The House of Mirth: Book 2 IX-X

In the next chapters of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Lily begins her job as Mrs. Hatch's secretary.  She has had to demote herself to finally getting a job.  At this point she is at the worst point in her life.  She is now having to support herself and no suitors are in sight.  Except for Seldon who is so in love with her that he doesn't know how to deal with his feelings.  Since Lily's life has flipped completely upside down, there is a lot of symbolism from when she still had money.

"The environment in which Lily found herself was as strange to her as its inhabitants."

When she still had money she was unhappy.  The money symbolizes unhappiness.  The unhappiness with her current financial situation foreshadowed a dramatic change in her lifestyle.  She was always unhappy no matter her situation and procrastinated marrying a rich man which led her to having to support herself.