Brideshead - dining out

My mind has been on Brideshead Revisited lately. Charles Ryder is taken out to dinner twice over the course of the novel. These two evenings out bind the novel in a certain way.

During Charles' first year at Oxford, Anthony Blanche invites him to the Hotel Thame to warn him of Sebastian's charm (p. 47-57). While speaking to Charles, Anthony offers candid observations and makes a variety of predictions relating to Sebastian and the Flyte family, many of which are accurate. Regarding Charles' art, Anthony notes, "You see, my dear Charles, you are An Artist ... But who recognizes you? The other day I was speaking to Sebastian about you, and I said "But you know Charles is an artist. He draws like a young Ingres," and do you know what Sebastian said? - 'Yes, Aloysius [Sebastian's teddy bear] draws very prettily too, but of course he's raher more modern.' So charming; so amusing (p 52-53)."

While accompanying Rex Mottram to a treatment centre in Switzerland, Sebastian slips off with Rex's cash one night. As Rex had just won 300 pounds in a game of cards, Sebastion could have gone anywhere. While in Paris, Rex seeks out Charles in hopes of locating Sebastian, and treats him to a dinner at Paillard's (p. 165-171). Like Anthony Blanche earlier, Charles offers Rex observations and predictions regarding Sebastian.

On returning to England from Mexico and Central America, Charles is reunited with Anthony Blanche at his art show. As a sort of epilogue to these restaurant vignettes, Blanche takes Charles out for drinks to the Blue Grotto Club. Of Charles' recent paintings, Blanche notes,

"My dear, I could hardly keep still in my chair. I wanted to dash out of the house and leap in a taxi and say, "Take me to Charles' unhealthy pictures" ... and what did I find? I found, my dear, a very naughty and very successful practical joke. It reminded me of dear Sebastian when he liked so much to dress up in false whiskers. It was charm again, my dear, simple creamy English charm (p. 259-260)."