Underlying book story — recording-specific coverage unverified
Coverage is limited to the scope described in this write-up. Recording changes, further installments or an unwritten ending may remain outside it.
This synopsis covers the underlying book linked to this recording: Custom of the Country. Recording-specific abridgements, added material or adaptation changes have not been verified.
The story opens in the early 20th century introducing the Spraggs, a family of newly wealthy midwesterners from Apex City (a fictional city in Wisconsin), arrive in New York City to advantageously marry off their beautiful, ambitious, and temperamental daughter Undine. Attracted to glamour and extravagance, Undine has a hard time making inroads into the high status old money social circles she wishes to enter. Her beauty catches the attention of several men who offer her a tantalizing glimpse into their world.
Ralph Marvell, who is descended from the Dagonets, an old money family, becomes attracted to her. Convinced that Undine is a simple and plain-spoken girl who would be ruined by her elevation in society, he resolves to quickly woo and marry her. However, Marvell is an unsuccessful lawyer and a would-be poet, and his family no longer has great reserves of cash. Before the marriage, Marvell's grandfather informs Mr. Spragg that Spragg will have to financially support the couple. Mr. Spragg asks Undine to end her engagement, but Undine refuses to leave Ralph, and her father consents to the marriage.
A mysterious and coarse man named Elmer Moffatt shows up in New York City, and makes himself known to Mr. Spragg and to Undine. He insinuates having had some prior unspecified relationship with Undine in Apex. Undine begs him not to make their former relationship known as it could compromise her relationship with Ralph. Elmer agrees, but later he approaches Mr. Spragg and leverages the fact that the Spraggs want to silence him to try to coerce Mr. Spragg into a business deal that he says will profit them both greatly. After Moffat speaks to her, Undine insists that her wedding to Ralph happen right away, which puts further financial strain on Mr. Spragg.
Ralph and Undine honeymoon in Europe. Although Ralph dotes on Undine, their relationship quickly comes into conflict. Neither one of them enjoys the other's activities and his attempts to be a moderating influence on her extravagance are ignored. Worst of all his finances do not permit the lifestyle Undine desires. After Undine's father is unable to send them money Undine forces Ralph to extract money from his sister and her husband which Ralph resents. At the end of their honeymoon Undine discovers that she is pregnant. She is horrified by the news and Ralph realizes he is as well.
Four years later, Undine misses her son Paul's birthday, causing Ralph to realize that he is no longer in love with her. The couple are deeply in debt due to Undine. She resents Ralph for his lack of funds, and he resents her for forcing him to work. Unable to cover her bills, Undine accepts a loan from Peter Van Degen, the nouveau riche husband of Ralph's cousin Clare. Peter is a known philanderer, and Undine flirts with him, hoping that an affair will extract more financial aid. However, when Peter abruptly leaves for France, Undine realizes that she would be happier if she divorced Ralph and married Peter. Undine fakes an illness so that Ralph will send her to France to recover. While there, she convinces Peter to leave Clare and marry her.
After Undine and Ralph's divorce, Peter reunites with Clare and refuses to see Undine. She later learns from a friend that, while Clare never would have agreed to a divorce, the reason that Peter dropped Undine was that he discovered Ralph was deeply ill and his family was pleading for her to come home, which she ignored. Peter's fear that Undine would do the same to him (were he to fall sick) led him to end their relationship.
Her circumstances and social status greatly reduced, Undine returns to Paris, where she is fortunate enough to meet Raymond de Chelles, a French count, who falls in love with Undine. The de Chelles are Catholics and frown upon Undine's marriage and divorce. Undine discovers that an annulment is possible but does not have the financial means to procure one. She runs into Elmer Moffat who suggests that she use her legal hold on her son Paul to extract the money from Ralph.
Ralph, whose family has been raising Paul since his divorce, is shocked to discover that Undine now wants him to live in France with her. His cousin Clare points out that, rather than legally fight for custody, he should offer Undine a large amount of money to keep Paul. Ralph borrows from his inheritance and goes to Elmer Moffat in the hope of doubling his money. However the funds do not come through in time, and at the same time, Elmer informs him that he and Undine were married years ago in Apex. In shock and grief, Ralph commits suicide. His son is his sole heir, and when the funds Ralph invested finally do come through, they are controlled entirely through Undine who, through Ralph's death, is able to marry Raymond.
Undine is soon dissatisfied with Raymond, too. The de Chelles are hidebound aristocrats, their wealth tied in land and art and antiques that they will not consider selling, and Undine cannot adjust to the staid customs of upper-class French society. She also resents having to spend most of her time in the country because her husband cannot pay for expensive stays, entertainment, and shopping trips in Paris.
Undine at last runs into Elmer Moffat, now extremely wealthy and successful. They renew their acquaintance, and Undine realizes that he is the only man she really loved. She suggests that they begin an affair, which will be tolerated by her husband and his family as long as they are discreet. To her surprise, Elmer refuses and insists that he will only renew their relationship if she divorces Raymond and marries him.
Now, married to the crass midwestern businessman who was best suited to her in the first place, Undine finally has everything she ever desired. Still, it is clear that she wants even more: In the last paragraph of the novel, she imagines what it would be like to be an ambassador's wife, a position closed to her owing to her divorces.
