"My father's will instructed me to bury him at Robin hill instead of in the family mausoleum at Highgate, and this decision marked the final rupture" "between him and the rest of the Forsyte family." "Apart from providing separately for June and Irene, he left everything to me, including the house itself." "Ironic thought." "I am now a man of property." "How poor Bosinney would have laughed." "Well, my love, I'm off." "Oh, by the way, where's Holly?" "I told her she might go to the picnic with the Brewsters..." "Oh, yes." "Of course." "...and stay with them tonight." "Good." "I was sure you wouldn't mind." "Oh, why should I?" "Father wouldn'T." "He always believed that young things ought to be happy." "Have you seen June?" "She's upstairs, I think." "Do you know if she's made up her mind?" "I don't know." "If she decides to leave, jo... oh, perhaps she won'T." "She will." "Because of me." "No." "It's useless to say no." "She will leave because she hates me." "She resents me." "She always will." "My darling,that simply isn't true." "It's a delusion." "You think I have delusions?" "You see?" "Is it a delusion?" " She is ready to go." "Why should she go and leave you if it is not because of me?" "I have decided to go, if I can find the right place to live in london." "My reasons have nothing to do with you." "That I do not believe." "Oh, helene." "Let me make this quite clear." "Look, Jo..." "Helene, you must listen, and you must understand." "I'm 23 years old." "I'm strong." "Years and years to live if the other Forsytes are anything to go by." "What am I to do with those years?" "Do you think I can stay placidly here dreaming my life away, pruning roses and going to tea parties at the vicarage?" "You will be married." "Never." "After knowing Philip, whom should I wish to marry?" "O, the curate... or that young, rich, spotty Mr.Armitage" "No." "I shall never marry." "D than t tgran, I don't haveo." "O." "Thanks to granfather now I am independent." "I am a phenomenon." "The only Forsyte who doesn't have to be kept by some man or other." "I can live comfortably on a quarter of my income." "Good for you." "What will you do with the rest of it?" "Well, do you not think there's plenty to be done?" "Young people, artists all over London, struggling to live while they are waiting for someone who recognize their talent" "Well.." "I'll help them!" "I can now, and I will!" "That's why I'm going, Helene, and I beg you to believe me." "That's the only reason." "I'll come and see you often." "I'll wait for you in the carriage, father." "Yes." "and so bve." "She'so stubborn..." "But I can't believe her." "I think you must." "My darling, I don't think i ought to leave you today." "There's no hurry." "Why shouldn't you leave me?" "You must be feeling pretty low, and I quite understand why." "Tomorrow will do." "Tomorrow will not do." "You must find June a place to live... and then go and see Irene." "You've put it off too long." "There's been a lot to do here." "Yes, but why should she be kept waiting to hear of her good fortune?" "Not one single day of happiness should be wasted." "Are you sure?" "But come home soon." "I'll be home for dinner." "Jo!" "This is all quite overwhelming, cousin jo." "I don't know what to say." "Thank you." "Now, you cannot touch the capital, you understand that?" "My father, bless his heart, was still a Forsyte." "And Forsytes don't leave their capital away from the family." "I understand." "But the interest is yours for life." "And the lawyer tells me that the income should be, oh, around about 500 pounds a year." "So much?" "Clear of income tax." "I'll send you a check every quarter." "But... that's riches!" "A comparative thing, isn't it?" "Unless I'm much mistaken, you and I have both learned how to live on a good deal less." "And you had a family to support." "How is Holly?" "Oh, getting she's a dear child." "I became very fond of her." "And she of you." "I remember she wrote to my wife about you that time we were in Spain." "It caused something of a sensation." "I can imagine that, and I'm sorry." "Oh, no." "I was anxious about it." "But uncle Jolyon insisted i should come down." "I worried about him too." "He seemed so frail and shaky." "But nothing could stop him cming up once a week to a concert or the opera." "I knew he was burning himself