第58章

shallbeveryhappy，”withtheuneasyfeelingthattoclaimdamageswouldmakenotJolyonbuthimselfsuffer；hefeltuncannilythatJolyonwouldratherliketopaythem——thechapwassoloose。

Besides，toclaimdamageswasnotthethingtodo。Theclaim，indeed，hadbeenmadealmostmechanically；andasthehourdrewnearSoamessawinitjustanotherdodgeofthisinsensitiveandtopsy-turvyLawtomakehimridiculous；sothatpeoplemightsneerandsay：”Oh，yes，hegotquiteagoodpriceforher！”AndhegaveinstructionsthathisCounselshouldstatethatthemoneywouldbegiventoaHomeforFallenWomen。Hewasalongtimehittingoffexactlytherightcharity；but，havingpitchedonit，heusedtowakeupinthenightandthink：’Itwon’tdo，toolurid；

it’lldrawattention。Somethingquieter——bettertaste。’Hedidnotcarefordogs，orhewouldhavenamedthem；anditwasindesperationatlast——forhisknowledgeofcharitieswaslimited——

thathedecidedontheblind。Thatcouldnotbeinappropriate，anditwouldmaketheJuryassessthedamageshigh。

Agoodmanysuitsweredroppingoutofthelist，whichhappenedtobeexceptionallythinthatsummer，sothathiscasewouldbereachedbeforeAugust。Asthedaygrewnearer，Winifredwashisonlycomfort。Sheshowedthefellow-feelingofonewhohadbeenthroughthemill，andwasthe’femme-sole’inwhomheconfided，wellknowingthatshewouldnotletDartieintoherconfidence。

Thatruffianwouldbeonlytoorejoiced！AttheendofJuly，ontheafternoonbeforethecase，hewentintoseeher。Theyhadnotyetbeenabletoleavetown，becauseDartiehadalreadyspenttheirsummerholiday，andWinifreddarednotgotoherfatherformoremoneywhilehewaswaitingnottobetoldanythingaboutthisaffairofSoames。

Soamesfoundherwithaletterinherhand。”ThatfromVal，”heaskedgloomily。”Whatdoeshesay?””Hesayshe’smarried，”saidWinifred。”Whomto，forGoodness’sake?”

Winifredlookedupathim。”ToHollyForsyte，Jolyon’sdaughter。””What?””Hegotleaveanddidit。Ididn’tevenknowheknewher。

Awkward，isn’tit?”

Soamesutteredashortlaughatthatcharacteristicminimisation。”Awkward！Well，Idon’tsupposethey’llhearaboutthistilltheycomeback。They’dbetterstayoutthere。Thatfellowwillgivehermoney。””ButIwantValback，”saidWinifredalmostpiteously；”Imisshim，hehelpsmetogeton。””Iknow，”murmuredSoames。”How’sDartiebehavingnow?””Itmightbeworse；butit’salwaysmoney。WouldyoulikemetocomedowntotheCourtto-morrow，Soames?”

Soamesstretchedouthishandforhers。Thegesturesobetrayedthelonelinessinhimthatshepresseditbetweenhertwo。”Nevermind，oldboy。You’llfeeleversomuchbetterwhenit’sallover。””Idon’tknowwhatI’vedone，”saidSoameshuskily；”Ineverhave。

It’sallupsidedown。Iwasfondofher；I’vealwaysbeen。”

Winifredsawadropofbloodoozeoutofhislip，andthesightstirredherprofoundly。”Ofcourse，”shesaid，”it’sbeentoobadofherallalong！ButwhatshallIdoaboutthismarriageofVal’s，Soames?Idon’tknowhowtowritetohim，withthiscomingon。You’veseenthatchild。

Isshepretty?””Yes，she’spretty，”saidSoames。”Dark——lady-likeenough。”

’Thatdoesn’tsoundsobad，’thoughtWinifred。’Jolyonhadstyle。’”Itisacoil，”shesaid。”Whatwillfathersay?”Mustn’tbetold，”saidSoames。”Thewar’llsoonbeovernow，you’dbetterletValtaketofarmingoutthere。”

Itwastantamounttosayingthathisnephewwaslos

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