"Fleur." "Hello, Jon." "Did I feed you well?" "Splendidly." "Well, how are you, Fleur?" "Not tired after all that?" "No, not a bit." "How did you like stoking?" "Oh, fine, after the first day." "It's good hard work." "Anne isn't down yet." "She'll be sorry not to see you." "She thinks you're a wonder." "Well, she was quite a help." "Nearly seven years, Jon." "I never thought I'd see you again." "You haven't changed much." "Well, nor have you." "I have, a lot." "Well, I don't see it." "I came to see Holly." "Canteen accounts." "An anticlimax, but it has to be done." "I expect she'll be down soon." "Not too soon, I hope." "Well, how does England feel?" "Topping." "I'm back for life." "Anne says she doesn't mind." "Are you going to settle here?" "I expect so." "Somewhere near Val and Holly," "I think,if we can find the right farm." "Still keen on growing things?" "Oh, yes." "More than ever." "Farmer Jon." "Any poetry?" "Oh, not much." "Pretty dull, anyway." "A voice in the night crying down from the old sleeping spanish city" "darkened under her white stars." "Good lord!" "You remember?" "How could I forget?" "You sent it to me from Spain." "Yes." "Yes, I did." "Do you remember our walk up to Chanctonbury?" "I remember everything, Fleur." "That's honest." "So do I." "It took me a long time to remember how to forget." "How long did it take you?" "Oh, still longer, I expect." "Well, Michael's the best man I know." "And Anne's the best woman." "We're lucky, aren't we?" "Things fall on their feet." "Yes." "Yes, they do." "How old is she?" "She's 21." "Just right." "I was always too old for you." "Weren't we young fools?" "No!" "It was... it was natural and...beautiful." "Still the idealist." "Did Francis say much about me?" "Only that you had a lovely house." "Come and see it." "And that you nursed him like an angel." "Oh, no angel." "A young woman of fashion." "There's still a difference, you know." "You didn't tell Anne about us, did you?" "How did you know that?" "By the way she looks at me." "Well, why should I tell her?" "No reason." "No reason in the world." "It's all over." "And we're not children anymore, are we, Jon?" "No." "Oh, excuse me, mr." "Jon, but your breakfast is on the table." "Thank you, Smither." "I'm ravenous." "Well, Fleur." "Well, Jon?" "I've put a cup out for you, miss Fleur." "Oh." "Well, in that case, thank you very much." "Oh, Holly." "Good morning, Fleur." "Morning, Holly." "Morning, Jon." "It's been nice seeing you again, Jon." "Yes." "Goodbye, Fleur." "Au revoir." "Well, Fleur." "Why so early?" "Now, these accounts..." "oh, dear." "I have to see that official assert at 10." "There are three items here." "I've marked them query." "Bacon." "Flour." "Potatoes." "Are these the amounts that you ordered?" "Well, let me see." "Bacon, yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Good." "Good, I'll tick them off." "Oh, I think..." "when are you going to Wansdon?" "Oh, probably tomorow ." "Make it the day after, and come to lunch, all four of you." "Well, do you think that would be wise, Fleur?" "Well, I know it would be pleasant." "I'd like Jon and Anne to meet Michael." "And Kit, of course." "Well...shall we say 1:00?" "Must fly." "Mustn't keep bureaucrats waiting." "Fleur, dear." "How nice." "I'm just off." "See you all tomorrow." "Oh, well." "That was very sudden." "What did she come for?" "She said she came to see me about some canteen accounts." "Oh?" "Did you make a mistake?" "No, I didn't." "And she knew I hadn't." "Don't be cryptic, dear." "It's too early in the day." "What did she come for?" "She... she came to ask us all to lunch tomorrow." "Oh." "How nice." "Yes, but... yes, excellent thought." "Jon and Michael haven't met, have they?" "Well, I think they should." "Oh, it's you." "Still rattling about?" "Not anymore, duckie." "Canteen's finished." "I'm out of a job." "Good thing too." "Wearing yourself to a shadow." "I should think you'd be only too glad to have a bit more time for kit." "He's a rascal." "You know what he asked me for this morning?" "What?" "A hammer." "He loves breaking things up." "Children." "Did you give him one?" "I hadn't got one." "And what should I be doing with a hammer?" "You make more fuss of him than anyone." "Well, little chap's got a twinkle." "Mercifully." "Did you spoil me?" "I can't tell." "Do you feel spoiled?" "When I want things, I want them." "Yes, I dare say." "Well, you're not unique in that." "Weather seems settled." "Good." "May I bring Kit down to Mapledurham for a few days?" "Of course." "When?" "Say the day after tomorrow?" "Yes, certainly." "Good." "I only thought I'd mention it in case you want to go down there ahead of us, say tomorrow morning." "Oh, I'll go this afternoon." "If I'm not there, they won't air the beds properly." "That's nonsense." "But still... yes, there's