第53章

TheresolutiontobecomeaRedCrossnurse，takenunderstimulusofJolly’senlistment，hadbeenloyallyfulfilledwiththeirritationandregretwhichallForsytesfeelatwhatcurtailstheirindividualliberties。Enthusiasticatfirstaboutthe’wonderfulness’ofthework，shehadbegunafteramonthtofeelthatshecouldtrainherselfsomuchbetterthanotherscouldtrainher。AndifHollyhadnotinsistedonfollowingherexample，andbeingtrainedtoo，shemustinevitablyhave’criedoff。’ThedepartureofJollyandValwiththeirtroopinAprilhadfurtherstiffenedherfailingresolve。Butnow，onthepointofdeparture，thethoughtofleavingEricCobbley，withawifeandtwochildren，adriftinthecoldwatersofanunappreciativeworldweighedonhersothatshewasstillindangerofbackingout。Thereadingofthatcablegram，withitsdisquietingreality，clinchedthematter。

ShesawherselfalreadynursingJolly——forofcoursetheywouldlethernurseherownbrother！Jolyon——everwideanddoubtful——hadnosuchhope。PoorJune！

CouldanyForsyteofhergenerationgrasphowrudeandbrutallifewas?Eversinceheknewofhisboy’sarrivalatCapeTownthethoughtofhimhadbeenakindofrecurrentsicknessinJolyon。HecouldnotgetreconciledtothefeelingthatJollywasindangerallthetime。Thecablegram，gravethoughitwas，wasalmostarelief。Hewasnowsafefrombullets，anyway。Andyet——thisentericwasavirulentdisease！TheTimeswasfullofdeathstherefrom。Whycouldhenotbelyingoutthereinthatup-countryhospital，andhisboysafeathome?Theun-Forsyteanselfsacrificeofhisthreechildren，indeed，hadquitebewilderedJolyon。HewouldeagerlychangeplaceswithJolly，becausehelovedhisboy；

butnosuchpersonalmotivewasinfluencingthem。HecouldonlythinkthatitmarkedthedeclineoftheForsytetype。

LatethatafternoonHollycameouttohimundertheoldoak-tree。

Shehadgrownupverymuchduringtheselastmonthsofhospitaltrainingawayfromhome。And，seeingherapproach，hethought：

’ShehasmoresensethanJune，childthoughsheis；morewisdom。

ThankGodsheisn’tgoingout。’Shehadseatedherselfintheswing，verysilentandstill。’Shefeelsthis，’thoughtJolyon，’asmuchasI’and，seeinghereyesfixedonhim，hesaid：”Don’ttakeittohearttoomuch，mychild。Ifheweren’till，hemightbeinmuchgreaterdanger。”

Hollygotoutoftheswing。”Iwanttotellyousomething，Dad。ItwasthroughmethatJollyenlistedandwentout。””How’sthat?””WhenyouwereawayinParis，ValDartieandIfellinlove。WeusedtorideinRichmondPark；wegotengaged。Jollyfounditout，andthoughtheoughttostopit；sohedaredValtoenlist。Itwasallmyfault，Dad；andIwanttogoouttoo。BecauseifanythinghappenstoeitherofthemIshouldfeelawful。Besides，I’mjustasmuchtrainedasJune。”

Jolyongazedatherinastupefactionthatwastingedwithirony。

Sothiswastheanswertotheriddlehehadbeenaskinghimself；

andhisthreechildrenwereForsytesafterall。SurelyHollymighthavetoldhimallthisbefore！Buthesmotheredthesarcasticsayingsonhislips。Tendernesstotheyoungwasperhapsthemostsacredarticleofhisbelief。Hehadgot，nodoubt，whathedeserved。Engaged！Sothiswaswhyhehadsolosttouchwithher！

AndtoyoungValDartie——nephewofSoames——intheothercamp！Itwasallterriblydistasteful。Heclosedhiseasel，andsethisdrawingagainstthetree。”HaveyoutoldJune?””Yes；shesaysshe’llgetmeintohercabinsomehow。It’sasinglecabin；butoneofuscouldsleeponthefloor。Ifyouconsent，she’llgoupnowan

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