LOST OF DRESS PARADE[1]
Chandler was twenty-two years old. He worked in the office of an architect and got eighteen dollars a week. At the end of each week he put aside one dollar out of his salary. At the end of each ten weeks he ironed his evening suit and went out to have a good time. He usually dined at a fashionable restaurant where there was wine and music. It took him ten weeks[4] to accumulate his capital of ten dollars and it took him only a few hours to spend it, playing the role of a rich idler.
One night he went out, dressed in his evening clothes and started for the restaurant where he dined one evening out of seventy.
He was just going to turn around the corner[5] when a young girl in front of him slipped on the snow and fell down. Chandler ran up and helped her to her feet.[6]
"Thank you," said the girl. "I think I have twisted my ankle."
"Does it hurt very much?" asked Chandler.
"Yes, it goes," she answered, "but I think I shall be able to walk in a few minutes."
"Can I do anything for you?"[7] said Chandler. "I will call a cab, or..."
"Thank you," said the girl again, "but I don't want to trouble you any longer..."
Chandler looked at the girl. She was very young. Her face was both beautiful and kind. She was dressed in a cheap black dress that looked like a uniform that sales-girls wear. A cheap black hat was on her shining dark-brown hair. She looked a working girl of the best type.[8]
A sudden idea came into the young architect's head. He decided to ask this girl to dine with him. He was sure she was a nice girl. Her speech and manners showed it. And in spite of [9] her simple clothes he felt he would be happy[10] to sit at table with her. He thought: This poor girl has never been to a fashionable restaurant, it is clear. She will remember the pleasure for a long time.
"I think," he said to her, "that your foot must rest for some time. Now, I am going to tell you something. I am on my way to dine.[11] come with me. We'll have a nice dinner and a pleasant talk together. And when our dinner is over[12] you your foot will be better, I am sure."
The girl looked up into Chandler's clear, blue eyes. Then she smiled. "We don't know each other. I'm afraid it is not right," she said.
"Why not?" asked the young man. "I'll introduce myself. My name is Towers Chandler. I will try to make our dinner as pleasant as possible. And after dinner I will say good-bye to you, or will take you to your door as you wish."
"But how can I go to the restaurant in this old dress and hat?" said the girl, looking at Chandler's evening suit.
"Never mind that,"[13] said Chandler. "I'm sure you will look better in them than any one we shall see there in the richest evening dress."
"I think, I will go with you, Mr. Chandler," said the girl, "because my ankle still hurts me. You may call me... Miss Marian."
"All right, Miss Marian," said the young architect, "you will not have to walk far.[14] There is a very good restaurant a little way from here. You will have to hold my arm and walk slowly. It will take only a few minutes to get there."
The two young people came to the restaurant and set down at a table. Chandler ordered a good dinner. He felt quite happy.
The restaurant was full of richly-dressed people. There was a good orchestra playing beautiful music. The food was excellent. His companion, even in her cheap hat and dress, looked more beautiful than some ladies in evening dresses.
And then... Some kind of madness came upon[15] Towers Chandler. He began to play the role of a rich idler before the girl. He spoke of clubs and teas, of playing golf and riding horses and tours in Europe. He could see that the girl was listening to him with attention, so he told her more and more lies.[16] The longer he talked the more[17] lies he told her about his life.
At last she sais: "Do you like living such an idle life? Have you no work to do? Have you no other interests?"
"My dear Miss Marian," he exclaimed, "work! I am too busy to work. It takes so much time to dress every day for dinner, to make a dozen visits in an afternoon... I have no time for work."
The dinner was over. The two young people walked out to the corner where they had met. Miss Marian walked very well now, her ankle was much better.
"Thank you for a nice time,"[18] she said to Chandler. "I must run home now. I liked the dinner very much, Mr. Chandler."
He shook hands with her, smiling, and said that he also had to hurry. He was going to his club to play bridge.
In his cheap cold room Chandler put away his evening suit to rest for sixty nine days.
"That was a fine girl," he said to himself. "I should like[19] to meet her again. I have made a mistake in playing the role of a rich idler before a poor working girl. Why did I lie to her? All because of my evening suit,[20] I think... I'm sorry it's all over!"
After she had left Chandler the girl came to a rich and handsome house facing on a beautiful avenue. She entered a room where a young lady was looking out of the window.
"Oh, Marian!" she exclaimed when the other entered. "When will you stop frightening us? Two hours ago you run out in this old dress and Helen's hat. Mother is so worried. She sent the chauffeur in the automobile to look for you. You are a bad, bad girl, Marian!"
Then she pressed a button. A servant came in and she said:
"Helen, tell Mother that Miss Marian has returned."
"Don't be angry with me, Sister," said Marian. "I only ran down to my dressmaker to tell her to use blue button instead of white for my new dress. My old dress and Helen's hat were just what I needed.[21] Every one thought I was a sales-girl, I am sure."
"Dinner is over, dear, you were away so long," said Marian's sister.
"I know," said Marian. "I slipped in the street and twisted my ankle. So I walked to a restaurant with great difficulty and set there until my ankle was better. That's why I was so long."
The two girls sat down at the window, looking out. Then Marian said: "We will have to marry one day, both of us. We have too much money, so we shall not be left in peace,[22] I am sure. Shall I tell you the kind of man[23] I can love?"
"Go on, dear," said her sister smiling.
"The man I can love must have clear blue eyes, he must be handsome and good and mustn't try to flirt. But I shall love a man like that [24] only if he is not lazy, if he has some work to do in the world. No matter[25] how poor he is I shall love him. But, Sister, dear, what kind of young men do we meet every day? They live an idle life between visits to their friends and visits to their clubs. No, I can't love a man like that, even if his eyes are blue and he is handsome; even if he is kind to poor girls whom he meets in the street."
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