FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  
gone down there with her handkerchief pressed to lips, its fragrance mingling with the scent of mint and thyme. Gone down there with such a wild, exquisite pain in his heart that he could have cried out among the trees. Or what, indeed, the fellow had done. In fact, till he came to Timothy's, Swithin had forgotten all about him. CHAPTER IV JAMES GOES TO SEE FOR HIMSELF Those ignorant of Forsyte 'Change would not, perhaps, foresee all the stir made by Irene's visit to the house. After Swithin had related at Timothy's the full story of his memorable drive, the same, with the least suspicion of curiosity, the merest touch of malice, and a real desire to do good, was passed on to June. "And what a dreadful thing to say, my dear!" ended Aunt Juley; "that about not going home. What did she mean?" It was a strange recital for the girl. She heard it flushing painfully, and, suddenly, with a curt handshake, took her departure. "Almost rude!" Mrs. Small said to Aunt Hester, when June was gone. The proper construction was put on her reception of the news. She was upset. Something was therefore very wrong. Odd! She and Irene had been such friends! It all tallied too well with whispers and hints that had been going about for some time past. Recollections of Euphemia's account of the visit to the theatre--Mr. Bosinney always at Soames's? Oh, indeed! Yes, of course, he would be about the house! Nothing open. Only upon the greatest, the most important provocation was it necessary to say anything open on Forsyte 'Change. This machine was too nicely adjusted; a hint, the merest trifling expression of regret or doubt, sufficed to set the family soul so sympathetic--vibrating. No one desired that harm should come of these vibrations--far from it; they were set in motion with the best intentions, with the feeling, that each member of the family had a stake in the family soul. And much kindness lay at the bottom of the gossip; it would frequently result in visits of condolence being made, in accordance with the customs of Society, thereby conferring a real benefit upon the sufferers, and affording consolation to the sound, who felt pleasantly that someone at all events was suffering from that from which they themselves were not suffering. In fact, it was simply a desire to keep things well-aired, the desire which animates the Public Press, that brought James, for instance, into communication with
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
desire
 

family

 

Forsyte

 
Change
 

Timothy

 

merest

 

Swithin

 

suffering

 

Bosinney

 

theatre


sufficed

 
vibrating
 

sympathetic

 
Euphemia
 
Soames
 

Recollections

 

account

 

machine

 

nicely

 

adjusted


greatest

 

important

 

provocation

 

regret

 

expression

 
trifling
 

Nothing

 

member

 

pleasantly

 

events


consolation

 

conferring

 
benefit
 

sufferers

 

affording

 

simply

 

brought

 

instance

 

communication

 

Public


things
 
animates
 

Society

 

customs

 

motion

 
intentions
 

feeling

 
vibrations
 
visits
 

result