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           TheballroomoftheWayne-FalklandHotelhadbeendecoratedunderMrs.Taggart’sdirection;shehadanartist’staste,andthesettingofthateveningwashermasterpiece."Dagny,therearethingsIwouldlikeyoutolearntonotice,"shesaid,"lights,colors,flowers,music.Theyarenotasnegligibleasyoumightthink.""I’veneverthoughtthey’renegligible,"Dagnyansweredhappily.Foronce,Mrs.Taggartfeltabondbetweenthem;Dagnywaslookingatherwithachild’sgratefultrust."They’rethethingsthatmakelifebeautiful,"saidMrs.Taggart."Iwantthiseveningtobeverybeautifulforyou,Dagny.Thefirstballisthemostromanticeventofone’slife."

           ToMrs.Taggart,thegreatestsurprisewasthemomentwhenshesawDagnystandingunderthelights,lookingattheballroom.Thiswasnotachild,notagirl,butawomanofsuchconfident,dangerouspowerthatMrs.Taggartstaredatherwithshockedadmiration.Inanageofcasual,cynical,indifferentroutine,amongpeoplewhoheldthemselvesasiftheywerenotflesh,butmeat—Dagny’sbearingseemedalmostindecent,becausethiswasthewayawomanwouldhavefacedaballroomcenturiesago,whentheactofdisplayingone’shalf-nakedbodyfortheadmirationofmenwasanactofdaring,whenithadmeaning,andbutonemeaning,acknowledgedbyallasahighadventure.Andthis—thoughtMrs.Taggart,smiling—wasthegirlshehadbelievedtobedevoidofsexualcapacity.