James Decided He Wanted a More Permanent Relationship with Nora

The James here was James Joyce, the Nora was Nora Barnacle, and the date was 1904.

I am reading Nora by Brenda Maddox - a huge book, which says on page 27:

To Joyce's grateful astonishment, she unbuttoned his trousers, slipped in her hand, pushed his shirt aside, and acting with some skill (according to his later account) made him a man.

On the basis of this, Jame's feeble mind, decided it wanted a more permanent relationship with Nora - but one that did not include marriage. This arrangement was satisfactory to Nora also - who was living in a condition of near poverty. She thought he would become rich and famous - and she would get him to marry her.

All this would happen, but much later. Their relationship would become one of the many dysfunctional relationships of their time.