It was somewhat of a shock to the Fresher contingency to receive one
morning the intimation of a Costume Ball, to be held in Clough Hall on
the following night; but their protests met with scant sympathy from the
elders. When Darsie plaintively declared that she hadn't got a fancy
dress, and would not have time to send home for it if she _had_, a
third-year girl silenced her by a stern counter-question: "And where,
pray, would be the fun if you _had_, and _could_? If at the cost of a
postcard you could be fitted up as the Lady of the Lake in green
draperies and water-lilies, it would no doubt be exceedingly becoming,
but it would be no sport. No, young woman, you've got to contrive
something out of nothing and an hour stolen from the night, and when
you've done it you'll be in the mood to appreciate other people's
contrivings into the bargain. Buck up! You're one of the dressy sort.
We'll expect wonders from you."
But when Darsie repaired to the seclusion of her study and set herself
to the problem of evolving a fancy dress out of an ordinary college
outfit, ideas were remarkably slow in coming. She looked questioningly
at each piece of drapery in turns, wondered if she could be a ghost in
curtains, a statue in sheets, an eastern houri in the cotton quilt, a
Portia in the hearthrug, discarded each possibility in turn, and turned
her attention to her own wardrobe.
Black serge, grey tweed, violet ninon; two evening frocks, and the one
white satin which was the _piece de resistance_ of the whole. A cloth
coat, a mackintosh, an art serge cloak for evening wear--how _could_ one
manufacture a fancy dress from garments so ordinary as these?
In despair, Darsie betook herself to Margaret France's room and found
that young woman seated before her dressing-table engaged in staring
fixedly at her own reflection in the mirror. She betrayed no
embarrassment at being discovered in so compromising a position, but
smiled a broad smile of welcome out of the mirror, the while she
continued to turn and to twist, and hold up a hand-glass to scrutinise
more closely unknown aspects of face and head.
"I know what you've come for! I've had two Freshers already. Bowled
over at the thought of inventing a costume--that's it, isn't it? Oh,
you'll rise to it yet. The only difficulty is to hit on an idea--the
rest's as easy as pie. That's what I'm doing now--studying my phiz to
see what it suggests. My nose, now! What d'you think of my nose?
Seems to me that nose wasn't given me for nothing. _And_ the width
between the eyes! It's borne in upon me that I must be either a turnip
lantern or a Dutch doll. The doll would probably be the most becoming,
so I'll plump for that. Don't breathe a word, for it must be a secret
to the last. As for you--it would be easy to suggest a dozen pretty-
pretties."
Margaret wheeled round in her chair, and sat nursing her knees,
regarding Darsie with a twinkling eye. "Big eyes, long neck, neat
little feet--you'd make an adorable Alice in Wonderland, with ankle-
strap slippers, and a comb, and a dear little pinny over a blue frock!
And your friend can be the Mad Hatter. Look well, wouldn't she, with a
hat on one side? There are only the girls to see you, and the more
comic you can make yourself the better they'll be pleased. You are
about to be introduced to a new side of Newnham life, and will see how
mad the students can be when they let themselves go. You'll laugh
yourself ill before the evening's over. Well, think it over, and come
back to me if you want any properties. My dress will be easy enough--
braided hair, short white frock (butter-muslin at a penny the yard),
white stockings with sandals, another pair of stockings to cover my
arms, chalked face and neck, with peaked eyebrows and neat little spots
of red on the cheekbones and tip of the chin. If you feel inclined to
be angelic, you might run up with your paint-box at the last minute, and
dab on my joints."
"Joints!"