The House of Mirth: Book 1: Chapter 15 Summary & Analysis

The next morning, Lily wakes up alone in Gerty’s bed and, as memory returns to her, feels a mix of horror and disgust, which she despondently realizes she will have to live with for the rest of her life. For the moment, however, she feels too tired to think of a solution to her troubles. When Gerty enters the room, Lily says that she must have had a nervous attack last night, and Gerty reassures her that she called Mrs. Peniston to tell her where Lily was.

When Lily returns home, Mrs. Peniston tells her that she was extremely worried last night. Lily explains that she had felt faint but did not need a doctor, which reassures her aunt. In her room, Lily calculates the amount she owes Gus Trenor and realizes that regaining her dignity and moral worth will cost her even more money than dressing fashionably.

After lunch, Lily asks to speak to her aunt. Lily begins to discuss her problems, but when she mentions her debts, she is surprised to see that her aunt is not astonished. Instead, Mrs. Peniston reprimands Lily for putting herself in such a situation, noting that she has always given her enough money to buy clothes, and Lily is finally forced to admit that she does not only owe money only for clothes, but also for bridge. Instead of offering to help her, Mrs. Peniston scolds her for such inacceptable behavior and concludes that she does not care if Lily is disgraced, considering that Lily has already disgraced herself through her own behavior.

Shaking with fear and rage, Lily returns to her room. However, after walking around angrily, she realizes that it is almost four—the time at which Selden is supposed to come. Feeling that his love is her only hope, and that he might be able to save her, she resolves to confide in him, which makes her feel scared but also hopeful. However, an entire hour soon goes by, and Selden does not come.

Wondering if Selden might have mistaken their appointment for five o’clock, Lily is relieved to hear the bell ring at five. However, instead of Selden, Rosedale walks in, which irritates Lily. After discussing Wellington and Louisa Bry’s entertainment, Rosedale suddenly says that he has all the money he needs in life, but that he doesn’t yet have the right woman.

Lily remains silent as she listens to Rosedale promise to give her all the money she might ever want. When Lily is forced to give him an answer about marrying him, she begins to refuse, but Rosedale, who did not expect her to be in love with him, emphasizes that, while he is in love with her, he knows she mostly cares about luxury and fashion and that he would be able to give all of that to her.

Speaking very straightforwardly, Rosedale adds that he could put all her troubles in the past, and the allusion to Lily’s problems makes her blush. Lily tells him that she needs time to think about his offer, and Rosedale seems to consider this a fair answer, although his patient reaction scares Lily, as she realizes that he might prove a tireless suitor.

After Rosedale leaves, Lily is convinced that Selden will write to her to explain his absence, but she feels disappointed and scared when he does not. The next day, after an agonizingly lonely night, Lily begins to write a message to Selden but suddenly sees a note in the evening paper revealing that Selden has left the country for the Caribbean. She then understands that Selden will never come to visit her, and she feels helpless and old.

Noticing the pen with which she was going to write to Selden, Lily begins to write a message to Rosedale but finds herself unable to form words. Then, at ten o’clock, when the doorbell rings and Lily receives a note, she thinks Selden might have written to her after all, or might perhaps not have left the country at all, but she opens the letter to see an invitation from Bertha Dorset to join her group on a cruise to the Mediterranean.