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| Venice: Under the Rialto Bridge (1909) John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925) Watercolor Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
The Gemlike Flame originally appeared in New World Writing, 3rd Mentor Selection (1953) and was subsequently issued in the short story collection, The Romantic Egoists (Houghton Mifflin, 1954). This story highlights the struggle between a 1950s understanding of a male-male relationship and an earlier, more chaste understanding such as appears in Edward Prime-Stevenson's Imre: A Memorandum (originally published under the pseudonym, Xavier Mayne in Naples, Italy, 1906) or The Strange Confession of Monsieur Montcairn (published anonymously, 1928).
The story opens in Venice as Peter Wescott is visiting his slightly older expat cousin, Clarence McClintock. Clarence summers in Venice each year and is described as 'impossibly choosy in his acquaintance'. More interested in the art and culture of Italy, he has no interest in making friends among the Italians or the visiting Americans. He has a particular distaste for "the artists and writers whom he regarded with chaste suspicion as people of unorthodox sexual appetite who had come to the funny land of love in search of tolerance that was not to be found in the justly censorious places of their origin." (Romantic Egoists, p.183)
When Peter introduces Clarence to his friend, Neddy Bane, they immediately hit it off. Neddy, an irresponsible, boyish-looking artist plans to return to New York after running out of money, but when Clarence offers to move him into his apartment, he stays. Clarence offers order and discipline to Neddy, sending him off each morning to sketch and then providing a place to paint each afternoon. Peter immediately understands what's in it for Neddy but when he asks what's in it for Clarence, Clarence replies, "Well if you don't see that, Peter, what do you see? It's what I have always waited for." (Romantic Egoists, p194)
When Clarence's mother, Maud Dash, arrives from New York for the Lorisan Ball, she asks Peter about Clarence's 'boyfriend'. It soon becomes apparent that there is no clear consensus on the nature of Clarence and Neddy's relationship.
Bibliographies & Ratings: Cory (I); Garde (OTP, c); Mattachine Review (I); Young (132)
The story opens in Venice as Peter Wescott is visiting his slightly older expat cousin, Clarence McClintock. Clarence summers in Venice each year and is described as 'impossibly choosy in his acquaintance'. More interested in the art and culture of Italy, he has no interest in making friends among the Italians or the visiting Americans. He has a particular distaste for "the artists and writers whom he regarded with chaste suspicion as people of unorthodox sexual appetite who had come to the funny land of love in search of tolerance that was not to be found in the justly censorious places of their origin." (Romantic Egoists, p.183)
When Peter introduces Clarence to his friend, Neddy Bane, they immediately hit it off. Neddy, an irresponsible, boyish-looking artist plans to return to New York after running out of money, but when Clarence offers to move him into his apartment, he stays. Clarence offers order and discipline to Neddy, sending him off each morning to sketch and then providing a place to paint each afternoon. Peter immediately understands what's in it for Neddy but when he asks what's in it for Clarence, Clarence replies, "Well if you don't see that, Peter, what do you see? It's what I have always waited for." (Romantic Egoists, p194)
When Clarence's mother, Maud Dash, arrives from New York for the Lorisan Ball, she asks Peter about Clarence's 'boyfriend'. It soon becomes apparent that there is no clear consensus on the nature of Clarence and Neddy's relationship.
Bibliographies & Ratings: Cory (I); Garde (OTP, c); Mattachine Review (I); Young (132)
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