第47章

”Ican’tthinkwhatweareabout，”saidAuntJuley，raisingherhands，”talkingofsuchthings！””Wasshedivorced?”askedImogenfromthedoor。”Certainlynot，”criedAuntJuley；”thatis——certainlynot。”Asoundwasheardoverbythefardoor。Timothyhadre-enteredthebackdrawing-room。”I’vecomeformymap，”hesaid。”Who’sbeendivorced?””Noone，Uncle，”repliedFranciewithperfecttruth。

Timothytookhismapoffthepiano。”Don’tlet’shaveanythingofthatsortinthefamily，”hesaid。”Allthisenlistin’sbadenough。Thecountry’sbreakin’up；I

don’tknowwhatwe’recomin’to。”Heshookathickfingerattheroom：”Toomanywomennowadays，andtheydon’tknowwhattheywant。”

Sosaying，hegraspedthemapfirmlywithbothhands，andwentoutasifafraidofbeinganswered。

Thesevenwomenwhomhehadaddressedbrokeintoasubduedmurmur，outofwhichemergedFrancie’s，”Really，theForsytes！”andAuntJuley’s：”Hemusthavehisfeetinmustardandhotwaterto-night，Hester；willyoutellJane?Thebloodhasgonetohisheadagain，I’mafraid……”

Thatevening，whensheandHesterweresittingaloneafterdinner，shedroppedastitchinhercrochet，andlookedup：”Hester，Ican’tthinkwhereI’veheardthatdearSoameswantsIrenetocomebacktohimagain。WhowasittoldusthatGeorgehadmadeafunnydrawingofhimwiththewords，’Hewon’tbehappytillhegetsit’?””Eustace，”answeredAuntHesterfrombehindTheTimes；”hehaditinhispocket，buthewouldn’tshowitus。”

AuntJuleywassilent，ruminating。Theclockticked，TheTimescrackled，thefiresentforthitsrustlingpurr。AuntJuleydroppedanotherstitch。”Hester，”shesaid，”Ihavehadsuchadreadfulthought。””Thendon’ttellme，”saidAuntHesterquickly。”Oh！butImust。Youcan’tthinkhowdreadful”Hervoicesanktoawhisper：”Jolyon——Jolyon，theysay，hasa——hasafairbeard，now。”

CHAPTERXII

PROGRESSOFTHECHASE

TwodaysafterthedinneratJames’，Mr。PolteedprovidedSoameswithfoodforthought。”Agentleman，”hesaid，consultingthekeyconcealedinhislefthand，”47aswesay，hasbeenpayingmarkedattentionto17duringthelastmonthinParis。Butatpresentthereseemstohavebeennothingveryconclusive。Themeetingshaveallbeeninpublicplaces，withoutconcealment——restaurants，theOpera，theComique，theLouvre，LuxembourgGardens，loungeofthehotel，andsoforth。

Shehasnotyetbeentracedtohisrooms，norviceversa。TheywenttoFontainebleau——butnothingofvalue。Inshort，thesituationispromising，butrequirespatience。”And，lookingupsuddenly，headded：”Onerathercuriouspoint——47hasthesamenameas——er-31！”

’ThefellowknowsI’mherhusband，’thoughtSoames。”Christianname——anoddone——Jolyon，”continuedMr。Polteed。”WeknowhisaddressinParisandhisresidencehere。Wedon’twish，ofcourse，toberunningawronghare。””Goonwithit，butbecareful，”saidSoamesdoggedly。

Instinctivecertaintythatthisdetectivefellowhadfathomedhissecretm

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