第34章

ButJolly，inhisbedroomnarrowasaghost，laywithahandbeneathhischeekanddreamedhewaswithValinoneboat，rowingaraceagainsthim，whilehisfatherwascallingfromthetowpath：

’Two！Getyourhandsawaythere，blessyou！’

CHAPTERII

SOAMESPUTSITTOTHETOUCH

OfallthoseradiantfirmswhichemblazonwiththeirwindowstheWestEndofLondon，GavesandCortegalwereconsideredbySoamesthemost’attractive’wordjustcomingintofashion。HehadneverhadhisUncleSwithin’stasteinpreciousstones，andtheabandonmentbyIrenewhenshelefthishousein1887ofalltheglitteringthingshehadgivenherhaddisgustedhimwiththisformofinvest-ment。Buthestillknewadiamondwhenhesawone，andduringtheweekbeforeherbirthdayhehadtakenoccasion，onhiswayintothePoultryorhiswayouttherefrom，todallyalittlebeforethegreaterjewellerswhereonegot，ifnotone’smoney’sworth，atleastacertaincachetwiththegoods。

ConstantcogitationsincehisdrivewithJolyonhadconvincedhimmoreandmoreofthesupremeimportanceofthismomentinhislife，thesupremeneedfortakingstepsandthosenotwrong。And，alongsidethedryandreasonedsensethatitwasnoworneverwithhisself-preservation，noworneverifheweretorangehimselfandfoundafamily，wentthesecreturgeofhissensesrousedbythesightofherwhohadoncebeenapassionatelydesiredwife，andtheconvictionthatitwasasinagainstcommonsenseandthedecentsecrecyofForsytestowastethewifehehad。

InanopiniononWinifred’scase，Dreamer，Q。C——hewouldmuchhavepreferredWaterbuck，buttheyhadmadehimajudge(solateinthedayastorousetheusualsuspicionofapoliticaljob)——hadadvisedthattheyshouldgoforwardandobtainrestitutionofconjugalrights，apointwhichtoSoameshadneverbeenindoubt。

Whentheyhadobtainedadecreetothateffecttheymustwaittoseeifitwasobeyed。Ifnot，itwouldconstitutelegaldesertion，andtheyshouldobtainevidenceofmisconductandfiletheirpetitionfordivorce。AllofwhichSoamesknewperfectlywell。

Theyhadmarkedhimtenandone。Thissimplicityinhissister’scaseonlymadehimthemoredesperateaboutthedifficultyinhisown。Everything，infact，wasdrivinghimtowardsthesimplesolutionofIrene’sreturn。Ifitwerestillagainstthegrainwithher，hadhenotfeelingstosubdue，injurytoforgive，paintoforget?Heatleasthadneverinjuredher，andthiswasaworldofcompromise！Hecouldofferhersomuchmorethanshehadnow。Hewouldbepreparedtomakealiberalsettlementonherwhichcouldnotbeupset。Heoftenscrutinisedhisimageinthesedays。HehadneverbeenapeacocklikethatfellowDartie，orfanciedhimselfawoman’sman，buthehadacertainbeliefinhisownappearance——notunjustly，foritwaswell-coupledandpreserved，neat，healthy，pale，unblemishedbydrinkorexcessofanykind。

TheForsytejawandtheconcentrationofhisfacewere，inhiseyes，virtues。Sofarashecouldtelltherewasnofeatureofhimwhichneedinspiredislike。

Thoughtsandyearnings，withwhichonelivesdaily，becomenatural，eveniffar-fetchedintheirinception。Ifhecouldonlygivetangibleproofenoughofhisdeterminationtoletbygonesbebygones，andtodoallinhispowertopleaseher，whyshouldshenotcomebacktohim?

HeenteredGavesandCortegal’stherefore，onthemorningofNovemberthe9th，tobuyacertaindiamondbrooch。”Fourtwenty-fiveanddirtcheap，sir，atthemoney。It’salady’sbrooch。”Therewasthatinhismoodwhichmadehimacceptwithoutdemur。AndhewentonintothePoultrywiththeflatgreenmoroccocaseinhisbreastpocket。Severaltimesthatdayh

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