; father, mother, and daughter stood looking at the old
woman. Her offer to lend her wedding-dress had astonished them as much
as her recovery of her senses. Everything she once had, and there were
tales that she had once been rich, had melted away from her; nothing
but this gown remained. How she had watched over it! Since she had come
to live with the O'Dwyers she had hardly allowed them to see it. When
she took it out of its box to air it and to strew it with camphor she
closed her room door. Only once had they seen it, and then only for a
few moments. She had brought it out to show it, as a child brings its
toy, but the moment they stretched their hands to touch it she had
taken it away, and they had heard her locking the box it was in. But
now she was going to lend it to Molly. They did not believe she meant
what she was saying. They expected her to turn away and to go to her
room, forgetful of what she had said. Even if she were to let Molly put
the dress on, she would not let her go out of the house with it. She
would change her mind at the last minute.

"When does this dancing begin?" she asked, and when they told her she
said there would be just time for her to dress Molly, and she asked the
girl and her mother to come into her room. Mrs. O'Dwyer feared the girl
would be put to a bitter disappointment, but if Molly once had the gown
on she would not oblige her to take it off.

"In my gown you will be just like what I was when the bells were
ringing."

She took the gown out of its box herself, and the petticoat and the
stockings and the shoes; there was everything there.

"The old mistress gave me all these. Molly has got the hair I used to
have; she will look exactly like myself. Are they not beautiful shoes?"
she said.

"Look at the buckles. They will fit her very well; her feet are the
same size as mine were."

And Molly's feet went into the shoes just as if they had been made for
her, and the gown fitted as well as the shoes, and Molly's hair was
arranged as nearly as possible according to the old woman's fancy, as
she used to wear her hair when it was thick and red like Molly's.

The girl thought that Granny would regret her gift. She expected the
old woman would follow her into the kitchen and ask her to take the
things off, and that she would not be able to go to the ball after all.
She did not feel quite safe until she was a long way from the house,
about half-way up the drive. Her mother and fat