nothing like country air after that canteen." "Good." "Yes, we'll have a bit of golf down there." "Good idea." "Hm." "Yes, I think I'm middle-aged enough for golf." "Oh!" "Michael." "Are you home for lunch?" "Yes." "Golly." "Well, what have you been up to?" "Oh, sitting on some moldy old committee to do with the ministry of health." "They're supposed to be discussing birth control." "No!" "Yes." "Well, are they for or against?" "I don't think they have the faintest idea." "Bad luck." "So there I sat for two hours, listening to arguments why i should oppose for other people what I practice myself." "Ridiculous." "So, what did you say?" "Well, I said they've got to speed up emigration." "Oh, Michael." "I know, darling, but I said if they don't, then there's nothing for it but birth control." "I went on to say... that as our lot are doing it all the time, and blinking the moral issue, if there is one," "I really didn't how we could insist on a moral issue for anyone else." "Particularly those who can't afford to support a lot of children when they have them." "I don't think the country's ready for opinions like that." "No, you're probably right." "Darling, would you do me up?" "Yes, of course." "Michael, will you be home for lunch tomorrow?" "I think so." "I've got to see uncle Hilary..." "Sorry.It's all right." "Uncle Hilary in the afternoon." "Why?" "I've asked aunt Winifred to bring Holly, and Jon and Anne Forsyte." "Yes." "Well, I thought they'd all been such bricks during the strike, and... well, you don't mind, do you?" "No, no, of course not." "Dad's going home tomorrow morning." "You won't tell him, will you?" "Why not?" "Well, he's so prejudiced." "It's primitive and idiotic." "Yes, it is rather." "Daddy's coming down for lunch in a minute." "Ah." "Good morning, Coaker." "Are you well?" "Thank you, ma'am." "Mr. And mrs." "Mont are in the drawing room." "Then we'll just go in, shall we?" "Come along, dears." "I'll lead the way." "Come in, Winifred." "Fleur, dear, here we all are." "How lovely you look." "My dear girl." "Freddie, how are you?" "Oh, my dear boy." "Hello, Michael.Hello, holly." "Are you well?" "Darling, this is Jon and Anne Forsyte." "This is my husband, Michael." "Well, just fancy that." "We meet again." "Good lord." "Was Fleur with you in Washington?" "Yes." "Isn't that fantastic?" "Darling, have I been kept in the dark?" "It was the hotel Potomac, you remember that day your father was ill in Washington?" "Yes, I remember." "I met them in the hotel foyer." "Ships that pass in the night." "Yes." "It can't have been all that dark." "Irene was there, wasn't she?" "You don't think that cousin Soames...?" "Sh!" "Discretion." "Well, everybody, do come sit down." "Darling, they'd all like a drink." "Of course." "Cocktail, everyone?" "Thank you." "Splendid." "Anne, do sit there." "Thanks." "How long did you spend in the states?" "Four weeks, coast to coast." "That's compulsory, isn't it?" "I guess so, though I haven't seen it." "Strictly for tourists." "What else?" "San Francisco, the rockies." "You know, the usual." "Did you see the south?" "No, but feel as though I've been there." "How come?" "Well, your brother, Francis." "Oh, yes, he surely loves his country." "It does grow on you, and, of course, some of it is very beautiful." "Prettier than Richmond park?" "Oh, you must forgive our insularity, Anne." "We like our scenery cozy." "Well, so do I." "Well, Anne if you haven't been there, why don't we all go down there this afternoon after lunch?" "What do you say, aunt winifred?" "Yes, dear, I haven't been there for years, and the chestnuts will be out." "Splendid." "And on the way back, Jon, we can look in at Robin hill." "Your old home, Jon." "Oh, yes, do let's." "But what about the potentate?" "The what?" "Lord Abberley." "I mean, he bought the place." "Oh, no." "He won't be there." "He's abroad somewhere." "Bangkok or Bangalore." "It was in the papers." "Well, then, that's settled." "We'll bribe the butler, and we'll all go round." "Darling, can you come?" "No." "Uncle Hilary." "Besides, the car will only take five, I'm afraid." "Luncheon is served, madam." "Thank you, Coaker." "Would you ask nanny to bring down Kit to join us for dessert?" "Yes, madam." "Thank you." "Would you like to see our son?" "Oh, I'd just love to see him." "Is he like you or michael?" "Well...a bit of both." "Yes." "Well, everybody, shall we go in?" "Anne, do take your sherry with you, if you'd like to." "Winifred, you must tell Anne about when the house was..." "Do you mind if I don't come with you?" "To Robin hill, I mean." "It's just that... no, that's all right, Holly." "I'm not too keen myself." "But, well..." "Anne seems to be." "Quite natural." "But so does Fleur." "I wonder why." "Have you forgotten?" "It used to belong to her father." "Come