inger。　　He　enjoyed　the　drive　back　to　Chelsea　in　a　hansom；　smoking　his　cigar。　　She　had　promised　to　come　down　next　Sunday　and　play　to　him　again；　and　already　in　thought　he　was　plucking　carnations　and　early　roses　for　her　to　carry　back　to　town。　　It　was　a　pleasure　to　give　her　a　little　pleasure；　if　it　WERE　pleasure　from　an　old　chap　like　him！　　The　carriage　was　already　there　when　they　arrived。　Just　like　that　fellow；　who　was　always　late　when　he　was　wanted！　　Old　Jolyon　went　in　for　a　minute　to　say　good…bye。　　The　little　dark　hall　of　the　fiat　was　impregnated　with　a　disagreeable　odour　of　patchouli；　and　on　a　bench　against　the　wallits　only　furniturehe　saw　a　figure　sitting。　　He　heard　Irene　say　softly：　〃Just　one　minute。〃　　In　the　little　drawing…room　when　the　door　was　shut；　he　asked　gravely：　〃One　of　your　protegees？〃
  〃Yes。　　Now　thanks　to　you；　I　can　do　something　for　her。〃
  He　stood；　staring；　and　stroking　that　chin　whose　strength　had　frightened　so　many　in　its　time。　　The　idea　of　her　thus　actually　in　contact　with　this　outcast；　grieved　and　frightened　him。　　What　could　she　do　for　them？　　Nothing。　　Only　soil　and　make　trouble　for　herself；　perhaps。　　And　he　said：　〃Take　care；　my　dear！　　The　world　puts　the　worst　construction　on　everything。〃
  〃I　know　that。〃
  He　was　abashed　by　her　quiet　smile。　　〃Well　thenSunday；〃　he　murmured：　〃Good…bye。〃
  She　put　her　cheek　forward　for　him　to　kiss。
  〃Good…bye；〃　he　said　again；　〃take　care　of　yourself。〃　　And　he　went　out；　not　looking　towards　the　figure　on　the　bench。　　He　drove　home　by　way　of　Hammersmith；　that　he　might　stop　at　a　place　he　knew　of　and　tell　them　to　send　her　in　two　dozen　of　their　best　Burgundy。　　She　must　want　picking…up　sometimes！　　Only　in　Richmond　Park　did　he　remember　that　he　had　gone　up　to　order　himself　some　boots；　and　was　surprised　that　he　could　have　had　so　paltry　an　idea。
  III
  The　little　spirits　of　the　past　which　throng　an　old　man's　days　had　never　pushed　their　faces　up　to　his　so　seldom　as　in　the　seventy　hours　elapsing　before　Sunday　came。　　The　spirit　of　the　future；　with　the　charm　of　the　unknown；　put　up　her　lips　instead。　　Old　Jolyon　was　not　restless　now；　and　paid　no　visits　to　the　log；　because　she　was　coming　to　lunch。　　There　is　wonderful　finality　about　a　meal；　it　removes　a　world　of　doubts；　for　no　one　misses　meals　except　for　reasons　beyond　control。　　He　played　many　games　with　Holly　on　the　lawn；　pitching　them　up　to　her　who　was　batting　so　as　to　be　ready　to　bowl　to　Jolly　in　the　holidays。　　For　she　was　not　a　Forsyte；　but　Jolly　wasand　Forsytes　always　bat；　until　they　have　resigned　and　reached　the　age　of　eighty…five。　　The　dog　Balthasar；　in　attendance；　lay　on　the　ball　as　often　as　he　could；　and　the　page…boy　fielded；　till　his　face　was　like　the　harvest　moon。　　And　because　the　time　was　getting　shorter；　each　day　was　longer　and　more　golden　than　the　last。　　On　Friday　night　he　took　a　liver　pill；　his　side　hurt　him　rather；　and　though　it　was　not　the　liver　side；　there　is　no　remedy　like　that。　　Anyone　telling　him　that　he　had　found　a　new　excitement　in　life　and　that　excitement　was　not　good　for　him；　would　have　been　met　by　one　of　those　steady　and　rather　defiant　looks　of　his　deep…set　iron…grey　eyes；　which　seemed　to　say：　'I　know　my　own　business　best。'　　He　always　had　and　always　would。