out, but..." "Stubborn to the last." "Resolute." "Oh, wonderful." "To be 86 and determined to live your life completely to the very end." "To enjoy your cigar, your wine." "To appreciate good music... and the company of a beautiful woman." "He was a man." "Yes." "He was so kind to me." "That last day..." "Tell me about it." "He wrote me a letter." "Dignified and... sad." "I couldn't bear it." "I'd told him, you see, that since you were all coming home..." "Yes." "What did you do?" "I sent him a telegram and went down to Robin hill." "I walked up from the copse and he was sitting there in his chair under the tree." "Such a lovely day." "He looked so beautiful and peaceful i thought he was asleep." "Then Balthasar whined suddenly, and I knew." "He must have died that very minute." "And cousin Jo, he was happy." "Did you know?" "Master Jolly won this for swimming." "Indeed, ma'am?" "Oh, yes." "If jolly were here, I could... tell him what Jo said about simplicity." "Yes, ma'am." "Take a brush and some water and clean it." "yes, ma'am." "Cobalt blue." "No." "No." "No." "No." "No, stupid." "Not cobalt." "You take some..." "chrome yellow." "Yes, yellow." "The color of sunshine." "So." "Everything... so." "But jolly isn't here." "Nobody's here." "They've gone." "They've gone to leave me." "Jo, where are you?" "Don't leave me here." "Help me!" "I can't move." "Jo!" "Well?" "No hope." "No hope at all." "Why?" " Why not?" "!" "Because she's bleeding to death, that's why." "Miss Forsyte, I'll tell you this because it may give you comfort." "But mind you, you are to say nothing to your father." "What is it?" "Your stepmother was my patient for many years." "I delivered both her children." "I know that." "So I know her well." "Something of the sort was bound to happen to her, she knew it herself." "She had an illness." "Nothing you can classify, nothing I can put a name to." "But what sort of an illness?" " In the mind." "In the mind?" " Yes, ms." "Forsyte, and for her to die like this before the sickness in her mind took charge completely, well, it's a blessing." "Blessing?" "For all of you." "But especially for her." "Goodbye, jo." "My love." "I..." "love you." "Not for Helene, the pomp of a Forsyte funeral." "She lies near my father in the churchyard at robin hill." "But other Forsytes were dying and being interred with all due ceremony." "Uncle swithin, aged 80, from an apoplexy." "Aunt susan hayman at the ridiculously early age of 74." "And now uncle roger, at 86." "His son, george, maintains that roger died of anxiety about the impending war in south africa and the effect it might have on the value of house property." "But at timothy's, other reasons were suggested." "Poor roger." "He was always the least bit eccentric about his digestion." "You remember how he always preferred german mutton?" "Yes." "Quite an original." "Do you know,when we were little, he used to stick pins into me?" "Did you think it went off well?" "Fair enough, I suppose." "James wasn't there." "How is timothy?" "Oh, he's worrying rather about those dreadful boers." "He's in quite a stew." "Soames, dear, do you think they'll resist?" "I'm sure of it." "There'll be a fall in consols, mark my words." "But if they do fight, it won't last long." "A month or two, it will all be over." "Oh, I do hope so." "It's so bad for timothy if it isn't." "And Soames, dear, your dear father will feel it a great deal at his age." "The boers will fight,and fight hard." "There's no need you to worry." "The Transvaal's a long way off." "Well, if mr." "Chamberlain becomes prime minister, he'll send the navy." "That will settle the matter." "Really, aunt, send the navy to the interior of Africa?" "Anyway, I'm on the boers' side." "They have a perfect right to their own land." "You don't know what you're talking about." "Francie, my love, I don't know what the dear queen would say if she could hear you talking like that." "Well, they signed a contract." "They must stick by it." "I know there's something to be said for their point of view, but a contract is a contract." "Oh, stuff." "Well, we shall see." "If you'll excuse me,I must go now." "Oh, so soon?" "Soames, dear, it was good of you to come and tell us all about the funeral." "Yes, dear." "Bye, aunt Juley." "They tell me you have a charming house now." "Yes, at Mapledurham, on