4the story of brideshead revisited_summary

7/27/2019 4the Story of Brideshead Revisited_summary

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The Story of BridesheadRevisited

ICharles Ryder is a captain in the British Army in 1943, inthe middle of the Second World War. He is in command ofa company of soldiers but is weary and disillusioned. Lifeseems to consist of repeated motiveless moves around thecountry; he is divorced and apparently friendless. Even thearmy, which once seemed to offer the certainty ofvaluable activity, holds no attraction for him now. It iscommanded by shallow, ignoble and vindictive men likehis new Commanding Officer. Ryder is also sceptical about

the future of Britain. It seems to lie in the hands of weak-spirited, muddle-headed men like his subordinate officer,Lieutenant Hooper.

As the regiment travels in a train fromGlasgow in the middle of winter,Charles does not even bother to findout where they are going. So when,early next morning on their arrival in alarge area of parkland, he is told thename of the estate, it is as if a windowin his mind, long shuttered, has flownopen. Their new camp is at BridesheadCastle; and he has been there before.

II


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Charles remembers how he first came to Brideshead twenty years before on abeautiful, warm summers day. It was owing to a remarkable friendship that haddeveloped between him and Lord Sebastian Flyte, whose family lives at Brideshead.

When Charles went up to Oxford University as a callow youth in 1922, he was, asstudents usually are at first, conscientious in his work and moderate in his wishes.His cousin Jasper Ryder gave him good advice which would have led him along a

safe path of meritorious behaviour to a satisfactory outcome and prepared him forleading a life of public service. He retained a few friends from school and at Oxfordmade a few more, and joined earnestly in discussion groups with some of theserious men.

But, not fully recognised even by himself perhaps, Charles was an artist. He sensedthere was far more to be learned and experienced at Oxford. The opportunity toparticipate in a different life was offered when one night a young man in a rowdyparty was sick through the window of his room in college - but from the outside in.The following day this young man, Sebastian, sent many bunches of flowers inapology and invited Charles to lunch with him in his college, Christ Church.

There Charles met students who lived very differently. They dedicated themselvesto enjoying life, and were unashamed of exerting their privileges to do so. He metnot only Sebastian, but also Viscount Boy Mulcaster, a man of little brain, andAnthony Blanche, a bisexual aesthete who had travelled the world and had manyastounding experiences. Quickly Sebastian and Charles found that they werecompatible and soon they were inseparable.

One day Sebastian borrows a motor-car and drives Charles to Brideshead, which liesnearly a hundred miles from Oxford. He wants to visit his old nurse Nanny Hawkins,who has retired but has been invited to continue living in her own room in thecastle. Brideshead is not really a castle but a sixteenth/seventeenth century palace

with a dome and later additions. It stands in its own extensive grounds with threelakes and a fountain. Charles, his artistic instincts aroused, wants to see over thewhole building but Sebastian shows him only a closed-up room and then the chapel,a striking example of late nineteenth century architecture and decoration but in its


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garishness entirely different from the rest of the castle. They get away just in timeto avoid meeting Sebastians sister Julia. Sebastian does not want Charles to meether or the rest of his family because, he says, hefears they will take Charles away from him with theircharm and attractiveness.

III

Cousin Jasper realises that Charles is getting into abad set and comes to warn him against them. Henotices how the appearance of Charless room haschanged and how Charles is leading a life ofexpensive luxury. But he is unable to influenceCharles at all.

A more serious warning comes from Anthony Blanchewho, to Charless discomfort, invites him to dinner

and a private talk at a nearby hotel in Thame. Blanche has noticed that Charles isan artist and wants to warn him not to let simple English virtues and characteristics,like charm, wash away his talent. In particular he warns against letting Sebastian, a

negligible companion for an artist, take overhis life and guide his interests. The rest of thefamily, Blanche says, is quite as remarkableas Sebastian and must be avoided. Charles isthoroughly rattled by this monologue and isrelieved to find out from Sebastian thefollowing morning that a lot of Blanches factsare very dubious.

