Into the dark

The novel titles this chapter "Voyage into the inferno".

And what of a Forsyte with a guilty conscience? asks Young Jolyon. Is there room in his heart for shame and pity? The novel tells us yes, but the series leaves it ambiguous as we watch Soames put on his fur coat and head out into the fog. Irene is already packing her bags. When she sees that he's gone, she leaves as well for a hotel. She sends a note to Bosinney. They meet in front of a suspicious hotel clerk, then have a conversation about what to do. They decide to go to Italy. Irene then lets slip that something bad happened last night. Bosinney makes her tell all: Soames was out of his mind, she says, savage, like a mad beast. Bosinney is distraught. He runs into George on the street, doesn't recognize him, swears at him. George chases through the fog, and overhears Bosinney talking about what Soames has done. George loses the trail in heavy street traffic.

Mervyn Waterbuck, Q.C., Soames's counsel in the upcoming trial, is visiting the Jameses for lunch. He's a Forsyte through and through. James calls him a mountebank, and Soames agrees, but says that it works in court. George reports to Dartie the unsuccessful results of his chase. Dartie is sure that the woman is friend Soames's wife, but George says dammit, he's wrong. George is a bit of a sentimentalist.

Soames arrives home. A nervous maid tells him that Mrs Forsyte left in the morning with a large valise. She left no note. Soames prevents himself from showing shock in front of the servants. He runs up to their bedroom, rummages through her clothes. They're all still in their drawers and closets. Then he finds the jewelry box (full) and her note: "I think I have taken nothing that you or your people have given me." He cries, understanding that she's left for good.

The next morning is the day of the trial. The women gather at Timothy's. The men gather in court. "This isn't a circus," Soames mutters to his father. Even Dartie has shown up to wish Soames luck. James passes along an invitation to dinner for Soames and Irene. "Well, I'll come anyway. Thank you," says Soames, sad-eyed. "I'll explain later." Jo and June arrive late, Jolyon having been sent along by his father. (Old Jolyon has changed his will. No more scraping along and penny-pinching for Jo any more.) The case comes to trial. Soames gets his verdict. Jo greets him sarcastically afterward, but Soames just responds by saying that he won't be hard on Bosinney.

Irene has been in distress, wondering why Bosinney didn't come right back to her as he'd promised. She leaves her hotel and wanders to his rooms in Sloane Square. There she finds June, who has come to rescue her latest lame duck, the ruined Bosinney. June accuses her former friend of having betrayed her. Irene, on the edge of hysteria, tells June that women don't have friends, they have lovers and other people they just happen to have met. June tells Irene to get out. She does. June then returns home, where she talks Old Jolyon into buying the house at Robin Hill as a place to retire to.

Soames has retreated to his family, where he finds sympathy and comfort after his news that Irene has left him. James expostulates, but ends by advising Soames to follow her and get her back. Soames says nothing. Old Jolyon arrives, and Soames retreats rather than face him. Old Jolyon talks to James, and offers to buy the house. Young Jolyon arrives with serious news that James and Soames ought to hear: young Bosinney has been run over in the fog and killed. A police inspector wants a positive identification. The four-- Jolyon and his son, James and his son-- go to view the body. Soames can't bear it. He leaves. James leaves, muttering about the waste. Old Jolyon starts to ask Jo about her, but is shushed. Young Jo tells the inspector that it wasn't suicide; he had everything to live for.

The Forsyte with the guilty conscience, who can't get the sound of sobbing out of his head.	She's already packing to leave him.	A foggy walk to the office.	Meeting at a hotel in front of a suspicious clerk.
Irene tells Bosinney what Soames has done.	Distraught, Bosinney runs headlong into George.	George chases, and overhears Bosinney muttering about what Soames has done.	Earlier that day, Soames consults with his barrister in Park Lane.
Mervyn Waterbuck, Q.C., talks about saddle-of-mutton with Emily.	George reports on his chase to Dartie, who's taken a dislike to the Buccaneer.	Soames searches the bedroom: Irene has left all her clothes!	He has found her note. His turn to cry.
The female half of James's family visits Timothy while the others are at the trial.	Jolyon visits Jo, asks him to go as well. Jolyon has changed his will.	"This isn't a circus." But everyone is there. Dartie has actually wished Soames good luck.	Soames sadly tells his father that he'll come to dinner, and he'll explain it all later.
George and Dartie bet on whether Bosinney will show up.	Soames takes the stand.	Young Jo and June in the gallery.	Soames explains the meaning of the phrase "a free hand in the terms of this correspondence."
"A noble victory," Jo tells Soames. Soames says to tell Bosinney he won't be hard on him. They'll come to some arrangement.	June has come to rescue her newest lame duck, the loser Bosinney. Irene, distressed and wondering what has happened to her lover, has come to look for him.	They have a strained conversation, in which Irene says strange things about women not having friends, just lovers. Hysteria.	June, taking advantage of her knowledge that Irene has left Soames, talks her grandfather into buying the house from him.
Emily comforts her son.	"There you stand! You and your mother!" James on the rampage!	Young Jo has just broken the news: Bosinney was killed in an accident in the fog.	What is he feeling? Relief? Pity? Will he ever reveal it?
Soames sees the body, glances at Old Jolyon, and silently leaves. The death is like putting a hot iron to his heart and lifting a great weight from it at once.	"What about her?" Young Jo silences his father. The Forsytes will reveal nothing to strangers.	Old Jolyon leaves Young Jo to talk to the inspector.

Novels

Five chapters of The man of property:

4: Voyage into the inferno
5: The trial
6: Soames breaks the news
7: June's victory
8: Bosinney's departure

A day and a half elapses. The series shuffles the order of events somewhat and compresses them: It opens the morning after the rape, in a great fog. Irene, as a more active film character than a novel character, leaves Soames immdiately. Soames lunches with Waterbuck at Park Lane, and comes home to discover she's left. The next day is a clear day, the day of the trial. The series omits the debriefing visits to Forsyte 'Change by James and Soames, and instead sends Soames immediately to the comfort of his family. The episode ends that evening, with the revelation of Bosinney's death the day before.

Commentary

This Soames wins the trial after he already knows he has lost the war (Irene left him the day before). The Soames of the novel is still entertaining delusions that he can make it up to Irene, move into the house, and go on with his marriage. Both Soameses find comfort in their families.

This episode has my favorite bit from John Welsh as Uncle James, waving his arms in typical James reaction to learning of Irene's departure.