Soamesroundedthelastbendandcameinsightofhisfather’stallfigurewrappedinabrownsilkquiltedgown，stoopingoverthebalustradeabove。Lightfellonhissilveryhairandwhiskers，investinghisheadwith，asortofhalo。”Hereheis！”heheardhimsayinavoicewhichsoundedinjured，andhismother’scomfortableanswerfromthebedroomdoor：”That’sallright。Comein，andI’llbrushyourhair。”Jamesextendedathin，crookedfinger，oddlylikethebeckoningofaskeleton，andpassedthroughthedoorwayofhisbedroom。
’Whatisit?’thoughtSoames。’Whathashegotholdofnow?’
Hisfatherwassittingbeforethedressing-tablesidewaystothemirror，whileEmilyslowlypassedtwosilver-backedbrushesthroughandthroughhishair。Shewoulddothisseveraltimesaday，forithadonhimsomethingoftheeffectproducedonacatbyscratchingbetweenitsears。”Thereyouare！”hesaid。”I’vebeenwaiting。”
Soamesstrokedhisshoulder，and，takingupasilverbutton-hook，examinedthemarkonit。”Well，”hesaid，”you’relookingbetter。”
Jamesshookhishead。”Iwanttosaysomething。Yourmotherhasn’theard。”HeannouncedEmily’signoranceofwhathehadn’ttoldher，asifitwereagrievance。”Yourfather’sbeeninagreatstatealltheevening。I’msureI
don’tknowwhatabout。”
Thefaint’whisk-whisk’ofthebrushescontinuedthesoothingofhervoice。”No！youknownothing，”saidJames。”Soamescantellme。”And，fixinghisgreyeyes，inwhichtherewasalookofstrain，uncomfortabletowatch，onhisson，hemuttered：”I’mgettingon，Soames。AtmyageIcan’ttell。Imightdieanytime。There’llbealotofmoney。There’sRachelandCicelygotnochildren；andVal’soutthere——thatchaphisfatherwillgetholdofallhecan。Andsomebody’llpickupImogen，Ishouldn’twonder。”
Soameslistenedvaguely——hehadheardallthisbefore。Whish-
whish！wentthebrushes。”Ifthat’sall！”saidEmily。”All！”criedJames；”it’snothing。I’mcomingtothat。”AndagainhiseyesstrainedpitifullyatSoames。”It’syou，myboy，”hesaidsuddenly；”yououghttogetadivorce。”
Thatword，fromthoseofalllips，wasalmosttoomuchforSoames’
composure。Hiseyesreconcentratedthemselvesquicklyonthebuttonhook，andasifinapologyJameshurriedon：”Idon’tknowwhat’sbecomeofher——theysayshe’sabroad。YourUncleSwithinusedtoadmireher——hewasafunnyfellow。”Sohealwaysalludedtohisdeadtwin-’TheStoutandtheLeanofit，’
theyhadbeencalled。”Shewouldn’tbealone，Ishouldsay。”Andwiththatsumming-upoftheeffectofbeautyonhumannature，hewassilent，watchinghissonwitheyesdoubtingasabird’s。
Soames，too，wassilent。Whish-whishwentthebrushes。”Come，James！Soamesknowsbest。It’shis’business。””Ah！”saidJames，andthewordcamefromdeepdown；”butthere’sallmymoney，andthere’shis——who’sittogoto?Andwhenhediesthenamegoesout。”
Soamesreplacedthebutton-hookonthelaceandpinksilkofthedressing-tablecoverlet。”Thename?”saidEmily，”therearealltheotherForsytes。””Asifthathelpedme，”mutteredJames。”Ishallbeinmygrave，andthere’llbenobody，unlesshemarriesagain。””You’requiteright，”saidSoamesquietly；”I’mgettingadivorce。”
James’eyesalmoststartedfromhishead。”What?”hecried。”There！nobodytellsmeanything。””Well，”saidEmily，”whowouldhaveimaginedyouwantedit?Mydearboy，thatisasurprise，afteralltheseyears。””It’llbeascandal，”mutteredJames，asiftohimself；”butI
can’thelpthat。Don’tbrushsohard。When’llitcomeon?””BeforetheLongVacation；it’snotdefended。”
James’lipsmovedinsecretcalculation。”Ishan’tlivetoseemygrandson，”hemuttered。
Emilyceasedbrushing。”Ofcourseyouwill，James。Soameswillbeasquickashecan。”