  On　Sunday　morning；　when　Holly　had　gone　with　her　governess　to　church；　he　visited　the　strawberry　beds。　　There；　accompanied　by　the　dog　Balthasar；　he　examined　the　plants　narrowly　and　succeeded　in　finding　at　least　two　dozen　berries　which　were　really　ripe。　　Stooping　was　not　good　for　him；　and　he　became　very　dizzy　and　red　in　the　forehead。　Having　placed　the　strawberries　in　a　dish　on　the　dining…table；　he　washed　his　hands　and　bathed　his　forehead　with　eau　de　Cologne。　　There；　before　the　mirror；　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　thinner。　　What　a　'threadpaper'　he　had　been　when　he　was　young！　　It　was　nice　to　be　slim…　…he　could　not　bear　a　fat　chap；　and　yet　perhaps　his　cheeks　were　too　thin！　　She　was　to　arrive　by　train　at　half…past　twelve　and　walk　up；　entering　from　the　road　past　Drage's　farm　at　the　far　end　of　the　coppice。　　And；　having　looked　into　June's　room　to　see　that　there　was　hot　water　ready；　he　set　forth　to　meet　her；　leisurely；　for　his　heart　was　beating。　　The　air　smelled　sweet；　larks　sang；　and　the　Grand　Stand　at　Epsom　was　visible。　　A　perfect　day！　　On　just　such　a　one；　no　doubt；　six　years　ago；　Soames　had　brought　young　Bosinney　down　with　him　to　look　at　the　site　before　they　began　to　build。　　It　was　Bosinney　who　had　pitched　on　the　exact　spot　for　the　houseas　June　had　often　told　him。　In　these　days　he　was　thinking　much　about　that　young　fellow；　as　if　his　spirit　were　really　haunting　the　field　of　his　last　work；　on　the　chance　of　seeingher。　　Bosinneythe　one　man　who　had　possessed　her　heart；　to　whom　she　had　given　her　whole　self　with　rapture！　　At　his　age　one　could　not；　of　course；　imagine　such　things；　but　there　stirred　in　him　a　queer　vague　achingas　it　were　the　ghost　of　an　impersonal　jealousy；　and　a　feeling；　too；　more　generous；　of　pity　for　that　love　so　early　lost。　　All　over　in　a　few　poor　months！　　Well；　well！　　He　looked　at　his　watch　before　entering　the　coppiceonly　a　quarter　past；　twenty…five　minutes　to　wait！　　And　then；　turning　the　corner　of　the　path；　he　saw　her　exactly　where　he　had　seen　her　the　first　time；　on　the　log；　and　realised　that　she　must　have　come　by　the　earlier　train　to　sit　there　alone　for　a　couple　of　hours　at　least。　　Two　hours　of　her　society　missed！　　What　memory　could　make　that　log　so　dear　to　her？　　His　face　showed　what　he　was　thinking；　for　she　said　at　once：
  〃Forgive　me；　Uncle　Jolyon；　it　was　here　that　I　first　knew。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　there　it　is　for　you　whenever　you　like。　　You're　looking　a　little　Londony；　you're　giving　too　many　lessons。〃
  That　she　should　have　to　give　lessons　worried　him。　　Lessons　to　a　parcel　of　young　girls　thumping　out　scales　with　their　thick　fingers。
  〃Where　do　you　go　to　give　them？〃　he　asked。
  〃They're　mostly　Jewish　families；　luckily。〃
  Old　Jolyon　stared；　to　all　Forsytes　Jews　seem　strange　and　doubtful。
  〃They　love　music；　and　they're　very　kind。〃
  〃They　had　better　be；　by　George！〃　　He　took　her　armhis　side　always　hurt　him　a　little　going　uphilland　said：
  〃Did　you　ever　see　anything　like　those　buttercups？　　They　came　like　that　in　a　night。〃
