little lord fauntleroy-第22部分

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and　that　even　if　he　had　visitors；　they　did　not　come　for　love　of



himthough　some　found　a　sort　of　amusement　in　his　sharp；



sarcastic　talk；　which　spared　no　one。　　So　long　as　he　had　been



strong　and　well；　he　had　gone　from　one　place　to　another；



pretending　to　amuse　himself；　though　he　had　not　really　enjoyed　it；



and　when　his　health　began　to　fail；　he　felt　tired　of　everything



and　shut　himself　up　at　Dorincourt；　with　his　gout　and　his



newspapers　and　his　books。　　But　he　could　not　read　all　the　time；



and　he　became　more　and　more　〃bored；〃　as　he　called　it。　　He　hated



the　long　nights　and　days；　and　he　grew　more　and　more　savage　and



irritable。　　And　then　Fauntleroy　came；　and　when　the　Earl　saw　him；



fortunately　for　the　little　fellow；　the　secret　pride　of　the



grandfather　was　gratified　at　the　outset。　　If　Cedric　had　been　a



less　handsome　little　fellow；　the　old　man　might　have　taken　so



strong　a　dislike　to　him　that　he　would　not　have　given　himself　the



chance　to　see　his　grandson's　finer　qualities。　　But　he　chose　to



think　that　Cedric's　beauty　and　fearless　spirit　were　the　results



of　the　Dorincourt　blood　and　a　credit　to　the　Dorincourt　rank。　　And



then　when　he　heard　the　lad　talk；　and　saw　what　a　well…bred　little



fellow　he　was；　notwithstanding　his　boyish　ignorance　of　all　that



his　new　position　meant；　the　old　Earl　liked　his　grandson　more；　and



actually　began　to　find　himself　rather　entertained。　　It　had　amused



him　to　give　into　those　childish　hands　the　power　to　bestow　a



benefit　on　poor　Higgins。　　My　lord　cared　nothing　for　poor　Higgins；



but　it　pleased　him　a　little　to　think　that　his　grandson　would　be



talked　about　by　the　country　people　and　would　begin　to　be　popular



with　the　tenantry；　even　in　his　childhood。　　Then　it　had　gratified



him　to　drive　to　church　with　Cedric　and　to　see　the　excitement　and



interest　caused　by　the　arrival。　　He　knew　how　the　people　would



speak　of　the　beauty　of　the　little　lad；　of　his　fine；　strong；



straight　body；　of　his　erect　bearing；　his　handsome　face；　and　his



bright　hair；　and　how　they　would　say　（as　the　Earl　had　heard　one



woman　exclaim　to　another）　that　the　boy　was　〃every　inch　a　lord。〃



My　lord　of　Dorincourt　was　an　arrogant　old　man；　proud　of　his　name；



proud　of　his　rank；　and　therefore　proud　to　show　the　world　that　at



last　the　House　of　Dorincourt　had　an　heir　who　was　worthy　of　the



position　he　was　to　fill。







The　morning　the　new　pony　had　been　tried；　the　Earl　had　been　so



pleased　that　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　gout。　　When　the　groom



