endymion is disraeli in his youth. zenobia, a queen of fashion, is based on his lady blessington with a combination of some other great lady. she was benjamin disraeli's first great patroness, who opened the avenue of his wonderful career. zenobia later retires to the background to give place to lady montfort. she is a combination of lady blessington and mrs. wyndham lewis (the latter disraeli married) so we have in lady montfort at once the patroness and the wife.