, or Paris, could possibly feel on the subject, that hurt so
hard. But then, looking back on it, I am afraid that jealousy sheds
feathers every night so you won't know him in the morning, for something
made me sit up suddenly with a spark in my eyes and reach out to the
desk for my pencil and cheque-book. It took me more than an hour to
reckon it all up, but I went to bed a happier, though in prospects
a poorer woman.

As I sat in the train on my way to town early the next morning I thought
a good deal about poor Mr. Carter. After this I shall always appreciate
and admire him for the way he made money, and his kindness in leaving it
to me, since, for the first time in my life, I fully realised what it
could buy. And I bought things!

First I went to see Madam Courtier for corsets. I had heard about her,
and I knew it meant a fortune. But that didn't matter! She came in and
looked at me for about five minutes without saying a word, and then she
ran her hands down and down over me until I could feel the superfluous
flesh just walking off of me. It was delicious!

Then she and two girls wearing fashionable frocks and fashionable hair
came in and did things to a corset they laced on me that I can't even
write down, for I didn't understand the process, but when I looked in
that long glass I almost dropped on the floor. I wasn't tight and I
wasn't stiff, and I looked--I'm too modest to write how lovely I really
looked to myself. I was spellbound with delight.

Next I signed the cheque for three of those wonders with my head so in
the clouds I didn't know what I was doing, but I came to with a jolt
when the prettiest girl began to get me into that black silk bag I had
worn down to the West End. I must have shrunk the whole remaining pounds
I had felt obliged to lose for Alfred and Ruth Clinton, from the horror
I felt when I looked at myself. The girl was really sympathetic and said
with a smile that was true kindness: "Shall I call a taxi for madame and
have it take her to Klein's? They have wonderful gowns by Rene all ready
to be fitted at short notice. Really, madame's figure is such that it
commands a perfect costume now."

Men do business well, but when women enter the field they are geniuses
at money extracting. I felt myself already clothed perfectly when that
girl said my figure "commanded" a proper dress. Of course, Klein pays
Madame Courtier a commission for the customers she passes on to him.
The one for me must