Soamestookacupofteafromher，drankitquickly，andatethreeofthosemacaroonsforwhichTimothy’swasfamous。Hisfaint，pale，supercilioussmilehaddeepenedjustalittle。Really，hisfamilyremainedhopelesslyprovincial，howevermuchofLondontheymightpossessbetweenthem。Inthesego-aheaddaystheirprovinc-
　　ialismstaredoutevenmorethanitusedto。Why，oldNicholaswasstillaFreeTrader，andamemberofthatantediluvianhomeofLiberalism，theRemoveClub——though，tobesure，thememberswereprettywellallConservativesnow，orhehimselfcouldnothavejoined；andTimothy，theysaid，stillworeanightcap。AuntJuleyspokeagain。DearSoameswaslookingsowell，hardlyadayolderthanhedidwhendearAnndied，andtheywerealltheretogether，dearJolyon，anddearSwithin，anddearRoger。Shepausedandcaughtthetearwhichhadclimbedthepoutonherrightcheek。Didhe——didheeverhearanythingofIrenenowadays?AuntHestervisiblyinterposedhershoulder。Really，Juleywasalwayssayingsomething！ThesmileleftSoames’face，andheputhiscupdown。
　　Herewashissubjectbroachedforhim，andforallhisdesiretoexpand，hecouldnottakeadvantage。
　　AuntJuleywentonratherhastily：”TheysaydearJolyonfirstleftherthatfifteenthousandoutandout；thenofcoursehesawitwouldnotberight，andmadeitforherlifeonly。”
　　HadSoamesheardthat?
　　Soamesnodded。”YourcousinJolyonisawidowernow。Heishertrustee；youknewthat，ofcourse?”
　　Soamesshookhishead。Hedidknow，butwishedtoshownointerest。YoungJolyonandhehadnotmetsincethedayofBosinney’sdeath。”Hemustbequitemiddle-agedbynow，”wentonAuntJuleydreamily。”Letmesee，hewasbornwhenyourdearunclelivedinMountStreet；longbeforetheywenttoStanhopeGateinDecember。JustbeforethatdreadfulCommune。Overfifty！Fancythat！Suchaprettybaby，andwewereallsoproudofhim；theveryfirstofyouall。”AuntJuleysighed，andalockofnotquiteherownhaircamelooseandstraggled，sothatAuntHestergavealittleshiver。
　　Soamesrose，hewasexperiencingacuriouspieceofself-discovery。
　　Thatoldwoundtohisprideandself-esteemwasnotyetclosed。Hehadcomethinkinghecouldtalkofit，evenwantingtotalkofhisfetteredcondition，and——behold！hewasshrinkingawayfromthisreminderbyAuntJuley，renownedforherMalapropisms。
　　Oh，Soameswasnotgoingalready！
　　Soamessmiledalittlevindictively，andsaid：”Yes。Good-bye。RemembermetoUncleTimothy！”And，leavingacoldkissoneachforehead，whosewrinklesseemedtotryandclingtohislipsasiflongingtobekissedaway，heleftthemlookingbrightlyafterhim——dearSoames，ithadbeensogoodofhimtocometo-day，whentheywerenotfeelingvery……！
　　WithcompunctiontweakingathischestSoamesdescendedthestairs，wherewasalwaysthatratherpleasantsmellofcamphorandportwine，andhousewheredraughtsarenotpermitted。Thepooroldthings——hehadnotmeanttobeunkind！Andinthestreetheinstantlyforgotthem，repossessedbytheimageofAnnetteandthethoughtofthecursedcoilaroundhim。WhyhadhenotpushedthethingthroughandobtaineddivorcewhenthatwretchedBosinneywasrunover，andtherewasevidencegalorefortheasking！AndheturnedtowardshissisterWinifredDartie’sresidenceinGreenStreet，Mayfair。
　　CHAPTERII
　　EXITAMANOFTHEWORLD