IV

At the end of the summer term Charlesreturns home having spent all the money his father had allowed him - and muchmore. He lives in a quiet part of London with hisfather and two elderly servants, his motherhaving died as a nurse looking after Serbcasualties in the First World War. He cannot domuch in the vacation without more money, but

his father feels he has given enough (as indeedhe has) and refuses to understand his sonsplight. Instead he tries to drive his son awayfrom the house in numerous little ways, for inhis middle age he has grown odd and reclusive.


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Finally Charles is rescued by a telegramfrom Sebastian, urgently summoning him to Brideshead after he has suffered whathe calls a grave injury. Julia meets him at the railway station and tells him that theinjury is simply the cracking of a small bone in his foot caused by a fit of temper on

the croquet lawn. She is pleased to see Charles arrive because otherwise she wouldhave had to stay to look after Sebastian herself, none of the rest of the family beingat home.

V

After Julia has left, Charles andSebastian get down to enjoyingthemselves at Brideshead whileSebastian recovers from his injury.They taste the fine wines and excellent

cuisine of the house, and Charlespractises his art. He draws the greatfountain and paints a mural in theOffice which he thinks is surprisinglysuccessful.

During his visit Charles realises thatSebastian is a Catholic to a degreewhich surprises him. He seems to havea simple faith bordering on childishness

at one moment, and at others anapproach which appears to be a flightfrom his religion.

Charles finds out more about thefamily. Sebastians father, LordMarchmain, had married LadyMarchmain late in the nineteenthcentury and they had had four children.He had gone off at the age of nearlyfifty to fight in France in 1914 and had

never returned home. He had stayed inEurope and now lived with a mistress.His children had grown up without him,


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and their loss was made the greater by the death in the war of all three of theirmothers brothers.

The eldest son, Lord Brideshead, known as Bridey,had wanted to join the priesthood but had had noreal vocation for it. Sebastian is the next child, andthen Julia. The youngest, Cordelia, is about twelve

and still at convent school. At the time Charles visitsBrideshead, Lady Marchmain is in London bringingJulia out into society in her debutante year. This iswhy Julia was desperate to get back to London.

Charles meets both Bridey and Cordelia at the timeof the Brideshead Agricultural Show. Cordelia is adelightful child, but he finds Bridey buttoned-up,very settled in his views and ways, and rather odd.

Sebastian decides to take Charles with him toVenice when he goes to visit his father inSeptember. Since Charles has no money theytravel third-class and thoroughly enjoythemselves. Charles finds Lord Marchmain afine figure of a man, somewhat Byronic in hisair. His mistress, Cara, is an elegant, culturedwoman, and she happily joins in the sight-seeing that the boys want to do, enlisting the

help of a Venetian nobleman she knows.

Late in the holiday, she and Charles have aconversation which reveals to him more of the

strange situation of the Flyte family. Lord Marchmain is fleeing from a wife he hadloved as a boy and could not as a man, she explains. Cara likes the way thatnorthern European boys develop love for another boy before they mature into love

for a woman. Alex (Lord Marchmain) had not done that and had suffered as a result;indeed, she says, he hates Lady Marchmain - and all she had ever done wrong wasto love him.


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She also points out that Sebastian is acompulsive drinker, and that thisweakness will lead to great unhappiness.

So will his reluctance to give childhoodup : he clings to Nanny Hawkins, hecarrieshisteddy-

bear Aloysius around with him still. He does notwant to mature.

VI

Charles and Sebastian return to Oxford for theautumn term in a subdued mood. Partly, themood is because a number of acquaintances haveleft: Jasper has got his degree and Blanche hasleft early to live with a lover in Munich. There isalso the inconvenience that, because of her sonsuncertain start, Lady Marchmain has asked a don,Mr Samgrass, to keep an eye on him. Charlesdecides to pursue art seriously and enrols in an art school, but Sebastian becomesmore and more morose as he begins to feel trapped.

Lady Marchmain visits Oxford and makes a point of getting to know Charles, toSebastians sour disgruntlement. Then Julia comes, bringing with her a Canadian, amature man who is already a Member of Parliament but who seems to be obsessedwith her. This man, Rex Mottram, invites the boys and Boy Mulcaster to a charityball that Julia is giving in London.

