In the beginning of the story (which I read just for you ;) ), Miss Brill takes the fur out of the box and proudly dons it. She goes about her day, feeling pretty darn good, until " a boy and girl came and sat down ... beautifully dressed; they were in love." They're incredibly rude to her: the boy refers to Miss Brill as "that stupid old thing" and the girl calls the precious fur "exactly like a fried whiting." Driving the message home, the author notes that, usually, Miss Brill buys a slice of cake as a treat; however, this time, she "passed the baker's by," goes home, and "quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it [the fur] inside." The author's repeated use of the word "quickly" further emphasizes Miss Brill's shame and self-consciousness. What a sad story :( Hope that helps!
