The Valley of Amazement

By March of 1925, Violet’s career as a courtesan goes into slow decline. She spends much of her time as a musical entertainer at parties. At one of these, she is introduced to a man named Perpetual, who pays elaborate compliments after hearing Violet’s poetry performance. Perpetual says he is a painter-poet. They engage in witty repartee until the man confesses that he is a widower who misses his dead wife. Violet bonds with him over her own loss of Edward. Perpetual recites a poem for Violet that speaks of love and loss. It touches her deeply, and she then recites it for the party guests. The performance is an instant success. As a result, Violet’s popularity as a party entertainer soars.

Violet determines to wheedle more poetry out of Perpetual by inviting him to tea the next afternoon. He is too poor to afford her services as a courtesan, but she agrees to take him as a lover in the hopes of hearing more poetry that she can incorporate into her party act. The two form an emotional bond that Violet finds satisfying: “This kind of love was more one of growing contentment that would come from being adored for the rest of my life” (516).