In London Mulcaster finds the dance boring and suggests that they go to the OldHundredth, a night-club where he knows a girl called Effie.

Instead of calling a taxi Sebastian drives them there in a car borrowed at Oxford.


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Once inside Mulcaster finds Effie, who does notremember him, and Charles and Sebastian pick uptwo tarts, one of whom suggests they all go to herplace for a private party.Sebastian, thoroughly drunk, drives so badly thattwo policemen stop them. Any chance of smoothingthe situation over disappears when Mulcaster

suggests that the policemen are corrupt enough tolet them go. In the cells they send for Rex Mottramwho quickly gets them out, but not before they arecharged.

Mulcaster and Charles are instructed to plead guiltyand pay the small fine; but Sebastian, as the driver,has to come to trial. The magistrate takes a severeview and fines him ten pounds, stating that he hadreluctantly been persuaded not to send him toprison. The result is that at Oxford the boys are

gated for the rest of the term and placed under Mr Samgrasss supervision. Thoughthey are supposed to stay in their rooms atnight, they do manage occasionally to get outand meet, but Mr Samgrass is always around tospoil their fun.

Charles is invited to Brideshead for the NewYear, and when he arrives he is not delighted tofind Mr Samgrass already there. The don isediting a memorial book for Lady Marchmain

which will immortalise her three soldierbrothers. Lady Marchmain gradually drawsCharles into friendship and confidence, an actwhich Charles accepts gratefully but whichdrives Sebastian further into drink anddepression.

Back at Oxford Sebastians drunkennessdevelops a sullen quality. He drinks more asCharles drinks less. At Brideshead in the Easter

vacation Charles notices that

Sebastian spends much of the timesecretly drinking. One evening he isso drunk that Charles advises him tostay in his room and he will say thathe has a cold. Unfortunately Cordeliagoes to see Sebastian and blurts outto the whole company that herbrother is drunk. Lady Marchmaintries to calm the atmosphere byreading one of the Father Brownstories of G.K.Chesterton.

The following day Sebastian escapesfrom Brideshead and goes to stay at

Charless house. Charles sees Lady Marchmain before he departs too, and finds her


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resolutely uncomprehending in her analysis of Sebastians condition. She givesCharles a copy of the book about her dead brothers. When he reads it in the trainhome, he realises that Sebastian is an entirely different kind of man from his uncles.On arrival home he swears loyalty to Sebastian.

Back at Oxford Sebastian informs Charles thathis mother wants him in the next academic

year to lodge in the house of the Catholicchaplain, instead of in digs with Charles as thetwo of them had intended. After she visits himhe twice gets disastrously drunk. Charles, whosees that the end is nigh and the situation couldnot possibly be made worse, joins him in thesecond binge. Lady Marchmain then takesSebastian away from Oxford.

Charles feels that his own life has reached aturning-point, and he asks his father forpermission not to take a degree but instead tostudy art. His father raises no objections.Charles hears from Lady Marchmain thatSebastian and Mr Samgrass will be going on atour of the Middle East, but she knows that Sebastian will want to welcome Charlesto Brideshead at Christmas.

VII

When Charles travels to Brideshead a few days after Christmas, he finds to his

surprise that Sebastian and Samgrass are in the same train. Samgrasss explanationof their late arrival arouses his suspicions and later he finds out that Sebastian hadspent Christmas in his own alcoholic fashion after escaping from his guardian.

In the evening Samgrass shows the family his photographs of the Middle Easterntrip. It is noticeable that Sebastian rarely appears in them. But he is present in oneof them, and so is Anthony Blanche, whom they had met at Constantinople. Charlesnotices Sebastians new wariness and scruffy appearance, but does not immediatelyenquire into the reasons. He entertains the family with a description of his life inParis where he is now studying art. He also notices that Sebastian is still drinkingsecretly; Bridey tells him that Lady Marchmain is discreetly rationing the alcoholsupply.

