes, Bicket?" "I've got the sack, sir." "Well, dash it all, man, what do you expect?" " You swiped five copies of "Copper coin"." "That's right, mr." "Mont." "But you're a packer." "We have to trust you chap because it's almost impossible to keep a check on you." "If you let us down and then you get caught, you can't blame mr." "Danby for giving you the shove." "No, sir." "What is it you want?" "Another chance." "That's all jolly fine, man." "Look, sit down, Bicket." "Now what made you take the books in the first place?" "I was going to sell them." "I get two pounds a week." "I can't live on that, not with prices what they are." "But it's the wife, sir." "She's been ill." "Pneumonia." "It was terrible." "I thought..." "I thought she was..." "But she's recovering, isn't she?" "I had to have the money." "She needed the food." "It was only for her." "What you say means, in effect, that you've taken other books before and sold them?" "Try and see it from the firm's point of view." "If all the other packers were doing what you've done, we'd soon be in the cart." "And if we're in the cart, where are all of you?" "In the street." "I'm sorry, Bicket." "Anyway, I don't think mr." "Danby will listen to me." "Please, sir,I know I done wrong, but if I'm sacked and no reference, I'll never get another job, not with all this unemployment." "I don't care about me." "It's the wife, mr." "Mont." "How old is your wife?" "Just 20." "Tell you what I'll do." "I'll have a word with mr." "Desert." "After all, they were copies of his book you swiped." "If he'll speak for you, it may move mr." "Danby." "Oh, thank you, mr." "Mont." "You're a gentleman." "We all say that." "Yes, all right, Bicket." "Oh, Bicket?" "Yes, sir?" "I suppose you were counting on those five "Coppers"." "Well... you'd better take that to make up." "Go on." "Only for heaven's sake, don't tell mr." "Danby." "Now, buzz off, there's a good chap." "Go on." "Miss Perren, get me mr." "Desert on the telephone, will you?" "I must be out of my mind." "Oh." "I'm sorry about that, Michael." "Oh, hello, Bart. Take a pew." "And what's unhinged you,my boy?" "Spot of staff bother." "No trouble for the danbys of this world." "They've got it cut and dried." "Not me." "I see too many points of view." "An excellent fault." "I've just come from the club." "What news?" "Election next month." "Your labor friends can start lying, Michael." "Do you think they'll get in?" " Not this time." "Bonar law's got it all tied up, but it wouldn't be a bad thing if they did." "A taste of office might help them grow up." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "Did you get him, miss Perren?" "Oh, bad luck." "No, it's all right." "I'll telephone him this evening." "Thank you." "Well, suppose they did get in?" " What could they do?" "Cure unemployment?" " They might, Bart." "I doubt it." "And what else?" "Would they abolish the cinema?" "Teach english women to cook?" "Make us grow our own food?" "Would they hang all dabblers in poison gas and destroy all bombing airplanes and submarines?" "They could try." "And what about the possessive principle that you disapprove of, would they abolish that?" " No, not on your life, my boy." "No." "All party politics are top-dressing." "We're ruled by inventors and by human nature." "You've got it bad, guv'nor." "Well, seriously, do you find reality in politics now?" "Do you find reality in anything now?" "Income tax, perhaps." "Such simple faith." "It touches me." "Everything fine and splendid is off." "No big schemes." "No great principles." "No farsighted views." "No great religion." "No great art." "Just a lot of little men in little hats." "As penteth the heart after Byron Wilberforce and the Nelson monument?" " Oh, my poor, old bart." "You'd better come home and have tea." "I will." "Isn't it your anniversary?" " Yes, the second." "Celebrating?" " Oh, yes." "Going out to dinner and onto a ball at the Humphrey's afterwards." "Come along home and let Fleur cheer you up." "Does she cheer you up?" "Oh, lord, yes." "She's a dab hand at that." "Come on." "Ah." "There, ting." "Sit there and look oriental." "Grosvenor, 1-9-2-9, please." "No. 2-9." "Thank you." "Ting, don't lick the floor." "It's bad for you." "Oh, hello?" " Can I speak to lady Alison?" "Oh, it's you, Alison." "Fleur speaking." "Yes, fine, thanks." "Well, it's