The sole was so simple and unobtrusive that Rex failed to notice it。 We ate to the music of the press … the crunch of the bones； the drip of blood and marrow the tap of the spoon basting the thin slices of breast。 There was a pause here of a quarter of an hour； while I drank the first glass of the Clos de B鑪e and Rex smoked his first cigarette。 He leaned back； blew a cloud of smoke across the table； and remarked； 'You know； the food here isn't half bad； someone ought to take this place up and make something of it。'
Presently he began again on the Marchmains：
'I'll tell you another thing； too … they'll get a jolt financially soon if they don't look out。'
'I thought they were enormously rich。'
'Well； they are rich in the way people are who just let their money sit quiet。 Everyone of that sort is poorer than they were in 1914； and the Flytes don't seem to realize it。 I reckon those lawyers who manage their affairs find it convenient to give them all the cash they want and no questions asked。 Look at the way they live … Brideshead and Marchmain House both going full blast； pack of foxhounds； no rents raised； nobody sacked； dozens of old servants doing damn all； being waited on by other servants； and then besides all that there's the old boy setting up a separate establishment … and setting it up on no humble scale either。 D'you know how much they're overdrawn？'
'Of course I don't。'
'Jolly near a hundred thousand in London。 I don't know what they owe elsewhere。 Well； that's quite a packet； you know； for people who aren't using their money。 Ninety…eight thousand last November。 It's the kind of thing I hear。'
Those were the kind of things he heard； mortal illness and debt； I thought。
I rejoiced in the Burgundy。 It seemed a； reminder that the world was an older； and better place than Rex knew； that mankind in its long passion had learned another wisdom than his。 By chance I met this same wine again； lunching with my wine merchant in St James's Street； in the first autumn of the war； it had softened and faded in the intervening years； but it still spoke in the pure； authentic accent of its prime； the same words of hope。
'I don't mean that they'll be paupers； the old boy will always be good for an odd thirty thousand a year； but there'll be a shakeup ing soon； and when the upper…classes get the wind up； their first idea is usually to cut down on the girls。 I'd like to get the little matter of a marriage settlement through； before it es。'
We had by no means reached the cognac； but here we were on the subject of himself。 In twenty minutes I should have been ready for all he had to tell。 I closed my mind to him as best I could and gave myself to the food before me； but sentences came breaking in on my happiness； recalling me to the harsh； acquisitive world which Rex inhabited。 He wanted a woman； he wanted the best on the market； and he wanted her at his own price； that was what it amounted to。
'。。。Ma Marchmain doesn't like me。 Well； I'm not asking her to。 It's not her I want to marry。 She hasn't the guts to say openly： 〃You're not a gentleman。 You're an adventurer from the Colonies。〃 She says we live in different atmospheres。 That's all right； but Julia happens to fancy my atmosphere。。。Then she brings up religion。 I've nothing against her Church； we don't take much account of Catholics in Canada； but that's different； in Europe you've got some very posh Catholics。 All right； Julia can go to church whenever she wants to。 I shan't try and stop her。 It doesn't mean two pins to her； as a matter of fact； but I like a girl to have religion。 What's more； she can bring the children up Catholic。 I'll make all the 〃promises〃 they want。。。Then there's my past。 〃We know so little about you。〃 She knows a sight too much。 You may know I've been tied up with someone else for a year or two。'
I knew； everyone who had ever met Rex knew of his affair with Brenda Champion； knew also that it was from this affair that he derived everything which distinguished him from every other stock…jobber； his golf with the Prince of Wales； his membership of Bratt's； even his smoking…room radeship at the House of mons； for； when he first appeared there； his party chiefs did not say of him； 'Look； there is the promising young member for north Gridley who spoke so well on Rent Restrictions。' They said： 'There's Brenda Champion's latest'； it had done him a great deal of good with men； women he could usually charm。
