Edith Wharton, The House Of Mirth Quotes

She had no tolerance for scenes which were not of her own making.

Little as she was addicted to solitude, there had come to be moments when it seemed a welcome escape from the empty noises of her life.

Do you remember what you said to me once? That you could help me only by loving me? Well-you did love me for a moment and it helped me. It has always helped me.

Don't you ever mind, " she asked suddenly, "not being rich enough to buy all the books you want?

Don't they always go from bad to worse? There's no turning back--yourold self rejects you, and shuts you out. ~Lilly Bart

What she craved and really felt herself entitled to was a situation in which the noblest attitude should also be the easiest.

She seemed always to have seen him through a blur - first of sleepiness, then of distance and indifference - and now the fog had thickened till he was almost indistinguishable.

Oh, Gerty, I wasn't meant to be good.

Perhaps I might have resisted a great temptation, but the little ones would have pulled me down

We are expected to be pretty and well-dressed until we drop.