about next wednesday..." "Charles Upshire's fallen out." "Yes, it is a bore, isn't it?" " I was wondering if there's any chance of your bringing Gerdin Minnow?" "I don't know him, of course, but he might be interested." "Will you?" "Well, do try." "And could you let me know tonight?" "Thanks awfully, yes." "Bye." "Oh, my, ting." "You mustn't lick the floor." "Mr. Desert, ma'am." "Wilfrid!" "How nice." "I was feeling all lonely waiting for Michael, and here you are." "Come and sit down." "I'll ring for tea." "No tea." "Thank you." "Oh." "Very well." "Don't you think he goes beautifully with my room?" "Are you in a mood, wilfrid?" "Depends what you call a mood." "This one seems to be permanent." "Pity." "I can't be doing with permanent gloom." "Boring." "Fleur, stop it." "You know I'm crazy about you." "How would Michael like that?" "From you, his best friend?" "Ugly, isn't it?" " Fleur, put that damn dog down." "I can't see your face." "If you were truly fond of Michael, I'd say nothing, but you're not." "I know you're not." "Then you know very little." "I am fond of Michael." "Oh, yes, but not in a way that counts." "Quite enough for safety." "Oh." "I see." "A flower that I mustn't touch." "Quite sure?" "Quite, quite sure?" "The moment I believe that, I shall go east." "Oh, east?" " Not so stale as going west, but much the same." "You don't come back." "I shouldn't like that." "No?" "Perhaps not." "You hate to lose anything once you've got it." "That's unfair." "I don't think so, but you're not going to keep me in your zoo." "I'm not going to hang around picking up the crumbs." "You know what I feel, but whether you know how badly... well, I'm warning you." "If I stay here, there'll be a smash of some sort." "Wilfrid, are you suggesting that it's my fault?" " Yes." "You've collected me as you collect everybody that comes near you." "But I don't believe that you even like me..." "I see you clearly, and I don't lie, either to myself or to you." "I love you desperately, and that's all that matters." "Don't be angry, Fleur, please." "I'm too unhappy." "I'm sorry, wilfrid." "Wilfrid, I am sorry." "All right." "I'll go." "But you'll come to dinner on wednesday?" "What the hell do you take me for?" "Wilfrid, I don't like violence." "Goodbye, Fleur." "Wilfrid!" "Just the man I wanted to see." "Hello, duckie." "How do you do, sir?" " Pretty spry for an old one." "Congratulations,by the way." "Copper coin." "I'm filled with admiration." "Thanks." "Hello, my dear." "Wilfrid's feeling cast down because "Copper coin"'s selling too well, on the principle that if poetry gets read at all these days, it can't be any good." "I don't want to add to your unhappiness, but Danby's given the go-ahead for the second edition." "Michael, why did you want to see me?" " Oh, yes." "One of our packers." "Poor little snipe called Bicket." "He got caught snaffling five copies of "Copper coin"." "Oh?" " Intending to sell them,of course." "But Danby's given him the shove." "Well, I feel sorry for him." "There's a wife, been ill with pneumonia." "Well, he came to me, very contrite." "Won't do it again, so he says, not with yours anyway." "I was really wondering, I know danby won't listen to me, would you feel like putting in a word for him?" "I'll look in on monday morning." "Thanks." "Those verses, Desert, you were in the war, I gather?" "Yes.Air service?" "And line." "A bit of both." "Hard on a poet." "I don't agree." "I think poetry's only really possible when you may be blown up at any moment, or when you live in putney." "Indeed?" " Tennyson." "Woodsworth." "Swinburne." "Browning." "They could turn it out." "They lived, but not much." "Mm." "Is there not a third condition favorable?" "And that, sir?" " Well, how shall i express it?" " A certain cerebral agitation in connection with women?" "Excuse me." "I was just leaving.Goodbye." "Wilfrid!" "That's a very sudden young man." "Don't mind him, Bart." "He broods." "Yes." "Poor old Wilfrid." "I recognize the symptoms." "He's brewing up." "Out of those depths of introspection will emerge some black and savage lines of verse." "Well, who's going to tell me about the election?" "So you've heard?" " Father telephoned." "He says labor is going to get in." "Bart doesn't." "I do hope you're not going to canvass for them, michael." "Why not?" "I think canvassing