Читать книгу Three Bright Girls. A Story of Chance and Mischance онлайн

34 страница из 49

"Why, the 'old woman' who lived in a shoe, to be sure. Honor and I have talked it all over, and if we dress you up in one of nurse's gowns, with an apron and cap, you will look lovely!"

"Upon my word, I feel highly complimented. I hope I shall not be considered inquisitive if I ask whether this old woman was considered handsome or not? By the by," adds the colonel with a crestfallen look, and stroking his moustache, "how shall I dispose of this commodity? You will never be so despotic as to command me to cut it off, will you?"

Both the girls cry simultaneously "Oh, no, of course not!" and Hugh adds reassuringly, "Oh, that's nothing; you can flatten it down easily with a little cosmetic, and it won't show at all if you powder your face after."

"Very well, then. I will undertake to promise anything in that line if one of you girls will consent to be in my custody with a view to receiving the first whipping. Really," adds the colonel laughing, "I don't think the picture will be half bad if there are plenty of children forthcoming and the shoe is well managed. What are your plans concerning it, Hugh?" and the two proceed to enter into a deep discussion relative to the height, depth, and width thereof, when suddenly Honor and Doris are electrified by the sight of Molly entering the room, arrayed in a white frock matching that which Honor wears. Molly has a roll of music under her arm, and with the greatest self-possession in the world she marches up to the grand piano and lays it down. She then stands as if awaiting further orders, with flushed face, bright sparkling eyes, and hair tumbling over her forehead and ears and curling down upon her neck in rather wild but pretty confusion.