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out of him； through the layers of his stolid flesh。 He maintained a
dogged silence； Rozsi； too； said nothing； but when they reached the
door； she drew her hand away。
〃You are angry！〃 she said。
〃Angry；〃 muttered Swithin； 〃no！ How d'you make that out？〃 He had a
torturing desire to kiss her。
〃Yes； you are angry；〃 she repeated； 〃 I wait here for papa and
Margit。〃
Swithin also waited； wedged against the wall。 Once or twice； for his
sight was sharp； he saw her steal a look at him； a beseeching look；
and hardened his heart with a kind of pleasure。 After five minutes
Boleskey； Margit； and Kasteliz appeared。 Seeing Rozsi they broke
into exclamations of relief； and Kasteliz； with a glance at Swithin；
put his lips to her hand。 Rozsi's look said； 〃Wouldn't you like to
do that？〃 Swithin turned short on his heel； and walked away。
V
All night he hardly slept； suffering from fever； for the first time
in his life。 Once he jumped out of bed； lighted a candle； and going
to the glass； scrutinised himself long and anxiously。 After this he
fell asleep； but had frightful dreams。 His first thought when he
woke was； 'My liver's out of order！' and； thrusting his head into
cold water； he dressed hastily and went out。 He soon left the house
behind。 Dew covered everything； blackbirds whistled in the bushes；
the air was fresh and sweet。 He had not been up so early since he
was a boy。 Why was he walking through a damp wood at this hour of
the morning？ Something intolerable and unfamiliar must have sent him
out。 No fellow in his senses would do such a thing！ He came to a
dead stop； and began unsteadily to walk back。 Regaining the hotel；
he went to bed again； and dreamed that in some wild country he was
living in a room full of insects； where a housemaidRozsiholding a
broom； looked at him with mournful eyes。 There seemed an unexplained
need for immediate departure； he begged her to forward his things；
and shake them out carefully before she put them into the trunk。 He
understood that the charge for sending would be twenty…two shillings；
thought it a great deal； and had the horrors of indecision。 〃No；〃 he
muttered； 〃pack； and take them myself。〃 The housemaid turned
suddenly into a lean creature； and he awoke with a sore feeling in
his heart。
His eye fell on his wet boots。 The whole thing was scaring； and
jumping up； he began to throw his clothes into his trunks。 It was
twelve o'clock before he went down； and found his brother and
Traquair still at the table arranging an itinerary； he surprised them
by saying that he too was coming； and without further explanation set
to work to eat。 James had heard that there were salt…mines in the
neighbourhoodhis proposal was to start； and halt an hour or so on
the road for their inspection； he said： 〃Everybody'll ask you if
you've seen the salt…mines： I shouldn't like to say I hadn't seen the
salt…mines。 What's the good； they'd say； of your going there if you
haven't seen the salt…mines？〃 He wondered； too； if they need fee the
second waiteran idle chap！
A discussion followed； but Swithin ate on glumly； conscious that his
mind was set on larger affairs。 Suddenly on the far side of the
street Rozsi and her sister passed； with little baskets on their
arms。 He started up； and at that moment Rozsi looked roundher face
was the incarnation of enticement； the chin tilted； the lower lip
thrust a little forward； her round neck curving back over her
shoulder。 Swithin muttered； 〃Make your own arrangementsleave me
out！〃 and hurried from the room； leaving James beside himself with
interest and alarm。
When he reached the street； however； the girls had disappeared。 He
hailed a carriage。 〃Drive！〃 he called to the man； with a flourish of
his stick； and as soon as the wheels had begun to clatter on the
stones he leaned back； looking sharply to right and left。 He soon
had to give up thought of finding them； but made the coachman turn
round and round again。 All day he drove about； far into the country；
and kept urging the driver to use greater speed。 He was in a strange
state of hurry and elation。 Finally； he dined at a little country
inn； and this gave the measure of his disturbancethe dinner was
atrocious。
Returning late in the evening he found a note written by Traquair。
〃Are you in your senses； man？〃 it asked； 〃we have no more time to
waste idling about here。 If you want to rejoin us； come on to
Danielli's Hotel； Venice。〃 Swithin chuckled when he read it； and
feeling frightfully tired； went to bed and slept like a log。
VI
Three weeks later he was still in Salzburg； no longer at the Goldene
Alp； but in rooms over a shop near the Boleskeys'。 He had spent a
small fortune in the purchase of flowers。 Margit would croon over
them； but Rozsi； with a sober 〃Many tanks！〃 as if they were her
right； would look long at herself in the glass； and pin one into her
hair。 Swithin ceased to wonder； he ceased to wonder at anything they
did。 One evening he found Boleskey deep in conversation with a pale；
dishevelled…looking person。
〃Our friend Mr。 ForsyteCount D。。。。；〃 said Boleskey。
Swithin experienced a faint； unavoidable emotion； but looking at the
Count's trousers； he thought： 'Doesn't look much like one！' And with
an ironic bow to the silent girls； he turned； and took his hat。 But
when he had reached the bottom of the dark stairs he heard footsteps。
Rozsi came running down； looked out at the door； and put her hands up
to her breast as if disappointed； suddenly with a quick glance round
she saw him。 Swithin caught her arm。 She slipped away； and her face
seemed to bubble with defiance or laughter； she ran up three steps；
stopped； looked at him across her shoulder； and fled on up the
stairs。 Swithin went out bewildered and annoyed。
'What was she going to say to me？' he kept thinking。 During these
three weeks he had asked himself all sorts of questions： whether he
were being made a fool of； whether she were in love with him； what he
was doing there； and sometimes at night； with all his candles burning
as if he wanted light； the breeze blowing on him through the window；
his cigar； half…smoked； in his hand； he sat； an hour or more； staring
at the wall。 'Enough of this！' he thought every morning。 Twice he
packed fullyonce he ordered his travelling carriage； but
countermanded it the following day。 What definitely he hoped；
intended； resolved； he could not have said。 He was always thinking
of Rozsi； he could not read the riddle in her faceshe held him in a
vice； notwithstanding that everything about her threatened the very
fetishes of his existence。 And Boleskey！ Whenever he looked at him
he thought； 'If he were only clean？' and mechanically fingered his
own well…tied cravatte。 To talk with the fellow； too； was like being
forced to look at things which had no place in the light of day。
Freedom； equality； se