Edith Wharton

Name: The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV
Author: Edith Wharton

The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

Summary

“The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV”, published in 1913, is a work by Edith Wharton. It explores elements such as Moffatt, Undine and Saint Desert.

Quotes from The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (Edith Wharton)

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ Moffatt lingered on; but he began to speak more definitely of sailing, and Undine foresaw the day when, strong as her attraction was, stronger influences would snap it like a thread. She knew she interested and amused him, and that it flattered his vanity to be seen with her, and to hear that rumour coupled their names; but he gave her, more than any one she had ever known, the sense of being detached from his life, in control of it, and able, without weakness or uncertainty, to choose which of its calls he should obey. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ These anxieties sharpened the intensity of her enjoyment, and made the contrast keener between her crowded sparkling hours and the vacant months at Saint Desert. Little as she understood of the qualities that made Moffatt what he was, the results were of the kind most palpable to her. He used life exactly as she would have used it in his place. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ She ran it off glibly, though a year ago she had never heard of the painter, and did not, even now, remember whether he was an Old Master or one of the very new ones whose names one hadn't had time to learn.
Moffatt put off sailing, saw the Duke's Ingres under her guidance, and accompanied her to various other private galleries inaccessible to strangers. She had lived in almost total ignorance of such opportunities, but now that she could use them to advantage she showed a surprising quickness in picking up "tips," ferreting out rare things and getting a sight of hidden treasures. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ Moffatt made no allusion to his visit to Saint Desert; but when the party had re-grouped itself about coffee and liqueurs on the terrace, he bent over to ask confidentially: "What about my tapestries?"
She replied in the same tone: "You oughtn't to have let Fleischhauer write that letter. My husband's furious."
He seemed honestly surprised. "Why? Didn't I offer him enough?"
"He's furious that any one should offer anything. I thought when he found out what they were worth he might be tempted; but he'd rather see me starve than part with one of his grand-father's snuff-boxes." ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ They lived as much apart is if their cramped domicile had been a palace; and when Undine--as she now frequently did--joined the Shallums or Rollivers for a dinner at the Nouveau Luxe, or a party at a petit theatre, she was not put to the trouble of prevaricating.
Her first impulse, after her scene with Raymond, had been to ring up Indiana Rolliver and invite herself to dine. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ In this world of lavish pleasures she lost what little prudence the discipline of Saint Desert had inculcated. She could never be with people who had all the things she envied without being hypnotized into the belief that she had only to put her hand out to obtain them, and all the unassuaged rancours and hungers of her early days in West End Avenue came back with increased acuity. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country — Chapter XLIV (1913)

“ She even acquired as much of the jargon as a pretty woman needs to produce the impression of being well-informed; and Moffatt's sailing was more than once postponed.
They saw each other almost daily, for she continued to come and go as she pleased, and Raymond showed neither surprise nor disapproval. When they were asked to family dinners she usually excused herself at the last moment on the plea of a headache and, calling up Indiana or Bertha Shallum, improvised a little party at the Nouveau Luxe ”

Edith Wharton

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