on." "So that's the famous view." "Well, don't you think?" "Yes, it's very pretty." "Yes." "My uncle Swithin admired it." "You know, they used to call him four-in-hand forsyte, though why, I can't tell, because he always drove a pair." "You know, I remember the day, it must be 40 years ago, when he drove Irene down here and they had a crash on the way home." "Oh, that caused a sensation on Forsyte change, well, Anne, dear, what do you think of it?" "Oh, it's gorgeous." "Such a beautiful setting." "I guess the house was considered pretty avant-garde when they built it." "Oh, outrageous!" "I never saw it myself, but my father came down once." "I remember his saying..." "Jon, the copse." "It's still there." "And all the bluebells will be out." "Shall we go down to the old log, where we met your mother and our stars were crossed?" "Oh,Jon." "You always were silent, weren't you?" "But your poems spoke for you." "I don't write any now." "No?" "Now, who was it that said that poetry is emotion recollected in tranquility?" "Perhaps you're not tranquil enough." "You don't look tranquil." "Or is it that you've forgotten the emotion?" "Fleur, I thought we'd settled this..." "And a good thing too." "Emotion's old-fashioned." "Shall we re-join the tour?" "Well, Michael?" "What do you think of the meads?" "Not much." "There's worse." "Oh, I don't believe you." "Oh, yes." "That's why I wanted you to see this, rather than tell you about it." "Anyway, we've bought this street." "Bought it?" "Well, who owned it?" "He lived in Capri." "I don't suppose he ever saw it." "He died the other day, and we got it quite reasonably." "How much?" "Thirty-two thousand." "Oh, good lord.Is it paid for?" "Well, no." "We've paid the deposit." "And we've got till september to pay the rest." "Don't touch the walls." "If you make a dent, the genuine article stalks forth." "Bugs?" "In their legions." "But each one of these houses is to be gutted and made as bright as a new pin." "And how long will that take you?" "About three years." "And the money?" "We'll win, wangle or scrounge it." "Uncle, are you telling me people want to live here?" "Simple economics." "Where else can they live so cheaply?" "No, where else could they live at all?" "Council flats." "They don't like them." "Besides, the rents are too high." "No, we've found that we can put houses like this into good, habitable condition at a fraction over the old rents, and pay two and a half percent on our outlay." "If we can do that here, it can be done for slums everywhere." "But you'll need a packet." "Where's it to come from?" "A general slum conversion fund." "Bonds at two percent with bonuses, repayable in 20 years." "How will you repay them?" "Oh, like the government." "By issuing more." "There must be people, rich people with a conscience, who are prepared to invest a small portion of their wealth at this rate of interest if it means the elimination of the slums." "Yes, possibly." "Well, who's to start this general fund?" "You, my dear boy." "You." "What that's why I brought you down here." "I can't go round starting general funds." "I thought you might like a cup of tea, mr." "Charwell." "I'm having one meself." "Thank you." "Well, it's always a comfort, isn't it?" "This is my nephew." "Mrs. Brewer, mr." "Michael Mont." "How do you do?" "Nicely, thank you." "Your uncle tells me you're an M.P." "Is that right?" "Yes, for mid-bucks." "My God." "They don't half catch them young, don't they?" "Here." "Do you like sugar?" "No, thank you." "Your uncle does, and you ought to." "Gives you energy and "it."" "Mrs. Brewer knows my wicked ways." "Yes." "Mr. Charwell, is it true you've bought the street?" "Do you mind?" "Well that depends, don't it?" "I mean, you won't turn us out?" "Not for the world, mrs." "Brewer." "Oh, there." "I said to them, "he might clean up our insides," I said," ""but he won't turn us out." "Not the vicar," I said." "We'll find you lodgings when we come to the time to do this house up." "And then you'll come back here to new walls and ceilings." "No more bugs." "And proper washing arrangements." "Electricity too." "That'll be the day." "It'll come." "Talk about bugs." "Oh, mr." "Mont, why you wouldn't credit it." "The last time brewer drove a nail in... well, the life in there." "Barnum and Bailey ain't in it." "Well, I'll leave you to your confab." "So long, mr." "Mont." "And help yourself to another cup of tea." "Thanks, mrs." "Brewer." "Salt of the earth, Michael, but what can they do?" "You must come in with us." "Must I?" "Tell me, uncle Hilary, have you heard of foggartism?" "Oh, yes, but you won't have a hope with that here." "Taking town children away from their parents?" "No, not a hope." "But the future shouldn't be so bound up with the towns." "It will be." "Well, who knows?" "One day there may