'Well； that's all washed up。 Ma Marchmain was too delicate to mention the subject； all she said was that I had 〃notoriety〃。 Well； what does she expect as a son…in…law … a sort of half…baked monk like Brideshead？ Julia knows all about the other thing； if she doesn't care； I don't see it's anyone else's business。'
After the duck came a salad of watercress and chicory in a faint mist of chives。 I tried to think only of the salad。 I succeeded for a time in thinking only of the souffl？ Then came the cognac and the proper hour for these confidences。 '。。。Julia's just rising twenty。 I don't want to wait till she's of age。 Anyway； I don't want to marry without doing the thing properly。。。nothing hole…in…corner。。。I have to see she isn't jockeyed out of her proper settlement。 So as the Marchioness won't play ball I'm off to see the old man and square him。 I gather he's likely to agree to anything he knows will upset her。 He's at Monte Carlo at the moment。 I'd planned to go there after dropping Sebastian off at Zurich。 That's why it's such a bloody bore having lost him。'
The cognac was not to Rex's taste。 It was clear and pale and it came to us in a bottle free from grime and Napoleonic cyphers。 It was only a year or two older than Rex and lately bottled。 They gave it to us in very thin tulip…shaped glasses of modest size。
'Brandy's one of the things I do know a bit about；' said Rex。 'This is a bad colour。 What's more； I can't taste it in this thimble。'
They brought him a balloon the size of his head。 He made them warm it over the spirit lamp。 Then he rolled the splendid spirit round； buried his face in the fumes； and pronounced it the sort； of stuff he put soda in at home。
So； shamefacedly； they wheeled out of its hiding place the vast and mouldy bottle they kept for people of Rex's sort。
'That's the stuff；' he said； tilting the treacly concoction till it left dark rings round the sides of his glass。 'They've always got some tucked away； but they won't bring it out unless you make a fuss。 Have some。'
'I'm quite happy with this。'
'Well； it's a crime to drink it； if you don't really appreciate it。
He lit his cigar and sat back at peace with the world； I； too； was at peace in another world than his。 We were both happy。 He talked of Julia and I heard his voice； unintelligible at a great distance； like a dog's barking miles away on a still night。
At the beginning of May the engagement was announced。 I saw the notice in the Continental Daily Mail and assumed that Rex had 'squared the old man'。 But things did not go as were expected。 The next news I had of them was in the middle of June； when I read that they had been married very quietly at the Savoy Chapel。 No royalty was present； nor was the Prime Minister； nor were any of Julia's family。 It sounded like a 'hole…in…the…corner' affair； but it was not for several years that I heard the full story。
＇2＇
IT is time to speak of Julia； who till now has played an intermittent and somewhat enigmatic part in Sebastian's drama。 It was thus she appeared to me at the time； and I to her。 We pursued separate aims which brought us near to one another； but we remained strangers。 She told me later that she had made a kind of note of me in her mind； as； scanning the shelf for a particular book； one will sometimes have one's attention caught by another； take it down； glance at the title page and； saying 'I must read that； too； when I've the time；' replace it； and continue the search。 On my side the interest was keener； for there was always the physical likeness between brother and sister； which； caught repeatedly in different poses； under different lights； each time pierced me anew； and； as Sebastian in his sharp decline seemed daily to fade and crumble； so much the more did Julia stand out clear and firm。
She was thin in those days； flat…chested； leggy； she seemed all limbs and neck； bodiless； spidery； thus far she conformed to the fashion； but the hair…cut and the hats of the period； and the blank stare and gape of the period； and the clownish dabs of rouge high on the cheekbones； could not reduce her to type。
When I first met her； when she met me in the station yard and drove me home through the twilight； that high summer of 1923； she was just eighteen and fresh from her first London season。
Some said it was the most brilliant season since the war； that things were getting into their stride again。 Julia was at the centre of it。 There were then remaining perhaps half a dozen London houses which could be called 'historic'； Marchmain House in St James's was one of them； and the ball given for Julia； in spite of the ignoble costume of the time； was by all accounts a splendid spectacle。 Sebastian went down for it and half…heart