is so silly." "If anyone canvassed me, I'd vote the other way at once." "Yes, dear." "But, darling, but you're not the average elector." "I hope not." "Cream, Bart?" " Thank you, my dear." "By the way, Bart wants us to go to dinner tomorrow evening." "Lovely." "But, darling, we can't." "Why ever not?" " There's the Hugo Solstis concert." "Damn." "I'd forgotten about that." "Sorry, Bart." "Do you know Hugo's stuff?" "Isn't he supposed to be restoring english music?" "Yes, "giving it a wide and spacious freedom from melody" ""while investing it with literary and mathematical charms."" "Michael, that's unkind." "It's not.I'm quoting the music critic of the Morning post." "One doesn't go to Hugo's concerts anticipating pleasure." "So I noticed." "Last time, you slept." "I tried to." "It was worse than taking a nap on the railway station at Liege." "Hello, Forsyte." "Good afternoon." "Well, I believe it's your anniversary." "I don't know what you're going to do with it." "Open it for me, darling." "All right." "And I'll pour father some tea." "You coming to the board meeting on tuesday?" "Board?" "Oh, P.P.R.S." "Is it on us so soon?" " Yes." "Nuisance.I'd planned shooting the spinneys with michael." "I should let the spinneys wait." "We have to settle that annual report." "You say that somewhat uneasily." "I am uneasy." "Don't worry." "Elderson's got everything under control." "Elderson's got far too much control." "If I'd realized the extent to which he ruled the roost," "I doubt if I should have come on the board." "You surely can't mean that?" "Elderson?" "Good lord." "His grandfather was my grandfather's agent at the time of the reform bill." "Put through the most corrupt election ever fought, bought every vote." "Great days, Forsyte." "And over." "I don't believe in trusting a man's judgment as far as we trust Elderson'S." "But he's first-class." "We were at Winchester together." "A fellow at Marlborough with me... went into the army, absconded with the mess funds and the colonel's wife." "Are you saying something?" "I am expressing an anxiety." "Elderson, in my view, has committed us far too heavily in the field of foreign insurance." "With the situation as it is, it's a mistake to put all your eggs in one basket." "Possibly." "Possibly." "You can always bring it up at the meeting." "Yes, I intend to." "What a delicious thing." "Oh, that's marvelous." "Very pretty, indeed." "Oh, that's very handsome." "Uncommon too." "Where did you pick it up, Forsyte?" "At a sale." "It needs a strong light." "Pin it on for me, michael." "All right, darling." "Here we are... come over to the window." "They get along all right, don't they?" "Yes, I believe so." "Why?" "Well, don't you think it's time there was a movement in heirs, Forsyte?" "Oh, I know we're not the royal family, but with all this modern birth control, frankly, my dear fellow, I'm getting uneasy." "There's plenty of time." "I don't like that dog, Forsyte." "Dog?" "What's that got to do with it?" "I like a baby to come before a dog." "Dogs and poets distract young women." "Well, if you're as concerned as all that you can have a talk with your son." "Or you could have a word with your daughter." "It's lovely, sweetie." "Thank you." "Well..." "I must be off." "Are you coming, Forsyte?" " Yes." "There's an argentine gentleman, wants to buy my Goya." "Sell your Goya, sir?" " Think how much you're envied." "One can't have everything." "But that reproduction we're publishing is absolutely first-rate." ""Property of Soames forsyte, Esquire."" "Let's get the book out first." "Shadow or substance, eh, Forsyte?" "I have no family place." "You could always leave it to Fleur." "Yes." "Yes, well, we'll have to see if that's worthwhile, won't we?" "Goodbye, my dear." " Oh." " I'll see you out." "Goodbye, darlings." "See you soon." "That's quite enough for a bad, small dog." "What shall we do about Wilfrid, Ting, hm?" "I know what you'd do." "Bite." "Happy anniversary,darling." "Oh!" "Michael, you're chin's like a boot brush." "Sorry, old thing." "Your face shouldn't be smooth." "I say, I wonder if there's anything in it." "In what?" "Well, you saw Wilfrid's face when Bart talked about women." "Perhaps old Wilfrid's been nobbled at last." "Has he, do you think?" "Well, Michael, if you don't know, nobody does." "But why, tony, why?" "Things is