第22章

LatethateveninghewrotetotheChelseaflat，askingifIrenewouldseehim。

Theoldcenturywhichhadseentheplantofindividualismflowersowonderfullywassettinginaskyorangewithcomingstorms。

RumoursofwaraddedtothebrisknessofaLondonturbulentatthecloseofthesummerholidays。AndthestreetstoJolyon，whowasnotoftenupintown，hadafeverishlook，duetothesenewmotor-

carsandcabs，ofwhichhedisapprovedaesthetically。Hecountedthesevehiclesfromhishansom，andmadetheproportionofthemoneintwenty。’Theywereoneinthirtyaboutayearago，’hethought；

’they’vecometostay。Justsomuchmorerattlingroundofwheelsandgeneralstink’——forhewasoneofthoseratherrareLiberalswhoobjecttoanythingnewwhenittakesamaterialform；andheinstructedhisdrivertogetdowntotheriverquickly，outofthetraffic，desiringtolookatthewaterthroughthemellowingscreenofplane-trees。AtthelittleblockofflatswhichstoodbacksomefiftyyardsfromtheEmbankment，hetoldthecabmantowait，andwentuptothefirstfloor。

Yes，Mrs。Heronwasathome！

Theeffectofasettledifverymodestincomewasatonceapparenttohimrememberingthethreadbarerefinementinthattinyflateightyearsagowhenheannouncedhergoodfortune。Everythingwasnowfresh，dainty，andsmelledofflowers。Thegeneraleffectwassilverywithtouchesofblack，hydrangeacolour，andgold。’A

womanofgreattaste，’hethought。TimehaddealtgentlywithJolyon，forhewasaForsyte。ButwithIreneTimehardlyseemedtodealatall，orsuchwashisimpression。Sheappearedtohimnotadayolder，standingthereinmole-colouredvelvetcorduroy，withsoftdarkeyesanddarkgoldhair，withoutstretchedhandandalittlesmile。”Won’tyousitdown?”

Hehadprobablyneveroccupiedachairwithafullersenseofembarrassment。”Youlookabsolutelyunchanged，”hesaid。”Andyoulookyounger，CousinJolyon。”

Jolyonranhishandsthroughhishair，whosethicknesswasstillacomforttohim。”I’mancient，butIdon’tfeelit。That’sonethingaboutpaint-

ing，itkeepsyouyoung。Titianlivedtoninety-nine，andhadtohaveplaguetokillhimoff。Doyouknow，thefirsttimeIeversawyouIthoughtofapicturebyhim?””Whendidyouseemeforthefirsttime?””IntheBotanicalGardens。””Howdidyouknowme，ifyou’dneverseenmebefore?

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