The third reason why Susan's burial made little stir was the most expansive of all.It was summed up daringly by Euphemia,the pale,the thin:"Well,I think people have a right to their own bodies,even when they're dead."Coming from a daughter of Nicholas,a Liberal of the old school and most tyrannical,it was a startling remark--showing in a flash what a lot of water had run under bridges since the death of Aunt Ann in '86,just when the proprietorship of Soames over his wife's body was acquiring the uncertainty which had led to such disaster.Euphemia,of course,spoke like a child,and had no experience;for though well over thirty by now,her name was still Forsyte.But,making all allowances,her remark did undoubtedly show expansion of the principle of liberty,decentralisation and shift in the central point of possession from others to oneself.When Nicholas heard his daughter's remark from Aunt Hester he had rapped out:"Wives and daughters!There's no end to their liberty in these days.Iknew that 'Jackson'case would lead to things--lugging in Habeas Corpus like that!"He had,of course,never really forgiven the Married Woman's Property Act,which would so have interfered with him if he--had not mercifully married before it was passed.But,in truth,there was no denying the revolt among the younger Forsytes against being owned by others;that,as it were,Colonial disposition to own oneself,which is the paradoxical forerunner of Imperialism,was making progress all the time.They were all now married,except George,confirmed to the Turf and the Iseeum Club;Francie,pursuing her musical career in a studio off the King's Road,Chelsea,and still taking 'lovers'to dances;Euphemia,living at home and complaining of Nicholas;and those two Dromios,Giles and Jesse Hayman.Of the third generation there were not very many--young Jolyon had three,Winifred Dartie four,young Nicholas six already,young Roger had one,Marian Tweetyman one;St.John Hayman two.But the rest of the sixteen married--Soames,Rachel and Cicely of James'family;Eustace and Thomas of Roger's;Ernest,Archibald and Florence of Nicholas';Augustus and Annabel Spender of the Hayman's--were going down the years unreproduced.
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