little lord fauntleroy-第8部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





certainly　disliked　him。　　In　spite　of　all　his　splendor；　there　was



never　a　more　unpopular　old　nobleman　than　the　Earl　of　Dorincourt；



and　there　could　scarcely　have　been　a　more　lonely　one。　　He　could



fill　his　castle　with　guests　if　he　chose。　　He　could　give　great



dinners　and　splendid　hunting　parties；　but　he　knew　that　in　secret



the　people　who　would　accept　his　invitations　were　afraid　of　his



frowning　old　face　and　sarcastic；　biting　speeches。　　He　had　a　cruel



tongue　and　a　bitter　nature；　and　he　took　pleasure　in　sneering　at



people　and　making　them　feel　uncomfortable；　when　he　had　the　power



to　do　so；　because　they　were　sensitive　or　proud　or　timid。







Mr。　Havisham　knew　his　hard；　fierce　ways　by　heart；　and　he　was



thinking　of　him　as　he　looked　out　of　the　window　into　the　narrow；



quiet　street。　　And　there　rose　in　his　mind；　in　sharp　contrast；　the



picture　of　the　cheery；　handsome　little　fellow　sitting　in　the　big



chair　and　telling　his　story　of　his　friends；　Dick　and　the



apple…woman；　in　his　generous；　innocent；　honest　way。　　And　he



thought　of　the　immense　income；　the　beautiful；　majestic　estates；



the　wealth；　and　power　for　good　or　evil；　which　in　the　course　of



time　would　lie　in　the　small；　chubby　hands　little　Lord　Fauntleroy



thrust　so　deep　into　his　pockets。







〃It　will　make　a　great　difference；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃It