Sebastian explains to Charles that he had given Samgrass the slip in Constantinopleand spent the time drinking while Samgrass actually did the tourist round byhimself. Charles had of course suspected something of the kind, but the family,apart from Julia, appear to be deceived.


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The following morning a hunt takes place.Bridey as Joint Master appears splendidlydressed, and so does Cordelia, who likes tomaintain standards. Sebastian, who hasexpressed a wish to hunt, wears a tweedcoat, much to Cordelias dismay. Hebuttonholes Charles and asks him for

money. He tells him that he intends tospend the day drinking rather than hunting.

While the hunt is on, Samgrass tells Charlesthat for the time being he can relax, asSebastian has no money to get drunk with.Lady Marchmain also takes comfort fromthe idea that her son is getting somehealthy exercise. So when Sebastian doesarrive home

very late with a red face, they think he has benefittedfrom being in the open air; Charles knows differently.Lady Marchmain also tells Charles that it will beimpossible for Sebastian to have a holiday with him inLondon, even though he warns her that she is goingabout the wrong way of dealing with the problem.

Rex arrives during the day and brings an obscenepresent - a tortoise with Julias name set in diamonds in

the shell. Rex alsohas his solution to

Sebastians drink(and sex)problem, a visit toan eminentspecialist in Zurich. Charles feels that theirrelationship has weakened and asks Sebastianthe following morning if he wants him around.When Sebastian says he doesnt Charlesknows that their friendship is over. He goes to

bid farewell to LadyMarchmain and admits to her

that he gave money toSebastian the previous day,much to her consternationand incomprehension. Whenhe leaves he feels he willnever return.

Later, when he is back inParis, Cordelia sends him aletter giving him a lot ofinformation. She too hashelped Sebastian get drink;Samgrass has left in disgrace;and Rex is taking Sebastian toZurich. So it is no great


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surprise to find Rex is there waiting for himwhen he returns to his apartment one day.Sebastian has given him the slip too. Charlesuses the opportunity to have a fine meal atRexs expense and learn more about thesituation at Brideshead from a man who hasmade a point of knowing everything. Julia had

betrayed Samgrasss deceit to Lady Marchmainwhen she could stomach his oiliness no longer.Lady Marchmain herself was mortally ill, withless than two years to live. The family were notas rich as they had once been because they didnot invest their fortune wisely but let theirmoney do nothing. Rex is now on the way toMonte Carlo to see Lord Marchmain and get hispermission to marry Julia since her mother istrying to prevent their wedding.

Later Charles reads in the paper that Rex andJulia had been married at the Savoy Chapel.Rex had obviously squared Lord Marchmain allright.

VIII

Charles now tells the story of Julia. Much of the information he learns ten or more

years after the events.

When Charles first met her, on his first visit to Brideshead, Julia was beginning toworry about her future. Though the brightest star among the debutantes of heryear, she could not yet discern whom she might marry. As a Catholic she could notexpect to marry one of the young princes; and none of the young men in societyattracted her.

After she left Sebastian and Charles at Brideshead, she went to the south of France.Here she first met Rex Mottram. She was attracted by his maturity, his air of exoticchicness, and his easy manipulation of power. When they returned to London hebecame Julias devoted follower, seeing in her the elegant society wife that heneeded. It was when Julia happens to see Rex coming out of the house of his loverMrs Champion that she experiences the power of jealousy. She refuses to see Rexat first, but her mother impresses on her the need for politeness. In the library Rexbreaks down her resistance and arouses in her a passion she had neverexperienced before. She agrees to marry him.

Lady Marchmain insists on a years secret engagement, with the lovers onlymeeting at the familys London home, Marchmain House. It is when Julia learns thatRex was not working late in his constituency but seeing Mrs Champion at a friends

house in the country that she turns against her religion, which forbids her tobecome Rexs mistress. It is at this point that Rex gets Lord Marchmain to agree totheir marriage and his wife is therefore forced to begin preparations for it.


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Rex busies himself with screwing as much money out of the lawyers as he can inthe marriage settlement. He also wants a grand Catholic wedding, which requireshim to become a Catholic himself. So he gets Lady Marchmain to arrange for him toreceive instruction.

