Publisher's Synopsis
Anthony Patch has graduated from Harvard by 1913, but that is the sum total of his accomplishments. His grandfather, who raised him, is beginning to pressure him to do something productive, and suggests that he write a book, but Anthony's life seems to be one enormous writers' block. He dreads having to sit down and come up with something to write, and most of his days are spent worrying about things from his beautiful bathtub in his ornate apartment. He is frightened of the big wide world and so prefers the safety and comfort of his bathroom, where he feels safe and sound.Dick Caramel, Anthony's room mate at Harvard, decides to introduce him to his cousin Gloria Gilbert, who is a society girl, and also somewhat of a hustler' she is beautiful, and uses her beauty to persuade men to pay for her meals. Anthony becomes fascinated by her and particularly by the ease with which she gets by on just her looks. Although she is said to be dating a movie producer, he starts a relationship with her and discovers to his surprise that they have much in common; both worry constantly about the fleeting nature of youth. Although he has never shown any desire to get married before, Anthony is completely obsessed with Gloria and she with him; when he proposes, she gives up her movie producer and accepts.Anthony, though, begins to get cold feet. He knows he can barely support himself on his minimal income, and that he cannot possibly support two people living beyond their means. He is reluctant to share his apartment, because it has become his "safe space" away from the world. Nonetheless, he continues to make plans to be married, convincing himself that these fears are perfectly normal and just a sort of pre-wedding jitters. In any case, he fully expects to find a way to become rich sooner or later, and then the couple's money worries will disappear. He doesn't exactly have a plan, and he hates hard work, but he also has no self-control at all, and is just as addicted to Gloria as he is to alcohol and to extravagant living and clothes.
