'War；' she said； 'this year； next year； sometime soon。 I want a day or two with you of real peace。'
'Isn't this peace？'
The sun had sunk now to the line of woodland beyond the valley； all the opposing slope was already in twilight； but the lakes below us were aflame； the light grew in strength and splendour as it neared death； drawing long shadows across the pasture； falling full on the rich stone spaces of the house； firing the panes in the windows； glowing on cornices and colonnade and dome； spreading out all the stacked merchandise of colour and scent from earth and stone and leaf； glorifying the head and golden shoulders of the woman beside me。
'What do you mean by 〃peace〃； if not this？'
'So much more'； and then in a chill； matter…of…fact tone she continued： 'Marriage isn't a thing we can take when the impulse moves us。 There must be a divorce … two divorces。 We must make plans。'
'Plans； divorce； war … on an evening like this。'
'Sometimes said Julia； 'I feel the past and the future pressing so hard on either side that there's no room for the present at all。' Then Wilcox came down the steps into the sunset to tell us that dinner was ready。
Shutters were up； curtains drawn； candles lit； in the Painted Parlour。
'Hullo； it's laid for three；'
'Lord Brideshead arrived half an hour ago； my lady。 He sent a message would you please not wait dinner for him as he may be a little late。'
'It seems months since he was here last；' said Julia。 'What does he do in London？'
It was often a matter for speculation between us … giving birth to many fantasies； for Bridey was a mystery； a creature from underground； a hard…snouted； burrowing； hibernating animal who shunned the light。 He had been pletely without action in all his years of adult life； the talk of his going into the army and into parliament and into a monastery； had all e to nothing。 All that he was known with certainty to have done and this because in a season of scant news it had formed the subject of a newspaper article entitled 'Peer's Unusual Hobby' … was to form a collection of match…boxes； he kept them mounted on boards； card…indexed； yearly occupying a larger and larger space in his small house in Westminster。 At first he was bashful about the notoriety which the newspaper caused； but later greatly pleased； for he found it the means of his getting into touch with other collectors in all parts of the world with whom he now corresponded and swapped duplicates。 Other than this he was not known to have any interests。 He remained joint Master of the Marchmain and hunted with them dutifully on their two days a week when he was at home； he never hunted with the neighbouring pack； who had the better country。 He had no real zest for sport； and had not been out a dozen times that season； he had few friends； he visited his aunts； he went to public dinners held in the Catholic interest。 At Brideshead he performed all unavoidable local duties； bringing with him to platform and f阾e and mittee room his own thin mist of clumsiness and … aloofness。
'There was a girl found strangled with a piece of barbed wire at Wandsworth last week；' I said； reviving an old fantasy。
'That must be Bridey。 He is naughty。'
When we had been a quarter of an hour at the table； he joined us； ing ponderously into the room in the bottle…green velvet smoking suit which he kept at Brideshead and always wore when he was there。 At thirty…eight he had grown heavy and bald； and might have been taken for forty…five。
'Well；' he said； 'well； only you two； I hoped to find Rex here。'
I often wondered what he made of me and of my continual presence； he seemed to accept me； without curiosity； as one of the household。 Twice in the past two years he had surprised me by what seemed to be acts of friendship； that Christmas he had sent me a photograph of himself in the robes of a Knight of Malta； and shortly afterwards asked me to go with him to a dining club。 Both acts had an explanation： he had had more copies of his portrait printed than he knew what to do with； he was proud of his club。 It was a surprising association of men quite eminent in their professions who met once a month for an evening of ceremonious buffoonery； each had his sobriquet Bridey was called 'Brother Grandee' … and a specially designed jewel worn like an order of chivalry； symbolizing it； they had club buttons for their waistcoats and an elaborate ritual for the introduction of guests； after dinner a paper was read and facetious speeches were made。 There was plainly some petition to bring guests of distinction and since Bridey had few friends； and since I was tolerably well known； I was invited。 Even on that convivial evening I could feel my host emanating little magnetic waves of social uneasiness； creating； rather； a pool of general embarrassment about himself in which； he floated with log…like calm。
He sat down opposite me and bowed his sparse； pink head over his plate。
'Well； Bridey。 What's the news？'
'As a matter of fact；' he said； 'I have some news。 But it can wait。'
'Tell us now。'
He made a grimace which I took to mean 'not in front of the servants'； and said； 'How is the painting； Charles？'
'Which painting？'
'Whatever you have on the stocks。'
'I began a sketch of Julia； but the light was tricky all today。'
'Julia？ I thought you'd done her before。 I suppose it's a change from architecture； and much more difficult。'
His conversation abounded in long pauses during which his mind seemed to remain motionless； he always brought one back with a start to the exact point where he had stopped。 Now after more than a minute he said： 'The world is full of different subjects。'
'Very true； Bridey。'
'If I were a painter；' he said； 'I should choose an entirely different subject every time； subjects with plenty of action in them like。。。' Another pause。 What； I wondered was ing？ The Flying Scotsman？ The Charge of the Light Brigade？ Henley Regatta？ Then surprisingly he said： '。。。like Macbeth。' There was something supremely preposterous in the idea of Bridey as a painter of action pictures； he was usually preposterous yet somehow achieved a certain dignity by his remoteness and agelessness； he was still half…child； already half…veteran； there seemed no spark of contemporary life in him； he had a kind of massive rectitude and impermeability； an indifference to the world； which pelled respect。 Though we often laughed at him； he was never wholly ridiculous； at times he was even formidable。
We talked of the news from central Europe until； suddenly cutting across this barren topic； Bridey asked： 'Where are mummy's jewels？'
'This was hers；' said Julia； 'and this。 Cordelia and I had all her own things。 The family jewels went to the bank。'
'It's so long since I've seen them … I don't know that I ever saw them all。 What is there？ Aren't there some rather famous rubies； someone was telling me？'
'Yes； a necklace。 Mummy used often to wear it； don't you remember？ And there are the pearls … she always had those out。 But most of it stayed in the bank year after year。 There are some hideous diamond fenders； I remember； and a Victorian diamond collar no one could wear now。 There's a mass of good stones。 Why？'
'I'd like to have a took at them some day。'
'I say； papa isn't going to pop them； is he？ He hasn't got into debt again？'
'No； no； nothing like that。'
Bridey was a slow and copious eater。 Julia and I watched him between the candles。 Presently he said： 'If I was Rex' … his mind seemed full of such suppositions： 'If I was Archbishop of Westminster'； 'If I was head of the Great Western Railway'； 'If I was an actress'； as though it were a mere trick of fate that he was none of these things； and he might awake any morning to find the matter adjusted … 'if I was Rex I should want to live in my constituency。'
'Rex says it saves four days' work a week not to。'
'I'm so he's not here。 I have a little announcement to make。'
'Bridey； don't be so mysterious。 Out with it。'
He made the grimace which seemed to mean 'not before the servants。'
Later when port was on the table and we three were alone Juli