They are on us to expose us--to advertise what we wear them to conceal.

They are a sign; a sign of insincerity; a sign of suppressed vanity; a pretense that we despise gorgeous colors and the graces of harmony and form; and we put them on to propagate that lie and back it up.

But we do not deceive our neighbor; and when we step into Ceylon we realize that we have not even deceived ourselves.

We do love brilliant colors and graceful costumes; and at home we will turn out in a storm to see them when the procession goes by--and envy the wearers.

We go to the theater to look at them and grieve that we can't be clothed like that.