This is a farcical business since he has not got a scrap of religious sense or feelingin his body. He is willing to accept any foolish notion which is presented to him, and

Cordelia has some fun filling his mind with idiotic ideas. The priest, Father Mowbray,is baffled by his utter lack of intellectual or religious curiosity.

In any case the Catholic wedding does not go ahead. Bridey checks up on Rexspast and finds that he has been married before. Rex cannot understand why hisdivorce from his wife seems to be ignored by the family. He and Julia decide to getmarried anyway and ask Lord Marchmain for his permission to marry in a Protestantchurch. He is only too delighted to give it in order to spite his wife.

Ten years later, when Julia tells her story to Charles, she says that Father Mowbrayhad seen the truth about Rex right away: that he was not a complete man. Vastareas of humanity were missing from his make-up.

IX

In May 1926, a year and a half after he last saw Sebastian, Charles hears about theoutbreak of the General Strike in Britain. His French friends assure him thatrevolution is about to break out in London, and he returns to help deal with therevolutionaries.

Nothing seems to be very alarming when he arrives in London. He goes to a partygiven for the black American troupe the Black Birds and there meets both AnthonyBlanche and Boy Mulcaster. Blanche has news of Sebastian who stayed with him inMarseilles for some months. Sebastian did not impress Blanche with his continualdrinking. They moved to Tangier where Sebastian made a new friend, a Germanwho had got out of the Foreign Legion by shooting off his big toe. Blanche thinksthat the two of them had cleared out of Tangier and gone to French Morocco

together.

Mulcaster enrols Charles in his company of theDefence Corps for the duration of the GeneralStrike. Charles becomes a member of BrattsClub, which has been adopted as an operationalcentre and where they have to wait for orders.They have only one serious engagement, anaffray between striking dockers and a couple ofpolicemen which is soon settled when policereinforcements arrive. The General Strike iscalled off after a few days.


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Julia telephones him to say that her mother is now seriously ill and wants to seehim. He goes to Marchmain House but finds that Lady Marchmain is too ill to speakto him. Julia knows that she wanted to say sorry for her treatment of him on the last

occasion they met, and that she now understood she was wrong in her judgment ofhim. Julia also asks him to go abroad and fetch Sebastian back as his mother wantsto see him before she dies. Charles agrees to go.

Charles then travels to Fez in Morocco. He goes first to the house of the BritishConsul. The Consul knows Sebastian quite well and is surprised that he stays on inuncomfortable circumstances when there are nicer places nearby. An unpleasantGerman who stays with him seems to be the stumbling-block, he says.

A consular porter leads Charles to Sebastians house. There he finds only theGerman, Kurt, who is resting his bandaged foot on a box, drinking beer and listening

to a jazz record. Kurt hopes that Charles is Sebastians brother or at least someonewho can arrange for money. He also tells him that Sebastian is in hospital.


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The doctor tells Charles that Sebastian is in no danger, but suffering a little from a

lung infection. He is certainly unfit to travel at present. Because he is an alcoholiche has little resistance to disease. The lay-brother who looks after Sebastian is a

kindly, charitable man who finds hispatient to be the same. He is impressedby Sebastians Samaritan deed in taking inthe German boy with syphilis. Charlestelegraphs to Julia that Sebastian is too illto move, and within a week he hears thatLady Marchmain is dead.

By this time Sebastian is getting well andbribing Arab boys to fetch bottles ofbrandy. The doctor tells Charles thatSebastian has to leave as the hospitaldoes not take alcoholic cases. He predictsthat each bout of drinking will leaveSebastian more vulnerable until one daysome little illness will kill him.

Sebastian returns to the house where, despite his weakness, he again tends toKurts needs. Charles arranges for a local bank to issue a weekly sum for Sebastianto live on. He leaves for home, knowing that Sebastian will not return to England.Bridey approves the financial arrangements, satisfied by Charless assurance thatthere is no vice in the relationship between Kurt and Sebastian. He also asksCharles to paint four pictures of the interior of Marchmain House, as LordMarchmain is planning to sell it to make some much-needed money. The Housewill be demolished and a block of flats erected in its place. Charles hearsthis with great sadness as he thinks the House is an architectural gem.

