Matravers is âan Apostle of Aestheticismâ with âfixed views of life, down to even itâs most trifling details.â âA poet, philosopher, and man of fashionâ who has âno intimate friends.â He writes for the London papers and reviews. One evening he is taken to the theater by a friend to see a âNorwegianâ play by Istein, which he savages in his review. However the actress who plays the lead, Berenice, is brilliant, and is the same woman with whom he has been exchanging coy glances in the Park for six months. Slowly Matravers and Berenice grow closer. He writes a play for her which is a huge success. On the cusp of their romance....her past comes to light...