from the days of pack…horses on the Pilgrim's Way … I did not know。
Next night Rex and his political associates were with us。
'They won't fight。'
'They can't fight。 They haven't the money； they haven't the oil。'
'They haven't the wolfram； they haven't the men。'
'They haven't the guts。'
'They're afraid。'
'Scared of the French； scared of the Czechs； scared of the Slovaks； scared of us。'
'It's a bluff。'
'Of course it's a bluff Where's their tungsten？ Where's their manganese？'
'Where's their chrome？'
'I'll tell you a thing。。。'
'Listen to this； it'll be good； Rex will tell you a thing。'
Friend of mine motoring in the Black Forest only the other day； just came back and told me about it while we played a round of golf。 Well； this friend driving along； turned down a lane into the high road。 What should he find but a military convoy？ Couldn't stop； drove right into it； smack into a tank； broadside on。 Gave himself up for dead。。。Hold on this is the funny part。'
'This is the funny part。'
'Drove clean through it； didn't scratch his paint；。 What do you think？ It was made of canvas … a bamboo frame and painted canvas。'
'They haven't the steel。'
'They haven't the tools。 They haven't the labour。 They're half starving。 They haven't the fats。 The children have rickets。'
'The women are barren。'
'The men are impotent。'
'They haven't the doctors。'
'The doctors were Jewish。'
'Now they've got consumption。'
'Now they've got syphilis。'
'Goering told a friend of mine。。。'
'Goebbels told a friend of mine。。。'
'Ribbentrop told me that the army just kept Hitler in power so long as he was able to get things for nothing。 The moment anyone stands up to him； he's finished。 The army will shoot him。'
'The Liberals will hang him。'
'The munists will tear him limb from limb。'
'He'll scupper himself。'
'He'd do it now if it wasn't for Chamberlain。'
'If it wasn't for Halifax。'
'If it wasn't for Sir Samuel Hoare。'
'And the 1922mittee。'
'Peace Pledge。'
'Foreign Office。'
'New York Banks。'
'All that's wanted is a good strong line。'
'A line from Rex。'
'We'll give Europe a good strong line。 Europe is waiting for a speech from Rex。'
'And a speech from me。'
'And a speech from me。 Rally the freedom…loving peoples of the world。 Germany will rise； Austria will rise。 The Czechs and the Slovaks are bound to rise。'
'To a speech from Rex and a speech from me。'
'What about a rubber？ How about a whisky？ Which of you chaps will have a big cigar？ Hullo； you two going out？'
'Yes； Rex； ' said Julia。 'Charles and I are going into the moonlight。'
We shut the windows behind us and the voices ceased； the moonlight lay like hoar…frost on the terrace and the music of the fountain crept in our ears… the stone balustrade of the terrace might have been the Trojan walls； and in the silent park might have stood the Grecian tents where Cressid lay that night。
'A few days； a few months。'
'No time to be lost。'
'A lifetime between the rising of the moon and its setting。 Then the dark。'
＇4＇
'AND of course Celia will have custody of the children。'
'Of course。'
'Then what about the Old Rectory？ I don't imagine you'll want to settle down with Julia bang at our gates。 The children look on it as their home； you know。 Robin's got no place of his own till his uncle dies。 After all； you never used the studio； did You？ Robin was saying only the other day what a good playroom it would make … big enough for Badminton。'
'Robin can have the Old Rectory。'
'Now with regard to money； Celia and Robin naturally don't want to accept anything for themselves； but there's the question of the children's education。'
'That will be all right。 I'll see the lawyers about it。'
'Well； I think that's everything；' said Mulcaster。 'You know； I've seen a few divorces in my time； and I've never known one work out so happily for all concerned。 Almost always； however matey people are at the start； bad blood crops up when they get down to detail。 Mind you； I don't mind saying there have been times in the last two years when I thought you were treating Celia a bit rough。 It's hard to tell with one's own sister； but I've always thought her a jolly attractive girl； the sort of girl any chap would be glad to have … artistic； too； just down your street。 But I must admit you're a good picker。 I've always had a soft spot for Julia。 Anyway； as things have turned out everyone seems satisfied。 Robin's been mad about Celia for a year or more。 D'you know him？'
'Vaguely。 A half…baked； pimply youth as I remember him。'
'Oh； I wouldn't quite say that。 He's rather young； of course； but the great thing is that Johnjohn and Caroline adore him。 You've got two grand kids there； Charles。 Remember me to Julia； wish her all the best for old times' sake。'
'So you're being divorced；' said my father。 'Isn't that rather unnecessary； after you've been happy together all these years？'
'We weren't particularly happy； you know。'
'Weren't you？ Were you not？ I distinctly remember last Christmas seeing you together and thinking how happy you looked； and wondering why。 You'll find it very disturbing； you know； starting off again。 How old are you … thirty…four？ That's no age to be starting。 You ought to be settling down。 Have you made any plans？'
'Yes。 I'm marrying again as soon as the divorce is through。'
'Well； I do call that a lot of nonsense。 I can understand a man； wishing he hadn't married and trying to get out of it … though I never felt anything of the kind myself … but to get rid of one wife and take up with another immediately； is beyond all reason。 Celia was always perfectly civil to me。 I had quite a liking for her； in a way。 If you couldn't be happy with her； why on earth should you expect to be happy with anyone else？ Take my advice； my dear boy； and give up the whole idea。'
'Why bring Julia and me into this？' asked Rex。 'If Celia wants to marry again； well and good； let her。 That's your business and hers。 But I should have thought Julia and I were quite happy as we are。 You can't say I've been difficult。 Lots of chaps would have cut up nasty。 I hope I'm a man of the world。 I've had my own fish to fry； too。 But a divorce is a different thing altogether； I've never known a divorce do anyone any good。'
'That's your affair and Julia's。'
'Oh； Julia's set on it。 What I hoped was； you might be able to talk her round。 I've tried to keep out of the way as much as I could； if I've been around too much； just tell me； I shan't mind。 But there's too much going on altogether at the moment； what with Bridey wanting me to clear out of the house； it's disturbing； and I've got a lot on my mind。'
Rex's public life was approaching a climacteric。 Things had not gone as smoothly with him as he had planned。 I knew nothing of finance； but I heard it said that his dealings were badly looked on by orthodox Conservatives； even his good qualities of geniality and impetuosity counted against him； for his parties at Brideshead got talked about。 There was always too much about him in the papers； he was one with the Press lords and their sad…eyed； smiling hangers…on； in his speeches he said the sort of thing which 'made a story' in Fleet Street； and that did him no good with his party chiefs； only war could put Rex's fortunes right and carry him into power。 A divorce would do him no great harm； it was rather that with a big bank running he could not look up from the table。
'If Julia insists on a divorce； I suppose she must have it；' he said。 'But she couldn't have chosen a worse time。 Tell her to hang on a bit； Charles； there's a good fellow。'
'Bridey's widow said： 〃So you're divorcing one divorced man and marrying another。 It sounds rather plicated； but my dear〃 … she called me 〃my dear〃 about twenty times … 〃I've usually found every Catholic family has one lapsed member； and it's often the nicest。〃 '
Julia had just returned from a luncheon party given by Lady Rossmon in honour of Brideshead's engagement。
'What's she like？'
'Majestic and voluptuous；