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She had nothingto do for the rest of the day, nor for the days to come; for the seasonwas over in millinery as well as in society, and a week earlier Mme.Regina had notified her that her services were no longer required. Mme.Regina always reduced her staff on the first of May, and Miss Bart’sattendance had of late been so irregular—she had so often been unwell,and had done so little work when she came—that it was only as a favourthat her dismissal had hitherto been deferred. “Too soft—one might have sunk in too deep.” Lily rested one arm on theedge of the table, and sat looking at him more intently than she had everlooked before. An uncontrollable impulse was urging her to put her caseto this man, from whose curiosity she had always so fiercely defendedherself. In her confusion she stumbled against a man who was hurrying down thelast steps of the elevated station.
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton – review
Higher up, the lane showed thickening tufts of fern and of the creepingglossy verdure of shaded slopes; trees began to overhang it, and theshade deepened to the checkered dusk of a beech-grove. The boles of thetrees stood well apart, with only a light feathering of undergrowth; thepath wound along the edge of the wood, now and then looking out on asunlit pasture or on an orchard spangled with fruit. Her footsteps flagged, and she stood gazing listlessly ahead, digging theferny edge of the path with the tip of her sunshade.
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Theidea of bargaining for the letters was intolerable to her, but she knewthat, if she appeared to weaken, Mrs. Haffen would at once increase heroriginal demand. She applied the corner of her shawl to her eyes, and murmured through itthat no good came of bearing too hard on the poor, but that for her partshe had never been mixed up in such a business before, and that on herhonour as a Christian all she and Haffen had thought of was that theletters mustn’t go any farther. Her glance and accent so plainly included Rosedale in this privilegedcircle that his small eyes puckered with gratification, and a knowingsmile drew up his moustache. ” she exclaimedwith a trembling laugh; but before he could answer, the flow ofcomprehension between them was abruptly stayed by the reappearance of GusTrenor, who advanced with Mr. Rosedale in his wake. “Well, I’ve seen a good deal less of you since we’ve got to be such palsthan I used to when you were Judy’s friend,” he continued withunconscious penetration.
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As she did so astep sounded behind her, and she saw Selden at her side. And with a bright nod to the couple on whom she had intruded, Miss Bartstrolled through the glass doors and carried her rustling grace down thelong perspective of the garden walk. “You know they sayhe has eight hundred thousand a year—and spends nothing, except on somerubbishy old books. Miss Bart put down her pen and sat absently gazing at the note she hadbegun.
But to Lily herself, aware that thelegacy could not be put to such a use, the preliminary training seemed awasted effort. She understood clearly enough that, even if she could everlearn to compete with hands formed from childhood for their special work,the small pay she received would not be a sufficient addition to herincome to compensate her for such drudgery. And the realization of thisfact brought her recurringly face to face with the temptation to use thelegacy in establishing her business. Once installed, and in command ofher own work-women, she believed she had sufficient tact and ability toattract a fashionable CLIENTELE; and if the business succeeded she couldgradually lay aside money enough to discharge her debt to Trenor.
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As often happens, thepupil had outstripped the teacher, and Mrs. Hatch was already aware ofheights of elegance as well as depths of luxury beyond the world of theEmporium. This discovery at once produced in her a craving for higherguidance, for the adroit feminine hand which should give the right turnto her correspondence, the right “look” to her hats, the right successionto the items of her MENUS. It was, in short, as the regulator of agerminating social life that Miss Bart’s guidance was required; herostensible duties as secretary being restricted by the fact that Mrs.Hatch, as yet, knew hardly any one to write to.
Therewere moments when that day seemed more remote than any other event in herlife; and yet she could always relive it in its minutest detail. His light tone, in which, had her nerves been steadier, she would haverecognized the mere effort to bridge over an awkward moment, jarred onher passionate desire to be understood. In her strange state ofextra-lucidity, which gave her the sense of being already at the heart ofthe situation, it seemed incredible that any one should think itnecessary to linger in the conventional outskirts of word-play andevasion. Carryhad been a good friend to her in difficult days, and perhaps only afriendship like Gerty’s could be proof against such an increasing strain.Gerty’s friendship did indeed hold fast; yet Lily was beginning to avoidher also.
