That was to be a rich picture, for of course the kneeling
nobles were to be in costly and picturesque attire; and a crown was to
be borne on a cushion before them. A book did duty for it just now, on a
couch pillow.
"That is what I should like--" said Nora. "I want to be dressed and look
so."
"You will be dressed to be one of the queen's women in Esther and
Ahasuerus, you know."
"But the queen will be dressed more--won't she?"
"Yes, I suppose she will."
"I should like to be the queen; that is what I should like to be."
Daisy made no answer. She thought she would rather Nora should _not_ be
the queen.
"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Nora went on, referring again to
Frederica.
Which Frederica did. The tableau was quite pretty, even partially
dressed and in this off hand way as it was.
Next Mrs. Sandford insisted on dressing Daisy as Fortitude. She had seen
perhaps a little of the child's discomposure, and wished to make her
forget it. In this tableau Daisy would be quite alone; so she was not
displeased to let the lady do what she chose with her. She stood
patiently, while Mrs. Sandford wound a long shawl skilfully around her,
bringing it into beautiful folds like those in Sir Joshua Reynolds'
painting; then she put a boy's cap, turned the wrong way, on her head,
to do duty for a helmet, and fixed a nodding plume of feathers in it.
Daisy then was placed in the attitude of the picture, and the whole
little assembly shouted with delight.
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