be a city in mid-bucks." "Oh, God forbid." "I doubt if he will." "Now, what I want you to do is to get together an appeals committee, as high-powered as you can." "Sir Timothy Fanfield, for instance." "Fanfield?" "He's got it in for the slum landlords." "Yes." "Old shropshire on the electrification issue." "One of the big doctors." "A really whacking financier, preferably honest." "Anyway, I'll leave all that to you." "And then, when you've got them, I'll come down and talk their hind legs off." "What do you say?" "well, all right." "Good boy." "I'll try." "Mr. Dartie." "Hello, greenwater." "Anything amiss?" "Well, I hope not, mr." "Dartie, but there might be." "There was a son of a gun watching the gallops this morning." "The devil there was." "Rondavel." "Yes." "Yes, someone's been talking." "When they come watching a little stable like this... something's up." "But we haven't even mentioned the colt." "I know, mr." "Dartie." "The glasses were on him." "If you take my advice, you'll send him to ascot." "You think so?" "Well, let him run his chance on thursday." "We can ease him after, and bring him again for goodwood." "You afraid of overtiring him?" "He's fit now, and that's a fact." "I had the boy give him a shakeup this morning, and he just left them all standing." "I wish you'd been there." "Who can you get to ride at this notice?" "Young adams." "You've got it all cut and dried." "All right, greenwater.We'll go in force." "Good morning, mr." "Greenwater." "Morning, ma'am." "Val, did you know you have a visitor?" "No, who?" "A mr." "Stainford." "What?" "Isn't he the one that...?" "Yes." "Where is he?" "Bridget put him in the breakfast room." "Good god." "The silver." "It's all right." "I've been in there doing flowers." "Did he talk to you at all?" "A little." "Of all the confounded nerve!" "He's trying so hard to pretend." "It's pathetic, val.Tragic, I think." "Deal gently with him." "Well, that rather depends on what he's come for." "But tell me, could he have heard what Greenwater was saying out here?" "No." "No, I'm sure he couldn't." "I didn't." "Good." "Excuse me." "Hello." "Ah, Dartie." "I heard you had a stable down here." "Thought I'd look in on my way to Brighton." "Good of you." "They tell me you've got a two-year-old by kaffir out of sleeping dove." "Is he any use?" "So-so." "When are you going to run him?" "You know better than to ask me that." "I just thought you'd like me to work your commission." "I could do it much better than the pro'S." "Sorry, but I don't bet at all." "Is that possible?" "I say, Dartie, I didn't mean to bother you." "But if you could lend me, say, 30 pounds?" "Sorry, I keep hardly any money down here at all." "A check, perhaps?" "No." "Now, look here, Stainford... how did you get here?" "By car, from Horsham." "Oh, and that reminds me." "I haven't a sou with me to pay for it." "Well, here's a fiver, if that's any use to you." "But I'm really not game for any more." "I never forgot when I was at Oxford and damned hard-pressed," "I once lent you all the money I had." "You never paid me back, although you came into money that very term." "Oxford." "Another life." "Well, goodbye, Dartie." "And thanks." "Hope you'll have a good season." "Who is it?" "Irene." "Come in." "May I sit with you for a little?" "Or are you just going to bath?" "No." "No, I had my bath... and began to change, and then I looked out of the window," "and what with the scent of flowers and those doves... well, I guess I started daydreaming." "Do sit down." "Thank you, dear." "Jon not home yet?" "Not yet." "I hope it means he likes Greenhill." "I mean, if he didn't think the farm was okay, why, he'd have come home right away." "Yes." "Didn't you want to go with him?" "To see it?" "Of course, but I can go later, when he's made up his mind." "You leave it entirely to Jon?" "Oh, yes." "He knows what he wants." "And after all, he has to work the land." "I'd only be a distraction." "What about the house?" "If the land is his, the house is yours." "Well, I'll tell you." "The day after Jon talked about Greenhill," "I went over there, by myself." "You didn't." "Oh, yes, I did." "Deep." "Yes, wasn't it?" "So?" "So..." "I fell in love with it." "But you didn't tell Jon." "Why, no." "Supposing the soil wasn't right, or the price to high." "I wouldn't want him thinking he had to have it because of me." "You know, Anne, you're growing into a very wise woman." "Maybe, in some things." "Not all." "The trouble is... the trouble is I think I love him too much." "Don't ever think that." "Jon is a decent man." "I know." "Worth loving." "I know that, too." "Well, then." "Why did you suggest that I go to London at the time of the strike?" "So that you could be with Jon." "And because he might see Fleur?" "Perhaps." "What did you think of fleur?" "I think she's