The Forsyte Saga - Volume 1

The ghost of a smile appeared on Soames' face. They had better hurry up

with their questions! He well knew his uncle's method (the ideal one)

of at once saying: "I propose, then, that the report and accounts be

adopted!" Never let them get their wind--shareholders were notoriously

wasteful of time!

A tall, white-bearded man, with a gaunt, dissatisfied face, arose:

"I believe I am in order, Mr. Chairman, in raising a question on this

figure of L5000 in the accounts. 'To the widow and family"' (he looked

sourly round), "'of our late superintendent,' who so--er--ill-advisedly

(I say--ill-advisedly) committed suicide, at a time when his services

were of the utmost value to this Company. You have stated that the

agreement which he has so unfortunately cut short with his own hand was

for a period of five years, of which one only had expired--I--"

Old Jolyon made a gesture of impatience.

"I believe I am in order, Mr. Chairman--I ask whether this amount

paid, or proposed to be paid, by the Board to the er--deceased--is

for services which might have been rendered to the Company--had he not

committed suicide?"

"It is in recognition of past services, which we all know--you as well

as any of us--to have been of vital value."

"Then, sir, all I have to say is that the services being past, the

amount is too much."

The shareholder sat down.

Old Jolyon waited a second and said: "I now propose that the report

and--"

The shareholder rose again: "May I ask if the Board realizes that it

is not their money which--I don't hesitate to say that if it were their

money...."

A second shareholder, with a round, dogged face, whom Soames recognised

as the late superintendent's brother-in-law, got up and said warmly: "In

my opinion, sir, the sum is not enough!"

The Rev. Mr. Boms now rose to his feet. "If I may venture to express

myself," he said, "I should say that the fact of the--er--deceased

having committed suicide should weigh very heavily--very heavily with

our worthy chairman. I have no doubt it has weighed with him, for--I say

this for myself and I think for everyone present (hear, hear)--he enjoys

our confidence in a high degree. We all desire, I should hope, to

be charitable. But I feel sure" (he-looked severely at the late

superintendent's brother-in-law) "that he will in some way, by some

written expression, or better perhaps by reducing the amount, record our

grave disapproval that so promising and valuable a life should have

been thus impiously removed from a sphere where both its own interests

and--if I may say so--our interests so imperatively demanded its

continuance. We should not--nay, we may not--countenance so grave a

dereliction of all duty, both human and divine."