the river." "But don't you find it lonely without...?" "Juley, dear, have another cup of tea, will you?" "Do you ever hear of Irene?" " No." "They tell me that your cousin Jo is her trustee." "Had you heard that?" "He must be quite middle-aged now." "And a widower again for the second time." "He was such a pretty baby." "The first of you all..." "Goodbye and remember me to uncle Timothy." "Oh, dear, he seemed quite upset." "Did I say anything?" " Frankly, juley..." "Good for you, aunt." "Oh, really, I didn'T..." "He's a sound fellow, young Soames." "A long-headed chap, and getting to be a very warm man, they tell me." "But that brother of yours, George, why don't he turn up to pay his respects?" "He'll come into a decent bit of your father's money." "I think he had another appointment." "He left immediately after the funeral." "It must have been something very important." "Oh, it was." "It appears that George and Monty Dartie are joint owners of a horse." "A horse?" "Oh, ho a filly to be exact." "It's called sleeve-links." "And they expect it to win at Newmarket tomorrow." "A racehorse?" "Well, natural, George says Monty's got his shirt on it." "His shirt?" "Oh, damn it, it's unbelievable." "Down the drain!" "Right down the blasted drain." "If ever there was a stone-cold certainty..." "In racing, Monty, there's no such thing." "The trainer swore to me..." "he's not infallible." "You should have laid off your bets, like I did." "How did you come out of it, may I ask?" "200 on the right side." "A fat lot of use that would be to me." "Damn it george, I stood to win 3000." "But you didn'T." "I needed that money." "I'm aware of that." "Spanish dancers don't come cheap these days." "What?" "Well, what do you know about...?" "My dear chap, you're not the most reticent man in london, especially in your cups." "And last night, old boy, you were in your cups." "Oh." "I see." "I assure you, there's practically nothing" "I don't know about the alluring Consuela Diego." "Her... charms." "Her obduracy and your desire to melt it with suitable little gifts." "The sad fact that little gifts don't seem to get you very far." "Oh, shut up, george!" "And so on and so forth." "I'm sorry." "I'm serious about this." "Well, bad luck." "But don't worry." "The world's full of señoritas, and who knows, sleeve-links might win next time out." "Oh, damn sleeve-links." "By all means." "Well, I'm off." "Got to see a man at the club." "Don't bother." "I know my way." "I'll tell you what though." "If it's any use, I'll..." "I'll give you 450 for your half of the filly." "Four... all right, I'll accept that, thank you." "Send you round a check in the morning." "Did you know?" " Val's here." "Yes, I know." "Isn't it jolly?" "How did he wrangle leave from his crammer's?" "Well, his tutor brought him up." "He's asked him to dine at the Oxford and Cambridge to meet someone." "A professor, I think." "Val?" "Dining with old snobby?" "He'll die of boredom." "There!" "Ooh!" "I'm taking the opportunity to see about his clothes." "I can't have him going up all anyhow." "If he doesn't work harder, he'll skew his exams." "Then he won't go up at all." "Anyway, he's got heaps of things." "I'm the one that needs clothes." "You ungrateful child!" "When I think of the hours I spent with you at dressmakers..." "Now run along and I shall be down in 10 minutes." "Hello, Imogen." "I say, you don't look half bad." "Wish I could say the same of you." "He looks gorgeous." "All ready for a night of fear dissipation with old snobby?" "Better than roast beef and Claret cup at Littlehampton." "Well, be good." "Mother?" "Um..." "By the way, have you any money?" "Oh, darling." "You know, you are naughty about money." "Sorry, but I had to borrow five from old snobby." "Darling, you shouldn't pay him tonight." "You're his guest." "Well, we might go to the theater." "Yes, but..." "and I ought to pay." "He's always hard up." "Oh, well, in that case you'd better pay him." "But you mustn't stand the tickets as well." "Well, if I do, I can'T." "Thanks awfully, mother." "Where's dad?" "He's dining out." "Oh." "Well, I suppose I'll see him in the morning." "By the way, could I have a couple of plover's eggs?" "I know cook's got some, and they do top up so jolly well." "All right." "I'll have them left out in the parlor." "Thanks