“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 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.