Bertram Cope’s Year · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Bertram Cope’s Year by Henry Blake Fuller.
Chapter 1
I: Cope at a College Tea
Bertram Cope, a young instructor in his mid-twenties, attends a college tea where he is drawn into conversation with the assertive and patronizing Medora Phillips. She treats him as a 'college boy,' which rankles his pride, though he maintains a polished social facade. Cope is sent to fetch tea, charming the young woman at the samovar with a calculated smile. Mrs. Phillips then introduces him to Basil Randolph, a middle-aged observer who envies the youth and promise of undergraduates. The chapter establishes Cope's ambiguous position between youth and adulthood, and hints at the dynamics of patronage and desire that will unfold.
Chapter 2
II: Cope Makes a Sunday Afternoon Call
Bertram Cope pays his first Sunday call on Medora Phillips at her large, eclectic house west of the campus. He finds her alone, as the young women of the house are out walking. Their conversation is a playful, sparring exchange about the girls' talents and Cope's academic work, revealing Mrs. Phillips's determination to entertain and her curiosity about Cope's character. The chapter ends with the return of the young women.
Chapter 3
III: Cope Is "Entertained"
Cope is entertained by Mrs. Phillips and her three young female protégées—Amy, Hortense, and Carolyn—who perform music, painting, and poetry for him. He mentally composes a letter to Arthur Lemoyne, comparing the afternoon to a scene on Lesbos. After a rebuke for not helping, Cope sings, but his performance is received with polite reserve. Mrs. Phillips playfully chides him for not engaging with the girls, and Cope leaves, continuing his letter to Arthur and urging him to come down.
Chapter 4
IV: Cope Is Considered
Basil Randolph investigates Bertram Cope's background by consulting university records, finding his faculty page and address. He later visits Medora Phillips to discuss Cope, learning about his family, his singing, and his teaching at a college in Winnebago. Randolph reflects on his own collecting habits and his interest in young men like Cope.
Chapter 5
V: Cope Is Considered Further
Randolph visits Joseph Foster, who is confined to a wheelchair and nearly blind, in his cluttered room. They discuss Foster's isolation, the noise of the young women in the house, and Cope's recent singing, which Foster heard but did not see. Foster describes Cope's voice as cool and correct, like an 'icicle on Diana's temple.' Randolph shares his impressions of Cope from a tea at Mrs. Ryder's, noting his trim figure and breezy manners but also a detached quality. The conversation turns to the generational gap and how young people treat their elders. Later, Randolph speaks with Medora Phillips, who plans a young people's dinner and invites him, hinting that Cope may attend.
Chapter 6
VI: Cope Dines—and Tells About It
Cope writes a long letter to Arthur Lemoyne describing his recent dinner at Mrs. Phillips' mansion. He details the social scene, the other guests, the three young women living in the house, and his interactions with Randolph and Mrs. Phillips. He reflects on his teaching, his social opportunities, and his longing for Lemoyne's presence.
Chapter 7
VII: Cope Under Scrutiny
Bertram Cope writes to Arthur Lemoyne, detailing his growing interactions with Basil Randolph. Randolph visits Cope's modest lodgings, invites him to dinner and the theatre, and discusses topics such as the Bacon-Shakespeare cipher and Cope's academic pursuits. Cope expresses his desire for Lemoyne to join him, emphasizing his need for companionship and musical collaboration.
Chapter 8
Cope Undertakes an Excursion
Randolph and Mrs. Phillips discuss Cope's behavior during a recent dinner and theater outing, highlighting his refusal of cocktails and his evasive manner of address. Mrs. Phillips invites Randolph to bring Cope to her sandhill bungalow for a Sunday excursion, and the chapter ends with the two men embarking on the journey.
Chapter 9
IX: Cope on the Edge of Things
Randolph and Cope hike through the dunes to the lakeshore, swim, and discuss the social dynamics of the upcoming gathering at the cottage, with Cope expressing unease about romantic entanglements.
Chapter 10
X: Cope at His House Party
At a house party in the dunes, Medora Phillips hosts a gathering where Cope is the center of attention. He takes a walk with the group, guided by Mrs. Phillips, who points out the natural features of the landscape while tactfully avoiding a prison visible in the distance. Cope interacts with the other guests, including a condescending young businessman and Amy Leffingwell, with whom he discusses the harshness of winter at the dunes. The chapter ends with Mrs. Phillips naming two pine trees 'Pelleas and Melisande' after Cope's suggestion, restoring him to favor after a brief lapse.
Chapter 11
XI: Cope Enlivens the Country
During a Sunday outing at the dunes, Bertram Cope impresses the party with his singing, avoids swimming in the cold lake, and shares a reflective walk with Amy. The day ends with a moonlit stroll and a crowded trolley ride back to town, leaving Cope with a few firm impressions of his performance and swim.
Chapter 12
Cope Amidst Cross-Purposes
Cope receives a letter from Arthur Lemoyne, who expresses a desire to join him but is delayed by family and work obligations. Cope reflects on Lemoyne's volatility and their past companionship. Later, Cope meets Randolph, and they discuss Cope's living situation, academic ambitions, and Randolph's plans to take a larger apartment. Both men privately imagine a future shared domestic arrangement—Cope with Lemoyne, Randolph with Cope—setting up cross-purposes.