These paintings are among the best he does, and help to make his reputation.Cordelia, in mourning for her mother, comes in and watches him paint one of them.He takes her to dine at the Ritz Grill, and she chatters on about her interests. Shehopes she has the vocation to become a nun. She is confident that God will not letSebastian, Julia and her father remain faithless for long - there is an invisible thread,


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she says (echoing G.K.ChestertonsFather Brown), attaching them toHim which He can twitch at any timeto bring them back to the faith. Shewas saddened when, as Bridey hadpredicted, the chapel at Bridesheadwas closed after her mothers

funeral. She makes a profoundobservation about her mother:because she was saintly, peoplehated her when they wanted to hateGod.

X

The story moves forward ten years.In that period Charles has become a

professional architectural painter, published three books of prints of English countryhouses, and organised successful exhibitions. He has also married Boy Mulcasterssister Celia and had a son named John.

To regain inspiration he has travelled around Mexico and Central America for twoyears creating drawings and paintings of a very different character from his usualstyle. We soon learn that he had another reason for escaping from England : he haddiscovered Celia in an adulterous relationship. Now he has travelled to New Yorkand met his wife there in preparation for returning to England and putting togetheran exhibition of his new canvases. It is quickly clear that their relationship is basedon inertia rather than commitment and love. Charles hears that there is a new baby

whom Celia has named Caroline, that the old barn he loved has been converted intoa modernistic studio for him, and that Boy Mulcaster has had to pay 2000 toescape from marriage to a totally unsuitable girl.

On the liner back to England Celia decides to arrange a cocktail party to showCharles off to prominent passengers and rings up all her acquaintances on board.Among them is Julia, who Charles had heard was unhappy in her marriage. Hesometimes saw her photograph in the magazines. When he goes to the bar hediscovers her there and they chat. Julia had gone to America following a man withwhom she thought she was in love, but had found she was chasing a fantasy.Charles decides that she is sadder but more beautiful; she thinks him leaner andharder, not at all the pretty boy he had once been.


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Julia does not come to Celias party. As a result

Charles finds it almost unendurable. Celia expectshim to charm two movie moguls into giving himlucrative jobs designing film decor. He does noteven try. He meets Julia again at the Captainstable, where the conversation is, if anything, evenworse. During dinner a full Atlantic storm begins,and the passengers retire to their cabins, many ofthem, including Celia, to be continuously ill.

Charles and Julia are good sailors, however. They

are naturally thrown together and fall in love. Juliatells Charles all about her life, some of which wealready know, but she fills in the past ten years.

Although his wife is now dead Lord Marchmain has not come back to Brideshead, soJulia and Rex live there; Rexs political career has stalled and he is disgruntled thatJulia is not the beacon in society he had thought her to be; Bridey has not marriedand lives a solitary, reclusive life. Julia had tried to have a baby but it was stillborn.Finally she and Charles make love; it is clear that they feel committed to oneanother.When they land Charles tells his wife that he must stay in London to deal with hispictures instead of travelling home to see Caroline and John. Celia is disappointed

but accepts this excuse as a valid one.

XI

Charles prepares his paintings for exhibition in a London gallery. Celia has decidedto hold the private view on a Friday in order to give the critics the weekend to writethoughtful, unhurried pieces. She has also captured the attention of society bysuccessfully inviting the Duke and Duchess of Clarence, members of the royalfamily, to the viewing. Charles tells her that he will not come home at the weekendas he has been invited to Brideshead. Celia is unsuspicious at first and regrets only

that she cannot go too.

The private view is a success as far as the critics, the public and Celia areconcerned, though Charles, feeling detached, is bored by it. At the end Celia makes


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it clear that during the day she has found out about Charles and Julia, and saysgoodbye. As the last visitors leave, Anthony Blanche arrives all agog to see thestrange paintings he has heard about. It takes him very few moments to discerntheir essential falsity.He takes Charles to a gay bar so they can talk about themselves and about art. Hedissects Charless career with precision and devastating perception. Charles hasnot avoided the English charm of which years before he had told him to

beware. He had had high hopes when he had heard of Charless unhealthy newpictures, but again he had just found charm, though this time it is the charm ofchildish pranks.

