Mrs. Murray receives dresses from Mr. Lang for an upcoming banquet, but she harshly criticizes most as too extravagant and unfit, except for one that she finds acceptable. Paul and another man discuss Julie's poor fashion sense, worrying that if she wears something cheap again, it would shame the Murray family. To protect the family's reputation, they decide Julie should not attend the auction, heightening the tension around her role in the event and setting up conflict over her exclusion.