Hewentoutwithhisheadupandhishatcockedjoyously，sniffingtheairofPiccadillylikeayounghoundloosedintocovert。Jollygoodbiz！Afterthatmouldyoldslowholedownthere！
　　Hefoundhis’tutor，’notindeedattheOxfordandCambridge，butattheGoat’sClub。This’tutor’wasayearolderthanhimself，agood-lookingyouth，withfinebrowneyes，andsmoothdarkhair，asmallmouth，anovalface，languid，immaculate，cooltoadegree，oneofthoseyoungmenwhowithouteffortestablishmoralascendancyovertheircompanions。HehadmissedbeingexpelledfromschoolayearbeforeVal，hadspentthatyearatOxford，andValcouldalmostseeahaloroundhishead。HisnamewasCrum，andnoonecouldgetthroughmoneyquicker。Itseemedtobehisonlyaiminlife——dazzlingtoyoungVal，inwhom，however，theForsytewouldstandapart，nowandthen，wonderingwherethevalueforthatmoneywas。
　　Theydinedquietly，instyleandtaste；lefttheClubsmokingcigars，withjusttwobottlesinsidethem，anddroppedintostallsattheLiberty。ForValthesoundofcomicsongs，thesightoflovelylegswerefoggedandinterruptedbyhauntingfearsthathewouldneverequalCrum’squietdandyism。Hisidealismwasroused；
　　andwhenthatisso，oneisneverquiteatease。Surelyhehadtoowideamouth，notthebestcutofwaistcoat，nobraidonhistrousers，andhislavendergloveshadnothinblackstitchingsdowntheback。Besides，helaughedtoomuch——Crumneverlaughed，heonlysmiled，withhisregulardarkbrowsraisedalittlesothattheyformedagableoverhisjustdroopedlids。No！hewouldneverbeCrum’sequal。Allthesameitwasajollygoodshow，andCynthiaDarksimplyripping。BetweentheactsCrumregaledhimwithparticularsofCynthia’sprivatelife，andtheawfulknowledgebecameVal’sthat，ifheliked，Crumcouldgobehind。Hesimplylongedtosay：”Isay，takeme！”butdarednot，becauseofhisdeficiencies；andthismadethelastactortwoalmostmiserable。
　　OncomingoutCrumsaid：”It’shalfanhourbeforetheyclose；
　　let’sgoontothePandemonium。”Theytookahansomtotravelthehundredyards，andseatscostingseven-and-sixapiecebecausetheyweregoingtostand，andwalkedintothePromenade。Itwasintheselittlethings，thisutternegligenceofmoneythatCrumhadsuchengagingpolish。Theballetwasonitslastlegsand——night，andthetrafficofthePromenadewassufferingforthemoment。Menandwomenwerecrowdedinthreerowsagainstthebarrier。Thewhirlanddazzleonthestage，thehalfdark，themingledtobaccofumesandwomen’sscent，allthatcuriousluretopromiscuitywhichbelongstoPromenades，begantofreeyoungValfromhisidealism。
　　Helookedadmiringlyinayoungwoman’sface，sawshewasnotyoung，andquicklylookedaway。ShadesofCynthiaDark！Theyoungwoman’sarmtouchedhisunconsciously；therewasascentofmuskandmignonette。Vallookedroundthecornerofhislashes。Perhapsshewasyoung，afterall。Herfoottrodonhis；shebeggedhispardon。Hesaid：”Notatall；jollygoodballet，isn’tit?””Oh，I’mtiredofit；aren’tyou?”