Chapter 13
XIII: Cope Dines Again—and Stays After
Medora Phillips hosts a formal dinner for high society, inviting Bertram Cope as the featured young man. Overwhelmed by the excess of food, flowers, and wine, Cope faints and is put to bed. The next morning, he recovers and walks to campus with Amy Leffingwell, while Hortense Dunton recounts the evening's events to Joe Foster.
Chapter 14
Cope Makes an Evasion
Randolph visits Joseph Foster, who is knitting and expresses bitterness about Cope's fainting episode at Mrs. Phillips' dinner. Foster compares the women's fussing over Cope to a religious festival in Florence. Randolph reveals he is moving to a new apartment and plans to host small gatherings. He also reflects on his limited knowledge of Cope's background, having only consulted a Freeford directory.
Chapter 15
XV: Cope Entertains Several Ladies
Cope's aunt, Aunt Harriet, visits from Freeford after his landlady becomes concerned about his health. She stays two nights, prepares his meals, and leaves satisfied he is not seriously ill. Medora Phillips and Amy Leffingwell call on Cope, meeting Aunt Harriet briefly before her departure. Cope entertains them with photographs from his time at Winnebago, including pictures of a young man he knows. During the visit, Medora learns of the young man's impending arrival and invites both to dine. After they leave, Cope writes a letter to Arthur Lemoyne, mentioning the visit and confirming Lemoyne's upcoming arrival.
Chapter 16
XVI: Cope Goes A-Sailing
Cope recovers from his earlier indisposition and resumes his usual activities, disregarding advice from his aunt and Medora Phillips. On a late October Sunday afternoon, he and Amy Leffingwell take a walk along the lake shore and impulsively decide to go sailing in a small sloop. A sudden gust capsizes the boat, and they swim to shore, where they are rescued by students from the lifesaving station. Medora Phillips arrives with dry clothes for Amy, and the incident becomes a topic of local gossip.
Chapter 17
XVII: Cope Among Crosscurrents
After the sailing accident, Amy Leffingwell is dreamy and defensive, while Hortense is angry and Medora Phillips concedes the foolishness. Cope faces subdued hilarity in his class and embarrassment at the president's wife's reception, where the incident is publicly discussed. He avoids calling on Amy, feeling mortified by Mrs. Phillips' romanticizing. Randolph invites Cope to dinner in his new apartment, where he raises the possibility of marriage following a rescue, which Cope firmly denies.
Chapter 18
XVIII: Cope at the Call of Duty
Cope finally pays a call on the Ashburn Avenue circle after receiving an urgent note from Amy. The room is full of people, including the other young women, George Pearson, and Joseph Foster. Amy and Mrs. Phillips continue to idealize Cope's role in the sailing rescue, while Pearson disparages him. Hortense confronts Cope about his neglect of her. Later, Amy leads a musical performance with Cope singing and Carolyn at the piano. Cope declines to stay longer and is pressed by Mrs. Phillips to improvise a story, which he begins by seizing on a branch of sassafras as a subject.
Chapter 19
XIX: Cope Finds Himself Committed
Amy Leffingwell's persistent advances and letters push Bertram Cope into a reluctant commitment. As she writes home to her mother about her hopes, Cope struggles with his own repugnance toward marriage and the life it entails. Medora Phillips, Hortense Dunton, and Joseph Foster each react to the shifting household dynamics. Foster dines with Basil Randolph, revealing the tension and Cope's absence, while Cope wanders the streets in distress after a fateful walk with Amy.
Chapter 20
XX: Cope Has a Distressful Christmas
Cope awakens to the crushing reality of his engagement to Amy Leffingwell. He receives a letter from her and writes back, asking to keep the affair quiet. He also writes to Arthur Lemoyne, who responds with sarcasm and insists Cope break the engagement and that they will live together in Freeford. Cope meets Amy briefly at Mrs. Phillips' house, using Carolyn Thorpe as a buffer. He then goes home for Christmas, where he is moody and abstracted. He receives another letter from Amy, and finally announces the engagement to his family. Lemoyne arrives on December 29th, and the two talk late into the night about how to end the engagement.
Chapter 21
XXI: Cope, Safeguarded, Calls Again
Cope returns from Freeford with Lemoyne, and his engagement to Amy Leffingwell becomes known. He makes a tense visit to Mrs. Phillips' house on a stormy night, accompanied by Lemoyne, who acts protectively and possessively. The evening includes singing, piano playing, and interactions with other guests, including the French historian M. Pelouse. Mrs. Phillips and Foster observe Lemoyne's familiarities with Cope, and Amy remains distant, paired with George Pearson.
Chapter 22
Cope Shall Be Rescued
After a tense evening, Cope leaves early with Lemoyne, avoiding the household. Foster, sleepless, overhears their murmuring and later discusses Cope's situation with Randolph, who learns of Cope's disinterest in Amy. Randolph arranges a dinner with Mrs. Phillips, Hortense, and Pearson to strategize Cope's 'rescue' by promoting Pearson as a suitor for Amy.