will　make　a　great　difference。〃







Cedric　and　his　mother　came　back　soon　after。　　Cedric　was　in　high



spirits。　　He　sat　down　in　his　own　chair；　between　his　mother　and



the　lawyer；　and　fell　into　one　of　his　quaint　attitudes；　with　his



hands　on　his　knees。　　He　was　glowing　with　enjoyment　of　Bridget's



relief　and　rapture。







〃She　cried！〃　he　said。　　〃She　said　she　was　crying　for　joy！　　I



never　saw　any　one　cry　for　joy　before。　　My　grandpapa　must　be　a



very　good　man。　　I　didn't　know　he　was　so　good　a　man。　　It's



moremore　agreeabler　to　be　an　earl　than　I　thought　it　was。　　I'm



almost　gladI'm　almost　QUITE　glad　I'm　going　to　be　one。〃















III







Cedric's　good　opinion　of　the　advantages　of　being　an　earl



increased　greatly　during　the　next　week。　　It　seemed　almost



impossible　for　him　to　realize　that　there　was　scarcely　anything　he



might　wish　to　do　which　he　could　not　do　easily；　in　fact；　I　think



it　may　be　said　that　he　did　not　fully　realize　it　at　all。　　But　at



least　he　understood；　after　a　few　conversations　with　Mr。　Havisham；



that　he　could　gratify　all　his　nearest　wishes；　and　he　proceeded　to



gratify　them　with　a　simplicity　and　delight　which　caused　Mr。



Havisham　much　diversion。　　In　the　week　before　they　sailed　for



England　he　did　many　curious　things。　　The　lawyer　long　after



remembered　the　morning　they　went　down…town　together　to　pay　a



visit　to　Dick；　and　the　afternoon　they　so　amazed　the　apple…woman



of　ancient　lineage　by　stopping　before　her　stall　and　telling　her



she　was　to　have　a　tent；　and　a　stove；　and　a　shawl；　and　a　sum　of



money　which　seemed　to　her　quite　wonderful。







〃For　I　have　to　go　to　England　and　be　a　lord；〃　explained　Cedric；



sweet…temperedly。　　〃And　I　shouldn't　like　to　have　your　bones　on



my　mind　every　time　it　rained。　　My　own　bones　never　hurt；　so　I



think　I　don't　know　how　painful　a　person's　bones　can　be；　but　I've



sympathized　with　you　a　great　deal；　and　I　hope　you'll　be　better。〃







〃She's　a　very　good　apple…woman；〃　he　said　to　Mr。　Havisham；　as



they　walked　away；　leaving　the　proprietress　of　the　stall　almost



gasping　for　breath；　and　not　at　all　believing　in　her　great



fortune。　　〃Once；　when　I　fell　down　and　cut　my　knee；　she　gave　me



an　apple　for　nothing。　　I've　always　remembered　her　for　it。　　You



know　you　always　remember　people　who　are　kind　to　you。〃







It　had　never　occurred　to　his　honest；　simple　little　mind　that



there　were　people　who　could　forget　kindnesses。







The　interview　with　Dick　was　quite　exciting。　　Dick　had　just　been



having　a　great　deal　of　trouble　with　Jake；　and　was　in　low　spirits



when　they　saw　him。　　His　amazement　when　Cedric　calmly　announced



that　they　had　come　to　give　him　what　seemed　a　very　great　thing　to



him；　and　would　set　all　his　troubles　right；　almost　struck　him



dumb。　　Lord　Fauntleroy's　manner　of　announcing　the　object　of　his



visit　was　very　simple　and　unceremonious。　　Mr。　Havisham　was　much



impressed　by　its　directness　as　he　stood　by　and　listened。　　The



statement　that　his　old　friend　had　become　a　lord；　and　was　in



danger　of　being　an　earl　if　he　lived　long　enough；　caused　Dick　to



so　open　his　eyes　and　mouth；　and　start；　that　his　cap　fell　off。　



When　he　picked　it　up；　he　uttered　a　rather　singular　exclamation。　



Mr。　Havisham　thought　it　singular；　but　Cedric　had　heard　it　before。







〃I　soy！〃　he　said；　〃what're　yer　givin'　us？〃　This　plainly



embarrassed　his　lordship　a　little；　but　he　bore　himself　bravely。







〃Everybody　thinks　it　not　true　at　first；〃　he　said。　　〃Mr。　Hobbs



thought　I'd　had　a　sunstroke。　　I　didn't　think　I　was　going　to　like



it　myself；　but　I　like　it　better　now　I'm　used　to　it。　　The　one　who



is　the　earl　now；　he's　my　grandpapa；　and　he　wants　me　to　do



anything　I　like。　　He's　very　kind；　if　he　IS　an　earl；　and　he　sent



me　a　lot　of　money　by　Mr。　Havisham；　and　I've　brought　some　to　you



to　buy　Jake　out。〃







And　the　end　of　the　matter　was　that　Dick　actually　bought　Jake　out；



and　found　himself　the　possessor　of　the　business　and　some　new



brushes　and　a　most　astonishing　sign　and　outfit。　　He　could　not



believe　in　his　good　luck　any　more　easily　than　the　apple…woman　of



ancient　lineage　could　believe　in　hers；　he　walked　about　like　a



boot…black　in　a　dream；　he　stared　at　his　young　benefactor　and　felt



as　if　he　might　wake　up　at　any　moment。　　He　scarcely　seemed　to



realize　anything　until　Cedric　put　out　his　hand　to　shake　hands



with　him　before　going　away。







〃Well；　good…bye；〃　he　said；　and　though　he　tried　to　speak



steadily；　there　was　a　little　tremble　in　his　voice　and　he　winked



his　big　brown　eyes。　　〃And　I　hope　trade'll　be　good。　　I'm　sorry



I'm　going　away　to　leave　you；　but　perhaps　I　shall　come　back　again



when　I'm　an　earl。　　And　I　wish　you'd　write　to　me；　because　we　were



always　good　friends。　　And　if　you　write　to　me；　here's　where　you



must　send　your　letter。〃　And　he　gave　him　a　slip　of　paper。　　〃And



my　name　isn't　Cedric　Errol　any　more；　it's　Lord　Fauntleroy



andand　good…bye；　Dick。〃







Dick　winked　his　eyes　also；　and　yet　they　looked　rather　moist　about



the　lashes。　　He　was　not　an　educated　boot…black；　and　he　would　have



found　it　difficult　to　tell　what　he　felt　just　then　if　he　had



tried；　perhaps　that　was　why　he　didn't　try；　and　only　winked　his



eyes　and　swallowed　a　lump　in　his　throat。







〃I　wish　ye　wasn't　goin'　away；〃　he　said　in　a　husky　voice。　　Then



he　winked　his　eyes　again。　　Then　he　looked　at　Mr。　Havisham；　and



touched　his　cap。　　〃Thanky；　sir；　fur　bringin'　him　down　here　an'



