The House of Mirth: Book 2 Chapter 4

In this section of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Mrs. Peniston has died, and everyone has gathered to hear the reading of her will. Everyone assumes that it is to be left to Lily. Mrs. Peniston, having heard of Lily's scandalous affair with George, leaves only ten thousand dollars to her, and the rest to Grace Stepney. Grace became rich and Lily was left with enough to pay Gus. What I find interesting still, is that Lily still does not blame Bertha Dorset for anything. Lily decides that it is her rotten luck as to why everything that has happened to her has been the way it has been. I find it disbelieving how Lily could think that after all that Mrs. Dorset had done to her. She was cruel and awful and Lily still blamed it on herself. It comes to show how much Lily changed throughout the book and how her humbleness went from 0 to 100. I believe that it wasn't the best way to change because of the cruelty, but it certainly taught Lily a lesson. I just do not know what else to expect after all of the things that have happened to poor Lily. I hope that she decides that her and Seldon are meant for each other. She will be better off with him and she will at least be happy, money or no money.