  Her　eyes　seemed　really　to　fly　over　the　field；　like　bees　after　the　flowers　and　the　honey。　　〃I　wanted　you　to　see　themwouldn't　let　them　turn　the　cows　in　yet。〃　　Then；　remembering　that　she　had　come　to　talk　about　Bosinney；　he　pointed　to　the　clock…tower　over　the　stables：
  〃I　expect　be　wouldn't　have　let　me　put　that　therehad　no　notion　of　time；　if　I　remember。〃
  But；　pressing　his　arm　to　her；　she　talked　of　flowers　instead；　and　he　knew　it　was　done　that　he　might　not　feel　she　came　because　of　her　dead　lover。
  〃The　best　flower　I　can　show　you；〃　he　said；　with　a　sort　of　triumph；　〃is　my　little　sweet。　　She'll　be　back　from　Church　directly。　　There's　something　about　her　which　reminds　me　a　little　of　you；〃　and　it　did　not　seem　to　him　peculiar　that　he　had　put　it　thus；　instead　of　saying：　〃There's　something　about　you　which　reminds　me　a　little　of　her。〃　　Ah！　And　here　she　was！
  Holly；　followed　closely　by　her　elderly　French　governess；　whose　digestion　had　been　ruined　twenty…two　years　ago　in　the　siege　of　Strasbourg；　came　rushing　towards　them　from　under　the　oak　tree。　　She　stopped　about　a　dozen　yards　away；　to　pat　Balthasar　and　pretend　that　this　was　all　she　had　in　her　mind。　　Old　Jolyon　who　knew　better；　said：
  〃Well；　my　darling；　here's　the　lady　in　grey　I　promised　you。〃
  Holly　raised　herself　and　looked　up。　　He　watched　the　two　of　them　with　a　twinkle；　Irene　smiling；　Holly　beginning　with　grave　inquiry；　passing　into　a　shy　smile　too；　and　then　to　something　deeper。　　She　had　a　sense　of　beauty；　that　childknew　what　was　what！　　He　enjoyed　the　sight　of　the　kiss　between　them。
  〃Mrs。　Heron；　Mam'zelle　Beauce。　　Well；　Mam'zellegood　sermon？〃
  For；　now　that　he　had　not　much　more　time　before　him；　the　only　part　of　the　service　connected　with　this　world　absorbed　what　interest　in　church　remained　to　him。　　Mam'zelle　Beauce　stretched　out　a　spidery　hand　clad　in　a　black　kid　gloveshe　had　been　in　the　best　families　and　the　rather　sad　eyes　of　her　lean　yellowish　face　seemed　to　ask：　〃Are　you　well…brrred？〃　Whenever　Holly　or　Jolly　did　anything　unpleasing　to　hera　not　uncommon　occurrence　he　would　say　to　them：　〃The　little　Tayleurs　never　did　thatthey　were　such　well…brrred　little　children。〃　　Jolly　hated　the　little　Tayleurs；　Holly　wondered　dreadfully　how　it　was　she　fell　so　short　of　them。　　'A　thin　rum　little　soul；'　old　Jolyon　thought　herMam'zelle　Beauce。
  Luncheon　was　a　successful　meal；　the　mushrooms　which　he　himself　had　picked　in　the　mushroom　house；　his　chosen　strawberries；　and　another　bottle　of　the　Steinberg　cabinet　filled　him　with　a　certain　aromatic　spirituality；　and　a　conviction　that　he　would　have　a　touch　of　eczema　to…morrow。
  After　lunch　they　sat　under　the　oak　tree　drinking　Turkish　coffee。　　It　was　no　matter　of　grief　to　him　when　Mademoiselle　Beauce　withdrew　to　write　her　Sunday　letter　to　her　sister；　whose　future　had　been　endangered　in　the　past　by　swallowing　a　pinan　event　held　up　daily　in　warning　to　the　children　to　eat　slowly　and　digest　what　they　had　eaten。　At　the　foot　of　the　bank；　on　a　carriage　rug；　Holly　and　the　dog　Balthasar　teased　and　loved　each　other；　and　in　the　shade　old　Jolyon　with　his　l