The Portrait of a Lady

The Countess Gemini wishes to live in Rome, as her own home in Florence is unexciting, and accepts her brother Osmond’s invitation to stay with his family for a period. The Countess Gemini is convinced that Isabel leads a more exciting life than her own, but she is not envious of her sister-in-law. Isabel, meanwhile, is slightly intimidated by the Countess but enjoys her company.

Before the Countess Gemini leaves for Rome, Henrietta Stackpole visits her in Florence for help. The Countess has helped the journalist once before regarding a newspaper article. Henrietta claims that Osmond has tried to break up her friendship with Isabel. The Countess Gemini is not surprised to hear this and encourages Henrietta not to allow Osmond to have his way.

Henrietta plans to visit Isabel in Rome to see if she can repair their friendship. The journalist is worried about Isabel because the tone of her letters has changed. The Countess Gemini, known as a great gossip, informs Henrietta that Lord Warburton is trying to get close to Isabel again. The Countess offers an idea for working out whether Isabel is truly unhappy in her marriage to Osmond, which Henrietta rejects as too complex. The Countess is impressed by Isabel’s strength of friendships.

While returning to her hotel in Florence, Henrietta leaves a note for Caspar Goodwood, who is also currently in the city. She asks that he visit her this evening. However, she accidentally bumps into him earlier than expected while looking at the “Correggio of the Tribune” (The Virgin Adoring the Christ Child) at the Uffizi, a painting that depicts the Madonna kneeling adoringly over the delighted Baby Christ. Goodwood is polite but disinterested in engaging with Henrietta. The journalist insists that he honor his friendship to Isabel by going to Rome to help her in her unhappy marriage. After some persuasion, Goodwood agrees, even if only from a sense of duty that if Henrietta is insistent on traveling to Rome, he must accompany her.