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wasted but more elegant； he had cast the shabbiness of extreme fatigue。 Cara straightened his tie； he wiped his eyes with …a bandanna handkerchief and shuffled with his stick to the hall fire。
There was a little heraldic chair by the chimney…piece； one of a set which stood against the walls； a little； inhospitable； flat…seated thing； a mere excuse for the elaborate armorial painting on its back； on which； perhaps； no one； not even a weary footman； had ever sat since it was made； there Lord Marchmain sat and wiped his eyes。
'It's the cold；' he said。 'I'd forgotten how cold it is in England。 Quite bowled me over。'
'Can I get you anything； my lord？'
'Nothing； thank you。 Cara； where are those confounded pills？'
'Alex； the doctor said not more than three times a day。'
'Damn the doctor。 I feel quite bowled over。'
Cara produced a blue bottle from her bag and Lord March main took a pill。 Whatever was in it； seemed to revive him。 He remained seated； his long legs stuck out before him； his cane between them； his chin on its ivory handle； but he began to take notice of us all； to greet us and to give orders。
'I'm afraid I'm not at all the thing today； the joumey's taken it out of me。 Ought to have waited a night at Dover。 Wilcox； what rooms have you prepared for me？'
'Your old ones； my Lord。'
'Won't do； not till I'm fit again。 Too many stairs； must be on the ground floor。 Plender； get a bed made up for me downstairs。' Plender and Wilcox exchanged an anxious glance。
'Very good； my Lord。 Which room shall we put it in？' Lord Marchmain thought for a moment。 'The Chinese drawing…room； and； Wilcox； the 〃Queen's bed〃。'
'The Chinese drawing…room； my lord； the 〃Queen's bed〃？'
'Yes； yes。 I may be spending some time there in the next few weeks。'
The Chinese drawing…room was one I had never seen used； in fact one could not normally go further into it than a small roped area round the door； where sight…seers were corralled on the days the house was open to the public； it was a splendid； uninhabitable museum of Chippendale carving and porcelain' and lacquer and painted hangings； the Queen's bed too； was an exhibition piece； a vast velvet tent like the baldachino at St Peter's。 Had Lord Marchmain planned this lying…in…state for himself； I wondered； before he left the sunshine of Italy？ Had he thought of it during the scudding rain of his long； fretful journey？ Had it e to him at that moment； an awakened memory of childhood； a dream in the nursery … 'When I'm grown up I'll sleep in the Queen's bed in the Chinese drawing…room' … the apotheosis of adult grandeur？
Few things； certainly； could have caused more stir in the house。 What had been foreseen as a day of formality became one of fierce exertion； housemaids began making a fire； removing covers； unfolding linen… men in aprons； never normally seen； shifted furniture； the estate carpenters were collected to dismantle the bed。 It came down the main staircase in pieces； at intervals during the afternoon； huge sections of Rococo； velvet…covered cornice； the twisted； gilt and velvet columns which formed its posts； beams of unpolished wood； made not to be seen； which performed invisible structural functions below the draperies； plumes of dyed feathers； which sprang from gold…mounted ostrich eggs and crowned the canopy； finally； the mattresses with four toiling men to each。 Lord Marchmain seemed to derive fort from the consequences of his whim； he sat by the fire watching the bustle； while we stood in a half circle … Cara； Cordelia； Julia； and I … and talked to him。
Colour came back to his checks and light to his eyes。 'Brideshead and his wife dined with me in Rome；' he said。 'Since we are all members of the family' … and his eye moved ironically from Cara to me … 'I can speak without reserve。 I found her deplorable。 Her former consort； I understand； was a seafaring man and； presumably； the less exacting； but how my son； at the ripe age of thirty…eight； with； unless things have changed very much； a very free choice among the women of England； can have settled on … I suppose I must call her so … Beryl。。。' He left the sentence eloquently unfinished。
Lord Marchmain showed no inclination to move； so presently we drew up chairs … the little； heraldic chairs； for everything else in the hall was ponderous … and sat round him。
'I daresay I shall not be really fit again until summer es； he said。 'I look to you four to amuse me。' There seemed little we could do at the moment to lighten the rather sombre mood； he； indeed； was the most cheerful of us。 'Tell me；' he said； 'the circumstances of Brideshead's courtship。'
We told him what we knew。
'Match…boxes；' he said。 'Match…boxes。 I think she's past childbearing。'
Tea was brought us at the hall fireplace。
'In Italy；' he said； 'no one believes there will be a war。 They think it will all be 〃arranged〃。 I suppose； Julia； you no longer have access to political information？ Cara； here； is fortunately a British subject by marriage。 It is not a thing she customarily mentions； but it may prove valuable。 She is legally Mrs Hicks； are you not； my dear？ We know little of Hicks； but we shall be grateful to him； none the less； if it es to war。 And you；' he said； turning the attack to me； 'you will no doubt bee an official artist？'
'No。 As a matter of fact I am negotiating now for a mission in the Special Reserve。'
'Oh； but you should be an artist。 I had one with my squadron during the last war； for weeks … until we went up to the line。' This waspishness was new。 I had always been aware of a frame of malevolence under his urbanity； now it protruded like his own sharp bones through the sunken skin。
It was dark before the bed was finished； we went to see it； Lord Marchmain stepping quite briskly now through the intervening rooms。