had　brought　out　the　pretty　creature；　which　arched　its　brown；



glossy　neck　and　tossed　its　fine　head　in　the　sun；　the　Earl　had　sat



at　the　open　window　of　the　library　and　had　looked　on　while



Fauntleroy　took　his　first　riding　lesson。　　He　wondered　if　the　boy



would　show　signs　of　timidity。　　It　was　not　a　very　small　pony；　and



he　had　often　seen　children　lose　courage　in　making　their　first



essay　at　riding。







Fauntleroy　mounted　in　great　delight。　　He　had　never　been　on　a　pony



before；　and　he　was　in　the　highest　spirits。　　Wilkins；　the　groom；



led　the　animal　by　the　bridle　up　and　down　before　the　library



window。







〃He's　a　well　plucked　un；　he　is；〃　Wilkins　remarked　in　the　stable



afterward　with　many　grins。　　〃It　weren't　no　trouble　to　put　HIM



up。　　An'　a　old　un　wouldn't　ha'　sat　any　straighter　when　he　WERE



up。　　He　sesses　he　to　me；　‘Wilkins；'　he　ses；　‘am　I　sitting　up



straight？　　They　sit　up　straight　at　the　circus；'　ses　he。　　An'　I



ses；　‘As　straight　as　a　arrer；　your　lordship！'an'　he　laughs；　as



pleased　as　could　be；　an'　he　ses；　‘That's　right；'　he　ses；　‘you



tell　me　if　I　don't　sit　up　straight；　Wilkins！'〃







But　sitting　up　straight　and　being　led　at　a　walk　were　not



altogether　and　completely　satisfactory。　　After　a　few　minutes；



Fauntleroy　spoke　to　his　grandfatherwatching　him　from　the



window：







〃Can't　I　go　by　myself？〃　he　asked；　〃and　can't　I　go　faster？　　The



boy　on　Fifth　Avenue　used　to　trot　and　canter！〃







〃Do　you　think　you　could　trot　and　canter？〃　said　the　Earl。







〃I　should　like　to　try；〃　answered　Fauntleroy。







His　lordship　made　a　sign　to　Wilkins；　who　at　the　signal　brought　up



his　own　horse　and　mounted　it　and　took　Fauntleroy's　pony　by　the



leading…rein。







〃Now；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃let　him　trot。〃







The　next　few　minutes　were　rather　exciting　to　the　small



equestrian。　　He　found　that　trotting　was　not　so　easy　as　walking；



and　the　faster　the　pony　trotted；　the　less　easy　it　was。







〃It　j…jolts　a　g…goo…good　dealdo…doesn't　it？〃　he　said　to



Wilkins。　　〃D…does　it　j…jolt　y…you？〃







〃No；　my　lord；〃　answered　Wilkins。　　〃You'll　get　used　to　it　in



time。　　Rise　in　your　stirrups。〃







〃I'm　ri…rising　all　the　t…time；〃　said　Fauntleroy。







He　was　both　rising　and　falling　rather　uncomfortably　and　with　many



shakes　and　bounces。　　He　was　out　of　breath　and　his　face　grew　red；



but　he　held　on　with　all　his　might；　and　sat　as　straight　as　he



could。　　The　Earl　could　see　that　from　his　window。　　When　the　riders



came　back　within　speaking　distance；　after　they　had　been　hidden　by



the　trees　a　few　minutes；　Fauntleroy's　hat　was　off；　his　cheeks



were　like　poppies；　and　his　lips　were　set；　but　he　was　still



trotting　manfully。







〃Stop　a　minute！〃　said　his　grandfather。　　〃Where's　your　hat？〃







Wilkins　touched　his。　　〃It　fell　off；　your　lordship；〃　he　said；



with　evident　enjoyment。　　〃Wouldn't　let　me　stop　to　pick　it　up；　my



lord。〃







〃Not　much　afraid；　is　he？〃　asked　the　Earl　dryly。







〃Him；　your　lordship！〃　exclaimed　Wilkins。　　〃I　shouldn't　say　as



he　knowed　what　it　meant。　　I've　taught　young　gen'lemen　to　ride



afore；　an'　I　never　see　one　stick　on　more　determinder。〃







〃Tired？〃　said　the　Earl　to　Fauntleroy。　　〃Want　to　get　off？〃







〃It　jolts　you　more　than　you　think　it　will；〃　admitted　his　young



lordship　frankly。　　〃And　it　tires　you　a　little；　too；　but　I　don't



want　to　get　off。　　I　want　to　learn　how。　　As　soon　as　I've　got　my



breath　I　want　to　go　back　for　the　hat。〃