bad all round, vic." "But you were saying last week... last week's last week." "This is the world of business,love." "It changes overnight, and that's what's happened." "It's suddenly gone slack, so they're reducing staff." "What we going to do, tony?" "I don't know yet, but don't you worry." "I'll get something." "It's a shame." "You liked that job." "Have some more cocoa?" "I wouldn't mind." "It was all right, vic." "I liked some of the fellas, but the job... well, I mean to say, wrapping books up in a basement all day long, it wasn't all that blooming marvelous." "How's the breathing, love?" "Much better." "I'll be all right in no time." "You're still pale." "I was never the sort to have much color." "Your dad was italian, wasn't he?" "I've sometimes thought about that." "What do you mean?" " Living in the sunshine." "They say Italy's a poor country." "Yeah, maybe." "But if you've got to be poor, Vic," "I reckon it's better being poor in the sun than over here." "Anyway, there's other countries." "Take Australia." "We had a book in there about it." "They say there's quite a movement." "Yes." "This book was on about it being the place of the future." "Called it a "land of golden opportunity."" "I like the sun, Vic." "I wouldn't mind trying it." "How much does it cost then, to get there?" "A lot more than we can lay our hands on." "That's the trouble." "But I've been thinking, England's about done." "There's too many like me." "You're wrong." "There aren't enough." "What made you take a fancy to me?" "Because you don't think first of yourself, that's why." "I used to before i met you." "I'd do anything for you, Vic." "Me too." "If we could only wake up in Australia... but one thing's certain... we'll wake up in this blighted little room." "Ah, never mind." "I'll earn the money somehow." "Couldn't we win it on a horse?" "I've only got 47 bob now the rent's paid, and if we lose that, where'll you be?" "No, I'll get a job." "They'll give you good references, won't they?" "Yeah, but that job's off." "Overstocked." "Oh, look, Tony,if you want to go to Australia, we'll manage it somehow." "Now, come on." "Get undressed and come to bed." "Oh, dear, doesn't old Hugo just pile it on?" "Shh." "Quiet, Michael." "Quiet?" "I'm still stone-deaf." "I can't hear myself speak." "I know, but other people can." "That's all very well for them, I forgot me earplugs." "Shh." "All right." "Let the voice of honest criticism be drowned in drink." "What are you going to have?" " Gin and something." "I'll bring it over." "Thank you." "Fleur." "How nice to see you." "Where's Michael?" " He's just gone for drinks." "I might just catch him if..." "no, thank you, dear." "No." "What did you think of the music?" "Interesting." "That's what everybody says." "It's a useful word, but it doesn't commit you to anything." "Yes, you know mr." "Solstis, don't you, Fleur?" " Slightly." "Then could you tell him, dear, discreetly, that the fiddles were all playing in the wrong key?" "It quite ruined the melody." "Oh, aunt, really." "That was on purpose." "I don't believe you." "Was it, Fleur?" "Certainly." "And as for melody, Michael says Hugo would drop dead with shame if he achieved it, even accidentally." "Dear me." "Well, I suppose one must keep up to date, though one does find it rather a strain." "What's next, Holly?" " Oh, um..." "Beethoven." "Piano concerto." "Oh, good." "So they still play Beethoven?" "Sometimes, though he's considered an awful old dud." "Poor old Beethoven." "Honestly, Fleur, don't you rather enjoy him?" "Honestly, yes, but, of course, one mustn't say so." "Holly, look, there's very young Nicholas." "I must have a word with him." "Goodbye, Fleur, dear." "Perhaps you'd better say nothing to mr." "Solstis." "No.Just tell him we found his music interesting." "Light?" "Thanks." "Well, Fleur?" " Am I going east?" "You're very silly." "Anything you like." "Am I going east?" "I do wish you wouldn't be so intense and difficult." "Awkward, isn't it?" "But it troubles you too, doesn't it?" "And you don't want to be troubled." "Not in that way, no." "I understand perfectly." "But then collectors oughtn't to be troubled by their possessions." "And that's all I am to you." "A piece of "ming" you don't want to lose." "Wilfrid!" ""Wilfrid, how can you be so unkind as to leave," ""when your friendship is so