When Julia and Charlesarrive at Bridesheadthey find Rex in residence. He has a party of disaffected politicians in the house, all

making comments on the political situation of greater or lesser fatuity. In essencethey are aggrieved to be out of government and out of power. Julia and Charles feelthat this is an alien world and console themselves with the thought that they haveeach other.

XII

Two years later the situation is much the same. Charles has now started to paintportraits, particularly of Julia. They have been together nearly all the time and arestill very much in love. Julia fears that something will happen to prevent their

marriage - there are already signs of the coming war. They must plan to get theirdivorces as quickly as possible.


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Bridey joins them for dinner andasks unexpected questions aboutfamily jewels and heirlooms. Thenhe tells them the reason - he isengaged to be married to a widownamed Beryl Muspratt. Julia isdelighted and wonders why he has

not brought her so they can meether. Bridey calmly informs themthat he could not invite Beryl to bethe guest of people living soopenly in sin. Julia runs out of theroom and to the fountain in near-hysteria. Charles joins her thereand listens in bewilderment as allher hidden sorrows, fears anddesires come pouring out. It is clear that she is deeply aware of a state of beingseparated from God.

When she recovers she calmly rejoins Bridey and discusses the future. Bridey willwant to move into Brideshead on his marriage and so Rex will have to move out.Charles is unsettled and astounded by the evening, and tries to assure Julia that herfears are all rubbish. She admits that all she can do now, and all she wants to do, isto put her life in order in a human way, and that is why she is desperate to marryhim and have his child. They go out to the fountain again, but Charless commentsshow that he has not engaged at all with her distress, and in anger she cuts his facewith two lashes of a switch she was idly peeling the bark off. She is immediatelysorry but cannot explain her actions.

The next day Rex and his associates arrive and again discuss politics. This time thetheme is facing up to Germany, for this is the period of the Munich Agreement.

XIII

Charles and BoyMulcaster, who isrepresenting hissister, come to aneasy agreementabout the divorcearrangements. Celiais to keep thechildren and thehouse, and Charlesagrees to give herthe money for thechildrenseducation. She hasfound another lover,

a younger mancalled Robin.


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Charless father is characteristically dismissive of the whole process of getting rid ofone wife in order immediately to marry another. Rex is hard-pressed politically andfinancially, and tries to delay the divorce; butCharles and Julia go ahead. Julia meets MrsMuspratt in London and finds her a vulgar ifmajestic woman - and too old to bear a childfor Bridey.

Cordelia arrives home after nursing in Spainduring the Civil War. She had first tried theconvent and failed to find a vocation there,and then had taken up nursing. She had goneto visit Sebastian when she had heard he wasunwell. She found him in the infirmary of amonastery near Carthage. He had arrived atthe monastery asking to be taken on as a lay-brother, but his drinking had put a stop tothat. He had had hopes of becoming amissionary to the cannibals, pygmies orlepers! The Superior had gently had to pointout his total unfitness though he was willingto make him a sort of porter.

Sebastian had told Cordelia all about Kurt andhimself. They had moved to Athens after Fez,but after a minor crime Kurt had beenrepatriated to Nazi Germany against his will.Sebastian found him there a year later, a

storm-trooper in the SA. Kurt had tried toescape but had been captured and put in a concentration camp. Sebastian tookanother year to find out that Kurt had hanged himself after a few days. Sebastianhad gone back toNorth Africa andeventually ended upat the Carthagemonastery.

Cordelia tells Charleshow she thinks

things will develop.Sebastian will potteraround being afavourite with thenovices and themonks, occasionallygetting drunk, untilone day he will befound dying and willbe given the lastrites. To Charles thisseems a tragic endthat could not havebeen foreseen at Oxford; but Cordelia sees it as the last days of a man close toholiness.