awfully, mother." "My pearls!" "No, they were there." "Yesterday." "Look here, crum, you're not having me on." "No, dear boy." "Why should I?" "No, but you really know her?" "Well, not la Diego herself." "And I'm not sure I'd want to." "A little on the full-blown side, don't you think?" "I suppose so." "But I do know a couple of girls in the ballet." "Shall we go in?" "Excuse me." "I mean, really, dear boy, what's one to do?" "Look at that frightful bounder." "He's screwed!" "Hello, hello." "Look who's here." "Seems to know you too, dear boy i say, you fellows, look." "There's my son, the young devil." "Val!" "Val!" "What's the matter?" " Where's he gone?" "There you are." "There you are, my lovely." "Monty?" "What do you want?" "Why are you still up?" " Because I must talk to you." "I'm sorry." "I can't talk to anyone." "I'm very tired." "Monty, where are my pearls?" "Pearls?" "What pearls?" "The wedding present you gave me and papa paid for." "They've gone." "Someone's taken them." "Oh, rubbish." "You just mislaid them." "They'll turn up." "If they don't, I'm going to the police." "You can do what you damn well like." "I'm going to bed!" "No!" "Monty, did you take them?" "Insult me in my own house,would you?" "Well, I don't care." "I'm finished with it all." "Do you hear me?" "I tell you I am finished with it all!" "Don't be a clown, Monty." "I am sick and tired of being nagged." ""Monty, don't drink." ""Monty, don't waste money." "Monty, don't go on living!"" "Well, I'm not going to." "Well..." "I can't do it." "For the sake of the children." "But you're all against me now, aren't you?" "Even the children." "Do you know what Val did to me tonight?" "Yes, he told me when he came in." "He cut you." "Cut me dead." "He ought to be ashamed of himself, cutting his own father." "Oh, he was ashamed..." "of himself and of you." "His friend called you a bounder, and he was right." "That's what hurt Val." "Bounder, am I?" "All right." "You want to know about the pearls?" "All right, I'll tell you." "That spanish filly's got them, what's the matter with that?" "Any objections, and I'll..." "Spanish filly?" "You... you mean that dancer we saw at the empire?" "Yeah." "Then you are not only a bounder, you're a thief and a blackguard!" "For shame!" "Hold still, you... and what's more..." "you're the absolute limit!" "Limit, am I?" "We'll see about that." "I'll show her." "Oh, damn it, I..." "I never thought it would come to this." "I'm tired of being insulted by you." "You've brought it on yourself." "No self-respecting man can stand it." "I took photograph of Imogen." "Give her my love." "Goodbye." "I shall not ask you for anything again." "I don't care what your family say, it's all their doing." "I'm going to live a new life." "Can I keep this?" "It's evidence." "Yes." "When I got your note, I went to see George." "Had he seen Monty?" " He had." "And there's no doubt about it." "Monty sailed for Buenos Aires this morning." "His ship's the Tuscarora." "What will you do?" "Can you prove cruelty?" "I don't know." "What is cruelty?" "Wes he struck you or anything?" "He twisted my arm." "Would pointing a pistol count?" "Or being too drunk to undress himself?" "Or..." "I'm not going to bring in the children." "No." "Well, you'll have to tell them." "Yes, but not yet." "They mustn't know yet." "I don't want Val worried just as he's going up to Oxford." "Well, there's legal separation." "We can get that." "What does it mean?" "Well, that he can't touch you, or you him." "You're both of you married and unmarried, so to speak." "But, well, that's no position to be in." "I've always regretted myself that I... no, it'll have to be divorce." "There's a way of shortening the two-year period for desertion now." "You ask Monty to come back, then we apply to the court for restitution of conjugal rights." "Then if monty doesn' t obey we file a suit for divorce in six months time." "Ask him to come back?" " Of course you don't want him back, but they're not to know that." "Mind you, there is a danger." "He might come back." "No, cruelty would be safer." "No." "No, it's too beasty." "we'll go for restitution of conjugal rights, then divorce." "Oh, and be very careful about this." "Don't say anything to anybody." "And above all... don't pay any of his debts." "Soames, dear,that does make it seem