precious to me?" " Stay and be my tame cat."" "Well, I'm sorry, it's not good enough." "You're being quite horrible." "Perhaps... but I'm also right." "I'm not staying on your terms, and I can't have you on mine, so the thing's impossible." "Let's finish it now." "No... wait." "For what?" "Wilfrid, I don't know what I want." "I need time." "Oh, I can't bear for you to be unhappy." "Don't go." "Perhaps I shall be unhappy too.I don't know." "My dear child, you'll be over all that in a fortnight." "If you like, I'll go to china." "Stop it." "Why not?" "One place is as good as another." "China's a damned good idea." "I'll be able to send you a piece of real Ming much better period than this." "You're insulting!" "I beg your pardon." "I don't want to leave you angry, Fleur." "Truly, I don'T." "Then what is it you do want?" "You mustn't be a silly child." "You know perfectly well, but since it's not on..." "I want nothing." "Your blessing and your hand." "You think I'm made of ice." "Well, I'm not." "I didn't mean to play up your pride, but we must drop it, Fleur." "It's no good." "You'd be a fool to go." "Wait!" "Wilfrid?" "Wilfrid!" "Oh, excuse me." "I'm sorry, darling." "What a mob." "Did you see Wilfrid?" "Yes." "Did he say anything?" "No, not much." "He's got the hump." "Yes, poor old son." "We ought to have him round more often, Fleur." "You always cheer him up." "We ought to go, they're starting." "Do you mind if we go home, darling?" "I'm tired." "Of course, my darling." "Finish that up, and we'll go down and grab rickshaw." "What is that strange sound?" "Melody." "By jove, so it is." "Melody." "Come along, darling." "Well, vic, I'm off." "What's that?" "What have you got there?" "Ah, great stunt, this." "Look here." "You're never going out to sell those, not in the street." "Course I am." "Up the city." "Sell like hotcakes, they will, up there among all them millionaires and aldermen." "It's all right, love, it's all right." "Mustn't quarrel with bread and butter." "I'll get a job." "This is only to tus over." "But you never know, might do well at this lark." "Be my own boss, anyhow." "No kowtowing to nobody." "Come and go as I please." "I'd rather sell balloons than be a packer any day." "Then when you're well enough to get a job, we'll be able to put something away." "And then, Australia here we come." "Oh, Tony." "Tony." "And those, mr." "Chairman, gentlemen, are the figures on which we shall report to our shareholders at the annual general meeting." "Do you wish to comment on them, mr." "Forsyte?" "Yes, mr." "Emerson, I do." "I'm not satisfied that these accounts disclose our true position." "Oh?" "In what way?" "Next year's foreign-contract commitments are all lumped under one general estimate of liability." "I am not satisfied with that." "I think they should be treated separately." "We have always treated our commitments under one general estimate, mr.Forsyte." "And to my mind, wrongly." "Why?" "This foreign-contract business is a new policy." "Secondly, in my view," "I don't think we're taking sufficient regard of what's happening on the continent." "Unless there's a material changethere for the better," "I fully expect us to finish up in queer street next year." "I'm not all clear." "What precisely are you asking of the board, mr." "Forsyte?" "I am asking, as a member of the board, that we are, each of us, furnished with the full details of all foreign contracts," "and that the board be adjourned till this day week, so that we may all have an opportunity of examining them." "Is not necessary." "It may be inconvenient, mr." "Meyricks,but it is necessary." "For all I can tell, instead of issuing a dividend, we ought to be reserving this year's profits against next year's certain loss." "Dear sir... quite absurd." "So you say." "Aren't we having details?" "The board can have what details it likes, but permit me to remark ,it can be only a matter of estimate." "That is a matter of opinion." "And in my view, it should be the board's opinion, but only after very careful examination of the actual figures" "There should be no difficulty about that, I imagine, Elderson." "But in any case, mr." "Forsyte, we should hardly be justified in penalizing the present year for the sake of eventualities which we hope will not arise" "We are here to decide policy according to our common