Chapter IV
The central theme of this chapter is gossip. Lily and her host at the Bellomont, Mrs. Trenor, spend the better part of this chapter discussing the personal lives of society members invited to the party being held this weekend. They reveal the delicate balance needed to keep up the tightrope act of pleasing everyone and keeping potential enemies close. Mrs. Trenor finds herself looking at a long list of divorcees, single women, eligible bachelors, and fabulously rich children of the names who had built their wealth in generations previous. Lily reflects on the importance of society to each individual: "Society is a revolving body which is apt to be judged according to its place in each man's heaven" (Wharton, 51). Here, Lily admits her respect for Lawrence Seldon because of his ability to keep society at arms length. He later admits to her that she is the only reason he came to the Bellomont and "'re-entered" society. Lily envies Seldon's ability to come and go as he pleases simply because he is a man. Her feelings appear to be a continuation of their discussion in the first chapter of the book while having tea in his apartment. 
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