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ss than the truth when he described him as 'someone of mummy's'； he was someone of almost everyone's who possessed anything to attract him。
Mr Samgrass was a genealogist and a legitimist； he loved dispossessed royalty and knew the exact validity of the rival claims of the pretenders to many thrones； he was not a man of religious habit； but he knew more than most Catholics about their Church； he had friends in the Vatican and could talk at length of policy and appointments； saying which contemporary ecclesiastics were in good favour； which in bad； what recent theological hypothesis was suspect； and how this or that Jesuit or Dominican had skated on thin ice or sailed near the wind in his Lenten discourses； he had everything except the Faith； and later liked to attend benediction in the chapel of Brideshead and see the ladies of the family with their necks arched in devotion under their black lace mantillas； he loved forgotten scandals in high life and was an expert in putative parentage； he claimed to love the past； but I always felt that he thought all the splendid pany； living or dead； with whom he associated slightly absurd； it was Mr Samgrass who was real； the rest were an insubstantial pageant。 He was the Victorian tourist； solid and patronizing； for whose amusement these foreign things were paraded。 And there was something a little too brisk about his literary manners； I suspected the existence of a dictaphone somewhere in his panelled rooms。
He was with Lady Marchmain when I first met them； and I thought then that she could not have found a greater contrast to herself than this intellectual…on…the…make； nor a better foil to her own charm。 It was not her way to make a conspicuous entry into anyone's life； but towards the end of that week Sebastian said rather sourly： 'You and mummy seem very thick；' and I realized that in fact I was being drawn into intimacy by swift； imperceptible stages； for she was impatient of any human relationship that fell short of it。 By the time that she left I had promised to spend all next vacation； except Christmas itself； at Brideshead。
One Monday morning a week or two later I was in Sebastian's room waiting for him to return from a tutorial； when Julia walked in； followed by a large man whom she introduced as 'Mr Mottram' and addressed as 'Rex'。 They were motoring up from a house where they had spent the week…end； they explained。 Rex Mottram was warm and confident in a check ulster； Julia cold and rather shy in furs； she made straight for the fire and crouched over it shivering。
'We hoped Sebastian might give us luncheon；' she said。 'Failing him we can always try Boy Mulcaster； but I somehow thought we should eat better with Sebastian； and we're very hungry。 We've been literally starved all the week…end at the Chasms。'
'He and Sebastian are both lunching with me。 e too。'
So； without demur； they joined the party in my rooms； one of the last of the old kind that I gave。 Rex Mottram exerted himself to make an impression。 He was a handsome fellow with dark hair growing low on his forehead and heavy black eyebrows。 He spoke with an engaging Canadian accent。 One quickly learned all that he wished one to know about him； that he was a lucky man with money； a member of parliament； a gambler； a good fellow； that he played golf regularly with the Prince of Wales and was on easy terms with 'Max' and 'F。E。' and 'Gertie' Lawrence and Augustus John and Carpentier … with anyone； it seemed； who happened to be mentioned。 Of the University he said： 'No； I was never here。 It just means you start life three years behind the other fellow。'
His life； so far as he made it known； began in the war； where he had got a good M。C。 serving with the Canadians and had ended as A。D。C。 to a popular general。
He cannot have been more than thirty at the time we met him； but he seemed very old to us in Oxford。 Julia treated him； as she seemed to treat all the world； with mild disdain； but with an air of possession。 During luncheon she sent him to the car for her cigarettes； and once or twice when he was talking very big； she apologized for him； saying： 'Remember he's a colonial；' to which he replied with boisterous laughter。
When he had gone I asked who he was。
'Oh； just someone of Julia's；' said Sebastian。
We were slightly surprised a week later to get a telegram from him asking us and Boy Mulcaster to dinner in London on the following night for 'a party of Julia's'。
'I don't think he knows anyone young；' said Sebastian； 'all his friends are leathery old sharks in the City and the House of mons。 Shall we go？'
We discussed it； and because our life at Oxford was now so much in the shadows； we decided that we would。
'Why does he want Boy？'
'Julia and I have known him all our lives。 I suppose； finding him at lunch with you； he thought he was a chum。'
We had no great liking for Mulcaster； but the three of us were in high spirits when； having got leave for the night from our colleges； we drove off on the London road in Hardcastle's car。
We were to spend the night at Marchmain House。 We went there to dress and； while we dressed； drank a bottle of champagne； going in and out of one another's rooms which were together three floors up and rather shabby pared with the splendours below。 As we came downstairs Julia passed us going up to her room still in her day clothes。
'I'm going to be late；' she said； 'you boys had better go on to Rex's。 It's heavenly of you to e。'
'What is this party？'
'A ghastly charity ball I'm involved with。 Rex insisted on giving a dinner party for it。 See you there。'
Rex Mottram lived within walking distance of Marchmain House。
'Julia's going to be late；' we said； 'she's only just gone up to dress。'
'That means an hour。 We'd better have some wine。' A woman who was introduced as 'Mrs Champion' said： 'I'm sure she'd sooner we started； Rex。'
'Well； let's have some wine first anyway。'
'Why a Jeroboam； Rex？' she said peevishly。 'You always want to have everything too big。'