final." "It had better be." "Now, I think I'd better go." "Won't you stay to dinner?" "No, I can't." "There's some difficulty over a property of father's in Soho." "I've promised I'll look into it." "Yes, Soames." "I'll call around at Park Lane on my way." "Thank you, Soames." "You're very kind." "Hello, uncle Soames." "Val." "When do you go off to Oxford?" "On the 12th." "You have a relation up there, you know?" "Oh, who's that?" "My cousin Jolyon's boy." "Look, I'm going down to Robin hill tomorrow on business." "Come with me, and I'll introduce you to his family." "It might be useful." "Thanks very much." "Good." "I'll call for you after lunch." "You'll like it there." "It's in the country." "You haven't said anything about all this at Park lane?" "Well, I've told mama, but she hopes to keep it from papa." "Ah, James." "Well, dear." "Did you have a nice nap?" "There's no such thing." "I've been..." "Oh, it's only a motor car, James." "I know what it is." "The country's rattling to the dogs." "Would you like to go up and tidy now?" "What's this about Dartie?" "Now, what have you been hearing?" "You never tell me anythng but I heard you and Winifred whispering this afternoon." "Must be Dartie." "He's gone bankrupt." "He has not." "He's gone to Buenos Aires." "What did he go there for?" "He's got no money." "What did he take?" "Winifred's pearls and a dancer." "What?" "!" "I paid for those pearls." "He's a thief." "I knew how it would be." "He'd be the death of me." "Now, don't fuss, James." "Winifred can have my pearls." "I never wear them." "She'd better get a divorce." "Divorce." "There you go." "We've never had one in the family." "Where's soames?" "I don't know." "He's got his own affairs to attend to." "Ah, there you are." "Dartie's gone to Buenos Aires." "Yes, I know." "Good riddance." "I'm taking steps." "At my age, you get nervous." "I wish you lived here, my boy." "I've been very poorly all day." "They never tell me anything." "When we do, you only get into a state." "There's nothing to worry about." "Would you like me to take you upstairs?" "You can have dinner in bed." "You should have had a son, Soames, it... well, when you get on a bit... yes." "Look." "There is a bill here for 600 weight of potatoes." "But here in the book, you have only entered five." "Oh, he delivered only five that day." "The sixth did not come till later." "Voila." "The day before yesterday." "EntréZ." "Madame lamotte?" " Oui, monsieur." "I represent your landlord." "In fact, I'm his son." "Ah, mr." "Forsyte." "Bonjour." "Please come in." "Thank you." "This is my daughter, Annette." "Bonjour." "Bonjour." "Do please sit down." "Thank you." "Oh." "Thank you very much." "Now, I understand you have some plans for making alterations to the property." "I wish to enlarge the kitchen by knocking down the wall into the scullery." "Ah." "But that... please." "Allow me to show you." "Voici." "The kitchen staff is hindered by the cramped quarters." "Well, that would be a structural alteration." "Oh, I will pay, monsieur." "Quite." "In France,it would be permitted." "But here in England it is not?" " That depends on the terms of your lease." "My solicitor perhaps has missed something?" "It's possible." "A larger kitchen will be a great help, monsieur." "Yes, well, we could hardly object if it improved the property." "If you'll give me the name and address of your builder," "I'll get in touch with him and get our surveyor to look over his plans." "Avec plaisir, monsieur." "I have it here somewhere." "You're very kind." "No, not at all." "Voici." "Thank you." "When I've got the surveyor's report, I'll come back if I may." "Oh, of course, it will be a great pleasure." "A bientot, monsieur." "Um... goodbye." "Goodbye, monsieur." "Thank you." "Jolly nice view." "Yes, that doesn't change." "Cousin Soames." "This is Val Dartie, my sister's son." