Leavingthebiliousandmathematicalexactitude，thepreposterouspeaceofthatbackwater，hethoughtsuddenly:’Duringcoverture！Whycan’ttheyexcludefellowslikeProfond，insteadofalotofhard—
workingGermans？’andwassurprisedatthedepthofuneasinesswhichcouldprovokesounpatrioticathought。Butthereitwas！Onenevergotamomentofrealpeace。Therewasalwayssomethingatthebackofeverything！AndhemadehiswaytowardGreenStreet。
Twohourslaterbyhiswatch，ThomasGradman，stirringinhisswivelchair，closedthelastdrawerofhisbureau，andputtingintohiswaistcoatpocketabunchofkeyssofatthattheygavehimaprotuberanceontheliverside，brushedhisoldtophatroundwithhissleeve，tookhisumbrella，anddescended。Thick，short，andbuttonedcloselyintohisoldfrockcoat，hewalkedtowardCoventGardenmarket。HenevermissedthatdailypromenadetotheTubeforHighgate，andseldomsomecriticaltransactiononthewayinconnectionwithvegetablesandfruit。Generationsmightbeborn，andhatsmightchange，warsbefought，andForsytesfadeaway，butThomasGradman，faithfulandgrey，wouldtakehisdailywalkandbuyhisdailyvegetable。Timeswerenotwhattheywere，andhissonhadlostaleg，andtheynevergavehimthosenicelittleplaitedbasketstocarrythestuffinnow，andtheseTubeswereconvenientthings——stillhemustn’tcomplain;hishealthwasgoodconsideringhistimeoflife，andafterfifty—fouryearsintheLawhewasgettingaroundeighthundredayearandalittleworriedoflate，becauseitwasmostlycollector’scommissionontherents，andwithallthisconversionofForsytepropertygoingon，itlookedlikedryingup，andthepriceoflivingstillsohigh;butitwasnogoodworrying——\"
ThegoodGodmadeusall\"——ashewasinthehabitofsaying;still，housepropertyinLondon——hedidn’tknowwhatMr。RogerorMr。Jameswouldsayiftheycouldseeitbeingsoldlikethis——seemedtoshowalackoffaith;butMr。Soames——heworried。Lifeandlivesinbeingandtwenty—oneyearsafter——beyondthatyoucouldn’tgo;still，hekepthishealthwonderfully——andMissFleurwasaprettylittlething——shewas;she’dmarry;butlotsofpeoplehadnochildrennowadays——hehadhadhisfirstchildattwenty—two;andMr。Jolyon，marriedwhilehewasatCambridge，hadhischildthesameyear——
graciousPeter！Thatwasbackin’69，alongtimebeforeoldMr。