Rumours of war added to the briskness of a London turbulent at the close of the summer holidays.

And the streets to Jolyon, who was not often up in town, had a feverish look, due to these new motorcars and cabs, of which he disapproved aesthetically.

He counted these vehicles from his hansom, and made the proportion of them one in twenty.

'They were one in thirty about a year ago,' he thought; 'they've come to stay.

Just so much more rattling round of wheels and general stink'-- for he was one of those rather rare Liberals who object to anything new when it takes a material form; and he instructed his driver to get down to the river quickly, out of the traffic, desiring to look at the water through the mellowing screen of plane-trees.