　　YoungValsmiled——hiswide，rathercharmingsmile。Beyondthathedidnotgo——notyetconvinced。TheForsyteinhimstoodoutforgreatercertainty。Andonthestagetheballetwhirleditskaleidoscopeofsnow-white，salmon-pink，andemerald-greenandvioletandseemedsuddenlytofreezeintoastillyspangledpyramid。Applausebrokeout，anditwasover！Marooncurtainshadcutitoff。Thesemi-circleofmenandwomenroundthebarrierbrokeup，theyoungwoman’sarmpressedhis。Alittlewayoffdisturbanceseemedcentringroundamanwithapinkcarnation；Valstoleanotherglanceattheyoungwoman，whowaslookingtowardsit。Threemen，unsteady，emerged，walkingarminarm。Theoneinthecentreworethepinkcarnation，awhitewaistcoat，adarkmoustache；hereeledalittleashewalked。Crum’svoicesaidslowandlevel：”Lookatthatbounder，he’sscrewed！”Valturnedtolook。The’bounder’haddisengagedhisarm，andwaspointingstraightatthem。Crum’svoice，levelasever，said：”Heseemstoknowyou！”The’bounder’spoke：”H’llo！”hesaid。”Youf’llows，look！There’smyyoungrascalofason！”
　　Valsaw。Itwashisfather！Hecouldhavesunkintothecrimsoncarpet。Itwasnotthemeetinginthisplace，noteventhathisfatherwas’screwed’；itwasCrum’sword’bounder，’which，asbyheavenlyrevelation，heperceivedatthatmomenttobetrue。Yes，hisfatherlookedabounderwithhisdarkgoodlooks，andhispinkcarnation，andhissquare，self-assertivewalk。AndwithoutawordheduckedbehindtheyoungwomanandslippedoutofthePromenade。
　　Heheardtheword，”Val！”behindhim，andrandowndeep-carpetedstepspastthe’chuckersout，’intotheSquare。
　　Tobeashamedofhisownfatherisperhapsthebitterestexperienceayoungmancangothrough。ItseemedtoVal，hurryingaway，thathiscareerhadendedbeforeithadbegun。HowcouldhegouptoOxfordnowamongstallthosechaps，thosesplendidfriendsofCrum’s，whowouldknowthathisfatherwasa’bounder’！AndsuddenlyhehatedCrum。WhothedevilwasCrum，tosaythat?IfCrumhadbeenbesidehimatthatmoment，hewouldcertainlyhavebeenjostledoffthepavement。Hisownfather——hisown！Achokecameupinhisthroat，andhedashedhishandsdowndeepintohisovercoatpockets。DamnCrum！Heconceivedthewildideaofrunningbackandfendinghisfather，takinghimbythearmandwalkingaboutwithhiminfrontofCrum；butgaveitupatonceandpursuedhiswaydownPiccadilly。Ayoungwomanplantedherselfbeforehim。”Notsoangry，darling！”Heshied，dodgedher，andsuddenlybecamequitecool。IfCrumeversaidaword，hewouldjollywellpunchhishead，andtherewouldbeanendofit。Hewalkedahundredyardsormore，contentedwiththatthought，thenlostitscomfortutterly。Itwasn’tsimplelikethat！Herememberedhow，atschool，whensomeparentcamedownwhodidnotpassthestandard，itjustclungtothefellowafterwards。Itwasoneofthosethingsnothingcouldremove。Whyhadhismothermarriedhisfather，ifhewasa’bounder’?Itwasbitterlyunfair——
　　jollylow-downonafellowtogivehima’bounder’forfather。
　　TheworstofitwasthatnowCrumhadspokentheword，herealisedthathehadlongknownsubconsciouslythathisfatherwasnot’thecleanpotato。’Itwasthebeastliestthingthathadeverhappenedtohim——beastliestthingthathadeverhappenedtoanyfellow！
　　And，down-heartedashehadneveryetbeen，hecametoGreenStreet，andlethimselfinwithasmuggledlatch-key。Inthedining-roomhisplover’seggsweresetinvitingly，withsomecutbreadandbutter，andalittlewhiskyatthebottomofadecanter——
