The last word I ever thought I'd use to describe Miss Lily Bart was fickle. She has always been steadfast in what she wants: marriage and money. The only exception to this declaration is when she is in the presence of Mr. Lawrence Selden. I think he makes her see how this life is not the fantasy it appears, and that scares her. If that is true (the fantasy is not the reality) then getting everything she ever wanted will not be half as amazing as she has been dreaming.
While at the Van Osburgh wedding, Selden's presence appears as both amusing and irritating to Lily. The conversation with him has always been amusing because it requires no premeditated thought: she's not trying to impress him. However, she is trying to impress Rosedale, and this proves difficult with Selden hovering in the background. In a way, Lily does not like being the superficial person, that she has to be with other, with Selden. He makes her want to be better, morally, than them. She notes that "the dread of Selden's suspecting that there was any need for her to propitiate such a man as Rosedale checked the trivial phrases of politeness" (Wharton, 77). At this, she has a choice to make: she can either become a moral person with Selden or a wealthy wife of Rosedale/Gryce. Unfortunately, the amount of time taken to decide may ruin her chances at both.
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