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "He's going up to Oxford so I thought he should come down here and meet your boy." "Yes, of course." "I'm afraid he's out this afternoon visiting friends." "What college?" "Well, jolly's at the house." "I'll tell him about you." "He'll look you up." "Thanks awfully, sir." "Well, if you can put up with a female relation, you'll find holly in there." "She'll show you around." "Hello." "Hello." "I'm Val Dartie, a sort of distant cousin of yours." "How do you do?" "I say, you're dad's rather a swell, isn't he?" "Bearded like the pard?" "But not full of strange oaths." "Forgive me if I'm a little curious, Soames, but it is some time since we met." "Yes, some time." "Not since... as a matter of fact, it's that I've come about." "You're irene's trustee now, I understand." "Yes." "But I don't see her." "No, but you know where she lives." "Oh, I don't want her address." "I know it." "What exactly do you want?" "She deserted me." "I want a divorce." "It's a little late in the day for that, isn't it?" " Yes." "Well, I'm afraid I don't know much about these things." "Or rather, I've forgotten." "Well, I presume that there's someone that she's..." "I don't know, Soames." "I imagine you've both lived as though the other were dead." "It's usual under the circumstances." "My father was very fond of her, you know." "I can't think why." "She brought trouble to June, which brought trouble to everybody." "I would've given her anything she wanted." "No, she chose to leave me." "I could go and see her if you like." "It's quite possible she might be glad of a divorce." "I'd be obliged to you." "I don't want to see her." "I understand." "I don't know your mother." "Oh, she's... nor any of my relations." "Are there many?" "Oh, tons." "Most of them awful." "Well, you know what Forsytes are." "No, I don'T." "What are they?" "Well, jolly careful." "Not a sportsman among them." "Take old uncle Soames for instance." "Well, I suppose all one's relations are awful, aren't they?" "I should think they think one awful too." "I don't see why they should." "No one could think you awful." "This is mine." "Fairy." "Jolly fine head." "Horses are ripping,aren't they?" "My dad... yes?" "Oh, he's often gone amuck over them." "I'm jolly fond of them too." "Riding." "Racing." "Hunting." "I'd like to be a gentleman rider." "Oh, so should I. Well, I mean, girls can't." "Oh, I don't know." "There's a newmarket town plate once a year." "Specially for girls." "Once a year?" " Well, what's the good of that?" "I say, if I hire a gee tomorrow, will you come riding in Richmond park?" "Oh, yes." "I'd love to." "Well, miss Holly... well?" " Do you like your cousin?" "Yes." "Good-looking youngster, like his father before him." "Let's hope he's inherited some of his mother's common sense." "Why don't you approve of uncle Soames, father?" "Oh." "Perceptive monkey, aren't you?" "There was an atmosphere." "I dare say." "There are good reasons." "And even if there weren't, it'd still be the same." "The antipathy is mutual, I can assure you." "Now, come along." "Back to work." "There's still an hour of daylight left." "And please, Holly, for my sake, keep still." "Mrs. Heron is at home, sir." "Oh." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Cousin Jo, after all these years." "I was so pleased to have your letter." "My word, you certainly made some changes here." "Yes, thanks to your father." "And you yourself, completely unchanged." "And you look younger." "Oh, I'm ancient." "Although I must say, I don't feel it." "That's one good thing about being a painter." "It keeps you young." "Titian lived to be 99." "Had to have the plague to kill him off." "You know... the first time I saw you, I was reminded of one of his pictures." "It's called "La bella"." "When did you see me for the first time?" " Ah." "In the botanical gardens." "How did you know me if you'd never seen me before?" "By someone who came up to you." "That was many lives ago." "Yes." "Now, tell me." "How have you been keeping?" "What do you do with yourself all day long?" "I still give lessons, but now I can choose my pupils." "I have an agreement with a publisher, translations from the french." "What else?" "Well, dressmaking, of course." "And... charitable work for women less fortunate than myself." "A sober, industrious life.Any pleasures?" "Oh, I go out very little." "I've been living alone so long i don't mind it a bit." "I believe i'm naturally solitary." "Oh, I can hardly believe that." "I must say you look very well on it." "What's your secret for youth?" "People who don't live are wonderfully preserved." "Yes." "Well...as you've probably guessed, I had a reason for coming here." "Naturally." "You remember my cousin, Soames?" "He wants a divorce." "Do