Shelaughedouthertriumph。
\"No，no，no！Mytrunkhasn’tcome，andthisisonlymyoldragofyesterday——butIneverknewthetricktofail！\"And，ashestared：\"Yousee，\"shejoyouslyexplained，\"I’vealwayshadtodressinallkindsofdrearyleft—overs，andsometimes，wheneverybodyelsewassmartandnew，itusedtomakemeawfullymiserable。Sooneday，whenMrs。Murrettdraggedmedownunexpectedlytofillaplaceatdinner，I
suddenlythoughtI’dtryspinningaroundlikethat，andsaytoeveryone：’WELL，WHATDOYOUTHINKOFME？’And，doyouknow，theywerealltakenin，includingMrs。Murrett，whodidn’trecognizemyoldturnedanddyedrags，andtoldmeafterwarditwasawfullybadformtodressasifIweresomebodythatpeoplewouldexpecttoknow！Andeversince，wheneverI’veparticularlywantedtolooknice，I’vejustaskedpeoplewhattheythoughtofmynewfrock；andthey’realways，alwaystakenin！\"
ShedramatizedherexplanationsovividlythatDarrowfeltasifhispointweregained。
\"Ah，butthisconfirmsyourvocation——ofcourse，\"hecried，\"youmustseeCerdine！\"and，seeingherfacefallatthisreminderofthechangeinherprospects，hehastenedtosetforthhisplan。Ashedidso，hesawhoweasyitwastoexplainthingstoher。Shewouldeitheraccepthissuggestion，orshewouldnot：butatleastshewouldwastenotimeinprotestationsandobjections，oranyvainsacrificetotheidolsofconformity。Theconvictionthatonecould，onanygivenpoint，almostpredicatethisofher，gavehimthesenseofhavingadvancedfarenoughinherintimacytourgehisargumentsagainstahastypursuitofherfriends。