Melbourne House Part 117

Daisy looked now.

"Aunt Felicia wants me to get up some tableaux."

"Some what?" said Daisy.

"Tableaux. ? Tableaux vivants. Pictures, Daisy; made with living people."

"What do you mean, Preston?"

"Why, we will choose some pictures, some of the prettiest pictures we can find; and then we will dress up people to represent all the figures, and place them just as the figures are grouped in the engraving; and then they look like a most beautiful large painted picture."

"But pictures do not move?"

"No more do the people. They hold still and do not stir, any more than if they were not real."

"I should think they would look like people though, and not like a picture," said Daisy. "No matter how still you were to keep, I should never fancy you were painted."

"No," said Preston, laughing; "but you do not understand. The room where the spectators are is darkened, and the lights for the picture are all set on one side, just as the light comes in the picture, and then it all looks just right. And the picture is seen behind a frame, too, of the folding doors or something."

Daisy sat looking at Preston, a little curious but not at all excited.

"So I shall want your help, Daisy."

"About what?"

"First, to choose what pictures we will have. We must look over all the books of engravings in the house, and see what would do. Shall we go at it?"

Daisy consented. They repaired to the library and took position by a large portfolio of engravings.

" 'Fort.i.tude'! Capital!" cried Preston, as he turned over the first sheet in the portfolio. "Capital; Daisy! That's for you.

You would make an excellent 'Fort.i.tude.' "

"I! ?" said Daisy.

"Capital ? couldn't be better. This is Sir Joshua Reynolds'

'Fort.i.tude' ? and you will do for it wonderfully well. You have half the look of it now. Only you must be a little more stern."

"Why must Fort.i.tude look stern?" said Daisy.

"Oh, because she has hard work to do, I suppose."

"What is Fort.i.tude, Preston?"

"Oh, Daisy, Daisy! are you going through life like that? Why you'll turn all your play into work."

"Why? ? But what _is_ it?"

"Fort.i.tude? Why, it is, let me see, ? it is the power of endurance."

"The power of bearing pain, Daisy," said Mr. Randolph, who was walking through the room.

"I do not think Fort.i.tude ought to look stern."

"The old gentleman thought so. I suppose he knew. You must, anyhow, ? like the picture."

"But, Preston, how could I look like that? My dresses are not made so."

"I hope not!" said Preston, laughing. "But, Daisy, we'll get some of aunt Felicia's riggings and feathers, and set you out in style."

"But you can't put feathers on my head like those," said Daisy. "They wouldn't stay on. And I don't see why Fort.i.tude should be dressed in feathers."

"Why, it is the crest of her helmet, Daisy! Fort.i.tude must have something strong about her, somewhere, and I suppose her head is as good a place as any. We'll make a helmet for you.

And I will make Dolce lie down at your feet for the lion."

"You couldn't, Preston."

"I could make him do anything." Dolce was Preston's dog; a great s.h.a.ggy St. Bernard.

"Well! ?" said Daisy, with a half-sigh.

"I think you'll make a beautiful Fort.i.tude. Now let us see what next. That is for one."

"How many pictures do you want?" said Daisy.

"Oh, a good many. Plenty, or it wouldn't be worth taking all the trouble, and shutting the people up in a dark room.

'Alfred in the neat-herd's cottage' ? getting a scolding for his burnt cakes. How splendid that would be if we could get Dr. Sandford to be Alfred!"

"Who would be that scolding old woman?"

"No matter, because we can't get Dr. Sandford. We are not to have grown folks at all. It is a pity Ransom is not here. We shall have to get Alexander Fish ? or Hamilton! Hamilton will do. He's a good-looking fellow."

"You would do a great deal better," said Daisy. "And Alexander would not do at all. He has not a bit the look of a king about him."

"I must be that old man with the bundle of sticks on his head," said Preston, who was, however, immensely flattered.

"But his beard?" said Daisy.

"Oh, I'll put that on. A false beard is easy. You won't know me, Daisy. That will be an excellent picture. See that girl blowing the burnt cakes and making her face into a full moon!"

"Will you have her in the picture?"

"Certainly! Most a.s.suredly."

"But, who will you get to do that, Preston?"

"Nora Dinwiddie, I reckon."

"Will _she_ come?"