"
"It'll be a pretty tableau," said Theresa.
"And what am I to be, Preston?" said Nora.
"You are to be several things. You and Ella must be the two young
princes in the tower."
"What tower?" said Nora.
There was another general laugh, and then Daisy, who was well at home in
English history, pulled her little friend aside to whisper to her the
story and shew her the picture.
"What are those men going to do?" said Nora.
"They are going to kill the little princes. They have got a featherbed
or something there, and they are going to smother them while they are
asleep."
"But I don't want the featherbed on top of me!" said Nora.
"No, no,--it is not to come down on you; but that is the picture; they
will hold it just so; it will not come down."
"But suppose they should let it fall?"
"They will not let it fall. The picture is to have it held just so, as
if they were going to smother the poor little princes the next minute."
"I think it is a horrid picture!" said Nora.
"But it will only last a little while. All you will have to do will be
to make believe you are asleep."
"I don't want to make believe I am asleep. I would rather have my eyes
open. What else am I going to be, Daisy?"
"Preston will tell. I believe--you are to be one of Queen Esther's
women, to hold her up when she fainted, you know."
"Let me see. Where is it?"
Daisy obtained the picture. Nora examined it critically.
"I would like to be the king, he is so handsome.
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