Why should Nora have the
best place, if it was the best? She was not pleased with her.
The next picture was Marie Antoinette; and that drew down the
house. Frederica Fish had nothing to do but to stand as she
was put, and Mrs. Sandford had seen to it that she stood
right; another person might have done more in the picture, but
that was all that could be got from Frederica. Her face was
coldly impassive; she could come no nearer to the expression
of the indignant queen. But Preston's old woman, and Theresa's
pretty young French girl; one looking as he had said, with
eyes of coarse fury, the other all melting with tenderness and
reverent sympathy; they were so excellent that the company
were delighted. Frederica's handkerchief, it is true, hung
daintily in her fingers, showing all the four embroidered
corners; Mrs. Sandford had not seen it till it was just too
late; and Preston declared afterwards the "fury" in his face
was real and not feigned as he glared at her. But the company
overlooked the handkerchief in favour of the other parts of
the picture; and its success was perfect.
"Alfred in the neat-herd's cottage" followed next, and would
have been as good; only that Nora, whose business it was to
blow her cheeks into a full moon condition over the burnt
cakes, would not keep her gravity; but the full cheeks gave
way every now and then in a broad grin which quite destroyed
the effect.
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