But what they were Bicket could not tell. Under the stimulus of tea, he achieved a certain bravado about his new profession. To be your own master! Go out when you liked, come home when you liked–lie in bed with Vic if he jolly well pleased. A lot in that! And there rose in Bicket something truly national, something free and happy-go-lucky, resenting regular work, enjoying a spurt, and a laze-off, craving independence–something that accounted for the national life, the crowds of little shops, of middlemen, casual workers, tramps, owning their own souls in their own good time, and damning the consequences–something inherent in the land, the race, before the Saxons and their conscience and their industry came in-something that believed in swelling and collapsing coloured air, demanded pickles and high flavours without nourishment–yes, all that something exulted above Bicket’s kipper and his tea, good and strong. He would rather sell balloons than be a packer any day, and don’t let Vic forget it! And when she was able to take a job, they would get on fine, and not be long before they’d saved enough to get out of it to where those blue butterflies came from. And he spoke of Soames. A few more aldermen without children–say two a day, fifteen bob a week outside legitimate trade. Why, in under a year they’d have the money! And once away, Vic would blow out like one of those balloons; she’d be twice the size, and a colour in her cheeks to lay over that orange and magenta. Bicket became full of air. And the girl, his wife, watched with her large eyes and spoke little; but she did not cry again, or, indeed, throw any water, warm or cold, on him who sold balloons.
Chapter XII.
FIGURES AND FACTS
With the exception of old Fontenoy–in absence as in presence ornamental–the Board was again full; Soames, conscious of special ingratiation in the manner of ‘that chap’ Elderson, prepared himself for the worst. The figures were before them; a somewhat colourless show, appearing to disclose a state of things which would pass muster, if within the next six months there were no further violent disturbances of currency exchange. The proportion of foreign business to home business was duly expressed in terms of two to seven; German business, which constituted the bulk of the foreign, had been lumped–Soames noted–in the middle section, of countries only half bankrupt, and taken at what might be called a conservative estimate.
During the silence which reigned while each member of the Board digested the figures, Soames perceived more clearly than ever the quandary he was in. Certainly, these figures would hardly justify the foregoing of the dividend earned on the past year’s business. But suppose there were another Continental crash and they became liable on the great bulk of their foreign business, it might swamp all profits on home business next year, and more besides. And then his uneasiness about Elderson himself–founded he could not tell on what, intuitive, perhaps silly.
“Well, Mr. Forsyte,” the chairman was speaking; “there are the figures. Are you satisfied?”
Soames looked up; he had taken a resolution.
“I will agree to this year’s dividend on condition that we drop this foreign business in future, lock, stock and barrel.” The manager’s eyes hard and bright, met his, then turned towards the chairman.
“That appears to savour of the panicky,” he said; “the foreign business is responsible for a good third of our profit this year.”
The chairman seemed to garner the expressions of his fellow-directors, before he said:
“There is nothing in the foreign situation at the moment, Mr. Forsyte, which gives particular cause for alarm. I admit that we should watch it closely–”
“You can’t,” interjected Soames. “Here we are four years from the Armistice, and we know no more where we stand than we did then. If I’d realised our commitment to this policy, I should never have come on the Board. We must drop it.”
“Rather an extreme view. And hardly a matter we can decide in a moment.”
The murmur of assent, the expression, faintly ironical, of ‘that chap’s’ lips, jolted the tenacity in Soames.
“Very well! Unless you’re prepared to tell the shareholders in the report that we are dropping foreign business, you drop me. I must be free to raise the question myself at the general meeting.” He did not miss the shift and blink in the manager’s eyes. That shot had gone home!
The Chairman said:
“You put a pistol to our heads.”
“I am responsible to the shareholders,” said Soames, “and I shall do my duty by them.”
“So we all are, Mr. Forsyte; and I hope we shall all do our duty.”
“Why not confine the foreign business to the small countries–their currency is safe enough?”
‘Old Mont,’ and his precious ‘ring!’
“No,” said Soames, “we must go back to safety.”
“Splendid isolation, Forsyte?”
