MajorForsythwasnotatalldiscouragedbytheissueofhisintervention.
"NowIseehowthelandlies,"hesaid,"it'sallplainsailing.Reconnoitrefirst,andthenwirein."
HebravelyattackedJamesnextday,whentheyweresmokinginthegardenafterbreakfast.UncleWilliamsmokednothingbutgold-tippedcigarettes,whichexcitedhisnephew'sopenscorn.
"I'vebeenthinkingaboutwhatyousaidyesterday,James,"hebegan.
"ForHeaven'ssake,UncleWilliam,don'ttalkaboutitanymore.I'mheartilysickofthewholething.I'vemadeupmymind,andIreallyshallnotalteritforanythingyoumaysay."
MajorForsythchangedtheconversationwithwhatmighthavebeendescribedasastrategicmovementtotherear.HesaidthatJamie'sanswertoldhimallhewishedtoknow,andhewascontentnowtoleavetheseedswhichhehadsowntospringupoftheirownaccord.
"I'mperfectlysatisfied,"hetoldhissister,complacently."You'llseethatifit'llallcomerightnow."
Meanwhile,Maryconductedherselfadmirably.SheneitheravoidedJamesnorsoughthim,butwhenchancebroughtthemtogether,wasperfectlynatural.Heraffectionhadneverbeendemonstrative,andnowtherewasinhermannerbutlittlechange.Shetalkedfrankly,asthoughnothinghadpassedbetweenthem,withnosuspicionofreproachinhertone.Shewas,indeed,farmoreateasethanJames.Hecouldnothidetheeffortitwastomakeconversation,northenervousdiscomfortwhichinherpresencehefelt.Hewatchedherfurtively,askinghimselfwhethershestillsuffered.ButMary'sfacebetrayedfewofheremotionstannedbyexposuretoallweathers,herrobustcolourremainedunalteredanditwasonlyinhereyesthatJamesfanciedhesawadifference.Theyhadjustthatperplexed,sorrowfulexpressionwhichadoghas,unjustlybeaten.James,imaginativeandconscience-stricken,torturedhimselfbyreadingintheirbrownsoftnessallmannerofdreadfulanguish.Hewatchedthem,unlitbythesmilewhichplayeduponthelips,lookingathimagainsttheirwill,withapitifullonging.Heexaggeratedthepainhesawtillitbecameanobsession