　　justenough，asWinifredhadthought，forhimtofeelhimselfaman。Itmadehimsicktolookatthem，andhewentupstairs。
　　Winifredheardhimpass，andthought：’Thedearboy’sin。Thankgoodness！IfhetakesafterhisfatherIdon’tknowwhatIshalldo！Buthewon’the’slikeme。DearVal！’
　　CHAPTERIII
　　SOAMESPREPARESTOTAKESTEPS
　　WhenSoamesenteredhissister’slittleLouisQuinzedrawing-room，withitssmallbalcony，alwaysfloweredwithhanginggeraniumsinthesummer，andnowwithpotsofLiliumAuratum，hewasstruckbytheimmutabilityofhumanaffairs。ItlookedjustthesameasonhisfirstvisittothenewlymarriedDartiestwenty-oneyearsago。
　　Hehadchosenthefurniturehimself，andsocompletelythatnosubsequentpurchasehadeverbeenabletochangetheroom’satmosphere。Yes，hehadfoundedhissisterwell，andshehadwantedit。Indeed，itsaidagreatdealforWinifredthatafterallthistimewithDartiesheremainedwell-founded。FromthefirstSoameshadnosedoutDartie’snaturefromunderneaththeplausibility，savoirfaire，andgoodlookswhichhaddazzledWinifred，hermother，andevenJames，totheextentofpermittingthefellowtomarryhisdaughterwithoutbringinganythingbutsharesofnovalueintosettlement。
　　Winifred，whomhenoticednexttothefurniture，wassittingatherBuhlbureauwithaletterinherhand。Sheroseandcametowardshim。Tallashimself，stronginthecheekbones，welltailored，somethinginherfacedisturbedSoames。Shecrumpledtheletterinherhand，butseemedtochangehermindandhelditouttohim。Hewasherlawyeraswellasherbrother。
　　Soamesread，onIseeumClubpaper，thesewords：
　　’Youwillnotgetchancetoinsultinmyownagain。Iamleavingcountryto-morrow。It’splayedout。I’mtiredofbeinginsultedbyyou。You’vebroughtonyourself。Noself-respectingmancanstandit。Ishallnotaskyouforanythingagain。Good-bye。I
　　tookthephotographofthetwogirls。Givethemmylove。Idon’tcarewhatyourfamilysay。It’salltheirdoing。I’mgoingtolivenewlife。
　　’M。D。’
　　Thisafter-dinnernotehadasplotchonitnotyetquitedry。HelookedatWinifred——thesplotchhadclearlycomefromher；andhecheckedthewords：’Goodriddance！’Thenitoccurredtohimthatwiththislettershewasenteringthatverystatewhichhehimselfsoearnestlydesiredtoquit——thestateofaForsytewhowasnotdivorced。
　　Winifredhadturnedaway，andwastakingalongsnifffromalittlegold-toppedbottle。Adullcommiseration，togetherwithavaguesenseofinjury，creptaboutSoames’heart。Hehadcometohertotalkofhisownposition，andgetsympathy，andherewassheinthesameposition，wantingofcoursetotalkofit，andgetsympathyfromhim。Itwasalwayslikethat！Nobodyeverseemedtothinkthathehadtroublesandinterestsofhisown。Hefoldeduptheletterwiththesplotchinside，andsaid：”What’sitallabout，now?”
　　Winifredrecitedthestoryofthepearlscalmly。”Doyouthinkhe’sreallygone，Soames?Youseethestatehewasinwhenhewrotethat。”
　　Soameswho，whenhedesiredathing，placatedProvidencebypretendingthathedidnotthinkitlikelytohappen，answered：”Ishouldn’tthinkso。ImightfindoutathisClub。””IfGeorgeisthere，”saidWinifred，”hewouldknow。””George?”saidSoames；”Isawhimathisfather’sfuneral。””Thenhe’ssuretobethere。”
　　Soames，whosegoodsenseapplaudedhissister’sacumen，saidgrudgingly：”Well，I’llgoround。HaveyousaidanythinginParkLane?””I’vetoldEmily，”returnedWinifred，whoretainedthat’chic’wayofdescribinghermother。”Fatherwouldhaveafit。”