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 tolerates the wedding. However her health is declining and she tells 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, and finds that his friend is ill, 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 its a bit of a help to have a friend who is even weaker than himself... He is not well enough 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.. and he realises 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.