"Well, I suppose, Etta, you'll say you've never been in a carriage before."
"Oh, yes, I have," cried Etta. "Twice—at funerals."
This made everyone laugh—this and the champagne and the air which no longer seemed cruel to the girls but stimulating, a grateful change from the close warmth of the room. As the boys were smoking cigarettes, they had the windows down. The faces of both girls were flushed and lively, and their cheeks seemed already to have filled out. The four made so much noise that the crowds on the sidewalk were looking at them—looking smilingly, delighted by the sight of such gayety. Susan was even gayer than Etta. She sang, she took a puff at John's cigarette; then laughed loudly when he seized and kissed her, laughed again as she kissed him; and she and John fell into each other's arms and laughed uproariously as they saw Fatty and Etta embracing.
The driver kept his promise; eleven o'clock found them bursting into Sternberg's, over the Rhine—a famous department store for Germans of all classes. They had an hour, and they made good use of it. Etta was for yielding to Fatty's generous urgings and buying right and left. But Susan would not have it. She told the men what she and Etta would take—a simple complete outfit, and no more. Etta wanted furs and finery. Susan kept her to plain, serviceable things. Only once did she yield. When Etta and Fatty begged to be allowed a big showy hat, Susan yielded—but gave John leave to buy her only the simplest of simple hats. "You needn't tell me any yarns about your birth and breeding," said he in a low tone so that Etta should not hear.
But that subject did not interest Susan. "Let's forget it," said she, almost curtly. "I've cut out the past—and the future. Today's enough for me."
"And for me, too," protested he. "I hope you're having as good fun as I am."
"This is the first time I've really laughed in nearly a year," said she. "You don't know what it means to be poor and hungry and cold—worst of all, cold."
"You unhappy child," said John tenderly.
But Susan was laughing again, and making jokes about a wonderful German party dress all covered with beads and lace and ruffles and embroidery. When they reached the shoe department, Susan asked John to take Fatty away. He understood that she was ashamed of their patched and holed stockings, and hastened to obey. They were making these their last purchases when the big bell rang for the closing. "I'm glad these poor tired shopgirls and clerks are set free," said John.
It was one of those well-meaning but worthless commonplaces of word-kindness that get for their utterance perhaps exaggerated credit for "good heart." Susan, conscience-stricken, halted. "And I never once thought of them!" she exclaimed. "It just shows."