Therewasalongsilence，tillJamesreachedouthisarm。”Here！let’shavetheeau-de-Cologne，”and，puttingittohisnose，hemovedhisforeheadinthedirectionofhisson。Soamesbentoverandkissedthatbrowjustwherethehairbegan。ArelaxingquiverpassedoverJames’face，asthoughthewheelsofanxietywithinwererunningdown。”I’llgettobed，”hesaid；”Ishan’twanttoseethepaperswhenthatcomes。They’reamorbidlot；Ican’tpayattentiontothem，I’mtooold。”
Queerlyaffected，Soameswenttothedoor；heheardhisfathersay：”Here，I’mtired。I’llsayaprayerinbed。”
Andhismotheranswering”That’sright，James；it’llbeeversomuchmorecomfy。”
CHAPTERIX
OUTOFTHEWEB
OnForsyte’ChangetheannouncementofJolly’sdeath，amongabatchoftroopers，causedmixedsensation。StrangetoreadthatJolyonForsytefifthofthenameindirectdescenthaddiedofdiseaseintheserviceofhiscountry，andnotbeabletofeelitpersonally。Itrevivedtheoldgrudgeagainsthisfatherforhavingestrangedhimself。ForsuchwasstilltheprestigeofoldJolyonthattheotherForsytescouldneverquitefeel，asmighthavebeenexpected，thatitwastheywhohadcutoffhisdescendantsforirregularity。Thenewsincreased，ofcourse，theinterestandanxietyaboutVal；butthenVal’snamewasDartie，andevenifhewerekilledinbattleorgottheVictoriaCross，itwouldnotbeatallthesameasifhisnamewereForsyte。NotevencasualtyorglorytotheHaymanswouldbereallysatisfactory。
Familypridefeltdefrauded。
Howtherumourarose，then，that’somethingverydreadful，mydear，’waspending，noone，leastofallSoames，couldtell，secretashekepteverything。Possiblysomeeyehadseen’Forsytev。
ForsyteandForsyte，’inthecauselist；andhadaddeditto’IreneinPariswithafairbeard。’PossiblysomewallatParkLanehadears。Thefactremainedthatitwasknown——whisperedamongtheold，discussedamongtheyoung——thatfamilypridemustsoonreceiveablow。
Soames，payingone，ofhisSundayvisitstoTimothy’s——payingitwiththefeelingthatafterthesuitcameonhewouldbepayingnomore——feltknowledgeintheairashecamein。Nobody，ofcourse，daredspeakofitbeforehim，buteachofthefourotherForsytespresentheldtheirbreath，awarethatnothingcouldpreventAuntJuleyfrommakingthemalluncomfortable。ShelookedsopiteouslyatSoames，shecheckedherselfonthepointofspeechsooften，thatAuntHesterexcusedherselfandsaidshemustgoandbatheTimothy’seye——hehadastycoming。Soames，impassive，slightlysupercilious，didnotstaylong。Hewentoutwithacursestifledbehindhispale，justsmilinglips。
Fortunatelyforthepeaceofhismind，cruellytorturedbythecomingscandal，hewaskeptbusydayandnightwithplansforhisretirement——forhehadcometothatgrimconclusion。Togoonseeingallthosepeoplewhohadknownhimasa’long-headedchap，’
anastuteadviser——afterthat——no！Thefastidiousnessandpridewhichwassostrangely，soinextricablyblendedinhimwithpossessiveobtuseness，revoltedagainstthethought。Hewouldretire，liveprivately，goonbuyingpictures，makeagreatnameasacollector——afterall，hisheartwasmoreinthatthanithadeverbeeninLaw。Inpursuanceofthisnowfixedresolve，hehadtogetreadytoamalgamatehisbusinesswithanotherfirmwithoutlettingpeopleknow，forthatwouldexcitecuriosityandmakehumiliationcastitsshadowbefore。HehadpitchedonthefirmofCuthcott，HollidayandKingson，twoofwhomweredead。ThefullnameaftertheamalgamationwouldthereforebeCuthcott，Holliday，Kingson，Forsyte，BustardandForsyte。Butafterdebateastowhichofthedeadstillhadanyinfluencewiththeliving，itwasdecidedtoreducethetitletoCuthcott，KingsonandForsyte，ofwhomKingsonwouldbetheactiveandSoamesthesleepingpartner。Forleavinghisname，prestige，andclientsbehindhim，Soameswouldreceiveconsiderablevalue。