you?" "After 12 years?" "Won't it be difficult?" "Extremely I should say, unless of course..." "unless I have a lover now." "But I've never had one since philip." "Well, then he'll have to find the evidence himself." "He has too much to lose, and I have nothing." "He had his chance once." "I don't know why he didn't take it." "Because he's a Forsyte, my dear." "And Forsytes don't part with anything, unless they want something in exchange." "And not always then." "I believe you would." "Oh, I'm not a true Forsyte." "I'm a bit of a mongrel." "I put the halfpennies on my checks, not take them off." "What does Soames want in place of me?" "Children, perhaps." "Yes." "Yes, it's hard for him." "I would help him to be free if I could, but I can't take a lover to order." "No." "Then what can I do?" "I don't know at the moment." "But if there's anything i can do, you must let me know." "Please look upon me as a sort of feeble substitute for my father." "No." "Different, more sophisticated, but not feeble." "He had principals." "All I have is tolerance." "A rare and charming virtue." "Don't you want to be free?" "What does it matter now?" " I have all the freedom I need." "Suppose you were to fall in love again?" "I should love." "Thank you for a most excellent meal." "Oh, monsieur, it was a pleasure to have your company." "Please do make yourself at home." "Perhaps another cognac?" "Annette will look after you." "I will be back shortly." "Do you know how pretty you look?" "Monsieur is very good." "Oh, no." "No, not a bit good." "You work very hard." "Yes." "But not all the time." "I have been to Richmond last sunday." "Did you like it there?" "Oh, yes." "The river was beautiful." "I have a house by the river, at Mapledurham." "Oh." "Where is that?" "That's near Pangbourne, in Berkshire." "Oh, the country." "The english country is... ravissant." "Well, then perhaps someday you... yes, monsieur?" "Do you like this life?" "No, I do not like it." "But you're young." "You've got everything before you." "Sometimes I think there is nothing before me." "I'm not so in love with work as mother." "Oh, you're mother's a wonder." "Failure will never come her way." "Perhaps." "But to be rich..." "You will be." "Divorce?" "!" "You're going to divorce father?" "!" "But that's absolutely foul." "Why?" "Oh, all right, mother." "You don't have to tell me." "But it won't be made public, will it?" "Can't it be done secretly somehow?" "It's so beastly for you and..." "and everybody." "Well, everything will be done as quietly as possible." "You can be sure." "But why is it necessary at all?" "!" "Mother doesn't want to get married again, do you, mother?" "No, darling." "No." "You don't understand what your mother's had to put up with all these years." "This is just the last straw." "Shall I tell him?" "Your father's always been a burden." "Your mother's paid his debts over and over again." "He's got drunk." "Well, you've seen that for yourself." "And in that state he's abused your mother and threatened her." "Now he's gone of to Buenos Aires with a woman, a dancer." "He took your mother's pearls and gave them to her." "That will do, soames." "Stop!" "Well, we can't have it starting all over again if he comes back." "There is a limit." "I see." "But you won't bring that out about the pearls, will you?" "I couldn't bear that." "Oh, no, val." "Never." "But you had to know everything, darling." "We had to make you understand." "But why is it necessary now?" "Why not wait?" "No." "There's nothing so fatal as delay in these matters." "I tell you boy, there's nothing so fatal as delay!" "I know from experience." "Look, I don't want to speak ill of your father." "But of this I am sure, he'll be back on your mother's hands within a year." "Well, she's suffered enough." "The only thing to do is to cut the knot for good." "He's right, val." "I'm afraid he is right." "All right, mother." "We'll back you up." "But I want to know when it's going to be." "I don't want it to happen in term-time." "Oh, my dear boy." "It is a bore for you." "Well, he had to be told." "I know, but..." "Now, look here." "I've drafted a letter for you to write." ""I have received your letter with the news that you have left me forever and are on your way to Buenos Aires." ""It has naturally been a great shock." ""I am writing to tell you