The Wings of the Dove Youth Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Volume.Book.Chapter.Line)

Quote #1

The irrecoverable days had come back to her from far off; they were part of the sense of the cool upper air and of everything else that hung like an indestructible scent to the torn garment of youth. (1.3.1.11)

While travelling in Switzerland with Milly, Susan Stringham remembers making this same trip in her own youth. It actually becomes kinds of creepy, as we start to realize that Susan is living vicariously through Milly in order to compensate for the fact that she wishes she were young again.

Quote #2

"Hard things have come to you in youth, but you mustn't think life will be for you all hard things. You've the right to be happy." (1.5.3.38)

Susan tries to cheer Milly up about the fact that all of the girl's family has died out. Little does Susan know that everything in Milly's life will be hard from that point forward, because she's about to find out she's terminally ill. There's a terrible irony here, as Susan is trying to look toward the future with hope, even though Milly doesn't have much of a future ahead of her.

Quote #3

"You don't see it, but she has clutched your petticoat. You can do anything—you can do, I mean, lots that we can't." (1.5.6.19)

Kate directly tells Milly that Susan Stringham is just riding her coattails because she's beautiful and young and everyone wants to be around her. On top of that, Milly can do absolutely anything she wants because she's totally rich. But again, this comes before the realization that Milly will soon die.