The Wings of the Dove Book Sixth Chapter 3

In which Mr. Densher is drawn into the subtle social performances unfolding at Mrs. Lowder’s, where the spirited management of appearances and the nuanced interplay of characters offer him a complex stage upon which he is at once spectator and participant. The gathering brings into relief the curious ascent of an absent American heroine, whose presence lingers in conversation and whose social success serves as a mirror reflecting the capricious tides of fashion and society’s swift allegiances.