Brideshead Revisited Part III

Lady Marchmain does not fall out with Julia over the marriage, because her way is to make a martyr of herself when her children do things she does not approve of. She tolerated the wedding. However, her health began to decline. She told Julia she would like to see Sebastian once more. Julia contacts Charles and asks him if he would go to Morocco, where he is now living and get Sebastian to come home. Charles has now started his painting career. He agrees to go to Africa, but he then finds that his friend is too ill to travel. He is in hospital with alcohol related problems and he is living with a young German man who is wayward and indolent. Charles does not think much of Kurt, but he realises that it gives Sebastian something to do, to take care of the boy. Sebastian tells him that he knows he is pretty useless, so he likes having a friend who is even weaker than himself... He is not able to go home and see his mother but he is not angry with her any more. Charles says he will try and sort out Sebastian's allowance from the Marchmains so that he has a steady small income.. He guesses that his friend will probably spend his life in exile in Morocco or somewhere similar, not doing anything much but hopefully protected from serious harm.