lovely.Yes." "And clever and quick.Yes." "And polished." "Everything I'm not." "Not everything, thank god." "She did love him once, didn't she?" "When they were young." "What makes you say that?" "The way she looks at him." "Or rather, the way she doesn't look." "I didn't notice." "I didn't notice anything, until that day we went to Robin hill." "Irene, what is it about that place?" "That's hard to say in a few words." "It was designed and built by... by a rather wonderful young man." "His name was Philip Bosinney." "If Philip had lived... but he didn't." "I lived there peacefully for 20 years with Jon's father." "Jon was born there." "For 20 years, Anne, that house was a place of great happiness." "No, longer than that, because uncle Jolyon spent his last years at Robin hill." "It's a part of Forsyte history." "But Fleur." "What has it got to do with Fleur?" "Fleur?" "Didn't they tell you that?" "Didn't they tell you that it was Fleur's father who first owned the house?" "That it was Soames Forsyte who commissioned it from Philip Bosinney?" "No." "But shouldn't I be told?" "Don't you think I ought to know all about it?" "And about Jon and Fleur?" "Yes." "Yes, Anne, I think perhaps you should." "Look... the central figure of a committee like this has got to be magnetic." "He's got to appeal to the general public." "Difficult, difficult." "One thing's certain." "You cannot afford cleverness." "Why not?" "The public's suffered too much from cleverness." "It worries them." "No." "Character's the thing." "Oh, Bart!" "Yes, I know." "Out of date with you young folks." "I have it!" "Wilfred Bentworth, last of the squires." "Old Bentworth?" "He is only my age, and he has nothing to do with politics." "Yes, but he's stupid." "Stupid?" "No." "Refused a peerage three times." "Think of the effect of that." "Oh, yes." "But Bart!" "The professional honest man?" "He is honest." "Yes, I know, and every time he speaks, he alludes to it." "True, true." "But Michael, he's got 20,000 acres and knows all about fattening stock." "He's on a railway board." "County cricket, chairman of a big hospital." "Everybody knows him, he invites royalty to shoot, goes back to saxon times." "In any other country, he'd frighten the life out of such a scheme, but in England... yes." "Yes, I see your point." "Clearly, he has nothing to gain, and isn't clever enough to cheat, even if he wanted to." "Right." "What about you, Bart?" "Will you come on the committee?" "Well, if you'd like to have me, it's time I did some work again." "Splendid!" "Well, we'll go and see Bentworth together, and then we'll go on and see old Shropshire." "Very well." "By the way, what does Fleur think of this "slum proposition,"" "as the yanks would say?" "Well, here she is." "Why don't you ask her?" "Oh, my dear." "A good idea, I think." "Better than birth control." "At least everybody knows what the slums are." "Better than foggartism." "Oh, yes." "Poor old foggartism." "Fleur, darling, Bart and I have got to go and see some rather important people, so I'll see you at dinner." "Oh, will you be back, Bart?" "Father's in town." "Oh, thank you, if I may." "Good." "Well, goodbye, my dear." "Come along, Bart." "Goodbye, darlings." "Goodbye." ""When a man's in love with someone he must be indeed a dumb one"" "Mrs. Mont speaking." "Hello, dear." "It's you, aunt Winifred.How are you?" "I'm well, Fleur, and I hope you are." "Yes, very well, thank you." "Good." "Now, I've just had a letter from Holly." "It appears that Val has a horse running at Ascot on gold cup day." "In the gold cup?" "But how thrilling." "Not in it, dear." "Val's horse is too small for that." "Or too young, I'm not sure which." "He's only two years old." "Imagine." "Now, they'll all be going, of course." "And I thought it might be rather amusing if I got up a little party too." "Imogen and Jack, of course, and you and Michael." "Well, it sounds delightful." "I'll certainly come, though whether Michael... he's got a new slogan, you know, "broader gutters."" "Oh." "No, no, no, it's only aunt Winifred." "Do you want to speak to her?" "Um...no." "So sorry, aunt Winifred." "Dad's just come in." "Ask him if he'd like to come too." "I don't suppose he's even seen a racecourse." "Well, no, no, I'm sure he won't." "Ask him, dear." "He ought to get about more." "Aunt winifred's taking a party to Ascot, and she wants to know if you'll come." "What's that?" "Well, why not ." "Yes, I'd like to know what goes on." "Just once, anyway." "Yes." "Tell her I'll come." "He says he will." "Delightful." "Has he got a gray topper?" "Um, daddy, have you...?" "Fleur." "Fleur, dear.Yes?" "Don't say anything to him, Fleur." "Just get him one." "Size seven and a quarter." "And Fleur, tell them to heat the hat and squash it in at the sides, otherwise they're too round for