“You say ‘I suppose so’ to everything.  I want to know.  Shall I have that same pink silk thing over my hair?”

“That scarf? yes.”

“And the red necklace on it? and the bracelets? and the gold and diamonds round my neck?  I won’t be Esther if I don’t have the dress.”

“I suppose you will have the dress,” said Daisy; “of course you will.  But if you say you do not want to be Esther, they will make me do it.”

A hint that closed Nora’s mouth.  She did not say she did not want to be Esther.  Mrs. Sandford was astonished at the change of performers; but Daisy’s resignation was so simply made and naturally, and Nora’s acceptance was so manifestly glad, that nobody could very well offer any hindrance.  The change was made; but Preston would not suffer Daisy to be one of the attendants.  He left her out of the picture altogether and put Jane Linwood in Nora’s vacated place.  Daisy was content; and now the practising and the arrangements went on prospering.

There was a good deal of preparation to be made, besides what the mantua-maker could do.  Mr. Stilton was called into the library for a great consultation; and then he went to work.  The library was the place chosen for the tableaux; the spectators to be gathered into the drawing-room, and the pictures displayed just within the wide door of communication between the two rooms.  On the library side of this door Mr. Stilton laid down a platform, slightly raised and covered with green baize cloth, and behind the platform a frame-work was raised and hung with green baize to serve as a proper background for the pictures.  A flower stand was brought in from the greenhouse and placed at one side, out of sight from the drawing-room; for the purpose, as Preston informed Daisy, of holding the lights.  All these details were under his management, and he managed, Daisy thought, very ably indeed.  Meantime the dresses were got ready.  Fortitude’s helmet was constructed of pasteboard and gilt paper; and Nora said it looked just as if it were solid gold.  The crown of Ahasuerus, and Alfred’s six-foot bow were also made; and a beautiful old brown spinning wheel was brought from Mrs. Sandford’s house for Priscilla.  Priscilla’s brown dress was put together, and her white vandyke starched.  And the various mantles and robes of velvet and silk which were to be used, were in some way accommodated to the needs of the young wearers.  All was done well, and Preston was satisfied; except with Daisy.

Not that Daisy did not enter into the amusement of what was going forward; for perhaps nobody took so much real share in it.  Even Mr. Stilton’s operations interested her.  But she was not engrossed at all.  She was not different from her usual self.  All the glory of the tableaux had not dazzled her, so far as Preston could see.  And daily, every morning, she stepped into that little pony chaise with a basket and drove off—­Preston was at the pains to find out—­to spend a couple of