第29章

AuntJuleybrokethehushagain。”We’vejustbeensaying，dear，howdreadfulitisabouttheseBoers！AndwhatanimpudentthingofthatoldKruger！””Impudent！”saidJune。”Ithinkhe’squiteright。Whatbusinesshavewetomeddlewiththem?IfheturnedoutallthosewretchedUitlandersitwouldservethemright。They’reonlyaftermoney。”

ThesilenceofsensationwasbrokenbyFranciesaying：”What?Areyouapro-Boer?”(undoubtedlythefirstuseofthatexpression)。”Well！Whycan’tweleavethemalone?”saidJune，justas，intheopendoorway，themaidsaid”Mr。SoamesForsyte。”Sensationonsensation！GreetingwasalmostheldupbycuriositytoseehowJuneandhewouldtakethisencounter，foritwasshrewdlysuspected，ifnotquiteknown，thattheyhadnotmetsincethatoldandlamentableaffairofherfianceBosinneywithSoames’wife。

Theywereseentojusttoucheachother’shands，andlookeachattheother’slefteyeonly。AuntJuleycameatoncetotherescue：”DearJuneissooriginal。Fancy，Soames，shethinkstheBoersarenottoblame。””Theyonlywanttheirindependence，”saidJune；”andwhyshouldn’ttheyhaveit?””Because，”answeredSoames，withhissmilealittleononeside，”theyhappentohaveagreedtooursuzerainty。””Suzerainty！”repeatedJunescornfully；”weshouldn’tlikeanyone’ssuzeraintyoverus。””Theygotadvantagesinpayment，”repliedSoames；”acontractisacontract。””Contractsarenotalwaysjust，”fumedoutJune，”andwhenthey’renot，theyoughttobebroken。TheBoersaremuchtheweaker。Wecouldaffordtobegenerous。”

Soamessniffed。”That’smeresentiment，”hesaid。

AuntHester，towhomnothingwasmoreawfulthananykindofdisagreement，hereleanedforwardandremarkeddecisively：”Whatlovelyweatherithasbeenforthetimeofyear?”

ButJunewasnottobediverted。”Idon’tknowwhysentimentshouldbesneeredat。It’sthebestthingintheworld。”Shelookeddefiantlyround，andAuntJuleyhadtointerveneagain：”Haveyouboughtanypictureslately，Soames?”

Herincomparableinstinctforthewrongsubjecthadnotfailedher。

Soamesflushed。Todisclosethenameofhislatestpurchaseswouldbelikewalkingintothejawsofdisdain。ForsomehowtheyallknewofJune’spredilectionfor’genius’notyetonitslegs，andhercontemptfor’success’unlessshehadhadafingerinsecuringit。”Oneortwo，”hemuttered。

ButJune’sfacehadchanged；theForsyte

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