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XIV

Just as there are about to bechanges at Brideshead, LordMarchmain astounds everybody bydeciding to come home aftertwenty-five years away. The

international situation is worryinghim. He and Cara arrive in January1939, and his appearance shocksthem all - he is clearly very ill.Cara tells them later that LordMarchmain has a fatal heartcomplaint and that he has comehome to die.

On arrival Lord Marchmain causes great trouble by deciding to sleep in the Queens

Bed in the Chinese Drawing-Room. He uses the room to receive his family, thoughhe hopes to gain strength enough to move around his estate when the weatherimproves.

He tells them that he had met his daughter-in-law Beryl in Rome when theBridesheads arrived to have an audience with the Pope. He is appalled by hervulgarity. The experience has made him decide to change his will; after mock-hesitation he states he will leave Brideshead to Julia. Charles finds this a gloriousprospect for them both.

Lord Marchmain gradually weakens, though he does once try to go out and look at

his estate.

There is discussion in the family about howto treat Lord Marchmains approach to death.Bridey wants to send for the priest; Julia isuncertain about this. Charles is vehementlyagainst the idea, and is not convinced in along discussion about what the point ofbringing a priest in is. When Bridey takesFather Mackay to meet Lord Marchmain, thepriest gets a frosty response which makes it

clear that Lord Marchmain does not welcomethe intrusion. Lord Marchmain is displeasedwith Brideys action and a few days latercarries out his intention of changing his will.

As he lies dying the marquis reflects on hisfamilys history and possessions. He finallygets round to considering his own actions.He asks Cordelia whether he did right inleaving her mother in order to seek his

freedom abroad; she does not hesitate intelling him that she thinks it wrong. Thisreply seems to shock him.


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Soon he is lying helpless, struggling for breath. Julia brings Father Mackay toBrideshead but cannot make the final decision to take him into the marquiss roomuntil after a long discussion with Cara, the doctor and Charles. Then she accepts theresponsibility. Father Mackay quietly anoints Lord Marchmain, asking him to give asign of acceptance. Charles kneels and prays to a God he hardly believes in thatJulia will be vouchsafed a sign. Lord Marchmain then slowly makes the sign of thecross and Charles realises that an event of immense significance has just occurred:

that God has intervened in the lives of His creatures.

Lord Marchmain dies late in the afternoon of the same day. Julia and Charles meetbriefly. Julia has to tell Charles that she cannot marry him; she must now give God asign that she is not beyond His grace. Charles, utterly changed by the experience ofthe day, fully understands that God must take first place. They part in love andsorrow.


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XV

The story returns to 1943 and thearmy camp at Brideshead. TheCommanding Officer is dissatisfiedwith the amenities, but sendsRyder and his men to get the house

in order.

The Quartering Commandantshows Ryder around the section ofthe house which has beencommandeered by the army, notknowing that Ryder is alreadyfamiliar with the building. Ryderdoes not tell him. He sees the

Chinese Drawing-Room, which the

officer thinks is like a bedroom in abrothel, and his own mural, whichthe soldiers have vandalised.

To protect it from further damage,the fountain is covered over andbarricaded.

Ryder leaves Hooper in charge ofthe work-party and goes to seeNanny Hawkins. She has news of

Julia and Cordelia. They areserving as nurses, it seems inPalestine, which is where Brideys

regiment is also based. We hear nothing about Sebastian. Rex has become aminister in the war-time government; Nanny has heard him making a speech on theradio.

The new Lady Marchmain has been forced to take rooms in a seaside hotel for theduration of the war becauseher house in London hasbeen blitzed.

When he returns to dutyRyder finds that the menhave fooled Hooper againand cleared off. Ryder isstrangely calm about anoffence which would haveannoyed him greatly only aday before; the castle hasrestored his balance. He

merely tells Hooper to putthings right during theafternoon.


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Ryder goes to see the chapel, which is again in use. The deplorably designed lamp

is burning brightly. Charles says a prayer, one he has learned as a new Catholic,and finds hope and strength in the realisation that God is always working out Hisplan of salvation, however weak and unexpected His vessels of grace.

4the story of brideshead revisited_summary

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