Eric Stoltz credited as playing...
Lawrence Selden
- Lily Bart: They do fetch such fabulous prices, don't they?
- Lawrence Selden: Only the very rich can afford to buy them.
- Lily Bart: And you know that I am not rich. But life is very expensive.
- [Lawrence lights Lily's cigarette with his own cigarette, Lily breathes deep, exhales smoke onto Lawrence's face]
- Lily Bart: Do you mind not being rich enough? And having to work? Do you mind that?
- Lawrence Selden: Well, the work itself is not so bad. I'm rather fond of the law.
- Lily Bart: But do you mind enough to have to marry to get out of it?
- Lawrence Selden: God forbid.
- Lily Bart: Ah, you see, there is the difference. A girl must, and a man if he chooses.
- Lily Bart: I have been about too long. People are getting tired of me. They are beginning to say that I ought to marry.
- Lawrence Selden: Isn't marriage your vocation. Isn't it what you're all brought up for?
- Lily Bart: I suppose so.
- Lawrence Selden: So why not take the plunge and have it over?
- Lily Bart: Oh, how delicious to have a place like this all to oneself.
- Lawrence Selden: Even women have been known to enjoy the privileges of a flat.
- Lily Bart: Governesses, yes. But not poor, marriageable girls.
- Lily Bart: You must suppose me a dull kind of person if you think I never yield to an impulse.
- Lawrence Selden: But I don't suppose that. Your genius lies in converting impulses into intentions.
- Lily Bart: My genius? My genius would appear to be my ability to do the wrong thing at the right time.
- Lawrence Selden: Or vice versa.
- Lawrence Selden: How is life at Richfield?
- Grace: Quiet. Aunt Peniston sees very little company.
- Lawrence Selden: I'm sure your being there gave her much pleasure.
- Grace: Yes, I am as reliable as roast mutton.
- Lily Bart: There are men who dislike me - and others who are afraid of me. They think I want to marry them. But I don't think that you dislike me. And you can't possibly think that I want to marry you.
- Lawrence Selden: No, I absolve you from that.
- Lily Bart: Oh, if I could only do over my aunt's drawing room I know I should be a better woman.
- Lawrence Selden: Is it so very bad?
- Lily Bart: That shows how seldom you come there. Why don't you come oftener?
- Lawrence Selden: When I do come, it's not to look at Mrs Peniston's furniture.
- Lily Bart: Nonsense. You don't come at all. And yet we get on so well when we meet.
- Lawrence Selden: Cream or lemon?
- Lily Bart: Lemon.
- Lawrence Selden: You will marry someone very rich.
- Lily Bart: What a miserable future you foresee for me.
- Lawrence Selden: Haven't you seen it for yourself?
- Lily Bart: Of course. But it seems so much darker when you show it to me.
- Lawrence Selden: Waiting for me, I hope.
- Lily Bart: Waiting to see if you would come.
- Lawrence Selden: Weren't you sure that I would?
- Lily Bart: If I waited long enough. But I only had a limited time to give to the experience.
- Lawrence Selden: They met six weeks ago at Bertha Dorset's and have been devoted ever since. The engagement is to be announced next week. They say it will be *just* the nicest marriage possible. One dull fortune marrying another.
- Lily Bart: Why do we never see each other?
- Lawrence Selden: I have my law practice, and - you're always surrounded by admirers.
- Lily Bart: Well? What happened? What will happen?
- Lawrence Selden: Nothing, as yet. And nothing in the future, I think.
- Lily Bart: You're sure?
- Lawrence Selden: I'm not sure, but I'm a good deal surer.