that I am prepared to let bygones be bygones if you will return to me at once." "I beg you to do so."" "There's a lot more along the same lines but..." "Does it have to be so...?" "So?" "What, humble?" "Yes, it does." "Every word of that letter will tell in court." "Mr. Jolyon Forsyte has called, madam." "Jo?" "Here?" "He asked for mr." "Soames, madam." "Please show him in." "He's Irene's trustee, you know." "I asked him to see her." "Oh?" "What about?" "I'll tell you when he's gone." "Then I'll leave you." "Mr. Forsyte, madam." "Thank you." "My dear winifred." "Good afternoon, jo." "I shouldn't have known you." "It's the beard." "And old age." "Nonsense." "You have business to discuss, so will you excuse me?" "Yes, of course." "I went to your office, soames, and gradman told me i should find you here." "As I shall not be in london again for some time, I thought perhaps that..." "I'm obliged to you." "I've seen Irene." "Well?" "She has remained faithful to memory." "Oh, she told me to tell you how sorry she was you're not free." "Sorry." "Well, you know your law better than I do, Soames, and what chance you have after so long." "No, I can't go on like this." "I tell you I can't go on like this." "But surely it's up to yourself." "A man can always put these things through if he takes it on himself." "Well, why should I?" "Why should I suffer more?" "Anyway, it's of no matter." "What you have to face now is the facts... or rather the lack of them." "Lack of them?" "I'm not so sure of that." "I beg your pardon." "What she told me was quite explicit." "I dare say." "But in my experience, her word is not to be trusted." "We shall see." "Good day to you." "Jo?" "Soames?" "It's intolerable!" "My neck's in chancery, and I've got to get out." "I'm a wealthy man, but... oh, that means nothing, nothing at all, unless you've got someone else to take an interest." "Someone to leave it to." "The older one gets, the more it matters." "Yes, dear, I know." "You see, winifred, I met someone, a french girl." "At last." "Oh, Soames, I am glad." "But she's years younger than me." "But that doesn't matter." "Not a bit." "Do you love her?" "Well, she's pretty and attractive and sensible." "I want her." "I want a son and by god, Winifred, I'm going to get one." "Soames, can you get free?" "Is Jo going to help with Irene?" "Oh, that fellow is on her side." "Oh, no." "You want something done, you must do it yourself." "Who shall I say it is, sir?" "Mr. Forsyte." "Very good, sir." "Excuse me, ma'am." "Mr. Forsyte to see you." "Would you come this way, sir?" "You?" "Yes." "I hope I find you well." "Thank you." "Will you sit down?" "You don't change." "No?" "What have you come for?" "To discuss things." "I've heard what you want from your cousin." "Well?" "I'm willing." "I always have been." "Perhaps you'll be good enough to give me the information on which I can act." "I have none to offer that you don't already know." "After 12 years?" "Do you expect me to believe that?" "I don't expect you to believe anything I say." "But it's the truth." "The truth." "When did you ever tell me the truth?" "Always." "I suppose you're quite comfortably off now?" "Thank you, yes." "Well, why didn't you let me provide for you?" "I would have." "In spite of everything." "Well, you're still my wife." "I'm not dangerous." "Well, you may as well tell me." "It's to your interest as well as to mine to be free." "I have told you." "You mean to say that in all that time there's been... no one?" "No one." "You better look to your own life." "Oh, no." "No, that won't do." "You deserted me." "In common justice, you... why didn't you divorce me then?" " I shouldn't have cared." "If only you'd been a... if you'd been a good wife to me, in spite of everything, in spite of all that happened," "I would have been only too glad to..." "No, you wouldn't." "All those years have been wasted, for you as well as for me." "Yes." "It was a crime to marry you, but I've paid for it." "You'll find some way perhaps." "Well, you needn't mind about my reputation," "I have none to lose." "Now, I think you'd better go." "Where did you get this from?" "I bought its fellow at jobson's the other day." "Remember how we used to buy china together?" "Take it." "I don't want it." "Irene... all I would like... well, couldn't we at least shake hands?"