Hamilton stretched forward his
wooden sceptre to the queen with benignant haste and dignity.
Daisy, only too glad to shrink away, closed her eyes and lay
back in the arms of her attendants in a manner that was really
very satisfactory. But the attendants themselves were not in
order.
"Jane, you must not laugh —" said her brother.
"I ain't laughing!"
"Yes, but you were."
"The queen is fainting, you know," said Mrs. Sandford. "You
are one of her maids, and you are very much distressed about
it."
"I am not distressed a bit. I don't care."
"Nora, do not forget that you are another attendant. Your
business is with your mistress. You must be looking into her
face, to see if she is really faint, or if you can perceive
signs of mending. You must look very anxious."
But Nora looked very cross; and as Jane persisted in giggling,
the success of that picture was not quite excellent this time.
"Nora is the most like a Jewess —" Theresa remarked.
"Oh, Nora will make a very good maid of honour by and by,"
Mrs. Sandford replied.
But Nora had her own thoughts.
"Daisy, how shall I be dressed?" she inquired, when Daisy was
disrobed of her magnificence and at leisure to talk.
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