and bacon； pickled walnuts and cheese； and drank our beer in a sunless parlour where an old clock ticked。 in the shadows and a cat slept by the empty grate。
We drove on and in the early afternoon came to our destination： wrought…iron gates and Twin； classical lodges on a village green； an avenue； more gates； open park…land； a turn in the drive and suddenly a new and secret landscape opened before us。 We were at the head of a valley and below us； half a mile distant； grey and gold amid a screen of boskage； shone the dome and columns of an old house。
'Well？' said Sebastian； stopping the car。 Beyond the dome lay receding steps of water and round it； guarding and hiding it； stood the soft hills。
'Well？'
'What a place to live in！' I said。
'You must see the garden front and the fountain。' He leaned forward and put the car into gear。 'It's where my family live'； and even then； rapt in the vision； I felt； momentarily； an ominous chill at the words he used … not； 'that is my house'； but 'it's where my family live'。
'Don't worry；' he continued； 'they're all away。 You won't have to meet them。'
'But I should like to。'
'Well； you can't。 They're in London。'
We drove round the front into a side court … 'Everything's shut up。 We'd better go in this way' … and entered through the fortress…like； stone…flagged； stone…vaulted passages of the servants' quarters … 'I want you to meet Nanny Hawkins。 That's what we've e for' … and climbed uncarpeted； scrubbed elm stairs； followed more passages of wide boards covered in the centre by a thin strip of drugget； through passages covered by linoleum； passing the wells of many minor staircases and many rows of crimson and gold fire buckets； up a final staircase； gated at the head。 The dome was false； designed to be seen from below like the cupolas of Chambord。 Its drum was merely an additional storey full of segmental rooms。 Here were the nurseries。
Sebastian's nanny was seated at the open window； the fountain lay before her； the lakes； the temple； and； far away on the last spur； a glittering obelisk； her hands lay open in her lap and loosely between them； a rosary； she was fast asleep。 Long hours of work in her youth； authority in middle life； repose and security in her age； had set their stamp on her lined and serene face'。
'Well； ' she said； waking； 'this is a surprise。'
Sebastian kissed her。
'Who's this？' she said； looking at me。 'I don' t think I know him。'
Sebastian introduced us。
'You've e just the right time。 Julia's here for the day。 Such a time they're all having。 It's dull without them。 Just Mrs Chandler and two of the girls and old Bert。 And then they're all going on holidays and the boiler's being done out in August and you going to see his Lordship in Italy； and the rest on visits； it'll be October before we're settled down again。 Still； I suppose Julia must have her enjoyment the same as other young ladies； though what they always want to go to London for in the best of the summer and the gardens all out； I never have understood。 Father Phipps was here on Thursday and I said exactly the same to him；' she added as though she had thus acquired sacerdotal authority for her opinion。
'D'you say Julia's here？'
'Yes； dear； you must have just missed her。 It's the Conservative Women。 Her Ladyship was to have done them； but she's poorly。 Julia won't be long； she's leaving immediately after her speech； before the tea。'
'I'm afraid we may miss her again。'
'Don't do that； dear； it'll be such a surprise to her seeing you； though she ought to wait for the tea； I told her； it's what the Conservative Women e for。 Now what's the news？ Are you studying hard at your books？'
'Not very； I'm afraid； nanny；'
'Ah； cricketing all day long； I expect； like your brother。 He found time to study； too； though。 He's not been here since Christmas； but he'll be here for the Agricultural； I expect。 Did you see this piece about Julia in the paper？ She brought it down for me。 Not that it's nearly good enough of her； but what it says is very nice。 〃The lovely daughter whom Lady Marchmain is bringing out this season。。。witty as well as ornamental。。。the most popular d閎utante〃； well that's no more than the truth； though it was a shame to cut her hair； such a lovely head of hair she had； just like her Ladyship's。 I said to Father Phipps it's not natural。 He said： 〃Nuns do it；〃 and I said； 〃Well； surely； father； you aren't going to make a nun out of Lady Julia？ The very idea！〃'
Sebastian and the old woman talked on。 It was a charming room； oddly shaped to conform with the curve of the dome。 The walls were papered in a pattern of ribbon and roses。 There was a rocking horse in the corner and an oleograph of the Sacred Heart over the mantelpiece； the empty grate was hidden by a bunch of pampas grass and bulrushes； laid out on the top of the chest of drawers and carefully dusted； were the collection of small presents which had been brought home to her at various times by her children； carved shell and lava； stamped leather； painted wood； china； bog…oak； damascened silver； blue…john； alabaster； coral； the souvenirs of many holidays。
Presently nanny said： 'Ring the bell； dear； and we'll have some tea。 I usually go down to Mrs Chandler； but we'll have it up here today。 My usual girl has gone to London with the others。 The new one is just up from the village。 She didn't know anything at first； but she's ing along nicely。 Ring the bell。'
But Sebastian said we had to go。
'And miss Julia？ She will be upset when she hears。 It would have been such a surprise for her。'
'Poor nanny；' said Sebastian when we left the nursery。 'She does have such a dull life。 I've a good mind to bring her to Oxford to live with me； only she'd always be trying to send me to church。 We must go quickly before my sister gets back。'
'Which are you ashamed of； her or me？'
'I'm ashamed of myself；' said Sebastian gravely。 'I'm not going to have you get mixed up with my family。 They're so madly charming。 All my life they've been taking things away from me。 If they once got hold of you with their charm； they'd make you their friend not mine； and I won't let them。'
'All right；' I said。 'I'm perfectly content。 But am I not going to be allowed to see any more of the house？'
'It's all shut up。 We came to see nanny。 On Queen Alexandra's day it's all open for a shilling。 Well； e and look if you want to。。。'
He led me through a baize door into a dark corridor； I could dimly see a gilt…cornice and vaulted plaster above； then； opening a heavy； smooth…swinging； mahogany door； he led me into a darkened hall。 Light streamed through the cracks in the shutters。 Sebastian unbarred one； and folded it back； the mellow afternoon sun flooded in； over the bare floor； the vast； twin fireplaces of sculptured marble； the coved ceiling frescoed with classic deities and heroes； the gilt mirrors and scagliola pilasters； the islands of sheeted furniture。 It was a glimpse only； such as might be had from the top of an omnibus into a lighted ballroom； then Sebastian quickly shut out the sun。 'You see；' he said； 'it's like this。'
His mood had changed since we had drunk our wine under the elm trees； since we had turned the er of the drive and he had said： 'Well？'
'You see； there's nothing to see。 A few pretty things I'd like to show； you one day … not now。 But there's the chapel。 You must see that。 It's a monument of art nouveau。'
The last architect to work at Brideshead had added a colonnade and flanking pavilions。 One of these was the chapel。 We entered it by the public porch （another door led direct to the house）； Sebastian dipped his fingers in the water stoup； crossed himself； and genuflected； I copied him。 'Why do you do that？' he asked crossly。
'Just good manners。'
'Well； you needn't on my account。 You wanted to do sight…seeing； how about this？'
The whole interior had been gutted； elaborately refurnished and redecorated in the arts…and…crafts style of the last decade of the nineteenth century。 Angels in printed cotton smocks； rambler…roses； flower…spangled meadows； frisking lambs； texts in Celtic script； saints in armour； covered t