第57章

Soamesroundedthelastbendandcameinsightofhisfather’stallfigurewrappedinabrownsilkquiltedgown，stoopingoverthebalustradeabove。Lightfellonhissilveryhairandwhiskers，investinghisheadwith，asortofhalo。”Hereheis！”heheardhimsayinavoicewhichsoundedinjured，andhismother’scomfortableanswerfromthebedroomdoor：”That’sallright。Comein，andI’llbrushyourhair。”Jamesextendedathin，crookedfinger，oddlylikethebeckoningofaskeleton，andpassedthroughthedoorwayofhisbedroom。

’Whatisit?’thoughtSoames。’Whathashegotholdofnow?’

Hisfatherwassittingbeforethedressing-tablesidewaystothemirror，whileEmilyslowlypassedtwosilver-backedbrushesthroughandthroughhishair。Shewoulddothisseveraltimesaday，forithadonhimsomethingoftheeffectproducedonacatbyscratchingbetweenitsears。”Thereyouare！”hesaid。”I’vebeenwaiting。”

Soamesstrokedhisshoulder，and，takingupasilverbutton-hook，examinedthemarkonit。”Well，”hesaid，”you’relookingbetter。”

Jamesshookhishead。”Iwanttosaysomething。Yourmotherhasn’theard。”HeannouncedEmily’signoranceofwhathehadn’ttoldher，asifitwereagrievance。”Yourfather’sbeeninagreatstatealltheevening。I’msureI

don’tknowwhatabout。”

Thefaint’whisk-whisk’ofthebrushescontinuedthesoothingofhervoice。”No！youknownothing，”saidJames。”Soamescantellme。”And，fixinghisgreyeyes，inwhichtherewasalookofstrain，uncomfortabletowatch，onhisson，hemuttered：”I’mgettingon，Soames。AtmyageIcan’ttell。Imightdieanytime。There’llbealotofmoney。There’sRachelandCicelygotnochildren；andVal’soutthere——thatchaphisfatherwillgetholdofallhecan。Andsomebody’llpickupImogen，Ishouldn’twonder。”

Soameslistenedvaguely——hehadheardallthisbefore。Whish-

whish！wentthebrushes。”Ifthat’sall！”saidEmily。”All！”criedJames；”it’snothing。I’mcomingtothat。”AndagainhiseyesstrainedpitifullyatSoames。”It’syou，myboy，”hesaidsuddenly；”yououghttogetadivorce。”

Thatword，fromthoseofalllips，wasalmosttoomuchforSoames’

composure。Hiseyesreconcentratedthemselvesquicklyonthebuttonhook，andasifinapologyJameshurriedon：”Idon’tknowwhat’sbecomeofher——theysayshe’sabroad。YourUncleSwithinusedtoadmireher——hewasafunnyfellow。”(Sohealwaysalludedtohisdeadtwin-’TheStoutandtheLeanofit，’

theyhadbeencalled。)”Shewouldn’tbealone，Ishouldsay。”Andwiththatsumming-upoftheeffectofbeautyonhumannature，hewassilent，watchinghissonwitheyesdoubtingasabird’s。

Soames，too，wassilent。Whish-whishwentthebrushes。”Come，James！Soamesknowsbest。It’shis’business。””Ah！”saidJames，andthewordcamefromdeepdown；”butthere’sallmymoney，andthere’shis——who’sittogoto?Andwhenhediesthenamegoesout。”

Soamesreplacedthebutton-hookonthelaceandpinksilkofthedressing-tablecoverlet。”Thename?”saidEmily，”therearealltheotherForsytes。””Asifthathelpedme，”mutteredJames。”Ishallbeinmygrave，andthere’llbenobody，unlesshemarriesagain。””You’requiteright，”saidSoamesquietly；”I’mgettingadivorce。”

James’eyesalmoststartedfromhishead。”What?”hecried。”There！nobodytellsmeanything。””Well，”saidEmily，”whowouldhaveimaginedyouwantedit?Mydearboy，thatisasurprise，afteralltheseyears。””It’llbeascandal，”mutteredJames，asiftohimself；”butI

can’thelpthat。Don’tbrushsohard。When’llitcomeon?””BeforetheLongVacation；it’snotdefended。”

James’lipsmovedinsecretcalculation。”Ishan’tlivetoseemygrandson，”hemuttered。

Emilyceasedbrushing。”Ofcourseyouwill，James。Soameswillbeasquickashecan。”

Therewasalongsilence，tillJamesreachedouthisarm。”Here！let’shavetheeau-de

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