　　ThatamanoftheworldsosubjecttothevicissitudesoffortunesasMontagueDartieshouldstillbelivinginahousehehadinhabitedtwentyyearsatleastwouldhavebeenmorenoticeableiftherent，rates，taxes，andrepairsofthathousehadnotbeendefrayedbyhisfather-in-law。BythatsimpleifwholesaledeviceJamesForsytehadsecuredacertainstabilityinthelivesofhisdaughterandhisgrandchildren。Afterall，thereissomethinginvaluableaboutasaferoofovertheheadofasportsmansodashingasDartie。Untiltheeventsofthelastfewdayshehadbeenalmost-supernaturallysteadyallthisyear。ThefactwashehadacquiredahalfshareinafillyofGeorgeForsyte’s，whohadgoneirreparablyontheturf，tothehorrorofRoger，nowstilledbythegrave。Sleeve-links，byMartyr，outofShirt-on-fire，bySuspender，wasabayfilly，threeyearsold，whoforavarietyofreasonshadnevershownhertrueform。Withhalfownershipofthishopefulanimal，alltheidealismlatentsomewhereinDartie，asineveryotherman，hadputupitshead，andkepthimquietlyardentformonthspast。Whenamanhassomethinggoodtoliveforitisastonishinghowsoberhebecomes；andwhatDartiehadwasreallygood——athreetoonechanceforanautumnhandicap，publiclyassessedattwenty-fivetoone。Theold-fashionedheavenwasapoorthingbesideit，andhisshirtwasonthedaughterofShirt-
　　on-fire。ButhowmuchmorethanhisshirtdependedonthisgranddaughterofSuspender！Atthatrovingageofforty-five，tryingtoForsytes——and，thoughperhapslessdistinguishablefromanyotherage，tryingeventoDarties——Montaguehadfixedhiscurrentfancyonadancer。Itwasnomeanpassion，butwithoutmoney，andagooddealofit，likelytoremainaloveasairyasherskirts；andDartieneverhadanymoney，subsistingmiserablyonwhathecouldbegorborrowfromWinifred——awomanofcharacter，whokepthimbecausehewasthefatherofherchildren，andfromalingeringadmirationforthosenow-dyingWardourStreetgoodlookswhichintheiryouthhadfascinatedher。She，togetherwithanyoneelsewhowouldlendhimanything，andhislossesatcardsandontheturfextraordinaryhowsomemenmakeagoodthingoutoflosses！werehiswholemeansofsubsistence；forJameswasnowtoooldandnervoustoapproach，andSoamestooformidablyadamant。ItisnottoomuchtosaythatDartiehadbeenlivingonhopeformonths。Hehadneverbeenfondofmoneyforitself，hadalwaysdespisedtheForsyteswiththeirinvestinghabits，thoughcarefultomakesuchuseofthemashecould。Whathelikedaboutmoneywaswhatitbought——personalsensation。”Norealsportsmancaresformoney，”hewouldsay，borrowinga’pony’ifitwasnousetryingfora’monkey。’TherewassomethingdeliciousaboutMontagueDartie。Hewas，asGeorgeForsytesaid，a’daisy。’
　　ThemorningoftheHandicapdawnedclearandbright，thelastdayofSeptember，andDartiewhohadtravelledtoNewmarketthenightbefore，arrayedhimselfinspotlesschecksandwalkedtoaneminencetoseehishalfofthefillytakeherfinalcanter：Ifshewonhewouldbeacoolthreethou。inpocket——apoorenoughrecompenseforthesobrietyandpatienceoftheseweeksofhope，whiletheyhadbeennursingherforthisrace。Buthehadnotbeenabletoaffordmore。Shouldhe’layitoff’attheeighttoonetowhichshehadadvanced?Thiswashissinglethoughtwhilethelarkssangabovehim，andthegrassydownssmelledsweet，andtheprettyfillypassed，tossingherheadandglowinglikesatin。