Brief Biography of Edith Wharton
Judy Trenor (Mrs. Gus Trenor)—Lily's best friend and confidante— is the stereotypical high-society matron, married to Gus Trenor, a successful business man. She frequently hosts large parties and social events at their country home, Bellomont. She uses Lily as her surrogate private secretary and spends much of her day making sure that every detail of her events is done to perfection.
As Book I ends, she invites Lily to accompany her on a Mediterranean cruise to distract her husband so she can carry on an affair with Ned Silverton. Bertha understands, as a married woman, she must keep up appearances and ruthlessly impugns Lily's reputation to mask her own adultery. She spreads false rumors that besmirch Lily's virtue among their friends. Lily, as an unmarried woman without a protector, has little she can do in her own defense.
After Lily takes her leave from Selden, she runs into Simon Rosedale, a rich man who is desperate to enter the high society Lily belongs to. As Rosedale makes sly comments about the fact that Lily must have just left Selden’s apartment, Lily invents an excuse about going to her dress-maker. The excuse backfires against her, as Rosedale owns the Benedick, the apartment complex where Selden lives, and knows that there is no dress-maker there. Lily then hurries off to the train station, rejecting Rosedale’s offers to accompany her.
It was mid-April, and one felt that the revelry had reached its climaxand that the desultory groups in the square and gardens would soondissolve and reform in other scenes. Meanwhile the last moments of theperformance seemed to gain an added brightness from the hovering threatof the curtain. The quality of the air, the exuberance of the flowers,the blue intensity of sea and sky, produced the effect of a closingTABLEAU, when all the lights are turned on at once. This impression waspresently heightened by the way in which a consciously conspicuous groupof people advanced to the middle front, and stood before Selden with theair of the chief performers gathered together by the exigencies of thefinal effect. Their appearance confirmed the impression that the show hadbeen staged regardless of expense, and emphasized its resemblance to oneof those “costume-plays” in which the protagonists walk through thepassions without displacing a drapery.
She all but insists Lily accompany them on their yacht in the Mediterranean, and then gets herself out of a tight spot by a subterfuge against Lily so cruel and unfair, it almost rips the fabric of the film. After that, Lily is all but done for, although her descent is gradual. A woman risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved.A woman risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved.A woman risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved.
The moral oppression had produced a physical craving for air, and hestrode on, opening his lungs to the reverberating coldness of the night.At the corner of Fifth Avenue Van Alstyne hailed him with an offer ofcompany. Well, come now,Trenor’s there, anyhow—I—oh, well—the fact is, I’ve no head fornumbers,” he broke off, admonished by the nudge of an adjoining foot, andthe smile that circled the room. He rose, squaring his shoulders aggressively, and stepped toward her witha reddening brow; but she held her footing, though every nerve tore ather to retreat as he advanced. Trenor drained the glass he had filled for himself, and paused to set itdown before he answered. One was from Mrs. Trenor, who announced that she was coming to town thatafternoon for a flying visit, and hoped Miss Bart would be able to dinewith her.
Then, moved by a desperate desire to escape her dire situation and sleep, she takes a higher dose of sleeping drugs than she should. Before falling asleep, she decides that she should declare her love to Selden. She is a kind, generous woman who occupies herself with charity work, but Lily despises her because of her less than glamorous appearance. In Book Two, Gerty becomes one of Lily's only friends, giving her a place to stay and taking care of her when everyone else abandons her. Lily does not wish to continue living with Gerty or combining resources because she is unwilling to lower herself to the standard of living Gerty can afford. Lily's decision to accept the offer proves to be her social undoing.
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