Regret Flashcards
He is only regretting all those moments he missed, when he looks in ‘retrospect’ and when his unreliable narration becomes more reliable, so no longer able to lie to himself.
“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? … In any case, while it is all very well to talk of ‘turning points’ one can surely only recognise such moments in retrospect.”
Thought he had ‘infinite’ time with Miss k.
“an infinite number of further opportunities in which to remedy the effect of this or that understanding.”
he is recognising that he is imparting his regret onto Miss K and her letters.
“I may as well say here that having reread her letter again tonight, I am inclined to believe I may well have read more into certain of her lines than perhaps was wise.”
he thinks that she longs for him.
“there is more than a hint of nostalgic longing in certain parts of her letter.”
regret penetrates into his thinking, what would happen had he recommenced the meetings with him and Miss K
“I have occasionally wondered to myself how things might have turned out in the long run had I not been so determined over the issue of our evening meetings;”
he continually sees his mistakes in Miss K, thinks that she is regretting her past decisions but in reality it is him.
“At this very moment, no doubt, she is pondering with regret decisions made in the far-off past that have now left her, deep in middle age, so alone and desolate.’
Stevens finally admitting that LD’s efforts had been misguided but not reliable enough to admit that either of them were to blame.
“How can one possibly be held to blame in any sense because, say, the passage of time has shown that Lord Darlington’s efforts were misguided, even foolish?’
