Winifred，whohadlearnedself-containmentinahardschool，lookedupathim，andsaid：”Spanishfilly！DoyoumeanthatgirlwesawdancinginthePandemoniumBallet?Well，youareathiefandablackguard。”Ithadbeenthelaststrawonasorelyloadedconsciousness；reachingupfromhischairDartieseizedhiswife’sarm，andrecallingtheachievementsofhisboyhood，twistedit。
　　Winifredenduredtheagonywithtearsinhereyes，butnomurmur。
　　Watchingforamomentofweakness，shewrencheditfree；thenplacingthediningtablebetweenthem，saidbetweenherteeth：”Youarethelimit，Monty。”Undoubtedlytheinceptionofthatphrase——
　　soisEnglishformedunderthestressofcircumstances。LeavingDartiewithfoamonhisdarkmoustacheshewentupstairs，and，afterlockingherdoorandbathingherarminhotwater，layawakeallnight，thinkingofherpearlsadorningtheneckofanother，andoftheconsiderationherhusbandhadpresumablyreceivedtherefor。
　　Themanoftheworldawokewithasenseofbeinglosttothatworld，andadimrecollectionofhavingbeencalleda’limit。’Hesatforhalfanhourinthedawnandthearmchairwherehehadsleptperhapstheunhappiesthalf-hourhehadeverspent，foreventoaDartiethereissomethingtragicaboutanend。Andheknewthathehadreachedit。Neveragainwouldhesleepinhisdining-roomandwakewiththelightfilteringthroughthosecurtainsboughtbyWinifredatNickensandJarveyswiththemoneyofJames。Neveragaineatadevilledkidneyatthatrose-woodtable，afterarollinthesheetsandahotbath。Hetookhisnotecasefromhisdresscoatpocket。Fourhundredpounds，infivesandtens——theremainderoftheproceedsofhishalfofSleeve-links，soldlastnight，cashdown，toGeorgeForsyte，who，havingwonovertherace，hadnotconceivedthesuddendisliketotheanimalwhichhehimselfnowfelt。TheballetwasgoingtoBuenosAiresthedayafterto-morrow，andhewasgoingtoo。Fullvalueforthepearlshadnotyetbeenreceived；hewasonlyatthesoup。
　　Hestoleupstairs。Notdaringtohaveabath，orshavebesides，thewaterwouldbecold，hechangedhisclothesandpackedstealthilyallhecould。Itwashardtoleavesomanyshiningboots，butonemustsacrificesomething。Then，carryingavaliseineitherhand，hesteppedoutontothelanding。Thehousewasveryquiet——thathousewherehehadbegottenhisfourchildren。Itwasacuriousmoment，this，outsidetheroomofhiswife，onceadmired，ifnotperhapsloved，whohadcalledhim’thelimit。’Hesteeledhimselfwiththatphrase，andtiptoedon；butthenextdoorwashardertopass。Itwastheroomhisdaughterssleptin。Maudwasatschool，butImogenwouldbelyingthere；andmoisturecameintoDartie’searlymorningeyes。Shewasthemostlikehimofthefour，withherdarkhair，andherlusciousbrownglance。Justcomingout，aprettything！Hesetdownthetwovalises。Thisalmostformalabdicationoffatherhoodhurthim。Themorninglightfellonafacewhichworkedwithrealemotion。Nothingsofalseaspenitencemovedhim；butgenuinepaternalfeeling，andthatmelancholyof’neveragain。’Hemoistenedhislips；andcompleteirresolutionforamomentparalysedhislegsintheirchecktrousers。Itwashard——hardtobethuscompelledtoleavehishome！”D——nit！”hemuttered，”Ineverthoughtitwouldcometothis。”Noisesabovewarnedhimthatthemaidswerebeginningtogetup。Andgraspingthetwovalises，hetiptoedondownstairs。
　　Hischeekswerewet，andtheknowledgeofthatwascomforting，asthoughitguaranteedthegenuinenessofhissacrifice。Helingeredalittleintheroomsbelow，topackallthecigarshehad，somepapers，acrushhat，asilvercigarettebox，aRuff’sGuide。Then，mixinghimselfastiffwhiskyandsoda，andlightingacigarette，hestoodhesitatingbeforeaphotographofhistwogirls，inasilverframe。ItbelongedtoWinifred。’Nevermind，’hethought；
　　’shecangetanothertaken，andIcan’t！’Heslippeditintothevalise。Then；puttingonhishatandovercoat，hetooktwoothers，hisbestmalaccacane，anumbrella，andopenedthefrontdoor。
　　Closingitsoftlybehindhim，hewalkedout，burdenedashehadneverbeeninallhislife，andmadehiswayroundthecornertowaitthereforanearlycabtocomeby。
　　ThushadpassedMontagueDartieintheforty-fifthyearofhisagefromthehousewhichhehadcalledhisown。
　　WhenWinifredcamedown，andrealisedthathewasnotinthehouse，herfirstfeelingwasoneofdullangerthatheshouldthuseludethereproachesshehadcarefullypreparedinthoselongwakefulhours。HehadgoneofftoNewmarketorBrighton，withthatwomanaslikelyasnot。Disgusting！ForcedtoacompletereticencebeforeImogenandtheservants，andawarethatherfather’snerveswouldneverstandthedisclosure，shehadbeenunabletorefrainfromgoingtoTimothy’sthatafternoon，andpouringoutthestoryofthepearlstoAuntsJuleyandHesterinutterconfidence。Itwasonlyonthefollowingmorningthatshenoticedthedisappearanceofthatphotograph。Whatdiditmean?Carefulexaminationofherhusband’srelicspromptedthethoughtthathehadgoneforgood。Asthatconclusionhardenedshestoodquitestillinthemiddleofhisdressing-room，withallthedrawerspulledout，totryandrealisewhatshewasfeeling。Bynomeanseasy！Thoughhewas’thelimit’hewasyetherproperty，andforthelifeofhershecouldnotbutfeelthepoorer。Tobewidowedyetnotwidowedatforty-two；withfourchildren；madeconspicuous，anobjectofcommiseration！GonetothearmsofaSpanishJade！
　　Memories，feelings，whichshehadthoughtquitedead，revivedwithinher，painful，sullen，tenacious。Mechanicallyshecloseddrawerafterdrawer，wenttoherbed，layonit，andburiedherfaceinthepillows。Shedidnotcry。Whatwastheuseofthat?