The　cleverest　person　in　the　world；　if　he　had　undertaken　to　teach



Fauntleroy　how　to　please　the　old　man　who　watched　him；　could　not



have　taught　him　anything　which　would　have　succeeded　better。　　As



the　pony　trotted　off　again　toward　the　avenue；　a　faint　color　crept



up　in　the　fierce　old　face；　and　the　eyes；　under　the　shaggy　brows；



gleamed　with　a　pleasure　such　as　his　lordship　had　scarcely



expected　to　know　again。　　And　he　sat　and　watched　quite　eagerly



until　the　sound　of　the　horses'　hoofs　returned。　　When　they　did



come；　which　was　after　some　time；　they　came　at　a　faster　pace。　



Fauntleroy's　hat　was　still　off；　Wilkins　was　carrying　it　for　him；



his　cheeks　were　redder　than　before；　and　his　hair　was　flying　about



his　ears；　but　he　came　at　quite　a　brisk　canter。







〃There！〃　he　panted；　as　they　drew　up；　〃I　c…cantered。　　I　didn't



do　it　as　well　as　the　boy　on　Fifth　Avenue；　but　I　did　it；　and　I



staid　on！〃







He　and　Wilkins　and　the　pony　were　close　friends　after　that。　



Scarcely　a　day　passed　in　which　the　country　people　did　not　see



them　out　together；　cantering　gayly　on　the　highroad　or　through　the



green　lanes。　　The　children　in　the　cottages　would　run　to　the　door



to　look　at　the　proud　little　brown　pony　with　the　gallant　little



figure　sitting　so　straight　in　the　saddle；　and　the　young　lord



would　snatch　off　his　cap　and　swing　it　at　them；　and　shout；



〃Hullo！　　Good…morning！〃　in　a　very　unlordly　manner；　though　with



great　heartiness。　　Sometimes　he　would　stop　and　talk　with　the



children；　and　once　Wilkins　came　back　to　the　castle　with　a　story



of　how　Fauntleroy　had　insisted　on　dismounting　near　the　village



school；　so　that　a　boy　who　was　lame　and　tired　might　ride　home　on



his　pony。







〃An'　I'm　blessed；〃　said　Wilkins；　in　telling　the　story　at　the



stables；〃I'm　blessed　if　he'd　hear　of　anything　else！　　He　would



n't　let　me　get　down；　because　he　said　the　boy　mightn't　feel



comfortable　on　a　big　horse。　　An'　ses　he；　‘Wilkins；'　ses　he；　‘that



boy's　lame　and　I'm　not；　and　I　want　to　talk　to　him；　too。'　And　up



the　lad　has　to　get；　and　my　lord　trudges　alongside　of　him　with　his



hands　in　his　pockets；　and　his　cap　on　the　back　of　his　head；



a…whistling　and　talking　as　easy　as　you　please！　　And　when　we　come



to　the　cottage；　an'　the　boy's　mother　come　out　all　in　a　taking　to



see　what's　up；　he　whips　off　his　cap　an'　ses　he；　‘I've　brought



your　son　home；　ma'am；'　ses　he；　‘because　his　leg　hurt　him；　and　I



don't　think　that　stick　is　enough　for　him　to　lean　on；　and　I'm



going　to　ask　my　grandfather　to　have　a　pair　of　crutches　made　for



him。'　An'　I'm　blessed　if　the　woman　wasn't　struck　all　of　a　heap；



as　well　she　might　be！　　I　thought　I　should　'a'　hex…plodid；



myself！〃







When　the　Earl　heard　the　story　he　was　not　angry；　as　Wilkins　had



been　half　afraid　that　he　would　be；　on　the　contrary；　he　laughed



outright；　and　called　Fauntleroy　up　to　him；　and　made　him　tell　all



about　the　matter　from　beginning　to　end；　and　then　he　laughed



again。　　And　actually；　a　few　days　later；　the　Dorincourt　carriage



stopped　in　the　green　lane　before　the　cottage　where　the　lame　boy



lived；　and　Fauntleroy　jumped　out　and　walked　up　to　the　door；



carrying　a　pair　of　strong；　light；　new　crutches　shouldered　like　a



gun；　and　presented　them　to　Mrs。　Hartle　（the　lame　boy's　name　was



Hartle）　with　these　words：　〃My　grandfather's　compliments；　and　if



you　please；　these　are　for　your　boy；　and　we　hope　he　will　get



better。〃







〃I　said　your　compliments；〃　he　explained　to　the　Earl　when　he



returned　to　the　carriage。　　〃You