him." "Heat it and squash it in at the sides?" "Yes." "All right, then, aunt Winifred." "Well, that'll be fun." "Goodbye." "Goodbye, dear." "What on earth do you want to go to Ascot for?" "Oh, well, I don't know." "They tell me it's the national pastime." "The sport of kings, duckie." "Yes, that may be." "They talk about nothing else at my barber'S." "A sovereign on this, a fiver on the other." "I don't suppose half of them have ever seen a horse." "Well, the idea is to get something for nothing." "That's human nature." "Yes, well, I shall go because..." "I like to know what's going on." "Yes." "Yes, you do, duckie, don't you?" "Bentworth?" "Has he agreed to sit on this committee?" "Yes, sir." "What's he got to do with slums?" "Well, he doesn't approve of vermin, sir." "Well, who does?" "And he's all for improving the human stock." "I see." "His shorthorns are good." "A solid fellow behind the times." "But that's we want you, Marquess." "My dear young Mont, I'm too old." "Oh, on the contrary." "Frankly, sir, we've come to you because part of my uncle Hilary's plan is the electrification of the kitchens." "As an authority, you'll keep that well to the fore." "Hilary charwell." "I once heard him preach in st." "Paul'S." "Most amusing." "What do the slum-dwellers say to electrification, eh?" "Well, nothing till it's done, of course, but when it is done, they're delighted." "It appears there are no flies on your uncle." "Yes, and with electricity, we hope, no flies on anything else." "Well, it's the right end of the stick." "Well, marquess?" "Well, I'd like to." "My trouble is, I've no money, and I don't like appealing to others if I can't put down something substantial myself." "I suppose you don't know anyone who'd like to buy some lace?" "Point de venise, the real stuff." "Or, I have a morland." "Well, my father-in-law was saying the other day he wanted a morland." "Has he a good home for it?" "It's a white pony." "It'll be in good company, sir." "Any chance of it going to the nation in time?" "Every chance, I should think." "well, then perhaps your father-in law would come and have a look at it." "Well, that's very handsome of you, marquess." "Not at all." "I believe in electricity, and I detest smoke." "This seems a movement in the right direction." "Your father-in-law, mr." "Forsyte, surely?" "Yes, sir." "He's quite well-known as a collector." "Yes, I remember there was a law case." "My granddaughter, Marjorie Ferrar, and your wife." "But that's all over." "I trust you're friends again." "Well, we're on speaking terms when we meet, which isn't often." "Nothing lasts with you young people." "What do you say, Mont, eh?" "Why, the younger generation seem to have forgotten the war already." "Is that such a bad thing, marquess?" "Oh, I don't complain." "Rather the contrary." "Have some Madeira." "Oh, thank you." "By the way, you'll need someone with plenty of money on this committee of yours." "One of the new men, I should think." "Can you suggest someone?" "Well, my next-door neighbor might serve." "A fellow called Montras." "Came from nowhere and made millions, I believe, out of elastic bands." "Has some sort of patent for making them last just long enough." "I wish I'd thought of it myself." "Do you know him, marquess?" "No, but I see him sometimes." "He gazes at me longingly." "But then, I don't use them." "Elastic bands, I mean." "Perhaps if you mention my name... oh, don't worry, marquess, we shall." "He has a wife, and no title at present." "I should guess he might be looking for some public work." "Well, he sounds just the man." "Do you think we ought to venture now?" "Try." "A domestic character, I'm told." "Oh." "Then we ought to find him at home." "Imagine." "Every kitchen in the slums, electrified." "Any man who helped financially toward that would earn his knighthood better than most." "Eh, young Mont?" "Oh, yes, yes, I agree." "True public service." "I suppose we mustn't... dangle the knighthood." "In these days, no, I think not." "Just give him the names of his colleagues on the committee." "The man can't be a fool, or he wouldn't be so rich." "Well, thank you very much, marquess." "We'll let you know how it goes." "Please do." "You know, I like to see young politicians taking an interest in the future of England." "Because, in fact, no amount of politics will prevent her having one." "That's my own opinion exactly, sir." "Good." "By the way, have you had your own kitchen electrified?" "Well, my wife and i were thinking about it, sir." "Don't think." "Have it done." "Eh, young Mont?" "Well, we certainly shall, now." "Yes, now's the time." "We must strike while the coal strike is on." "If there's anything shorter than the public's memory," "I'm not aware of it." "Is my father down yet?" "Not yet, ma'am." "Miss Forsyte is here." "Who?" "Miss