　　Whenshegotoffherbedtogodowntolunchshefeltasifonlyonethingcoulddohergood，andthatwastohaveValhome。He——
　　hereldestboy——whowastogotoOxfordnextmonthatJames’
　　expense，wasatLittlehamptontakinghisfinalgallopswithhistrainerforSmalls，ashewouldhavephraseditfollowinghisfather’sdiction。Shecausedatelegramtobesenttohim。”Imustseeabouthisclothes，”shesaidtoImogen；”Ican’thavehimgoinguptoOxfordallanyhow。Thoseboysaresoparticular。””Val’sgotheapsofthings，”Imogenanswered。”Iknow；buttheywantoverhauling。Ihopehe’llcome。””He’llcomelikeashot，Mother。Buthe’llprobablyskewhisExam。””Ican’thelpthat，”saidWinifred。”Iwanthim。”
　　Withaninnocentshrewdlookathermother’sface，Imogenkeptsilence。Itwasfather，ofcourse！Valdidcome’likeashot’atsixo’clock。
　　ImagineacrossbetweenapickleandaForsyteandyouhaveyoungPubliusValeriusDartie。Ayouthsonamedcouldhardlyturnoutotherwise。Whenhewasborn，Winifred，intheheydayofspirits，andthecravingfordistinction，haddeterminedthatherchildrenshouldhavenamessuchasnoothershadeverhad。Itwasamercy——
　　shefeltnow——thatshehadjustnotnamedImogenThisbe。ButitwastoGeorgeForsyte，alwaysawag，thatVal’schristeningwasdue。ItsohappenedthatDartiediningwithhim，aweekafterthebirthofhissonandheir，hadmentionedthisaspirationofWinifred’s。”CallhimCato，”saidGeorge，”it’llbedamnedpiquant！”Hehadjustwonatenneronahorseofthatname。”Cato！”Dartiehadreplied——theywerealittle’on’asthephrasewaseveninthosedays——”it’snotaChristianname。””Haloyou！”Georgecalledtoawaiterinkneebreeches。”BringmetheEncyc’pediaBrit。fromtheLibrary，letterC。”
　　Thewaiterbroughtit。”Hereyouare！”saidGeorge，pointingwithhiscigar：”CatoPubliusValeriusbyVirgiloutofLydia。That’swhatyouwant。PubliusValeriusisChristianenough。”
　　Dartie，onarrivinghome，hadinformedWinifred。Shehadbeencharmed。Itwasso’chic。’AndPubliusValeriusbecamethebaby’sname，thoughitafterwardstranspiredthattheyhadgotholdoftheinferiorCato。In1890，however，whenlittlePubliuswasnearlyten，theword’chic’wentoutoffashion，andsobrietycamein；
　　Winifredbegantohavedoubts。TheywereconfirmedbylittlePubliushimselfwhoreturnedfromhisfirsttermatschoolcom-
　　plainingthatlifewasaburdentohim——theycalledhimPubby。
　　Winifred——awomanofrealdecision——promptlychangedhisschoolandhisnametoVal，thePubliusbeingdroppedevenasaninitial。
　　Atnineteenhewasalimber，freckledyouthwithawidemouth，lighteyes，longdarklashes；arathercharmingsmile，considerableknowledgeofwhatheshouldnotknow，andnoexperienceofwhatheoughttodo。Fewboyshadmorenarrowlyescapedbeingexpelled——
　　theengagingrascal。AfterkissinghismotherandpinchingImogen，heranupstairsthreeatatime，andcamedownfour，dressedfordinner。Hewas，awfullysorry，buthis’trainer，’whohadcomeuptoo，hadaskedhimtodineattheOxfordandCambridge；itwouldn’tdotomiss——theoldchapwouldbehurt。Winifredlethimgowithanunhappypride。Shehadwantedhimathome，butitwasverynicetoknowthathistutorwassofondofhim。HewentoutwithawinkatImogen，saying：”Isay，Mother，couldIhavetwoplover’seggswhenIcomein?——cook’sgotsome。Theytopupsojollywell。Oh！
　　andlookhere——haveyouanymoney?——IhadtoborrowafiverfromoldSnobby。”
　　Winifredlookingathimwithfondshrewdness，answered：”Mydear，youarenaughtyaboutmoney。Butyoushouldn’tpayhimto-night，anyway；you’rehisguest。”Howniceandslimhelookedinhiswhitewaistcoat，andhisdarkthicklashes！”Oh，butwemaygotothetheatre，yousee，Mother；andIthinkI
　　oughttostandthetickets；he’salwayshardup，youknow。”
　　Winifredproducedafive-poundnote，saying：”Well，perhapsyou’dbetterpayhim，butyoumustn’tstandtheticketstoo。”
　　Valpocketedthefiver。”IfIdo，Ican’t，”hesaid。”Good-night，Mum！”