sense, and we can only do that with full information." "That is my point." "We have not enough." "Mr. Forsyte seems to be indicating a lack of confidence in the management." "Not at all." "I'm merely asking for information." "The board could be adjourned, mr." "Chairman." "I could come up myself at a pinch." "Possibly, we could all attend." "The times are very peculiar." "We mustn't take any unnecessary risks, not that we have any reason to complain of the results so far." "And I'm sure we all have the utmost confidence in the judgment of our managing director." "Still, as mr." "Forsyte has seen fit to ask for this information," "I think that perhaps we ought to have it." "What do you say, F..?" "I really don't think that on these accounts, we should fail to declare a dividend this year." "There's no good getting the wind up before we must." "When do the accounts go out, Elderson?" "Normally, at the end of this week." "These are not normal times." "Well, may I speak plainly?" "Unless I have that information, I must tender my resignation." "Oh." "Very well." "We will adjourn the board to this day week." "You will be able to get us those figures, Elderson?" "Oh, certainly, yes." "Thank you, gentlemen." "I say, forsyte." "Gave us quite a shock." "A shock?" "With your alternative." "I never remember anything of that sort before." "Ah, sleepy hollow." "Generally manage 40 winks myself." "Gets so infernally hot in here." "The board meeting is ov... yes, speaking." "Is that you, Gradman?" " Yes, what is it?" "Yes, I see." "No, no, no..." "quite right to ring me here." "Yes." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "Anything wrong?" "Hm?" " Yes, my cousin, George forsyte." "Has something happened to him?" "Yes, he's dying." "Your medicine, sir." "Good afternoon." "I'm mr." "Forsyte." "Please come in, sir." "Is he conscious?" "Yes, sir." "Doctor says he won't last the night." "Yes, well... here's my card." "He might like to see me." "Thank you, sir." "If you'd care to wait here." "That's not bad." "Not bad at all." "I'm to take you in, sir." "Yes." "Mr. Forsyte, sir." "Hello, george." "Hello, soames." "Come to measure me for my coffin?" "Well, you'll pick up in no time." "You're no age." "Is there something you wanted me to do for you?" "Make me a codicil." "You'll find paper in the dressing-table drawer." "Yes?" "My three screws to young Val Dartie because he's the only Forsyte that knows a horse from a donkey." "What have you said?" ""I hereby leave my three racehorses "to my kinsman, Valerius Dartie, because he has special knowledge of horses."" "You're a dry file, Soames." "Go on." ""To Bella Moyle, "of 12 Claremont grove," ""the sum of 12,000 pounds, free of legacy duty."" "That's a lot of money." "Write it down or I'll leave her the lot." "Is there anything else?" "No." "Read it." ""To Bella Moyle of 12 Claremont grove, 12,000 pounds, free of legacy duty."" "That's a pill." "You won't let that bit into the papers." "Now call my chap, and you and he can witness." "The vicar, sir, has called." "He wants to know if you would like to see him." "No." "Give him my compliments." "Say I'll see him at the funeral." "But wait a minute." "Mr. Forsyte wants you to sign your name." "Yes, sir." "If you would just witness here." "Thank you." "See she gets it." "I can trust you." "That's one thing about you, Soames." "You want to see her again?" "No." "What's the use?" "Now get me a cigar from that drawer." "Ought you to?" "Never in me life done what I ought." "Not going to begin now." "Cut it for me." "Good, isn't it?" "I always liked it.Such a damned uncomfortable thing to live with." "You'd better buy it in before the sale." "Your cigar, George." "I'm going to have a snooze." "Well... goodbye, George." "I hope you'll soon..." "Goodbye." "Good old Soames, always the merry optimist." "Goodbye." "Oh... you have my telephone number." "Let me know." "Very good, sir." "Come in." "Well..." "Fleur!" "Why are you here?" "Why?" "You've invited me often enough." "Yes, I know, but... well, to see your junk." "Nice junk too...some of it." "If that's why you came, why didn't you bring Michael?" "Oh, he's busy." "This is Hepplewhite, isn't it?" "You know very well it is." "And that chair." "Now, I do like that." "You said I'd be a fool to go away." "Because of me?" "Yes, I think you would." "I'm