Armed with another plate, William rubbed his own
finger first on the under side of the plate, and then, after some
passes and flourishes, on his own forehead, entirely without effect
so far as he himself was concerned; but his victim, standing meekly
good-natured and unconscious, was seen by the ecstatic audience to
be, at each pass, painting his own face with the soot from a flame
over which his plate had been previously held. The shrieks of
amusement redoubled at the perplexity they occasioned him, till they
penetrated the upper rooms: and suddenly a cry of horror made all
turn to the door and see a little white bare-footed figure standing
there, transfixed with fright, which increased tenfold when Felix
hurried towards it, not yet aware of the condition of his visage,
until a universal shout warned him of it; while Lance, darting in
pursuit, picked up Bernard, and by his wonderful caressing arts, and
partly by his special gift of coaxing, partly as the object of the
little fellow's most fervent adoration, made the scattered senses
take in that it was 'all play,' and even carried back the little
white bundle, heart throbbing and eyes staring, but still secure in
his arms, to admire Felix all black, and then to be further relieved
by beholding the restoration of the natural hue at the pump below
stairs.
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