　　Afterall，ifhelostitwouldnotbehewhopaid，andto’layitoff’wouldreducehiswinningstosomefifteenhundred——hardlyenoughtopurchaseadanceroutandout。EvenmorepotentwastheitchinthebloodofalltheDartiesforarealflutter。AndturningtoGeorgehesaid：”She’saclipper。She’llwinhandsdown；Ishallgothewholehog。”George，whohadlaidoffeverypenny，andafewbesides，andstoodtowin，howeveritcameout，grinneddownonhimfromhisbulkyheight，withthewords：”Soho，mywildone！”forafterachequeredapprenticeshipweatheredwiththemoneyofadeeplycomplainingRoger，hisForsytebloodwasbeginningtostandhimingoodsteadintheprofessionofowner。
　　Therearemomentsofdisillusionmentinthelivesofmenfromwhichthesensitiverecordershrinks。Sufficeittosaythatthegoodthingfelldown。Sleeve-linksfinishedintheruck。Dartie’sshirtwaslost。
　　BetweenthepassingofthesethingsandthedaywhenSoamesturnedhisfacetowardsGreenStreet，whathadnothappened！
　　WhenamanwiththeconstitutionofMontagueDartiehasexercisedself-controlformonthsfromreligiousmotives，andremainsun-
　　rewarded，hedoesnotcurseGodanddie，hecursesGodandlives，tothedistressofhisfamily。
　　Winifred——apluckywoman，ifalittletoofashionable——whohadbornethebruntofhimforexactlytwenty-oneyears，hadneverreallybelievedthathewoulddowhathenowdid。Likesomanywives，shethoughtsheknewtheworst，butshehadnotyetknownhiminhisforty-fifthyear，whenhe，likeothermen，feltthatitwasnowornever。Payingonthe2ndofOctoberavisitofinspec-
　　tiontoherjewelcase，shewashorrifiedtoobservethatherwoman’scrownandglorywasgone——thepearlswhichMontaguehadgivenherin’86，whenBenedictwasborn，andwhichJameshadbeencompelledtopayforinthespringof’87，tosavescandal。Sheconsultedherhusbandatonce。He’pooh-poohed’thematter。Theywouldturnup！Nortillshesaidsharply：”Verywell，then，Monty，IshallgodowntoScotlandYardmyself，”didheconsenttotakethematterinhand。Alas！thatthesteadyandresolvedcontinuityofdesignnecessarytotheaccomplishmentofsweepingoperationsshouldbeliabletointerruptionbydrink。ThatnightDartiereturnedhomewithoutacareintheworldoraparticleofreticence。UndernormalconditionsWinifredwouldmerelyhavelockedherdoorandlethimsleepitoff，buttorturingsuspenseaboutherpearlshadcausedhertowaitupforhim。Takingasmallrevolverfromhispocketandholdingontothediningtable，hetoldheratoncethathedidnotcareacurshwhethersheliveds’longasshewasquiet；buthehimselfwashtiredo’life。
　　Winifred，holdingontotheothersideofthediningtable，answered：”Don’tbeaclown，Monty。HaveyoubeentoScotlandYard?”
　　Placingtherevolveragainsthischest，Dartiehadpulledthetriggerseveraltimes。Itwasnotloaded。Droppingitwithanimprecation，hehadmuttered：”Forshakeo’thechildren，”andsankintoachair。Winifred，havingpickeduptherevolver，gavehimsomesodawater。Theliquorhadamagicaleffect。Lifehadillusedhim；Winifredhadnever’unshtood’m。’Ifhehadn’ttherighttotakethepearlshehadgivenherhimself，whohad?ThatSpanishfillyhadgot’m。IfWinifredhadany’jectionhew’dcut——
　　her——throat。Whatwasthematterwiththat?Probablythefirstuseofthatcelebratedphrase——soobscurearetheoriginsofeventhemostclassicallanguage！