black mask, ugly but not grotesque; and his whole figure was more like
the devil in the picture than Daisy had imagined it could be. She did
not like the whole business at all. There was no getting out of it now;
the picture must be given; so the performers were placed.

Hamilton and Preston sat on two sides of a chess-board, and behind them
the little angel stood watching the game. Mrs. Sandford was right. By a
skilful placing and shielding of the lamps, the lights were thrown
broadly where they ought to be, on faces and draperies, leaving the
gauze wings of the angel in such obscurity that they just shewed as it
was desired they should. The effect was extremely good, and even
artistic. The little angel herself was not in full light; it was through
a shade of gloom that her grave face of concern looked down upon the
game on the chess-board. Truly Daisy looked concerned and grave. She
thought she did not like to play such things as this. One of the
figures below her was so very wicked and devilish in its look; and
Hamilton leaned over the pieces on the board with so well-given an
expression of doubt and perplexity,--his adversary's watch was so
intent,--and the meaning of the whole was so sorrowfully deep; that
Daisy gazed unconsciously most like a guardian angel who might see with
sorrow the evil one getting the better over a soul of his care. For it
was real to Daisy. She knew that the devil does in truth try to bewitch
and wile people out of doing right into doing wrong. She knew that he
tries to get the mastery of them; that he rejoices every time to sees
them make a "false move;" that he is a great cunning enemy, all the
worse because we cannot see him, striving to draw people to their ruin;
and she thought that it was far too serious and dreadful a thing to be
made a _play_ of. She wondered if guardian angels did really watch over
poor tempted souls and try to help them. And all this brought upon
Daisy's face a shade of awe, and sorrow, and fear, which was strangely
in keeping with her character as an angel, and very singular in its
effect on the picture. The expressions of pleasure and admiration which
had burst from the company in the drawing-room at the first sight of it,
gradually stilled and ceased; and it was amid a profound and curious
silence and hush that the curtain was at length drawn upon the picture.
There were some people among the spectators not altogether satisfied in
their minds.

"How remarkab