not worth that sort of gesture." "That's not what you meant." "Wasn't it?" " Well... it's what I mean now." "You came to tell me that?" "I don't believe you." "I'll tell you why you came, because it's dangerous, a new sensation." "You can feel modern and daring without committing yourself to anything." "The idea of passion excites you, but that's all." "You've got no intention of letting yourself in for the real thing." "You've never loved anyone." "That's not true." "And you don't intend to." "For you, it's a sort of fashionable game." "Well, let me tell you, Fleur, for me, it's no game." "I loathe myself for what I'm doing because of michael, and I can't stop myself because of you." "Do you think that's funny?" "Do you think that's an amusing game?" "Let me tell you, it may be more a great deal more dangerous than you think." "Wilfrid, stop it." "I'm going to kiss you, at least I shall have that." "Then... we'll see." "Wilfrid, that was silly." "I'm not to be taken like that." "Lovely balloons." "Come on, lady, take a packet for the kids." "I'm not sure you can stand there." "Give us a chance, constable." "You might cause an obstruction." "If I'm in the way, I'll stand anywhere you like." "But I'm right on my bones, honest." "Haven't seen you here before." "That's right, constable," "I'm new to this." "Me first day." "I'm down to me last two bob, and the wife's been sick." "We'll see." "I shan't make trouble for you if no one objects." "Much obliged." "Here, take it." "I mean it." "Take it for your little girl.To please me." "I'll buy one and give you a start." "Not now." "In an hour when I go off duty." "Have it ready.A big magenta one." "Thanks!" "Balloons!" "Balloon, sir?" "Best quality." "What would I want with a balloon?" "Children like them." "No weight,sir." "Waistcoat pocket." "I dare say.I have no children." "Grandchildren, sir?" "Nor grandchildren." "Thank you, sir." "Give me two." "How much are they?" "A tuppence, sir." "Much obliged." "All right." "Keep the change." "Balloons!" "Who'll buy my balloons?" "Lovely balloons!" "What do you think, miss Perren?" "Barrington or Aubrey Greene?" "I think mr." "Greene's is awfully clever." "But Barrington's has the commercial touch, eh?" "Yes, I suppose so." "Aubrey's a lad, though." "His stuff's original, it's new-minted." "Barrington's a tired old hack." "A good tired old hack, mind you, but let's take a flyer." "Settle for Aubrey." "I'm glad." "I just thought i ought to... quite right, miss Perren." "Keep me on the straight and narrow if you can, and I'll try to lead you astray." "No offense, miss Perren, no offense in the world." "Though what mr." "Danby's going to say,I don't know." "Is mr." "Desert still in...?" " Yes." "In with mr." "Danby now." "They all go to our friend Mont, with some tale or other." "He has a very soft heart, but I can't take Bicket back." "His wife's been damned ill." "If she has, I'm sorry." "It doesn't excuse what he did." "This sort of thing, it's most insidious." "We've been trying to trace the leak for some time." "Tiresome, I grant you, but aren't you being unduly hard?" "Not hard, mr." "Desert, only just." "And are you a judge of justice?" " I hope so." "Try four years in the trenches and then have another go." "I don't see the connection." "The experience you've been through, it was bound to be warping." "A damn sight less warping than sitting on one's behind being just." "In effect, you are telling me that I should make no distinction between honesty and dishonesty." "That's absurd." "You know it perfectly well." "I know nothing perfectly well, mr." "Danby, and I mistrust those who say they do." "Let us say life is a game." "If you don't observe the rules... oh, hang the rules." "Give the poor blighter another chance." "Do it as a favor to me." "After all, I wrote the rotten book." "I'm sorry, but with me, well, it's a matter of conscience." "Bicket doesn't come back." "That's final." "Hello, old son." "What luck?" "No go." "Old scrooge is too just." "I was afraid of that, but thanks for trying anyway." "Sorry.I can't handle his kind." "Don't go, Wilfrid" "Look, I'm just leaving." "Come and have a drink with us." "Fleur would be glad to see you." "Fleur... what is it, Wilfrid?" " What's wrong?" "Michael... you've got to know..." "I'm in love with Fleur." "I'll take her from you if I can."