Onenight，asbefittedamanwhohadarrivedatsoimportantastageofhiscareer，hemadeacalculationofwhathewasworth，andafterwritingoffliberallyfordepreciationbythewar，foundhisvaluetobesomehundredandthirtythousandpounds。Athisfather’sdeath，whichcouldnot，alas，bedelayedmuchlonger，hemustcomeintoatleastanotherfiftythousand，andhisyearlyexpenditureatpresentjustreachedtwo。Standingamonghispictures，hesawbeforehimafuturefullofbargainsearnedbythetrainedfacultyofknowingbetterthanotherpeople。Sellingwhatwasabouttodecline，keepingwhatwasstillgoingup，andexercisingjudiciousinsightintofuturetaste，hewouldmakeauniquecollection，whichathisdeathwouldpasstothenationunderthetitle’ForsyteBequest。’
Ifthedivorcewentthrough，hehaddeterminedonhislinewithMadameLamotte。Shehad，heknew，butonerealambition——toliveonher’renter’inParisnearhergrandchildren。HewouldbuythegoodwilloftheRestaurantBretagneatafancyprice。MadamewouldlivelikeaQueen-MotherinParisontheinterest，investedasshewouldknowhow。IncidentallySoamesmeanttoputacapablemanagerinherplace，andmaketherestaurantpaygoodinterestonhismoney。ThereweregreatpossibilitiesinSoho。OnAnnettehewouldpromisetosettlefifteenthousandpoundswhetherdesignedlyornot，preciselythesumoldJolyonhadsettledon’thatwoman。’
AletterfromJolyon’ssolicitortohisownhaddisclosedthefactthat’thosetwo’wereinItaly。AndanopportunityhadbeendulygivenfornotingthattheyhadfirststayedatanhotelinLondon。
Thematterwasclearasdaylight，andwouldbedisposedofinhalfanhourorso；butduringthathalf-hourhe，Soames，wouldgodowntohell；andafterthathalf-hourallbearersoftheForsytenamewouldfeelthebloomwasofftherose。HehadnoillusionslikeShakespearethatrosesbyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet。Thenamewasapossession，aconcrete，unstainedpieceofproperty，thevalueofwhichwouldbereducedsometwentypercent。atleast。
UnlessitwereRoger，whohadoncerefusedtostandforParliament，and——oh，irony！——Jolyon，hungontheline，therehadneverbeenadistinguishedForsyte。Butthatverylackofdistinctionwasthename’sgreatestasset。Itwasaprivatename，intenselyindividual，andhisownproperty；ithadneverbeenexploitedforgoodorevilbyintrusivereport。Heandeachmemberofhisfamilyowneditwholly，sanely，secretly，withoutanymoreinterferencefromthepublicthanhadbeennecessitatedbytheirbirths，theirmarriages，theirdeaths。AndduringtheseweeksofwaitingandpreparingtodroptheLaw，heconceivedforthatLawabitterdistaste，sodeeplydidheresentitscomingviolationofhisname，forcedonhimbytheneedhefelttoperpetuatethatnameinalawfulmanner。Themonstrousinjusticeofthewholethingexcitedinhimaperpetualsuppressedfury。Hehadaskednobetterthantoliveinspotlessdomesticity，andnowhemustgointothewitnessbox，afterallthesefutile，barrenyears，andproclaimhisfailuretokeephiswife——incurthepity，theamusement，thecontemptofhiskind。Itwasallupsidedown。Sheandthatfellowoughttobethesufferers，andthey——wereinItaly！IntheseweekstheLawhehadservedsofaithfully，lookedonsoreverentlyastheguardianofallproperty，seemedtohimquitepitiful。Whatcouldbemoreinsanethantotellamanthatheownedhiswife，andpunishhimwhensomeoneunlawfullytookherawayfromhim?DidtheLawnotknowthataman’snamewastohimtheappleofhiseye，thatitwasfarhardertoberegardedascuckoldthanasseducer?HeactuallyenviedJolyonthereputationofsucceedingwherehe，Soames，hadfailed。Thequestionofdamagesworriedhim，too。Hewantedtomakethatfellowsuffer，butherememberedhiscousin’swords，”I