The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Lily is- put bluntly, moderately screwed. The one person she had always assumed was hers, has been sobered by his recognition of her faults. He no longer is in a haze of her mystery, of her enchantment, but it seems he is still drawn to her, but now he is thinking in a more realistic fashion, even pointing out the major differences between them when he says, "His real detachment from her had taken place, not at the lurid moment of disenchantment, but now, in the sober after-light of discrimination, where he saw her definitely divided from him by the crudeness of a choice which seemed to deny the very differences he felt in her" (Wharton, 174). He wants so badly to deny his feelings and unconditional care for her, but he always, and many times subliminally loves her. Even distance seems to mend itself when Lily and Seldon separate, specifically when they both end up in Monte Carlo. His ultimate care for Lily is proven once again when Lily is kicked off the Dorset's yaht, and Seldon jumps to take care of her and provide her with a place to stay that night. It is obvious that he has no power in his fight between loving Lily and leaving her. Lily hasn't completely been stripped of her power, but based off of her dwindling luck, she has far less cards in her hands and many more flat out on the table.
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