第61章

Thewardraggedon。Nicholashadbeenheardtosaythatitwouldcostthreehundredmillionsifitcostapennybeforethey’ddonewithit！Theincome-taxwasseriouslythreatened。Still，therewouldbeSouthAfricafortheirmoney，onceforall。Andthoughthepossessiveinstinctfeltbadlyshakenatthreeo’clockinthemorning，itrecoveredbybreakfast-timewiththerecollectionthatonegetsnothinginthisworldwithoutpayingforit。So，onthewhole，peoplewentabouttheirbusinessmuchasiftherewerenowar，noconcentrationcamps，noslipperydeWet，nofeelingontheContinent，noanythingunpleasant。Indeed，theattitudeofthenationwastypifiedbyTimothy’smap，whoseanimationwassuspended——forTimothynolongermovedtheflags，andtheycouldnotmovethemselves，notevenbackwardsandforwardsastheyshouldhavedone。

Suspendedanimationwentfurther；itinvadedForsyte’Change，andproducedageneraluncertaintyastowhatwasgoingtohappennext。

TheannouncementinthemarriagecolumnofTheTimes，’JolyonForsytetoIrene，onlydaughterofthelateProfessorHeron，’hadoccasioneddoubtwhetherIrenehadbeenjustlydescribed。Andyet，onthewhole，reliefwasfeltthatshehadnotbeenenteredas’Irene，latethewife，’or’thedivorcedwife，’’ofSoamesForsyte。’Altogether，therehadbeenakindofsublimityfromthefirstaboutthewaythefamilyhadtakenthat’affair。’AsJameshadphrasedit，’Thereitwas！’Nousetofuss！Nothingtobehadoutofadmittingthatithadbeena’nastyjar’——inthephraseologyoftheday。

ButwhatwouldhappennowthatbothSoamesandJolyonweremarriedagain?Thatwasveryintriguing。GeorgewasknowntohavelaidEustacesixtofouronalittleJolyonbeforealittleSoames。

Georgewassodroll！Itwasrumoured，too，thatheandDartiehadabetastowhetherJameswouldattaintheageofninety，thoughwhichofthemhadbackedJamesnooneknew。

EarlyinMay，WinifredcameroundtosaythatValhadbeenwoundedinthelegbyaspentbullet，andwastobedischarged。Hiswifewasnursinghim。Hewouldhavealittlelimp——nothingtospeakof。

Hewantedhisgrandfathertobuyhimafarmouttherewherehecouldbreedhorses。HerfatherwasgivingHollyeighthundredayear，sotheycouldbequitecomfortable，becausehisgrandfatherwouldgiveValfive，hehadsaid；butastothefarm，hedidn’tknow——couldn’ttell：hedidn’twantValtogothrowingawayhismoney。”Butyouknow，”saidWinifred，”hemustdosomething。”

AuntHesterthoughtthatperhapshisdeargrandfatherwaswise，becauseifhedidn’tbuyafarmitcouldn’tturnoutbadly。”ButValloveshorses，”saidWinifred。”It’dbesuchanoccupationforhim。”

AuntJuleythoughtthathorseswereveryuncertain，hadnotMontaguefoundthemso?”Val’sdifferent，”saidWinifred；”hetakesafterme。”

AuntJuleywassurethatdearValwasveryclever。”Ialwaysremember，”sheadded，”howhegavehisbadpennytoabeggar。Hisdeargrandfatherwassopleased。Hethoughtitshowedsuchpresenceofmind。Irememberh

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