Agolowedilittlerangewherenightclotheswerewarmingonthebrassfender.Ifeltasudden,sharppangofdisappoiofirailleadmetothenursery;Ihadbeendupedofallthefleshlyadvehehousehadpromisedmeandthat,damnthem,mustbepartofthejoke,too.Allthesame,ifIindulgedthefancyofthechildIdseeninthemirror,perhapsImightehefancyofhermother,whomustbestillyoungenoughtoenjoythecaressofabearskiead;andnot,Idbebound,inimicaltopoetry,either.

    Thismother,whohadheowhiteness,whitewalls,whitepaintedfurniture,whiterug,whitecurtains,allchicashell.Eventhechildhadbeenmadeaslavetofashiohoughtheselfhadsuccumbedtotheinteriordesignerssnowdriftthathadengulfedtheentirehouse,itsinhabitantshadnot.Idneverseensomanydollsbefore,noteveninMelissaset,andallquiteexquisite,asiftheydjustefromtheshop,althoughsomeofthemmustbeolderthanIwas.HowMelissawouldhavelovedthem!

    Dollssatonshelveswiththeirlegsstuckoutbeforethem,dollsspilledfromtoychests.FineladiesintaffetabustlesandFrenchhats,babiesineverygradationofess.Alimp-limbed,golden-hairedcreatureinpinksatinsprawledasifinsensualabandonontheruginfrontofthefire.AwonderfullyelaborateladyinakitschVictorianpelisseofmaroonsilk,withbrownhairunderafeatherstrawbo,layinanarmchairbythefireroprietorialanairasiftheroombelooher.Adeliciouslassinapurplevelvetridinghabitoccupiedthesaddleofthewonderfulalbinoroghorse.

    NowatlastIwassurroundedbybeautifulwomenandtheyweredumbrepositoriesofallthelivelycoloursthathadbeenexiledfromtheplace,vividasahot-house,buthemexisted,allweremute,werefisandthatmul