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briskness： 'And now； Lord Brideshead； would the poor soul be ready to see me； do you think？'
Brideshead led him out； Cordelia followed； and I was left alone among the breakfast things。 In less than a minute I heard the voices of all three outside the door。
'。。。can only apologize。'
'。。。poor soul。 Mark you； it was seeing a strange face； depend upon it； it was that … an unexpected stranger。 I well understand it。'
'。。。Father； I am sorry。。。bringing you all this way。。。'
'Don't think about it at all； Lady Cordelia。 Why； I've had bottles thrown at me in the Gorbals。。。Give him time。 I've known worse cases make beautiful deaths。 Pray for him。。。I'll e again。。。and now if you'll excuse me I'll just pay a little visit to Mrs Hawkins。 Yes； indeed； I know the way well。'
Then Cordelia and Brideshead came into the room。
'I gather the visit was not a success。'
'It was not。 Cordelia； will you drive Father Mackay home when he es down from nanny？ I'm going to telephone to Beryl and see when she needs me home。'
'Bridey； it was horrible。 What are we to do？'
'We've done everything we can at the moment。' He left the room。
Cordelia's face was grave； she took a piece of bacon from the dish； dipped it in mustard and ate it。 'Damn Bridey；' she said； 'I knew it wouldn't work。'
'What happened？'
'Would you like to know？ We walked in there in a line； Cara was reading the paper aloud to papa。 Bridey said； 〃I've brought Father Mackay to see you〃； papa said； 〃Father Mackay； I am afraid you have been brought here under a misapprehension。 I am not in extremis； and I have not been a practising member of your Church for twenty…five years。 Brideshead； show Father Mackay the way out。〃 Then we all turned about and walked away； and I heard Cara start reading the paper again； and that； Charles； was that。'
I carried the news to Julia； who lay with her bed…table amid a litter of newspapers and envelopes。 'Mumbo…jumbo is off；' I said。 'The witch…doctor has gone。'
'Poor papa。'
'It's great sucks to Bridey。'
I felt triumphant。 I had been right； everyone else had been wrong； truth had prevailed； the threat that I had felt hanging over Julia and me ever since that evening at the fountain； had
been averted； perhaps dispelled for ever； and there was also … I can now confess it … another unexpressed； inexpressible； indecent little victory that I was furtively celebrating。 I guessed that that morning's business had put Brideshead some considerable way further from his rightful inheritance。
In that I； was correct； a man was sent for from the solicitors in London； in a day or two he came and it was known throughout the house that Lord Marchmain had made a new will。 But I was wrong in thinking that the religious controversy was quashed； it flamed up again after dinner on Brideshead's last evening。
'。。。What papa said was； 〃I am not in extremis； I have not been a practising member of the Church for twenty…five years。〃 '
'Not 〃the Church〃； 〃your Church〃。'
'I don't see the difference。'
'There's every difference。'
'Bridey； it's quite plain what he meant。'
'I presume he meant what he said。 He meant that he had not been accustomed regularly to receive the sacraments； and since he was not at the moment dying； he did not mean to change his ways … yet。'
'That's simply a quibble。'
'Why do people always think that one is quibbling when one tries to be precise？ His plain meaning was that he did not want to see a priest that day； but that he would when he was 〃in extremis〃。'
'I wish someone would explain to me；' I said； 'quite what the significance of these sacraments is。 Do you mean that if he dies alone he goes to hell； and that if a priest puts oil on him … '
'Oh； it's not the oil；' said Cordelia； 'that's to heal him。'
'Odder still … well； whatever it is the priest does … that he then goes to heaven。 Is that what you believe？'
Cara then interposed： 'I think my nurse told me； someone did anyway； that if the priest got there before the body was cold it was all right。 That's so； isn't it？'
The others turned to her。
'No； Cara； it's not。'
'Of course not。'
'You've got it all wrong； Cara。'
'Well； I remember when Alphonse de Grenet died； Madame de Grenet had a priest hidden outside the door … he couldn't bear the sight of a priest … and brought him in before the body was cold； she told me herself； and they had a full Requiem for him； and I went to it。'
'Having a Requiem doesn't mean you go to heaven necessarily。'
'Madame de Grenet thought it did。'
'Well； she was wrong。'
'Do any of you Catholics know what good you think this priest can do？' I asked。 'Do you simply want to arrange it so that your father can have Christian burial？ Do you want to keep him out of hell？ I only want to be told。'
Brideshead told me at some length； and when he had finished Cara slightly marred the unity of the Catholic front by saying in simple wonder； 'I never heard that before。'
'Let's get this clear；' I said； 'he has to make an act of will； he has to be contrite and wish to be reconciled； is that right？ But only God knows whether he has really made an act of will； the priest can't tell； and if there isn't a priest there； and he makes the act of will alone； that's as good as if there were a priest。 And it's quite possible that the will may still be working when a man is too weak to make any outward sign of it； is that right？ He may be lying； as though for dead； and willing all the time； and being reconciled； and God understands that； is that right？'
'More or less； ' said Brideshead。
'Well； for heaven's sake。' I said； 'what is the priest for？' There was a pause in which Julia sighed and Brideshead drew breath as though to start further subdividing the propositions。 In the silence Cara said； 'All I know is that I shall take very good care to have a priest。'
'Bless you；' said Cordelia； 'I believe that's the best answer。'
And we let the argument drop； each for different reasons； thinking it had been inconclusive。
Later Julia said： 'I wish you wouldn't start these religious arguments。'
'I didn't start it。'
'You don't convince anyone else and you don't really convince yourself。'
'I only want to know what these people believe。 They say it's all based on logic。'
'If you'd let Bridey finish； he would have made it all quite logical。'
'There were four of you；' I said。 'Cara didn't know the first thing it was about； and may or may not have believed it； you knew a bit and didn't believe a word； Cordelia knew about as much and believed it madly； only poor Bridey knew and believed； and I thought he made a pretty poor show when it came to explaining。 And people go round saying； 〃At least Catholics know what they believe。〃 We had a fair cross…section tonight … '
'Oh； Charles； don't rant。 I shall begin to think you're getting doubts yourself。'
The weeks passed and still Lord Marchmain lived on。 In June my divorce was made absolute and my former wife married for the second time。 Julia would be free in September。 The nearer our marriage got； the more wistfully； I noticed； Julia spoke of it