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More over, he was outrageously vain of his appearance. As a youth, he had taken his beauty for granted, but with advancing years, he began to pay more attention to it and spared no pains to keep what was left of it. It became an obsession.
4. Evie was Julia’s maid and dresser. She had been in Julia’s employment for a long time. Evie was a cockney. One could get it at once by listening to her speech. She was thin, angular and her red hair always looked as if it needed washing. Two of her front teeth were missing. No matter how hard Julia tried to provide her with new ones, all her efforts were in vain.
Michael thought that Evie’s appearance wasn’t suitable to their position and tried to persuade Julia to have another maid. But Julia paid no attention to his dissatisfaction. She was content to have Evie as her maid and dresser, she only wanted Evie to break herself of the habit of sniffing all the time. Evie was a skilful maid, she had never let Julia down. She had the courage to say to Julia’s face what she thought of her. It amused Julia greatly.
Portion IV.
1. Julia had a lot of acquaintances among aristocrats. As she was such a famous actress, they made much of her and went out of their way to be nice to her. She could boast of the fact that she could call some duchesses by their first names.
The papers often put pictures where Julia was photographed at week-end parties among a number of aristocratic persons. It was good publicity. But at the bottom of her heart, Julia had a profound contempt for the great ladies and noble lords, because they lived in idleness and she was an artist. When she had a chance, she was glad to put them in their place. She laughed at these smart women up her sleeve, because they were dazzled by her glamour and had no idea of how unromantic the life of a successful actress was and the hard work it entailed.
2. Charles Tamerley was Julia’s best friend. He had such exquisite manners, that one could see at once, how well-bred he was. He was an amateur of the arts and well-read. Before meeting Charles, Julia had been completely ignorant. He took her to museums, imparted information to her. Julia had a good memory and soon she could pass for a cultured woman as she was able to talk about literature and art. Julia couldn’t help but be conscious of how much she owed to him. Yet, his love of art filled her with a faint derision. After all, she was a creator and he was only a spectator.
3. Julia took Charles fancy twenty years ago and he had been madly in love with her ever since. When finally he plucked up the courage to make a declaration of love, Julia got into his head that there was nothing doing. Exercising all her tact, Julia managed to convince Charles that they should remain friends. Charles was her adviser, her confidant. She could count upon him coming to her rescue in any case. He never let her down.
4. Julia realized that Tom could hardly afford to entertain her and she was taken by his desire to please her.
He said he had forgotten to put his watch on because he had dressed in a hurry. But one look at him was enough to realize that he had taken a lot of trouble to look smart.
When it dawned on her that he must have pawned his watch to take her out to supper, she was inclined to cry. She might have offered to pay the bill, but checked herself in time. It was out of the question. It would have hurt his pride.
Portion V.
1. When Julia realized that she had fallen in love with Tom, she was shocked. She was determined to keep her head. She couldn’t afford to open her true feelings because she knew very well that Tom wasn’t in love with her. She had to admit that an affair with her flattered Tom’s vanity.
Julia did her best to make it plain to him that she laid no claims on him and he was free to do whatever he wanted. She pretended that she was a good actress. She promised to herself that she wouldn’t be jealous, she wouldn’t make him any scenes, she would be tolerant and would take things as they came. She did everything she could to bind him to her.
2. Tom had a passion for titles. He read about grand people in newspapers and now and then saw them in a restaurant or a theatre in the flesh. He was dazzled by grand people. Tom was a snob. But that was to the good. Julia hoped to make the most of Tom’s failing to bind him to her. On one excuse and another, she invited him to grand parties she gave, persuaded Dolly and Charles to invite him to lunch, got invitations for him to balls.
Poor lamb ! He looked forward to every opportunity of getting acquainted with eminent people.
Luckily, Michael took a fancy to him. He even thought Tom could have a good influence on Roger.
Tom made a great hit with Julia’s friends too. He was a good listener and could give a piece of useful advice on finance.
3. Something was bothering Tom. He looked gloomy and nervous. When Julia found out that he had got into debt, she immediately offered to pay all his debts. But sometimes Tom was so out of date. He couldn’t sponge on women. Julia blamed herself that she had led Tom into the life that he couldn’t afford. She tried to convince him that he shouldn’t drudge her the pleasure of coming to his rescue, when he was at a loose end. Using all her arts of persuasion, she was able to convince Tom to borrow money from her.
4. Julia and Michael were rich enough to send their son to Eton and then to Cambridge.
Roger was seventeen years old. He didn’t look like his mother or father. He had no inclination for the world of the theatre. He held himself in some serious way aloof from his parents and their friends, though he was always very polite to everybody, Julia suspected, that he took none of them seriously. He never bothered Julia and he seemed quite capable of amusing himself.
Though Julia loved him very much, he puzzled her. She thought him dull and not very intelligent. When she was alone with him, time dragged on.
When Roger was a child, Julia would often be photographed with him and these photos made a great hit. She wished he could always remain the sweet pretty little boy he used to be.
Portion VI.
1. It was no good deceiving herself : Tom didn’t love her. He was her lover only because it flattered his vanity and gave him confidence in himself. Besides, he got acquainted with many distinguished persons through her. It turned his head to realize that he was on familiar terms with some of them. Julia tried to do her best to bind him. She encouraged him to be extravagant to make him realize that he couldn’t do without her. Tom was anxious to join a good club and she was preparing the ground. She understood perfectly that their affair couldn’t last, but she wasn’t able to give up Tom.
2. Julia wasn’t happy at all to find out that Tom was becoming more and more popular with her grand friends. They were glad to make the most of his financial knowledge and in their turn they told their friends about him. It was through Julia, that Tom used to be asked to parties before. Then he began to receive invitations from people, whom Julia didn’t know. It seemed that he could do without her. He was busy nearly all the time. His casualness hurt Julia. Now she was ready to cut any date to see him. Julia was jealous of those distinguished ladies, whom he met in society. She had a law opinion of their virtue and was sure that they could do everything. Those thoughts rankled her. The only comfort was that all of them were very greedy and without Julia’s money Tom wouldn’t be able to lead a life, he had got used to. Or he would have to break himself of the habit of throwing his money about.
3. Julia was shocked to find out that people had been gossiping about her. Her reputation had been so good for many years, that she thought she could afford to do every thing she wanted.
It was Michael, who first noticed that. He accused Tom jokingly of compromising Julia. At first Julia was taken aback, but at last she could keep her presence of mind. She was sure, that Michael wasn’t jealous of Tom. He was too self-satisfied and self-confident for that. He thought he knew Julia inside and out, but in fact, he knew nothing about her. He paid no attention to the gossip and he didn’t mind Julia having some fun. But Julia couldn’t forget his remark, it gave her no rest.
