第31章

AndhelookedaroundatSoameswiththethought：’Ishereal，thisman?’ButSoameslookedveryreal，sittingsquareyetalmostelegantwiththeclippedmoustacheonhispaleface，andatoothshowingwherealipwasliftedinafriedsmile。Therewasalongsilence，whileJolyonthought：’Insteadofhelpingher，I’vemadethingsworse。’SuddenlySoamessaid：”Itwouldbethebestthingthatcouldhappentoherinmanyways。”

AtthosewordssuchaturmoilbegantakingplaceinJolyonthathecouldbarelysitstillinthecab。Itwasasifhewereboxedupwithhundredsofthousandsofhiscountrymen，boxedupwiththatsomethinginthenationalcharacterwhichhadalwaysbeentohimrevolting，somethingwhichheknewtobeextremelynaturalandyetwhichseemedtohiminexplicable——theirintensebeliefincontractsandvestedrights，theircomplacentsenseofvirtueintheexactionofthoserights。Herebesidehiminthecabwastheveryembodiment，thecorporealsumasitwere，ofthepossessiveinstinct——hisownkinsman，too！Itwasuncannyandintolerable！

’Butthere’ssomethingmoreinitthanthat！’hethoughtwithasickfeeling。’Thedog，theysay，returnstohisvomit！Thesightofherhasreawakenedsomething。Beauty！Thedevil’sinit！’”AsIsay，”saidSoames，”Ihavenotmadeupmymind。Ishallbeobligedifyouwillkindlyleaveherquitealone。”

Jolyonbithislips；hewhohadalwayshatedrowsalmostwelcomedthethought，ofonenow。”Icangiveyounosuchpromise，”hesaidshortly。”Verywell，”saidSoames，”thenweknowwhereweare。I’llgetdownhere。”Andstoppingthecabhegotoutwithoutwordorsignoffarewell。JolyontravelledontohisClub。

Thefirstnewsofthewarwasbeingcalledinthestreets，buthepaidnoattention。Whatcouldhedotohelpher?Ifonlyhisfatherwerealive！Hecouldhavedonesomuch！Butwhycouldhenotdoallthathisfathercouldhavedone?Washenotoldenough?——turnedfiftyandtwicemarried，withgrown-updaughtersandason。’Queer，’hethought。’IfshewereplainIshouldn’tbethinkingtwiceaboutit。Beautyisthedevil，whenyou’resen-

sitivetoit！’AndintotheClubreading-roomhewentwithadisturbedheart。InthatveryroomheandBosinneyhadtalkedonesummerafternoon；hewellrememberedevennowthedisguisedandsecretlecturehehadgiventhatyoungmanintheinterestsofJune，thediagnosisoftheForsyteshehadhazarded；andhowhehadwonderedwhatsortofwomanitwashewaswarninghimagainst。Andnow！Hewasalmostinwantofawarninghimself。’It’sdeucedfunny！’hethought，’reallydeucedfunny！’

CHAPTERXIV

SOAMESDISCOVERSWHATHEWANTS

Itissomucheasiertosay，”Thenweknowwhereweare，”thantomeananythingparticularbythewords。AndinsayingthemSoamesdidbutventthejealousranklingofhisinstincts。Hegotoutofthecabinastateofwaryanger——withhimselffornothavingseenIrene，withJolyonforhavingseenher；andnowwithhisinabilitytotellexactlywhathewanted。

Hehadabandonedthecabbecausehecouldnotbeartoremainseatedbesidehiscousin，andwalkingbrisklyeastwardshethought：’I

wouldn’ttrustthatfellow

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