Chapter 23
XXIII: Cope Regains His Freedom
Cope receives a call from Amy, who is upset by his neglect. After a tense phone conversation, Amy abruptly ends the engagement. Lemoyne helps Cope draft a breakup letter, but before he can send it, Amy sends a note breaking off the engagement herself. Cope is relieved and writes a final letter. Soon after, Amy becomes engaged to George Pearson, and Cope resolves to focus on his thesis.
Chapter 24
XXIV: Cope in Danger Anew
Cope's reputation at the university recovers after his earlier misadventure. Mrs. Phillips takes him to the opera, where he is admired, and Hortense Dunton reveals a portrait she has painted of him, asking him to sit for final touches. Lemoyne warns Cope to be careful of Hortense, but Cope dismisses his concern. Randolph visits Hortense's studio and later walks with Cope, expressing sympathy over the loss of Amy and renewing an invitation to his home.
Chapter 25
XXV: Cope in Double Danger
Cope and Lemoyne settle into their new domestic routine, refining their ménage and focusing on their respective academic and artistic pursuits. Cope works on his thesis, while Lemoyne studies psychology and considers a role in a musical play. They attend events together but avoid Ashburn Avenue and the studio due to tensions over the unfinished portrait. At a reception, Cope meets Medora Phillips, who discovers that Carolyn Thorpe has published two sonnets seemingly addressed to Cope. Mrs. Phillips suspects Cope is the subject, causing him discomfort. Later, Lemoyne learns of the poems and, despite initial vexation, sees them as a useful distraction from Cope's sittings with Hortense. The chapter ends with a tense but reconciliatory moment between Cope and Lemoyne.
Chapter 26
XXVI: Cope as a Go-Between
Cope acts as an intermediary between Randolph and Lemoyne during a tense dinner. Randolph helps secure a university position for Lemoyne, while tensions simmer over Cope's health, Hortense's artistic pursuit of him, and Foster's bitter observations about the group's dynamics.
Chapter 27
XXVII: Cope Escapes a Snare
Cope visits Hortense Dunton for a portrait sitting, intending to make it the first and last. He deflects her emotional advances and attempts to maintain a detached, friendly demeanor. Hortense, frustrated by his coldness and her unrequited feelings, lashes out, accusing him of selfishness and predicting the failure of his friendship with Arthur Lemoyne. Cope leaves with a mix of mortification, pain, and relief.
Chapter 28
Cope Absent from a Wedding
Amy Leffingwell marries George Pearson in a late April ceremony. Hortense Dunton, still bitter from her earlier confrontation with Cope, disrupts the wedding by fainting and crying out 'O Bertram, Bertram!' causing scandal. Medora Phillips decides to send Hortense away to recover. Basil Randolph gives Amy away at the wedding. Afterward, Medora and Randolph engage in a tense, veiled argument about their respective influences over Bertram Cope.
Chapter 29
Cope Again in the Country
Medora Phillips sends Hortense south for her health and then takes Cope, Carolyn, and servants to the dunes for a spring weekend. Cope enjoys the natural setting and feels relief from his romantic entanglements with Amy and Hortense, but Medora continues to assert her control, positioning herself between Cope and Carolyn. Meanwhile, Arthur Lemoyne is consumed by rehearsals for a musical comedy, causing Cope concern.
Chapter 30
Cope as a Hero
During a seaside retreat, a nighttime intruder attempts to break into the house. Bertram Cope raises the alarm, and Peter physically fights off the intruder. Medora Phillips and Carolyn Thorpe cling to Cope as a hero, though Cope feels he contributed little. The next day, a search party arrives, and Medora continues to exaggerate Cope's role, much to his discomfort. She also criticizes Carolyn's behavior during the incident.
Chapter 31
XXXI: Cope Gets New Light on His Chum
Cope returns to Churchton and observes Lemoyne's intense preparation for a theatrical performance, where Lemoyne plays a female role with unsettling verisimilitude. The performance draws mixed reactions: Mrs. Phillips dislikes it, Carolyn Thorpe is indifferent, and the Pearsons condemn it. Randolph offers faint praise that thinly veils his criticism. After the show, Lemoyne's offstage antics—embracing a male performer in character—lead to a violent rebuff and his expulsion from the university. Cope, now seeing Lemoyne as a liability, reluctantly seeks Randolph's help again, but Randolph refuses. Lemoyne becomes a drag on Cope as he finishes his thesis, and the two plan a summer together, leaving Randolph to vie for Cope's attention.
Chapter 32
XXXII: Cope Takes His Degree
Bertram Cope prepares to leave after taking his degree, while Randolph and Medora Phillips reflect on his aloofness and attend the convocation together. At the ceremony, Cope receives his diploma and is briefly congratulated by his parents and Carolyn Thorpe, before quickly moving on.
Chapter 33
Cope in a Final View
Cope leaves Freeford after graduation, sending a brief letter to Carolyn Thorpe. Medora Phillips and Basil Randolph discuss the fates of the young women in Medora's household, with Medora predicting Carolyn will marry Cope, while Randolph imagines a different future for Cope with Arthur Lemoyne.
