human
I'd like to spank you--and then I'd adore you. You're what story-writers call a thoroughbred.
gpt
Beastly bore to have to wait, isn't it! I suppose you can rush right in to see Mr. Truax any time you want to, Mrs. Ummmmm.
human
Schwirtz. Rotten name, isn't it?
gpt
Oh no, it's a very nice name, she said.
human
Fancy being called Joline. Now Schwirtz sounds rather like Schenck, and that's one of the smartest of the old names.... Uh, _would_ it be too much trouble to see if Mr. Truax is still engaged?
gpt
He is.... Miss Joline, I feel like doing something I've wanted to do for some time. Of course we both know you think of me as 'that poor little dub, Mrs. What's-her-name, D. T.'s secretary--'
human
Why, really--
gpt
As I do, you mean,
human
Well--
gpt
Oh, I don't mind. But, my dear, good woman--oh, I suppose I oughtn't to call you that.
human
I don't care what you call me, if you can tell me how to make a seventeen-fifty suit look like _Vogue_. Isn't it awful, Miss Joline, that us lower classes are interested in clothes, too?
gpt
My dear girl, even the beautiful, the accomplished Beatrice Joline--I'll admit it--knows when she is being teased. I went to boarding-school, and if you think I haven't ever been properly and thoroughly, and oh, most painstakingly told what a disgusting, natural snob I am, you ought to have heard Tomlinson, or any other of my dear friends, taking me down. I rather fancy you're kinder-hearted than they are; but, anyway, you don't insult me half so scientifically.
human
I'm so sorry. I tried hard-- I'm a well-meaning insulter, but I haven't the practice.
gpt
My dear, I adore you. Isn't it lovely to be frank? When us females get into Mr. Truax's place we'll have the most wonderful time insulting each other, don't you think? But, really, please don't think I like to be rude. But you see we Jolines are so poor that if I stopped it all my business acquaintances would think I was admitting how poor we are, so I'm practically forced to be horrid. Now that we've been amiable to each other, what can I do for you?... Does that sound business-like enough?
human
I want to make you give me some hints about clothes. I used to like terribly crude colors, but I've settled down to tessie things that are safe--this gray dress, and brown, and black.
gpt
Well, my dear, I'm the best little dressmaker you ever saw, and I do love to lay down the law about clothes. With your hair and complexion, you ought to wear clear blues. Order a well-made--be sure it's well-made, no matter what it costs. Get some clever little Jew socialist tailor off in the outskirts of Brooklyn, or some heathenish place, and stand over him. A well-made tailored suit of not too dark navy blue, with matching blue crêpe de Chine blouses with nice, soft, white collars, and cuffs of crêpe or chiffon--and change 'em often.
human
What about a party dress? Ought I to have satin, or chiffon, or blue net, or what?
gpt
Well, satin is too dignified, and chiffon too perishable, and blue net is too tessie. Why don't you try black net over black satin? You know there's really lots of color in black satin if you know how to use it. Get good materials, and then you can use them over and over again--perhaps white chiffon over the black satin.
human
White over black?