The Price of Things

In Short

Set in Paris and England during the turbulent years of the First World War, this novel traces the emotional awakening and tragic trials of Amaryllis Ardayre. Married to a dull, reserved English officer named Sir John, Amaryllis encounters a philosophizing Russian named Stepan Verisschenzko and her husband's cousin Denzil, setting off deep emotional undercurrents. Meanwhile, the ruthless adventurress Harietta Boleski navigates espionage and deadly betrayals. The narrative has endured because it offers a raw, unfiltered psychological study of human instincts operating under the brutal pressures of a world at war.

The Story

The narrative opens in wartime Paris, where young Amaryllis Ardayre is spending her honeymoon with her stolid, reserved husband, Sir John Ardayre. Unfulfilled by her dull marital life, Amaryllis encounters Stepan Verisschenzko, a magnetic and unconventional Russian who introduces her to profound speculations about willpower, thought control, and unseen spiritual forces. Parallel to their developing intellectual bond, an intricate web of espionage and passion unfolds around them. Harietta Boleski, a ruthlessly self-preserving adventurress, acts as a spy under the brutal physical coercion of a Prussian handler, while juggling multiple lovers, including her husband Stanislass and the duplicitous Ferdinand Ardayre.

As the war deepens, John's cousin Denzil enters the social circle. Denzil and Amaryllis immediately recognize a potent mutual attraction, yet they are restrained by a strict code of honor and their shared loyalty to the Ardayre family trust. When John departs for the active front, Amaryllis returns to Ardayre, realizing she is pregnant. This pregnancy provides immense relief to the family, securing the lineage against Ferdinand's unworthy claims. Sensing the peril of the trenches and aware of Amaryllis and Denzil's unspoken bond, John drafts a provision in his will requesting that Denzil marry Amaryllis should he fail to return from battle.

During the ferocious fighting at Ypres, John leads his men valiantly before a shell fatally strikes him. Denzil crawls to his side, and the dying John urges him to protect Amaryllis and raise the newborn Ardayre son, making peace with his own fate. Following the war, Denzil and Amaryllis reunite at Ardayre. After a period of mourning, they embrace their deep love, finding profound domestic joy in each other's arms and in the upbringing of their infant son, Benedict, while older family members look on in quiet satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Stepan uncovers Harietta's treasonous double-dealing. Having manipulated both sides for personal and material gain, Harietta finally oversteps when she attempts malicious forgeries out of jealousy toward Amaryllis. Stepan ensures her exposure, leading to her swift arrest. The book moves toward its grim conclusion as Harietta faces a military tribunal and a firing squad in a fortress courtyard. Walking to her execution with a defiant, chilling smile, she meets a swift end. The novel closes on this unsparing note, emphasizing that in such strenuous epochs, sentiment yields to harsh justice.

How It Unfolds

The Parisian honeymoon Amaryllis Ardayre begins her marriage feeling uninspired by her dull husband, Sir John. At a gathering in Paris, she meets the unconventional Russian Stepan Verisschenzko, who awakens her mind to deep philosophical inquiries.

The web of espionage Harietta Boleski navigates high society while secretly working as a spy under the brutal physical threats of a Prussian handler. She juggles multiple lovers and schemes for material gain, unaware that Stepan is tracking her treason.

The unspoken tension Denzil, John's cousin, enters the circle and shares an instant, magnetic connection with Amaryllis. Both struggle against their growing attachment, anchored by a mutual understanding of honor and loyalty to the Ardayre family estate.

The sacrifice at Ypres John departs for the front lines, leaving behind instructions in his will for Denzil to marry Amaryllis if he dies. During the brutal fighting at Ypres, John is fatally wounded and entrusts his wife and newborn son to Denzil before passing away.

Domestic peace at Ardayre Following the war, Denzil and Amaryllis are reunited at the ancestral home. They find deep emotional and intellectual fulfillment together, raising their infant son Benedict in an atmosphere of shared purpose and quiet happiness.

The final reckoning Stepan orchestrates the downfall of Harietta after uncovering her malicious fabrications and espionage. She faces a military execution with cold indifference, demonstrating that the harsh era spares neither traitors nor sentiment.

The People

Amaryllis Ardayre desires intellectual enlightenment, emotional connection, and a meaningful life upholding her family's heritage. Her obstacles include an emotionally reserved husband and the strict demands of social convention, but she ultimately finds fulfillment in a loving union with Denzil and the birth of her son.

Sir John Ardayre wants to protect the Ardayre estate and honorably fulfill his duty to his country and family. His main barrier is his own emotional stiffness and the painful awareness of Amaryllis's unspoken bond with Denzil; he ends up dying heroically at Ypres after securing their future.

Stepan Verisschenzko seeks national regeneration, intellectual truth, and the precise execution of justice. Unfettered by conventional sentiment, he acts as an insightful catalyst in the lives of others, ultimately orchestrating Harietta's exposure and downfall.

Harietta Boleski wants wealth, luxury, physical pleasure, and social standing. Standing in her way are her own careless mistakes, her brutal handlers, and Stepan's unwavering scrutiny; she ends up condemned as a spy and executed by a military firing squad.

Denzil wants to honor his personal code and find true love, but is constrained by duty to his cousin and family trust. He ultimately survives the war, marries Amaryllis, and becomes a devoted father.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the psychological atmosphere of writing during wartime, the author explains her artistic intent:

This is why the story shocks some readers. I quite understand that it might do so; but I deem it the duty of writers to make a faithful picture of each phase of the era they are living in...

Warning Amaryllis against the superficiality of happiness without depth, the Russian philosopher remarks:

The moment that one begins to probe the meaning of things, one has opened Pandora's box and it may be many lives before one discovers hope lying at the bottom of it.

Describing Harietta's ultimate demise with unvarnished realism, the text records her final moments:

Harietta Boleski is no more. The fair body drops to earth and immediately an Adjutant of Dragoons goes swiftly to the post, revolver pointed, and gives the coup de grace.

What It's Really About

The novel investigates the heavy costs exacted by a brutal era upon human choices, willpower, and morality. It contrasts the destructive surrender of personal will—exemplified by drug use and espionage—with the spiritual strength required to rule one's thoughts and honor trusts. Underneath the domestic and wartime plot lies a deep question about whether individuals can master their own destinies or whether they remain helpless atoms driven by chance. Glyn argues that breaking fundamental laws, whether of God or man, inexorably invites ruin, while genuine duty, clear judgment, and self-control lead to a higher, more redemptive state of existence.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate psychological fiction with a distinct historical atmosphere will find much to admire in this stark wartime drama. Reading the novel feels like stepping directly into the frayed, high-pitched psychological climate of Europe during the First World War, where ordinary civility gives way to primitive instincts and harsh realities. What stays with you long after finishing is the unflinching portrayal of human duality—the sharp contrast between noble self-sacrifice and chilling, calculated coldness. Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific attitudes regarding espionage, gender roles, and military justice, alongside occasional melodrama. Yet these elements are balanced by a genuine, ruthless inquiry into the consequences of human actions. Glyn’s commitment to portraying the unvarnished truth of her era gives the work an enduring historical and psychological weight, making it a compelling artifact for anyone interested in early twentieth-century literature. It rewards a patient reader with a vivid window into a vanished world.