'it was the beginning of the end , ' according to one cousin 'stella just did n't want to be bothered , ' said another and yet another , 'we knew too much about her , and she knew it she did n't want to see us around ' the image of stella we have during this period is of a very active , very happy person who cared less about the family than her mother had , but who nevertheless cared passionately about many things young writers and artists in particular interested stella , and scores of 'interesting ' people came to first street , including writers and painters whom stella had known in new york several friends mentioned that she encouraged lionel to take up his writing again , and even had an office refurbished for him in one of the outbuildings , but it is not known if lionel ever wrote anything more a great many intellectuals attended stella 's parties indeed , she became fashionable with those who were not afraid to take social risks old guard society of the sort in which julien moved was essentially closed to her , or so irwin dandrich maintained but it is doubtful stella ever knew or cared .