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When he had finished he said； 'Now you had better make your confession。'
'No； thank you；' she said； as though refusing the offer of something in a shop。 'I don't think I want to today；' and walked angrily home。
From that moment she shut her mind against her religion。
And Lady Marchmain saw this and added it to her new grief for Sebastian and her old grief for her husband and to the deadly sickness in her body； and took all these sorrows with her daily to church； it seemed her heart was transfixed with the swords of her dolours； a living heart to match the plaster and paint； what fort she took home with her； God knows。
So the year…wore on and the secret of the engagement spread from Julia's confidantes to their confidantes； until； like ripples at last breaking on the mud…verge； there were hints of it in the Press； and Lady Rossmon as Lady…in…Waiting was closely questioned about it； and something had to be done。 Then； after Julia had refused to make her Christmas munion and Lady Marchmain had found herself betrayed first by me； then by Mr Samgrass； then by Cordelia； in the first grey days of 1925； she decided to act。 She forbade all talk of an engagement； she forbade Julia and Rex ever to meet； she made plans for shutting Marchmain House for six months and taking Julia on a tour of visits to their foreign kinsmen。 It was characteristic of an old； atavistic callousness that went with her delicacy that； even at this crisis； she did not think it unreasonable to put Sebastian in Rex's charge on the journey to Dr Borethus； and Rex； having failed her in that matter； went on to Monte Carlo； where he pleted her rout。 Lord Marchmain did not concern himself with the finer points of Rex's character； those； he believed； were his daughter's business。 Rex seemed a rough； healthy； prosperous fellow whose name was already familiar to him from reading the political reports； he gambled in an open…handed but sensible manner； he seemed to keep reasonably good pany； he had a future； Lady Marchmain disliked him。 Lord Marchmain was； on the whole； relieved that Julia should have chosen so well； and gave his consent to an immediate marriage。
Rex gave himself to the preparations with gusto。 He bought her a ring； not； as she expected； from a tray at Cartier's； but in a back room in Hatton Garden from a man who brought stones out of a safe in little bags and displayed them for her on a writing…desk； then another man in another back room made designs for the setting； with a stub of pencil on a sheet； of note…paper； and the result excited the admiration of all her friends。
'How d you know about these things； Rex？' she asked。
She was daily surprised by the things he knew and the things he did not know； both； at the time； added to his attraction。
His present house in Hertford Street was large enough for them both； and had lately been furnished and decorated by the most expensive firm。 Julia said she did not want a house in the country yet； they could always take places furnished when they wanted to go away。
There was trouble about the marriage settlement with which Julia refused to interest herself。 The lawyers were in despair。 Rex absolutely refused to settle any capital。 'What do I want with trustee stock？' he asked。
'I don't know； darling。'
'I make money work for me；' he said。 'I expect fifteen； twenty per cent and I get it。 It's pure waste tying up capital at three and a half'
'I'm sure it is； darling。'
'These fellows talk as though I were trying to rob you。 It's they who are doing the robbing。 They want to rob you of two thirds of the ine I can make you。'
'Does it matter； Rex？ We've got heaps； haven't we？'
Rex hoped to have the whole of Julia's dowry in his hands； to make it work for him。 The lawyers insisted on tying it up； but they could not get； as they asked； a like sum from him。 Finally； grudgingly； he agreed to insure his life； after explaining at length to the lawyers that this was merely a device for putting part of his legitimate profits into other people's pockets； but he had some connection with an insurance office which made the arrangement slightly less painful to him； by which he took for himself the agent's mission which the lawyers were themselves expecting。
Last and least came the question of Rex's religion。 He had once attended a royal wedding in Madrid； and he wanted something of the kind for himself。
'That's one thing your Church can do；' he said； 'put on a good show。 You never saw anything to equal the cardinals。 How many do you have in England？'