June Forsyte, ma'am." "She's in the drawing room." "Oh!" "Well, thank you." "Fragonard." "Chardin." "It's a flimsy school, that, but I like your room." "Harold Blade's pictures would look splendid in here." "Do you know his work?" "No." "No, I'm afraid I don't." "Oh." "Well, anyway, do sit down." "Is mr." "Blade one of your discovery?" "Yes." "He's a genius." "Oh, well then, what happened to that polish-american chap," "Boris something-or-other." "Oh, completely gone to pieces, utterly." "Married and does purely commercial work." "Oh, he gets big prices now, for absolute rubbish." "Oh, poor chap." "Yes, it is a pity." "So Jon and his wife are back in England." "Yes, they seem to have abandoned America for good." "I can't see Anne being happy here." "Thank you, no." "Holly tells me you went to America." "Did you see Jon there?" "No, not quite." "I wonder if there's an opening for Harold's work there?" "Do you think they'd like it?" "Well, it's difficult to say, not knowing his work." "Oh, yes." "I want you to sit for a portrait." "Will you?" "Your father really ought to arrange it, you know, Fleur." "I mean, with your position in society, and especially after that case last year." "Well, it all helps." "Oh, it would be the making of poor Harold, and... well, at least come and see his work." "Yes, I should like to." "Have you seen Jon yet?" "No." "They're coming on friday." "I hope I shall like Anne." "Do you?" "Jon's choice?" "Of course." "What time are you generally in?" "Between 5:00 and 7:00 would be best." "Harold goes out then." "He has my studio, you know." "I can show you his work much better without him." "He's so touchy... but extraordinary with women." "I want him to paint anne too." "Well, then shouldn't Jon see him first?" "Oh, perhaps." "What about your father?" "Well, if I decide to be painted, then leave my father to me." "Very well." "Soames instinctively likes the wrong thing, but if you tell him... well, he always spoils you." "Well, I'll come." "Splendid." "Perhaps not this week." "I shall expect you." "Is your husband well?" "A nice man." "I think so." "I don't know if Harold will like your hair." "Well, I'm afraid I can't change it for him." "Would you like a drink?" "My father will be down in a minute." "Oh, I don't think I particularly want to meet him." "Well, I expect he'll feel just the same!" "Good evening, Soames." "Good evening." "Goodbye, Fleur." "Good night, June." "What does that woman want here?" "Nothing much." "She's a stormy petrel." "She's got another painter." "Oh, some lame duck or other." "She's famous for them." "Has been all her life, ever since she... she wouldn't come here." "without wanting something." "Did she get it?" "No more than I did." "What's all this about Michael and the slums?" "Oh, he's head over ears." "What?" "In debt?" "Oh, good gracious me, no, duckie." "The slums have replaced fogartism" "I hardly ever see him." "Slums need dealing with,no doubt." "He's got to have something to do." "Michael's too good to live." "Oh?" "Well, all I know is, he's very trustful." "That's not your failing, is it, duckie?" "You don't trust me a bit." "Not trust you?" "!" "And why not?" "Exactly." "I suppose june wanted me to buy a picture." "No, she wants you to have me painted." "Oh?" "Does she?" "What's the name of her lame duck?" "Harold Blade,I think." "Never heard of him." "I expect you will." "That woman's like a limpet." "It's in the blood." "Forsyte blood?" "Yes." "You and I too, then." "Yes." "You and I too." "Isn't that nice?" "Oh, splendid." "There we are, uncle Soames." "Yes." "You'll see everything from here." "That fellow Riggs took his time getting here, didn't he?" "Oh, no, uncle." "That was Jack's doing." "When he's got to go through eton, he always likes to go through Harrow first." "Do have my glasses, sir." "Mama, I think we'll just go down to the paddock." "Is that all right?" "Yes Come along, Jack." "You do look well in that hat, dear." "White elephant." "Not at all." "It'll last you for years." "The great thing is to prevent the moth getting at it between seasons." "Oh." "Fleur?" "Aren't you going to get cold in that flimsy thing?" "Of course not." "It'll rain, I shouldn't wonder." "What a lot of cars coming down." "I do think it's splendid that so many people should have the money." "Know where they get it from." "Consols going down, factories closing all over the country." "Soames, look!" "The royal procession." "It's all rather splendid, don't you think?" "Fancy driving up like that." "I think it's so amusing." "Where have the others gone?" "Jack's taken them down to the paddock." "Paddock?" "What for?" "To look at the horses, dear." "Oh." "Oh, yes." "I'll follow them down, I think." "There we are." "Thank you." "Why, this is just great." "Hey, what's next?" "It's the gold cup." "Well, what