CHAPTER 30

 which rustled continuously as she swept around the room. With the influence of the dress, her personality had also undergone a transformation. The intense vitality that had

been so noticeable in the garage was replaced by impressive hauteur. Her laughter, gestures, and assertions became increasingly affected with each moment.

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As she expanded, the room seemed to shrink around her until she felt as though she was spinning on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air. 

"My dear," she shouted to her sister in a high-pitched voice, "most of these guys will cheat you every time. All they think about is money. I had a woman here last week to

examine my feet, and when she handed me the bill, you'd have thought she had removed my appendix." 

"What was the name of the woman?" asked Mrs. McKee. 

"Mrs. Eberhardt. She travels around inspecting people's feet in their own homes." 

"I like your dress," remarked Mrs. McKee, "I think it's charming." 

Mrs. Foster dismissed the compliment with a disdainful raise of her eyebrow. 

"It's just a crazy old thing," she said. "I only wear it sometimes when I don't care how I look." 

"But it looks fantastic on you, if you know what I mean," persisted Mrs. McKee. "If Chester could just capture you in that pose, I think he could make something special of it." 

We all watched silently as Mrs. Foster removed