One morning Gertrude got a letter from her father: "My Dear Gerty: I have just received a bill for L110 from Madame Smith for your dresses.

May I ask you how long this sort of thing is to go on?
I need not tell you that I have not the means to support you in such extravagance.

I am, as you know, always anxious that you should go about in a style worthy of your position, but unless you can manage without calling on me to pay away hundreds of pounds every season to Madame Smith, you had better give up society and stay at home.

I positively cannot afford it.

As far as I can see, going into society has not done you much good.