do you all fancy?" "There's a creature here called Solario." "Is he any good, Val?" "Good?" "What do you say, Greenwater?" "Best in the field, mrs." "Forsyte." "Yes, but will he stay in the running?" "Well, barring accidents, he'll walk it." "Will you back him for me, dear?" "Solario?" "Not much, now." "Don't you want to come down and see them in the paddock?" "I think not." "I'm very comfortable here." "I think I should stay too." "You're coming?" "Yes, please." "Come on, then." "We'll see you later." "Ten bob each way on..." "I can't pronounce it." "Well, if you really want to chuck money away... but I do, Val." "That's what I came for." "There they go." "Last chance of a flutter, uncle Soames." "A what?" "A bet." "Look, sir." "There's the favorite." "Where?" "Rutherford's Solario, Joe child's up." "That's the one." "What do you think of him?" "Nice enough nag." "He'll should start about evens." "I hope to God he beat the frenchman." "We want a cup or two left in the country." "Frenchman?" "What frenchman?" "Priori the second." "Where?" "There." "Damn fine horse." "Indeed, yes." "Well, Jack, put me a fiver on the englishman." "We've just got time to see his from thels before saddling Rondavel." "Greenwater?" "Hello, Jon." "Hello, fleur." "I didn't expect to see you here." "Must you say that sort of thing?" "Oh, small talk." "One has to say something." "Have you backed a horse?" "Yes, yes." "Pons asinorum." "You?" "The french one, of course." "Come on." "Shall we get down to the rails?" "You've got Anne all day and all night." "Come with me for a change." "Excuse me." "I can't see mine anywhere." "Oh, lord, yes, there he is, miles behind." "What's in front?" "I think it's Solario." "No, no, it's not." "It's that french beast!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Whatever your name is!" "Well done, that horse." "Oh!" "Bad luck, Fleur." "Yours was second." "Did you back him each way?" "No." "For me, it's all or nothing." "Yes." "Yes, that's like you." "Well..." "Jon, shall we see Rondavel win from here?" "Come on, Jon, please." "I want to talk to you." "Have you found a place to grow things yet?" "Yes." "A place near Wansdon, Greenhill farm." "Plenty of fruit, a lot of grass, some arable." "If Anne likes it, then... yes, of course." "I've been thinking, in spite of everything, we can be friends, can't we?" "I hope so." "Can you spot Rondavel?" "Oh, look!" "There he is." "Green with a yellow sash." "Oh, yes, I've got him." "Val's horse won, dear." "Isn't that nice?" "I'm tired." "There's too much noise out here." "I'll go and wait in the car." "So you see, Jon, we don't have to worry, do we?" "This isn't the romantic age." "What do you mean by that?" "Well, I think it's rot to talk about ages being this or that." "I mean, human feelings remain the same." "Nothing's worth more than a tear or two." "I found that out." "But I forgot." "You hate cynicism." "Is Anne still enjoying England?" "Yes." "Yes, she's loving it." "I expect she's picking up english fast." "You don't like her." "Like her?" "Jon, of course I do." "And here she is." "Hello, Jon." "Did you see the race?" "Yes, from the rails." "I say, Val, congratulations." "Oh, thanks." "We got a shocking price, only four to one." "Yes, someone must have known something." "Devilish odd." "No stable money on." "Hello, Julia." "Come along, darling." "We must get together soon." "Yes, we'll do that, sometime." "Goodbye, Jon." "Well done, Val." "Bye-bye, Fleur." "Hello, my darling." "Have you had a good day?" "If you mean did I win any money, no." "Oh, bad luck." "No, racing's all right." "It takes you out of yourself." "That was the beauty of the canteen." "Oh, Michael, find me another job." "Oh, well, that's easy." "Joint secretary with me of the slums conversion fund." "Are they worth converting?" "I think so." "All right." "You're tired, aren't you, Fleur?" "Yes." "Of me?" "I should never be tired of you," "Doesn't that mean you'd never have a feeling so definite, Fleur?" "No, it means..." "I know a good thing, and even a good person, when I've got one." "Oh, if only one weren't so complex." "You're lucky, you're single-hearted." "It's the greatest gift." "Well, don't ever become too serious, will you, Michael?" "Oh, no." "After all, comedy's the real thing." "Darling..." "I'm not happy." "Anne, why not?" "Because Fleur's in love with you." "I saw it at Ascot." "I guess I'm old-fashioned." "That's all right." "So am I." "You mustn't stop loving me." "Oh, my darling." "How could I?" "Because men do." "And it's not the fashion to be faithful." "Bosh, darling." "Fashion has nothing whatever to do with it." "And you did love her once." "I know you did." "I wish you'd told me." "Oh, Jon,I wish you'd told me." "Love me, Jon." "Love me." "She's still there, somewhere... wanting you."