"Insist, insist—the more, the better. But the day I look as sound and strong as that, you know […] on that day, I shall be just sound and strong enough to take leave of you sweetly forever."
Despite being terminally ill, Milly is a strong woman and determined to live for some time before she dies. Interestingly, Milly has a sense of humor. For instance, Milly tells Susan that she will look smarter than ever during her funeral because, during that time, she will be impervious to pain and bad health. Milly knows that she will not live longer, and her time is coming soon, but that does not prevent her from making those around her smile. After all, she reminds Susan that life is temporary, and when the time comes, every person will go back to his creator.
“Milly wouldn't have committed suicide; she knew herself unmistakably reserved for some more complicated passage; this was the very vision in which she had, with no little awe, been discovered."
Susan is meditating, and she feels that Milly might commit suicide to ease her pain. Susan recalls that recently, Milly has been writing farewell messages to all her friends, preparing them for her upcoming death. To avoid overthinking Milly’s fate, Susan convinces herself that Milly is destined for greatness and that death is not her portion at any time in the future. Susan knows that Milly is suffering from her terminal illness, but she still has time to live and, if possible, recover.
"Our dear dove then, as Kate calls her, has folded her wonderful wings."
This excerpt is one of the most appealing lines in the entire novel because of the way it is portrayed and conveyed to Merton by Aunt Maud. She notifies Merton that Milly is no more because she has succumbed and gone to reside with angels in heaven. Milly was the favorite person in the novel, and everyone called her a dove because she was beautiful, innocent, peaceful, and loving. Merton was in love with Milly, but he never married her because of the British class system that prevented him from marrying a wealthy woman. The quote is symbolic because the dove’s folding of her wonderful wings represents death.