'Only one； darling。'
'Only one？ Can we hire some others from abroad？'
It was then explained to him that a mixed marriage was a very unostentatious affair。
'How d'you mean 〃mixed〃；' I'm not a nigger or anything。'
'No； darling； between a Catholic and a Protestant。'
'Oh； that？ Well； if that's all； it's soon unmixed。 I'll bee a Catholic。 What does one have to do？'
Lady Marchmain was dismayed and perplexed by this new development； it was no good her telling herself that in charity she must assume his good faith； it brought back memories of another courtship and another conversion。
'Rex；' she said。 'I sometimes wonder if you realize how big a thing you are taking on in the Faith。 It would be very wicked to take a step like this without believing sincerely。'
He was masterly in his treatment of her。
'I don't pretend to be a very devout man；' he said； 'nor much of a theologian； but I know it's a bad plan to have two religions in one house。 A man needs a religion。 If your Church is good enough for Julia； it's good enough for me。'
'Very well；' she said； 'I will see about having you instructed。'
'Look； Lady Marchmain； I have the time。 Instruction will be wasted on me。 Just you give me the form and I'll sign on the dotted line。'
'It usually takes some months … often a lifetime。'
'Well； I'm a quick learner。 Try me。'
So Rex was sent to Farm Street to Father Mowbray； a priest renowned for his triumphs with obdurate catechumens。 After the third interview he came to tea with Lady Marchmain。
'Well； how do you find my future son…in…law？'
'He's the most difficult convert I have ever met。'
'Oh dear； I thought he was going to make it so easy。'
'That's exactly it。 I can't get anywhere near him。 He doesn't seem to have the least intellectual curiosity or natural piety。
'The first day I wanted to find out what sort of religious life he had till now； so I asked him what he meant by prayer。 He said： 〃I don't mean anything。 You tell me。〃 I tried to； in a few words； and he said： 〃Right。 So much for prayer； What's the next thing？〃 I gave him the catechism to take away。 Yesterday I asked him whether Our Lord had more than one nature。 He said： 〃Just as many as you say； Father。〃
'Then again I asked him： 〃Supposing the Pope looked up and saw a cloud and said 'It's going to rain'； would that be bound to happen？〃 〃Oh； yes； Father。〃 〃But supposing it didn't？〃 He thought a moment and said； 〃I suppose it would be sort of raining spiritually； only we were too sinful to see it。〃
'Lady Marchmain； he doesn't correspond to any degree of paganism known to the missionaries。'
'Julia；' said Lady Marchmain； when the priest had gone； 'are you sure that Rex isn't doing this thing purely with the idea of pleasing us？'
'I don't think it enters his head；' said Julia。
'He's really sincere in his conversion？'
'He's absolutely determined to bee a Catholic； mummy；' and to herself she said： 'In her long history the Church must have had some pretty queer converts。 I don't suppose all Clovis's army were exactly Catholic…minded。 One more won't hurt。'
Next week the Jesuit came to tea again。 It was the Easter holidays and Cordelia was there； too。
'Lady Marchmain；' he said。 'You should have chosen one of the younger fathers for this task。 I shall be dead long before Rex is a Catholic。'
'Oh dear； I thought it was going so well。'
'It was； in a sense。 He was exceptionally docile； and he accepted everything I told him； remembered bits of it； asked no questions。 I wasn't happy about him。 He seemed to have no sense of reality； but I knew he was ing under a steady Catholic influence； so I was willing to receive him。 One has to take a chance sometimes with semi…imbeciles； for instance。 You never know quite how much they have understood。 As long as you know there's someone to keep an eye on them； you do take the chance。'
'How I wish Rex could hear this！' said Cordelia。
'But yesterday I got a regular eye…opener。 The trouble with modern education is you never know how ignorant people are。 With anyone over fifty you can be fairly confident what's been taught and what's been left out。 But these young people have such an intelligent； knowledgeable surface； and then the crust suddenly breaks and you look down into the depths of confusion you didn't know existed。 Take yesterday。 He seemed to be doing very well。 He learned large bits of the catechism by heart； and the Lord's Prayer； and the Hail Mary。 Then I asked him as usual if there was anything troubling him； and he looked at me in a crafty way and said； 〃Look； Father； I don't think you'