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'Has he come about his wife? Jolyon was thinking; and Soames, 'How shall I begin? while Val, brought to break the ice, stood negligently scrutinising this 'bearded pard' from under his dark, thick eyelashes. "This is Val Dartie," said Soames, "my sister's son. He's just going up to Oxford. I thought I'd like him to know your boy." "Ah! I'm sorry Jolly's away. What college?"

The dog Balthasar, having walked round the three small flower-beds, to show his extreme contempt for things at large, had also taken a seat in front of old Jolyon, and, oscillating a tail curled by Nature tightly over his back, was staring up with eyes that did not blink.

It was on this occasion that old Jolyon, turning to June, had said in one of his bursts of philosophy: "You may depend upon it, they're a cranky lot, the Forsytes and you'll find it out, as you grow older!" Timothy alone held apart, for though he ate saddle of mutton heartily, he was, he said, afraid of it.

Not changed at all! It was almost on their lips to add, 'And how is your dear grandfather? forgetting in that giddy moment that poor dear Jolyon had been in his grave for seven years now.

"Jo," he said, "I should like to hear what sort of water you're in. I suppose you're in debt?" He put it this way that his son might find it easier to confess. Young Jolyon answered in his ironical voice: "No! I'm not in debt!" Old Jolyon saw that he was angry, and touched his hand. He had run a risk. It was worth it, however, and Jo had never been sulky with him.

"Grey; but otherwise much the same." "And the daughter?" "Pretty. At least, Jon thought so." Jolyon's heart side-slipped again. His wife's face had a strained and puzzled look. "You didn't ?" he began. "No; but Jon knows their name. The girl dropped her handkerchief and he picked it up." Jolyon sat down on his bed. An evil chance! "June was with you. Did she put her foot into it?"

'Do you really think I shall admit that I'm not their equal'; he seemed to be saying, 'or that I've got to give up anything, especially life? "We may live to their age, perhaps," pursued Jolyon, "but self-consciousness is a handicap, you know, and that's the difference between us. We've lost conviction. How and when self-consciousness was born I never can make out.

Holly and Mam'zelle would be in the schoolroom, and the servants asleep after their dinner, he shouldn't wonder. He opened his door cautiously, and went downstairs. In the hall the dog Balthasar lay solitary, and, followed by him, old Jolyon passed into his study and out into the burning afternoon.

"We may suppose him thick and sturdy, standing for England as it was before the Industrial Era began. The second Jolyon Forsyte your great-grandfather, Jolly; better known as Superior Dosset Forsyte built houses, so the chronicle runs, begat ten children, and migrated to London town. It is known that he drank sherry.

But the dog Balthasar lay watching her lips too, and despising in his heart the interruptions of their talk, and the tilting of those greenish glasses full of a golden fluid which was distasteful to him. The light was just failing when they went back into the music-room. And, cigar in mouth, old Jolyon said: "Play me some Chopin."