fur　wot　ye've　done；　He'she's　a　queer　little　feller；〃　he　added。　



〃I've　allers　thort　a　heap　of　him。　　He's　such　a　game　little



feller；　an'an'　such　a　queer　little　un。〃







And　when　they　turned　away　he　stood　and　looked　after　them　in　a



dazed　kind　of　way；　and　there　was　still　a　mist　in　his　eyes；　and　a



lump　in　his　throat；　as　he　watched　the　gallant　little　figure



marching　gayly　along　by　the　side　of　its　tall；　rigid　escort。







Until　the　day　of　his　departure；　his　lordship　spent　as　much　time



as　possible　with　Mr。　Hobbs　in　the　store。　　Gloom　had　settled　upon



Mr。　Hobbs；　he　was　much　depressed　in　spirits。　　When　his　young



friend　brought　to　him　in　triumph　the　parting　gift　of　a　gold　watch



and　chain；　Mr。　Hobbs　found　it　difficult　to　acknowledge　it



properly。　　He　laid　the　case　on　his　stout　knee；　and　blew　his　nose



violently　several　times。







〃There's　something　written　on　it；〃　said　Cedric；〃inside　the



case。　　I　told　the　man　myself　what　to　say。　　‘From　his　oldest



friend；　Lord　Fauntleroy；　to　Mr。　Hobbs。　　When　this　you　see；



remember　me。'　I　don't　want　you　to　forget　me。〃







Mr。　Hobbs　blew　his　nose　very　loudly　again。







〃I　sha'n't　forget　you；〃　he　said；　speaking　a　trifle　huskily；　as



Dick　had　spoken；　〃nor　don't　you　go　and　forget　me　when　you　get



among　the　British　arrystocracy。〃







〃I　shouldn't　forget　you；　whoever　I　was　among；〃　answered　his



lordship。　　〃I've　spent　my　happiest　hours　with　you；　at　least；



some　of　my　happiest　hours。　　I　hope　you'll　come　to　see　me



sometime。　　I'm　sure　my　grandpapa　would　be　very　much　pleased。　



Perhaps　he'll　write　and　ask　you；　when　I　tell　him　about　you。　



Youyou　wouldn't　mind　his　being　an　earl；　would　you；　I　mean　you



wouldn't　stay　away　just　because　he　was　one；　if　he　invited　you　to



come？〃







〃I'd　come　to　see　you；〃　replied　Mr。　Hobbs；　graciously。







So　it　seemed　to　be　agreed　that　if　he　received　a　pressing



invitation　from　the　earl　to　come　and　spend　a　few　months　at



Dorincourt　Castle；　he　was　to　lay　aside　his　republican　prejudices



and　pack　his　valise　at　once。







At　last　all　the　preparations　were　complete；　the　day　came　when　the



trunks　were　taken　to　the　steamer；　and　the　hour　arrived　when　the



carriage　stood　at　the　door。　　Then　a　curious　feeling　of　loneliness



came　upon　the　little　boy。　　His　mamma　had　been　shut　up　in　her　room



for　some　time；　when　she　came　down　the　stairs；　her　eyes　looked



large　and　wet；　and　her　sweet　mouth　was　trembling。　　Cedric　went　to



her；　and　she　bent　down　to　him；　and　he　put　his　arms　around　her；



and　they　kissed　each　other。　　He　knew　something　made　them　both



sorry；　though　he　scarcely　knew　what　it　was；　but　one　tender　little



thought　rose　to　his　lips。







〃We