The memory of that change, vivid and touching, like the breaking open
of a flower, or the first sun after long winter, the memory, too, of all
that came after, often intruded itself, unaccountably, inopportunely on
Lady Baynes, when her mind was set upon the most important things.
This was the very afternoon of the day that young Jolyon witnessed the
meeting in the Botanical Gardens, and on this day, too, old Jolyon
paid a visit to his solicitors, Forsyte, Bustard, and Forsyte, in the
Poultry. Soames was not in, he had gone down to Somerset House; Bustard
was buried up to the hilt in papers and that inaccessible apartment,
where he was judiciously placed, in order that he might do as much work
as possible; but James was in the front office, biting a finger, and
lugubriously turning over the pleadings in Forsyte v. Bosinney.
This sound lawyer had only a sort of luxurious dread of the 'nice
point,' enough to set up a pleasurable feeling of fuss; for his good
practical sense told him that if he himself were on the Bench he would
not pay much attention to it. But he was afraid that this Bosinney would
go bankrupt and Soames would have to find the money after all, and costs
into the bargain. And behind this tangible dread there was always
that intangible trouble, lurking in the background, intricate, dim,
scandalous, like a bad dream, and of which this action was but an
outward and visible sign.
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