"Let us try," said the girl again. "I will tell you a story. Long ago there were people called gentlefolk. Grandad here was a gentleman. I have read about them in the old books. I wonder if any of you remember those people. They were exempt from work; the lower sort worked for them; they led a life of ease; they made their own work for themselves. Some of the men fought for their country--it was in the old time, you know, when men still fought; some worked for their country; some worked for the welfare of those who worked for bread; some only amused themselves; some were profligates, and did wicked things--" She paused--no one responded. "The women had no work to do at all. They only occupied themselves in making everybody happy; they were treated with the greatest respect; they were not allowed to do anything at all that could be done for them; they played and sang; they painted and embroidered; they knew foreign languages; they constantly inspired the men to do great things, even if they should be killed." Here all shuddered and trembled. Christine made haste to change the subject. "They wore beautiful dresses--think--dresses of silk and satin, embroidered with gold, trimmed with lace; they had necklaces, bracelets, and rings; their hands were white, and they wore long gloves to their elbows; they dressed their hair as they pleased. Some wore it long, like this." She pulled off her flat cap, and threw back her long tresses, and quickly turned up the light. She was transformed! The women started and gasped. "Take off your caps!" she ordered. They obeyed, and at sight of the flowing locks that fell upon their shoulders, curling, rippling, flowing, their eyes brightened, but only for a moment. "Yes," said the girl, "they wore their beautiful hair as they pleased. Oh!"--she gathered in her hands the flowing tresses of one--"you have such long and beautiful hair! It is a shame--it is a shame to hide it. Think of the lovely dresses to match this beauty of the hair!" "Oh," cried the women, "we remember the dresses. We remember them now. Why make us remember them? It is so long ago--so long ago--and we can never wear them any more." "Nay; but you have the same beauty," said Christine. "That at least remains. You have preserved your youth and your beauty." "Of what good are our faces to us," said another woman, "with such a dress as this? Men no longer look upon our beauty."