In chancery

Synopsis

Old Jolyon is buried and mourned by his family. Young Jolyon reads the will to them: all are surprised to find Irene has been left a settlement! Jolyon leaves Helene, who is feeling poorly, on his errand to tell Irene about her new fortune. They have a happy conversation about Old Jolyon's last happy summer, and clearly get along well. Meanwhile, back at Robin Hill, Helene behaves very oddly, then falls to her death from a mantle. June is distraught, but is counselled by the old family doctor that it's for the best: better that than a continued slide into mental illness.

The years pass. Swithin dies (of apoplexy), Aunt Susan Hayman dies. It is 1899. Uncle Roger has just died. Nicholas and Soames visit Uncle Timothy's to pay respects after the funeral. Aunt Juley harrasses Soames about Irene, but he leaves rather than talk about her. Monty Dartie and George have gone halfsies on a filly. The filly is to run at Newmarket. Dartie has his shirt on the filly, but she loses. George, who is a Forsyte through and through, comes out well, because he's laid off his bets. Dartie is a mucker. He needed the money for the Spanish dancer he's pursuing.

We see Winifred and her two nearly-grown children, Val and Imogen. They're good-looking, a little shallow, fun-loving, and sweet to their mother. Winifred dresses for dinner, but finds that her wedding-present pearls are gone! Val, gone out for dinner with allegedly his tutor, is in fact out for a night at the Empire. Backstage there, he finds his father royally drunk, dancing around with the Spanish dancer, who's wearing Winifred's pearls. Val cuts his father dead, returns home, and tells all to Winifred. Dartie comes home staggering drunk. Winifred confronts him. They have a scene. Dartie attempts suicide with an unloaded revolver. He twists Winifred's arm terribly. She retreats. He packs and leaves the house for good.

Winifred goes immediately to Soames. Dartie has left the country with the Spanish dancer. Soames advises immediate divorce, anything other than letting it drag on (thinking of his own terrible position). He goes home to Park Lane, where his now-creaky father is in a state, worrying about Dartie. Emily finally just up and tells him: Dartie has gone to Buenos Aires! He's taken Winifred's pearls and a dancer. James tells this to Soames, who says simply, "good riddance." He fusses over his father. The next day, Soames takes his nephew Val down to Robin Hill to break the ice with Jolyon. Soames wants Jolyon to speak to Irene about a divorce. Jolyon does so: Irene has remained faithful to memory. He reports this to Soames, who doesn't want to believe it (too painful to his pride; too inconvenient for his plans). He's met a young French girl whom he's interested in collecting. He decides to go see Irene for himself, that he can get the truth out of her. He has a frustrating interview with her, during which he finds himself softening toward her.

June discusses her plans for her future and her lame-duck artists.	Helene is not a well woman.	Like a good trustee, the only Jolyon tells Irene of her new income from the settlement put on her by Old Jolyon.	Meanwhile, Helene falls to her death.
The family doctor explains to June that it's all for the best: better an early death than mental illness.	Roger's funeral. The eternally youthful Nicholas and Soames discuss it.	Juley harrasses Soames about Irene. He leaves abruptly.	Monty has lost his shirt on the filly. George, as usual, has not. He buys half back from Dartie.
Winifred and her handsome nearly-adult children.	Winifred's wedding present, the pearls, have gone!	Where the pearls have gone: Monty's Spanish dancer.	He tries to shoot himself, but it's not loaded. Winifred is not amused.
Dartie twists her arm painfully.	Winifred goes to Soames, of course. Soames always knows what to do.	The now elderly James is in a state. Emily tells him about Dartie.	Soames fusses over his father. Good riddance to Dartie, he tells him.
Soames meets Annette, who keeps accounts for her mother's restaurant. Very pretty. Very French.	Soames brings Val along to break the ice. He wants Jolyon to talk to Irene about divorce for him. He doesn't want to see her.	The cousins meet, and are taken with each other.	Soames would be obliged if Jolyon would talk to Irene about divorce. Soames doesn't want to see her.
Jolyon calls on Irene. She has remained faithful to memory.	Soames gazes upon Annette's French loveliness. "Not a bit good," he says to her, of himself, as he smokes.	Soames and Winifred discuss divorce. They have told Val, even as he is on his way out to ride with Holly.	Jolyon calls on Soames to report what he has learned. Soames smiles bitterly when told that Irene is sorry.
Soames visits the past. If you want anything done, you have to do it for yourself.	"I think you had better leave."	Soames finds himself wanting to shake hands. She does not.	Soames gazes at her before reluctantly leaving. Uh oh.

Novels

This episode adds a little bit of connective tissue between "Indian Summer of a Forsyte" and continues with the first part of In chancery:

1: At Timothy's
2: Exit a man of the world
3: Soames prepares to take steps
4: Soho
5: James sees visions
6: No-longer-young Jolyon at home
7: The colt and the filly
8: Jolyon prosecutes trusteeship
9: Val hears the news
10: Soames entertains the future
11: And visits the past
12: On Forsyte 'Change
13: Jolyon finds out where he is
14: Soames discovers what he wants

Commentary

The actors are now portraying characters slightly older than themselves, with the exception of Kenneth More, whose Young Jolyon is now of an equal age.