'I congratulate you。 It really looks remarkably well。 Wilcox； I seem to remember a silver basin and ewer … they stood in a room we called 〃the Cardinal's dressing…room〃； I think … suppose we had them here on the console。 Then if you will send Plender and Gaston to me； the luggage can wait till tomorrow … simply the dressing case and what I need for the night。 Plender will know。 If you will leave me with Plender and Gaston； I will go to bed。 We will meet later； you will dine here and keep me amused。'
We turned to go； as I was at the door he called me back。
'It looks very well； does it not？'
'Very well。'
'You might paint it； eh … and call it the Death Bed？'
'Yes；' said Cara； 'he has e home to die。'
'But when he first arrived he was talking so confidently of recovery。
'That was because he was so ill。 When he is himself； he knows he is dying and accepts it。 His sickness is up and down； one day； sometimes for several days on end； he is strong and lively and then he is ready for death； then he is down and afraid。 I do not know how it will be when he is more and more down。 That must e in good time。 The doctors in Rome gave him less than a year。 There is someone ing from London； I think tomorrow； who will tell us more。'
'What is it？'
'His heart； some long word at the heart。 He is dying of a long word。'
That evening Lord Marchmain was in good spirits； the room had a Hogarthian aspect； with the dinner…table set for the four of us by the grotesque； chinoiserie chimney…piece； and the old man propped among his pillows； sipping champagne； tasting； praising； and failing to eat； the succession of dishes which had been prepared for his homeing。 Wilcox had brought out for the occasion the gold plate； which I had not before seen in use； that； the gilt mirrors； and the lacquer and the drapery of the great bed and Julia's mandarin coat gave the scene an air of pantomime； of Aladdin's cave。
Just at the end； when the time came for us to go； his spirits flagged。
'I shall not sleep；' he said。 'Who is going to sit with me？ Cara； carissima； you are fatigued。 Cordelia； will you watch for an hour in this Gethsemane？'
Next morning I asked her how the night had passed。
'He went to sleep almost at once。 I came in to see him at two to make up the fire； the lights were on； but he was asleep again。 He must have woken up and turned them on； he had to get out of bed to do that。 I think perhaps he is afraid of the dark。'
It was natural； with her hospital experience； that Cordelia should take charge of her father。 When the doctors came that day they gave their instructions to her； instinctively。
'Until he gets worse；' she said； 'I and the valet can look after him。 We don't want nurses in the house before they are needed。' At this stage the doctors had nothing to remend except to keep him fortable and administer certain drugs when his attacks came on。
'How long will it be？'
'Lady Cordelia； there are men walking about in hearty old age whom their doctors gave a week to live。 I have learned one thing in medicine； never prophesy。'
These two men had made a long journey to tell her this； the local doctor was there to accept the same advice in technical phrases。
That night Lord Marchmain reverted to the topic of his new daughter…in…law； it had never been long out of his mind； finding expression in various sly hints throughout the day； now he lay back in his pillows and talked of her at length。
'I have never been much moved by family piety until now；' he said； 'but I am frankly appalled at the prospect of … of Beryl taking what was once my mother's place in this house。 Why should that uncouth pair sit here childless while the place crumbles about their ears？ I will not disguise from you that I have taken a dislike to Beryl。
'Perhaps it was unfortunate that we met in Rome。 Anywhere else might have been more sympathetic。 And yet； if one es to consider it； where could I have met her without repugnance？ We dined at Ranieri's； it is a quiet little restaurant I have frequented for years … no doubt you know it。 Beryl seemed to fill the place。 I； of course； was host； though to hear Beryl press my son with food you might have thought otherwise。 Brideshead was always a greedy boy… a wife who has his best interests at heart should seek to restrain him。 However； that is a matter of small importance。
'She had no doubt heard of me as a man of irregular life。 I can only describe her manner to me as roguish。 A naughty old man； that's what she thought I was。 I suppose she had met naughty old admirals and knew how they should be humoured。。。I could not attempt to reproduce her conversation。 I will give you one example。
'They had been to an audience at the Vatican that morning； a blessing for their marriage … I did not follow attentively something of the kind had happened before； I gathered； some previous husband； some previous Pope。 She described； rather vivaciously； how on this earlier occasion she had gone with a whole body … of newly married couples； mostly Italians of all ranks； some or the simpler girls in their wedding dresses； and how each had appraised the other； the bridegrooms looking the brides over； paring their own with one another's； and so forth。 Then she said； 〃This time； of course； we were in private； …but do you know； Lord Marchmain； I felt as though it was I who was leading in the bride。〃
'It was said with great indelicacy。 I have not yet quite fathomed her meaning。 Was she making a play on my son's name； or was she； do you think； referring to his undoubted virginity？ I fancy the latter。 Anyway； it was with pleasantries of that kind that we passed the evening。
'I don't think she would be quite in her proper element here； do you？ Who shall I leave it to？ The entail ended with me； you know。 Sebastian； alas； is out of the question。 Who wants it？ Quis？ Would you like it； Cara？ No； of course you would not。 Cordelia？ I think I shall leave it to Julia and Charles。'
'Of course not； papa； it's Bridey's。'
'And。。。Beryl's？ I will have Gregson down one day soon and go over the matter。 It is time I brought my will up to date； it is full of anomalies and anachronisms。。。I have rather a fancy for the idea of installing Julia here； so beautiful this evening； my dear； so beautiful always； much； much more suitable。'
Shortly after this he sent to London for his solicitor； but； on