ne more in the picture, but that was all that could be got from
Frederica. Her face was coldly impassive; she could come no nearer to
the expression of the indignant queen. But Preston's old woman, and
Theresa's pretty young French girl; one looking as he had said, with
eyes of coarse fury, the other all melting with tenderness and reverent
sympathy; they were so excellent that the company were delighted.
Frederica's handkerchief, it is true, hung daintily in her fingers,
shewing all the four embroidered corners; Mrs. Sandford had not seen it
till it was just too late; and Preston declared afterwards the "fury" in
his face was real and not feigned as he glared at her. But the company
overlooked the handkerchief in favour of the other parts of the picture;
and its success was perfect.

"Alfred in the neat-herd's cottage" followed next, and would have been
as good; only that Nora, whose business it was to blow her cheeks into a
full moon condition over the burnt cakes, would not keep her gravity;
but the full cheeks gave way every now and then in a broad grin which
quite destroyed the effect. Preston could not see this, but Daisy took
her friend to task after it was over. Nora declared she could not help
it.

"You don't know how it felt, Daisy, to keep my cheeks puffed out in that
way. I couldn't do it; and whenever I let them go, then I couldn't help
laughing. O, Daisy! is my picture to be the last?"

"I will see, as soon as I can, Nora." Daisy said gravely. It was her own
turn now, and while Mrs. Sandford was dressing her she had no very good
chance to speak of Esther. How wonderfully Mrs. Sandford arranged the
folds of one or two long scarfs, to imitate Sir Joshua Reynolds'
draperies. Preston declared it was beautiful, and so did Hamilton Rush;
and when the little helmet with its plumes was set on Daisy's head, Mrs.
Sandford smiled and Preston clapped his hands. They had still a little
trouble to get Dolce into position. Dolce was to enact the lion, emblem
of courage and strength, lying at Fortitude's feet. He was a sensible
dog, but knowing nothing about playing pictures, naturally, did not
immediately understand why it should be required of him to lie down
there, on that platform of green baize, with his nose on his paws.
However, more sensible than some animals of higher order are apt to be,
he submitted patiently to the duty of obedience where he did not
understand; and laid down accordingly his shaggy length at