AndhelookedaroundatSoameswiththethought：’Ishereal，thisman?’ButSoameslookedveryreal，sittingsquareyetalmostelegantwiththeclippedmoustacheonhispaleface，andatoothshowingwherealipwasliftedinafriedsmile。Therewasalongsilence，whileJolyonthought：’Insteadofhelpingher，I’vemadethingsworse。’SuddenlySoamessaid：”Itwouldbethebestthingthatcouldhappentoherinmanyways。”
AtthosewordssuchaturmoilbegantakingplaceinJolyonthathecouldbarelysitstillinthecab。Itwasasifhewereboxedupwithhundredsofthousandsofhiscountrymen，boxedupwiththatsomethinginthenationalcharacterwhichhadalwaysbeentohimrevolting，somethingwhichheknewtobeextremelynaturalandyetwhichseemedtohiminexplicable——theirintensebeliefincontractsandvestedrights，theircomplacentsenseofvirtueintheexactionofthoserights。Herebesidehiminthecabwastheveryembodiment，thecorporealsumasitwere，ofthepossessiveinstinct——hisownkinsman，too！Itwasuncannyandintolerable！
’Butthere’ssomethingmoreinitthanthat！’hethoughtwithasickfeeling。’Thedog，theysay，returnstohisvomit！Thesightofherhasreawakenedsomething。Beauty！Thedevil’sinit！’”AsIsay，”saidSoames，”Ihavenotmadeupmymind。Ishallbeobligedifyouwillkindlyleaveherquitealone。”
Jolyonbithislips；hewhohadalwayshatedrowsalmostwelcomedthethought，ofonenow。”Icangiveyounosuchpromise，”hesaidshortly。”Verywell，”saidSoames，”thenweknowwhereweare。I’llgetdownhere。”Andstoppingthecabhegotoutwithoutwordorsignoffarewell。JolyontravelledontohisClub。
Thefirstnewsofthewarwasbeingcalledinthestreets，buthepaidnoattention。Whatcouldhedotohelpher?Ifonlyhisfatherwerealive！Hecouldhavedonesomuch！Butwhycouldhenotdoallthathisfathercouldhavedone?Washenotoldenough?——turnedfiftyandtwicemarried，withgrown-updaughtersandason。’Queer，’hethought。’IfshewereplainIshouldn’tbethinkingtwiceaboutit。Beautyisthedevil，whenyou’resen-