Daisy's feet.

The curtain was drawn aside, and the company shouted with delight. No
picture had been so good yet as this one. The little grave figure, the
helmet with its nodding plumes in mock stateliness; the attitude, one
finger just resting on the pedestal of the broken column, (an ottoman
did duty for it) as if to shew that Fortitude stood alone, and the
shaggy St. Bernard at her feet, all made in truth an extremely pretty
spectacle. You could see the faintest tinge of a smile of pleasure on
the lips of both Mr. and Mrs. Randolph; they were silent, but all the
rest of the people cheered and openly declared their delight. Daisy
stood like a rock. _Her_ mouth never gave way; not even when Dolce,
conceiving that all this cheering called upon him to do something, rose
up and looking right into Daisy's face wagged his tail in the blandest
manner of congratulation. Daisy did not wince; and an energetic "Down,
Dolce, down!"--brought the St. Bernard to his position again, in the
very meekness of strength; and then the people clapped for Daisy and the
dog together. At last the curtain fell.

[Illustration]

"Well, that will do," said Mrs. Sandford.

"Dolce--you rascal!" said Preston, as the great creature was now wagging
his tail in honour of his master,--"how came you to forget your business
in that style, sir?"

"I do not think it really hindered the effect at all, Preston," said
Mrs. Sandford. "Daisy kept her countenance so well."

"Yes,--if Fortitude had smiled!--" said Theresa, "Mrs. Sandford, is it
out of character for Fortitude to smile?"

"It would be out of character for Portia, just at this crisis--so take
care of her."

"What made them make such a great noise, Daisy?" said Nora while Daisy
was getting undressed.

"I suppose they liked the picture," said Daisy.

"But they made a great deal more noise than they did for anybody else,"
said Nora.

"I suppose they liked the picture better than they liked any of the
others," said Ella Stanfield. "I know they did, for I was in the other
room. Come, let's go see this picture!"

"Not you, Daisy," said Mrs. Sandford as the children were running
off--"I want you. Priscilla comes next."

So Daisy had to stay and be dressed for Priscilla. She missed Portia and
Bassanio. It was not much missed, for her little heart began to be
beating with excitement; and she wished very much that Priscilla might
be as much liked as Fortitude. The dressing was an easy matter,