Book 2: Chapter 14 Summary

Selden wakes the following morning with a sense of urgency. He feels there is something he must say to Lily, a word left unsaid during her visit the previous night. He goes immediately to her boardinghouse, but to his surprise, he is greeted not by Lily, but by Gerty. The doctor has confirmed that it was an accidental overdose of Chloral, which she was taking for her insomnia, not a suicide attempt. He has gone to initiate the formalities of the death announcement in order to keep up the appearance of an accidental cause of death, and Lawrence is left alone with Lily to go through her belongings. He is repulsed by the sight of a letter to Gus Trenor, and he realizes its implications when he finds the check made out to Trenor for $9000. He finally understands the truth of...