The story opens in the early 20th century introducing the Spraggs, a family of newly wealthy midwesterners from Apex City (a fictional city in Wisconsin), arrive in New York City to advantageously marry off their beautiful, ambitious, and temperamental daughter Undine. Attracted to glamour and extravagance, Undine has a hard time making inroads into the high status old money social circles she wishes to enter. Her beauty catches the attention of several men who offer her a tantalizing glimpse into their world.
Ralph Marvell, who is descended from the Dagonets, an old money family, becomes attracted to her. Convinced that Undine is a simple and plain-spoken girl who would be ruined by her elevation in society, he resolves to quickly woo and marry her. However, Marvell is an unsuccessful lawyer and a would-be poet, and his family no longer has great reserves of cash. Before the marriage, Marvell's grandfather informs Mr. Spragg that Spragg will have to financially support the couple. Mr. Spragg asks Undine to end her engagement, but Undine refuses to leave Ralph, and her father consents to the marriage.
A mysterious and coarse man named Elmer Moffatt shows up in New York City, and makes himself known to Mr. Spragg and to Undine. He insinuates having had some prior unspecified relationship with Undine in Apex. Undine begs him not to make their former relationship known as it could compromise her relationship with Ralph. Elmer agrees, but later he approaches Mr. Spragg and leverages the fact that the Spraggs want to silence him to try to coerce Mr. Spragg into a business deal that he says will profit them both greatly. After Moffat speaks to her, Undine insists that her wedding to Ralph happen right away, which puts further financial strain on Mr. Spragg.
Ralph and Undine honeymoon in Europe. Although Ralph dotes on Undine, their relationship quickly comes into conflict. Neither one of them enjoys the other's activities and his attempts to be a moderating influence on her extravagance are ignored. Worst of all his finances do not permit the lifestyle Undine desires. After Undine's father is unable to send them money Undine forces Ralph to extract money from his sister and her husband which Ralph resents. At the end of their honeymoon Undine discovers that she is pregnant. She is horrified by the news and Ralph realizes he is as well.
Four years later, Undine misses her son Paul's birthday, causing Ralph to realize that he is no longer in love with her. The couple are deeply in debt due to Undine. She resents Ralph for his lack of funds, and he resents her for forcing him to work. Unable to cover her bills, Undine accepts a loan from Peter Van Degen, the nouveau riche husband of Ralph's cousin Clare. Peter is a known philanderer, and Undine flirts with him, hoping that an affair will extract more financial aid. However, when Peter abruptly leaves for France, Undine realizes that she would be happier if she divorced Ralph and married Peter. Undine fakes an illness so that Ralph will send her to France to recover. While there, she convinces Peter to leave Clare and marry her.
After Undine and Ralph's divorce, Peter reunites with Clare and refuses to see Undine. She later learns from a friend that, while Clare never would have agreed to a divorce, the reason that Peter dropped Undine was that he discovered Ralph was deeply ill and his family was pleading for her to come home, which she ignored. Peter's fear that Undine would do the same to him (were he to fall sick) led him to end their relationship.
Her circumstances and social status greatly reduced, Undine returns to Paris, where she is fortunate enough to meet Raymond de Chelles, a French count, who falls in love with Undine. The de Chelles are Catholics and frown upon Undine's marriage and divorce. Undine discovers that an annulment is possible but does not have the financial means to procure one. She runs into Elmer Moffat who suggests that she use her legal hold on her son Paul to extract the money from Ralph.
Ralph, whose family has been raising Paul since his divorce, is shocked to discover that Undine now wants him to live in France with her. His cousin Clare points out that, rather than legally fight for custody, he should offer Undine a large amount of money to keep Paul. Ralph borrows from his inheritance and goes to Elmer Moffat in the hope of doubling his money. However the funds do not come through in time, and at the same time, Elmer informs him that he and Undine were married years ago in Apex. In shock and grief, Ralph commits suicide. His son is his sole heir, and when the funds Ralph invested finally do come through, they are controlled entirely through Undine who, through Ralph's death, is able to marry Raymond.
Undine is soon dissatisfied with Raymond, too. The de Chelles are hidebound aristocrats, their wealth tied in land and art and antiques that they will not consider selling, and Undine cannot adjust to the staid customs of upper-class French society. She also resents having to spend most of her time in the country because her husband cannot pay for expensive stays, entertainment, and shopping trips in Paris.
Undine at last runs into Elmer Moffat, now extremely wealthy and successful. They renew their acquaintance, and Undine realizes that he is the only man she really loved. She suggests that they begin an affair, which will be tolerated by her husband and his family as long as they are discreet. To her surprise, Elmer refuses and insists that he will only renew their relationship if she divorces Raymond and marries him.
Now, married to the crass midwestern businessman who was best suited to her in the first place, Undine finally has everything she ever desired. Still, it is clear that she wants even more: In the last paragraph of the novel, she imagines what it would be like to be an ambassador's wife, a position closed to her owing to her divorces.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Underlying book identified by the catalog’s explicit book_slug relation. Exact source annotation 20403. Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The Custom of the Country. HTML and reference formatting removed; headings adjusted. · Content license