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the sitting…room to regain his self…control。
The sight of Boleskey with a bottle in his hand steadied him。
〃She is coming；〃 he said。 And very soon she did come； her thick hair
roughly twisted in a plait。
Swithin sat between the girls； but did not talk； for he was really
hungry。 Boleskey too was silent； plunged in gloom； Rozsi was dumb；
Margit alone chattered。
〃You will come to our Father…town？ We shall have things to show you。
Rozsi； what things we will show him！〃 Rozsi； with a little appealing
movement of her hands； repeated； 〃What things we will show you！〃 She
seemed suddenly to find her voice； and with glowing cheeks； mouths
full； and eyes bright as squirrels'； they chattered reminiscences of
the 〃dear Father…town；〃 of 〃dear friends；〃 of the 〃dear home。〃
'A poor place！' Swithin could not help thinking。 This enthusiasm
seemed to him common； but he was careful to assume a look of
interest； feeding on the glances flashed at him from Rozsi's restless
eyes。
As the wine waned Boleskey grew more and more gloomy； but now and
then a sort of gleaming flicker passed over his face。 He rose to his
feet at last。
〃Let us not forget；〃 he said； 〃that we go perhaps to ruin； to death；
in the face of all this we go； because our country needsin this
there is no credit； neither to me nor to you； my daughters； but for
this noble Englishman； what shall we say？ Give thanks to God for a
great heart。 He comesnot for country； not for fame； not for money；
but to help the weak and the oppressed。 Let us drink； then； to him；
let us drink again and again to heroic Forsyte！〃 In the midst of the
dead silence； Swithin caught the look of suppliant mockery in Rozsi's
eyes。 He glanced at the Hungarian。 Was he laughing at him？ But
Boleskey； after drinking up his wine； had sunk again into his seat；
and there suddenly； to the surprise of all； he began to snore。
Margit rose and； bending over him like a mother； murmured： 〃He is
tiredit is the ride！〃 She raised him in her strong arms； and
leaning on her shoulder Boleskey staggered from the room。 Swithin
and Rozsi were left alone。 He slid his hand towards her hand that
lay so close； on the rough table…cloth。 It seemed to await his
touch。 Something gave way in him； and words came welling up； for the
moment he forgot himself； forgot everything but that he was near her。
Her head dropped on his shoulder； he breathed the perfume of her
hair。 〃Good…night！〃 she whispered； and the whisper was like a kiss；
yet before he could stop her she was gone。 Her footsteps died away
in the passage； but Swithin sat gazing intently at a single bright
drop of spilt wine quivering on the table's edge。 In that moment
she； in her helplessness and emotion； was all in all to himhis life
nothing； all the real thingshis conventions； convictions； training；
and himselfall seemed remote； behind a mist of passion and strange
chivalry。 Carefully with a bit of bread he soaked up the bright
drop； and suddenly he thought： 'This is tremendous！' For a long time
he stood there in the window； close to the dark pine…trees。
XI
In the early morning he awoke； full of the discomfort of this strange
place and the medley of his dreams。 Lying； with his nose peeping
over the quilt； he was visited by a horrible suspicion。 When he
could bear it no longer； he started up in bed。 What if it were all a
plot to get him to marry her？ The thought was treacherous； and
inspired in him a faint disgust。 Still； she might be ignorant of it！
But was she so innocent？ What innocent girl would have come to his
room like that？ What innocent girl？ Her father； who pretended to be
caring only for his country？ It was not probable that any man was
such a fool； it was all part of the game…a scheming rascal！
Kasteliz； toohis threats！ They intended him to marry her！ And the
horrid idea was strengthened by his reverence for marriage。 It was
the proper； the respectable condition； he was genuinely afraid of
this other sort of liaisonit was somehow too primitive！ And yet
the thought of that marriage made his blood run cold。 Considering
that she had already yielded； it would be all the more monstrous！
With the cold； fatal clearness of the morning light he now for the
first time saw his position in its full bearings。 And； like a fish
pulled out of water； he gasped at what was disclosed。 Sullen
resentment against this attempt to force him settled deep into his
soul。
He seated himself on the bed； holding his head in his hands； solemnly
thinking out what such marriage meant。 In the first place it meant
ridicule； in the next place ridicule； in the last place ridicule。
She would eat chicken bones with her fingersthose fingers his lips
still burned to kiss。 She would dance wildly with other men。 She
would talk of her 〃dear Father…town；〃 and all the time her eyes would
look beyond him； some where or other into some dd place he knew
nothing of。 He sprang up and paced the room； and for a moment
thought he would go mad。
They meant him to marry her！ Even sheshe meant him to marry her！
Her tantalising inscrutability； her sudden little tendernesses； her
quick laughter； her swift； burning kisses； even the movements of her
hands； her tearsall were evidence against her。 Not one of these
things that Nature made her do counted on her side； but how they
fanned his longing； his desire； and distress！ He went to the glass
and tried to part his hair with his fingers； but being rather fine；
it fell into lank streaks。 There was no comfort to be got from it。
He drew his muddy boots on。 Suddenly he thought： 'If I could see her
alone； I could arrive at some arrangement！' Then； with a sense of
stupefaction； he made the discovery that no arrangement could
possibly be made that would not be dangerous； even desperate。 He
seized his hat； and； like a rabbit that has been fired at； bolted
from the room。 He plodded along amongst the damp woods with his head
down； and resentment and dismay in his heart。 But； as the sun rose；
and the air grew sweet with pine scent； he slowly regained a sort of
equability。 After all； she had already yielded； it was not as if。。。！
And the tramp of his own footsteps lulled him into feeling that it
would all come right。
'Look at the thing practically；' he thought。 The faster he walked
the firmer became his conviction that he could still see it through。
He took out his watchit was past sevenhe began to hasten back。
In the yard of the inn his driver was harnessing the horses； Swithin
went up to him。
〃Who told you to put them in？〃 he asked。
The driver answered； 〃Der Herr。〃
Swithin turned away。 'In ten minutes；' he thought； 'I shall be in
that carriage again； with this going on in my head！ Driving away
from England； from all I'm used to…driving to…what？' Could he face
it？ Could he face all that he had been through that morning； face it
day after day； night afte