“Meddling was all very well in the war, but in peace–politics or business–this half-and-half interference is no good. We can’t control the foreign situation.”
He looked around him, and was instantly conscious that with those words he had struck a chord. ‘I’m going through with this!’ he thought.
“I should be glad, Mr. Chairman”–the manager was speaking–“if I might say a word. The policy was of my initiation, and I think I may claim that it has been of substantial benefit to the Society so far. When, however, a member of the Board takes so strong a view against its continuance, I certainly don’t press the Board to continue it. The times ARE uncertain, and a risk, of course, is involved, however conservative our estimates.”
‘Now why?’ thought Soames: ‘What’s he ratting for?’
“That’s very handsome of you, Elderson; Mr. Chairman, I think we may say that is very handsome of our manager.”
Old Dosey Cosey! Handsome! The old woman!
The Chairman’s rather harsh voice broke a silence.
“This is a very serious point of policy. I should have been glad to have Lord Fontenoy present.”
“If I am to endorse the report,” said Soames shortly, “it must be decided today. I have made up my mind. But please yourselves.”
He threw in those last three words from a sort of fellow feeling–it was unpleasant to be dragooned! A moment’s silence, and then discussion assumed that random volubility which softens a decision already forced on one. A quarter of an hour thus passed before the Chairman said:
“We are agreed then, gentlemen, that the report shall contain the announcement that, in view of Continental uncertainty, we are abandoning foreign risks for the present.”
Soames had won. Relieved and puzzled, he walked away alone.
He had shown character; their respect for him had gone up, he could see; their liking for him down, if they’d ever had any–he didn’t know! But why had Elderson veered round? He recalled the shift and blink of the fellow’s steely eyes at the idea of the question being raised at the general meeting.
That had done it! But why? Were the figures faked? Surely not! That would be too difficult, in the face of the accountants. If Soames had faith, it was in chartered accountants. Sandis and Jevon were tip-top people. It couldn’t be that! He glanced up from the pavement. The dome of St. Paul’s was dim already in evening sky–nothing to be had out of it! He felt badly in need of some one to talk to; but there was nobody; and he quickened his pace among the hurrying crowd. His hand, driven deep into his overcoat pocket, came into sudden contact with some foreign sticky substance. ‘Gracious!’ he thought: ‘those things!’ Should he drop them in the gutter? If only there were a child he could take them home to! He must get Annette to speak to Fleur. He knew what came of bad habits from his own experience of long ago. Why shouldn’t he speak to her himself? He was staying the night there! But there came on him a helpless sense of ignorance. These young people! What did they really think and feel? Was old Mont right? Had they given up interest in everything except the moment, abandoned all belief in continuity, and progress? True enough that Europe was in Queer Street. But look at the state of things after the Napoleonic Wars. He couldn’t remember his grandfather ‘Superior Dosset,’ the old chap had died five years before he was born, but he perfectly remembered how Aunt Ann, born in 1799, used to talk about “that dreadful Bonaparte–we used to call him Boney, my dear;” of how her father could get eight or ten per cent. for his money; and of what an impression ‘those Chartists’ had made on Aunts Juley and Hester, and that was long afterwards. Yet, in spite of all that, look at the Victorian era–a golden age, things worth collecting, children worth having! Why not again! Consols had risen almost continuously since Timothy died. Even if Heaven and Hell had gone, they couldn’t be the reason; none of his uncles had believed in either, and yet had all made fortunes, and all had families, except Timothy and Swithin. No! It couldn’t be the want of Heaven and Hell! What, then, was the reason of the change–if change there really were? And suddenly it was revealed to Soames. They talked too much–too much and too fast! They got to the end of interest in this and that and the other. They ate life and threw away the rind, and–and–. By the way, he must buy that picture of George’s!… Had these young folk more mind than his own generation? And if so–why? Was it diet? That lobster cocktail Fleur had given him the Sunday before last. He had eaten the thing–very nasty! But it hadn’t made him want to talk. No! He didn’t think it could be diet. Besides–Mind! Where were the minds now that equalled the Victorians–Darwin, Huxley, Dickens, Disraeli, even old Gladstone?
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