”NotsofarasIknow，”saidJolyon，consciousoftheintentwatchfulnessinSoames’face。”Well，that’sallIhadtosay。Anyonewhocomesbetweenmanandwife，youknow，incursheavyresponsibility。”Jolyonroseandmadehimaslightbow。”Good-bye，”hesaid，and，withoutofferingtoshakehands，movedaway，leavingSoamesstaringafterhim。’WeForsytes，’thoughtJolyon，hailingacab，’areverycivilised。Withsimplerfolkthatmighthavecometoarow。Ifitweren’tformyboygoingtothewar……’Thewar！Agustofhisolddoubtsweptoverhim。A
preciouswar！Dominationofpeoplesorofwomen！Attemptstomasterandpossessthosewhodidnotwantyou！Thenegationofgentledecency！Possession，vestedrights；andanyone’agin’’em——
outcast！’ThankHeaven！’hethought，’Ialwaysfelt”agin”’em，anyway！’Yes！EvenbeforehisfirstdisastrousmarriagehecouldrememberfumingoverthebludgeoningofIreland，orthematrimonialsuitsofwomentryingtobefreeofmentheyloathed。Parsonswouldhaveitthatfreedomofsoulandbodywerequitedifferentthings！Perniciousdoctrine！Bodyandsoulcouldnotthusbeseparated。Freewillwasthestrengthofanytie，andnotitsweakness。’IoughttohavetoldSoames，’hethought，’thatIthinkhimcomic。Ah！buthe’stragic，too！’Wasthereanything，indeed，moretragicintheworldthanamanenslavedbyhisownpossessiveinstinct，whocouldn’tseetheskyforit，orevenenterfullyintowhatanotherpersonfelt！’Imustwriteandwarnher，’
hethought；’he’sgoingtohaveanothertry。’AndallthewayhometoRobinHillherebelledatthestrengthofthatdutytohissonwhichpreventedhimfrompostingbacktoParis……
ButSoamessatlonginhischair，thepreyofanolessgnawingache——ajealousache，asifithadbeenrevealedtohimthatthisfellowheldprecedenceofhimself，andhadspunfreshthreadsofresistancetohiswayout。’Doesthatmeanthatyou’reagainstme?’hehadgotnothingoutofthatdisingenuousquestion。