'Won't be too big for us；' he said； taking the bottle in his own hands and easing the cork。
There were two girls there； contemporaries of Julia's； they all seemed involved in the management of the ball。 Mulcaster knew them of old and they； without much relish I thought； knew him。 Mrs Champion talked to Rex。 Sebastian and I found ourselves drinking alone together as we always did。
At length Julia arrived； unhurried； exquisite； unrepentant。 'You shouldn't have let him wait；' she said。 'It's his Canadian courtesy。'
Rex Mottram was a liberal host； and by the end of dinner the three of us who had e from Oxford were rather drunk。 While we were standing in the hall waiting for the girls to e down and Rex and Mrs Champion had drawn away from us； talking； acrimoniously； in low voices； Mulcaster said； 'I say； let's slip away from this ghastly dance and go to Ma Mayfield's。'
'Who is Ma Mayfield？'
'You know Ma Mayfield。 Everyone knows Ma Mayfield of the Old Hundredth。 I've got a regular there … a sweet little thing called Effie。 There'd be the devil to pay if Effie heard I'd been to London and hadn't been in to see her。 e and meet Effie at Ma Mayfield's。'
'All right；' said Sebastian； 'let's meet Effie at Ma Mayfield's。' 'We'll take another bottle of pop off the good Mottram and then leave the bloody dance and go to the Old Hundredth。 How about that？'
It was not a difficult matter to leave the ball； the girls whom Rex Mottram had collected had many friends there and； after we had danced together once or twice； our table began to fill up； Rex Mottram ordered more and more wine； presently the three of us were together on the pavement。
'D'you know where this place is？'
'Of course I do。 A hundred Sink Street。'
'Where's that？'
'Just off Leicester Square。 Better take the car。'
'Why？'
'Always better to have one's own car on an occasion like this。' We did not question this reasoning； and there lay our mistake。 The car was in the forecourt of Marchmain House within a hundred yards of the hotel where we had been dancing。 Mulcaster drove and； after some wandering； brought us safely to Sink Street。 A missionaire at one side of a dark doorway and a middle…aged man in evening dress on the other side of it； standing with his face to the wall cooling his forehead on the bricks； indicated our destination。
'Keep out； you'll be poisoned；' said the middle…aged man。
'Members？' said the missionaire。
'The name is Mulcaster； ' said Mulcaster。 'Viscount Mulcaster。'
'Well； try inside；' said the missionaire。
'You'll be robbed； poisoned and infected and robbed；' said the middle…aged man。
Inside the dark doorway was a bright hatch。
'Members？' asked a stout woman； in evening dress。
'I like that；' said Mulcaster。 'You ought to know me by now。'
'Yes； dearie；' said the woman without interest。 'Ten bob each。'
'Oh； look here； I've never paid before。'
'Daresay not； dearie。 We're full up tonight so it's ten bob。 Anyone who es after you will have to pay a quid。 You're lucky。'
'Let me speak to Mrs Mayfield。'
'I'm Mrs Mayfield。 Ten bob each。'
'Why； Ma； I didn't recognize you in your finery。 You know Me； don't you？ Boy Mulcaster。'
'Yes； duckie。 Ten bob each。'
We paid； and the man who had been standing between us and the inner door now made way for us。 Inside it was hot and crowded； for the Old Hundredth was then at the height of its success。 We found a table and ordered a bottle； the waiter took payment before he opened it。
'Where's Effie tonight？' asked Mulcaster。
'Effie 'oo？'
'Effie； one of the girls who's always here。 The pretty dark one。'
'There's lots of girls works here。 Some of them's dark and some of them's fair。 You might call some of them pretty。 I haven't the time to know them by name。'
'I'll go and look for her；' said Mulcaster。
While he was away two girls stopped near our table and looked at us curiously。 'e on；' said one to the other； we're wasting our time。 They're only fairies。'
Presently Mulcaster returned in triumph with Effie to whom； without its being ordered； the waiter immediately brought a plate of eggs and bacon。
'First bite I've had all the evening；' she said。 'Only thing that's any good here is the breakfast； makes you fair peckish hanging about。'
'That's another six bob；' said the waiter。
When her hunger was appeased； Effie dabbed her mouth and looked at us。
'I've seen you here before； often； haven't I？' she said to me。
'I'm afraid not。'
'But I've seen you？' to Mulcaster。
'Well； I should rather hope so。 You haven't forgotten our little evening in September？'
'No； darling； of course not。 You were the boy in the Guards who cut your toe； weren't you？'
'Now； Effie； don't be a tease。'
'No； that was another night； wasn't it？ I know … you were with Bunty the time the police were in and we all hid in the place they keep the dust…bins。'
'Effie loves pulling my leg； don't you； Effie？ She's annoyed with me for staying away so long； aren't you？'
'Whatever you say； I know I have seen you before somewhere。'
'Stop teasing。'
'I wasn't meaning to tease。 Honest。 Want to dance？'
'Not at the minute。'
'Thank the Lord。 My shoes pinch something terrible tonight。' Soon she and Mulcaster were deep in conversation。 Sebastian leaned back and said to me： 'I'm going to ask that pair to join us。'
The two unattached women who had considered us earlier； were again circling towards us。 Sebastian smiled and rose to greet them： soon they； too； were eating heartily。 One had the face of a skull； the other of a sickly child。 The Death's Head seemed destined for me。 'How about a little party；' she said； 'just the six of us over at my place？'
'Certainly；' said Sebastian。
'We thought you were fairies when you came in。'
'That was our extreme youth。'
Death's Head giggled。 'You're a good sport；' she said。 'You're very sweet really；' said the Sickly Child。 'I must just tell Mrs Mayfield we're going out。'
It was still early； not long after midnight； when we regained the street。 The missionaire tried to persuade us to take a taxi。 'I'll