Any one who associated with him had Aileen's present attractiveness to contend with, as well as the original charm of his first wife.

It was no easy matter.
It was during this period of social dullness, however, which somewhat resembled, though it did not exactly parallel his first years with his first wife, that Cowperwood finally met a woman who was destined to leave a marked impression on his life.

He could not soon forget her.
Her name was Rita Sohlberg.

She was the wife of Harold Sohlberg, a Danish violinist who was then living in Chicago, a very young man; but she was not a Dane, and he was by no means a remarkable violinist, though he had unquestionably the musical temperament.
You have perhaps seen the would-be's, the nearly's, the pretenders in every field--interesting people all--devoted with a kind of mad enthusiasm to the thing they wish to do.

They manifest in some ways all the externals or earmarks of their professional traditions, and yet are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.