Daisy stood
thinking about it while she saw Nora dressed, and then ran into the
drawing-room to take the effect of the tableau. The curtain was
withdrawn; Daisy was astonished; she had no idea that Nora could be so
changed by a little arrangement of lights and dress. The picture was
exceeding pretty. Nora's black hair and bright cheeks peeped out from
under the shadowing red cardinal, which draped her arms also--Mrs.
Sandford had mysteriously managed it. She had got over her hatred of the
part, for she looked pleased and pleasant; and the little basket in her
hand and the short petticoat and neat little feet completed a tidy Red
Riding-Hood. The applause was loud. "Lovely!" the ladies said. "What a
sweet little thing! how beautiful she looks!" Nora did not smile, for
that would have hurt her picture; but she stood with swelling
complacency and unchanging red cheeks as long as the company were
pleased to look at her.
"Who is that, Daisy?" asked her father, near whom Daisy had stationed
herself.
"It is Nora Dinwiddie, papa."
"She is a pretty little girl. When does your turn come?"
"I do not know, papa."
"Not know! Why I thought all this was your affair."
"O no, papa; it is Preston's affair."
Off ran Daisy however when the curtain fell, or rather when it was
drawn, to see the getting ready of the next tableau. There was something
of a tableau on hand already. June stood holding up a small featherbed,
and two little figures in white nightgowns were flying round, looking
and laughing at two exceedingly fierce, bearded, moustached,
black-browed individuals, on whose heads Mrs.
Pages:
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279