# XI: Philbrick—Continued explained — Decline and Fall

> Chapter companion for Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh.

## What happens

The chapter continues with the three masters—Paul, Grimes, and Mr. Prendergast—comparing the wildly different stories Philbrick has told each of them about his past. Mr. Prendergast recounts a tale of Philbrick as a wealthy shipowner who shot a Portuguese count in a duel, while Grimes tells a story of Philbrick as a novelist haunted by the ghost of his sister, and Paul shares a version involving a burglar. They realize they have all been deceived.

## Themes in this chapter

### Identity and Disappearance

Philbrick's multiple conflicting stories about his past highlight the theme of shifting and unreliable identity, as each character receives a different version of his life.

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The chapter exposes the deceptive and corrupt nature of Philbrick, who presents himself differently to each person, reflecting the broader hypocrisy in the novel's social world.

## Character check-ins

### Paul Pennyfeather

Paul shares his version of Philbrick's story involving the Lamb and Flag at Camberwell Green and Toby Cruttwell, and questions which story is true.

### Captain Grimes

Grimes recounts Philbrick's story about being a novelist haunted by his sister Gracie's ghost, and expresses skepticism about Philbrick's various identities.

### Mr. Prendergast

Mr. Prendergast tells his version of Philbrick's story involving a duel with a Portuguese count, and later suffers from a hangover, losing his self-confidence.

### Philbrick

Philbrick is the subject of the chapter, having told each master a different elaborate story about his past, revealing his deceptive and mysterious nature.

## Key lines

> He told me all about himself one evening at Mrs. Roberts’. It was like this: " Mr. Philbrick, senior, was a slightly eccentric sort of a cove. He made a big pile out of diamond mines while he was quite young and settled in the country and devoted his declining years to literature.

Grimes recounts Philbrick's story about his father, who became wealthy from diamond mines and spent his later years writing.

_This is part of Grimes's version of Philbrick's background, emphasizing the theme of fabricated identity._

> Well, one evening he and this play-actress were giving a party, and they were playing baccarat. There was a Portuguese count there—a very dark man from the Legation, Philbrick said. The game rapidly became a personal contest between these two.

Mr. Prendergast tells of Philbrick's high-stakes baccarat game with a Portuguese count, leading to a duel.

_This version of Philbrick's story involves dramatic elements of gambling and honor, contrasting with the other tales._

> Old boys, it seems to me someone’s been pulling our legs.

Grimes concludes that they have all been tricked by Philbrick's lies.

_This moment underscores the theme of deception and the characters' realization of Philbrick's duplicity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-xi-philbrick-continued
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/decline_and_fall_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters