Melbourne House Part 118

"We shall want all we can get. All Mrs. Stanfield's young ones, and Mrs. Fish's and Linwood's and everybody. Now, Daisy, here you are! This is the very thing."

"For what?" said Daisy.

"Don't you see? For you. This is Queen Esther before Ahasuerus ? you know the story?"

"Oh, yes! ? when he stretched out the golden sceptre to her.

She is fainting, isn't she?"

"Exactly. You can do that glorious, because you have always a pair of pale cheeks on hand."

"I?" ? said Daisy, again. "Do you want me to be two things?"

"A dozen things, perhaps. You must be Queen Esther at any rate. n.o.body but you."

"And who will be Ahasuerus?"

"I don't know. Hamilton Rush, I reckon; he's a nice fellow."

"Oh, Preston, why don't you be Ahasuerus?"

"I am manager, you know, Daisy; it won't do for the manager to take the best pieces for himself. Ahasuerus is one of the best. See how handsome the dress is ? and the att.i.tude, and everything."

"I don't see where you will find the dresses," said Daisy.

"All those are robes of silk and velvet and fur; and then the jewels, Preston!"

"Nonsense, Daisy. Aunt Felicia will let us take all her stores of satins and velvets and feathers, and jewellery too. It won't hurt them to be looked at."

"I think," said Daisy, slowly, ? "I think I will not be Queen Esther."

"Why not? don't you like her looks?"

"Oh, yes. _That's_ no matter; but I would rather somebody else would be it."

"Why, little Daisy? You are the one; n.o.body can be Esther but you."

"I think I will not," said Daisy, thoughtfully.

"What's the matter, Daisy? You _must_. I want you for Esther and n.o.body else. What is the objection?"

"I would rather not," said Daisy. "I don't know Hamilton Rush much."

This was said with extreme demureness, and Preston bit his lips almost till the blood came to prevent the smile which would have startled Daisy.

"You won't know him at all when he is dressed and with his crown on. It's all a play. You can imagine he is the real old Persian king, who looked so fiercely on the beautiful Jewess when she ventured unsummoned into his presence."

"I could not stand like that," said Daisy.

"Yes, you could. That's easy. You are fainting in the arms of your attendants."

"Who will the attendants be?"

"I don't know. Who do you think?"

"I think I would rather not be in this picture, ?" said Daisy.

"Yes, you will. I want you. It is too good to be given to somebody else. It is one of the prettiest pictures we shall have, I reckon."

"Then you must be the king."

"Well ? we will see," said Preston. "What comes next? 'Canute and his courtiers.' That won't do, because we could not have the sea in."

"Nor the horse," said Daisy.

"Not very well. ? What a stupid collection of portraits!

Nothing but portraits."

"There are fortune-tellers."

"That won't do ? not interest enough. There! here's one.

'Little Red Riding-hood.' That will be beautiful for you, Daisy."

"But, Preston, I mustn't be everything."

"Plenty more things coming. You don't like Red Riding-hood?

Then we will give it to Nora or Ella."

"Oh, I like it," said Daisy. "I like it much better than Esther ? unless you will play Ahasuerus."

"Well, I will put you down for both of 'em."

"But who's to be anything else?"

"Lots. Here. ? Splendid! 'Marie Antoinette going from the revolutionary tribunal' ? that will be capital."

"Who will take that?" said Daisy.

"Let me see. I think ? I think, Daisy, it must be Theresa Stanfield. She is a clever girl, and it must be a clever girl to do this."

"But she will not look as old as she ought."

"Yes, she will, when she is dressed. I know who will be our dresser, too; Mrs. Sandford."

"Will she?" said Daisy.

"Yes. She knows how, I know. You and I must go and give invitations, Daisy."

"Mamma will send the invitations."

"Yes, of course, to the party; but we have got to beat up recruits and get contributions for the tableaux. You and I must do that. I engaged to take all the trouble of the thing from aunt Felicia."