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Little Lord Fauntleroy Chapter 8 · The Frances Hodgson Burnett Library

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Speaker 1: CHAPTER VIII. Lord Dorincourt had occasion to wear his grim
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Speaker 1: smile many a time as the days passed by. Indeed,
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Speaker 1: as his acquaintance with his grandson progressed, he wore the
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Speaker 1: smile so often that there were moments when it almost
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Speaker 1: lost its grimness. There is no denying that before Lord
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy had appeared on the scene, the old man had
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Speaker 1: been growing very tired of his loneliness and his gout
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Speaker 1: and his seventy years. After so long a life of
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Speaker 1: excitement and amusement, It was not agreeable to sit alone,
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Speaker 1: even in the most splendid room, with one foot on
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Speaker 1: a gout stool, and with no other diversion than flying
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Speaker 1: into a rage, and shouting at a frightened footman who
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Speaker 1: hated the sight of him. The old earl was too
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Speaker 1: clever a man not to know perfectly well that his
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Speaker 1: servants detested him, and that, even if he had visitors,
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Speaker 1: they did not come for love of him. The sum
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Speaker 1: found a sort of amusement in his sharp, sarcastic talk,
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Speaker 1: which spared no one. So long as he had been
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Speaker 1: strong and well, he had gone from one place to another,
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Speaker 1: pretending to amuse himself, though he had not really enjoyed it.
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Speaker 1: And when his health began to fail, he felt tired
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Speaker 1: of everything, and shut himself up at Dorincourt, with his
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Speaker 1: gout and his newspapers and his books. But he could
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Speaker 1: not read all the time, and he became more and
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Speaker 1: more bored, as he called it. He hated the long
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Speaker 1: nights and days. and he grew more and more savage
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Speaker 1: and irritable. And then Fauntleroy came, and when the earl
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Speaker 1: saw him, fortunately for the little fellow, the secret pride
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Speaker 1: of the grandfather was gratified at the outset. If Cedric
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Speaker 1: had been a less handsome little fellow, the old man
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Speaker 1: might have taken so strong a dislike to him that
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Speaker 1: he would not have given himself the chance to see
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Speaker 1: his grandson's finer qualities. but he chose to think that
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Speaker 1: Cedric's beauty and fearless spirit were the results of the
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Speaker 1: Dorincourt blood, and a credit to the Dorincourt rank. And
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Speaker 1: then when he heard the lad talk, and saw what
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Speaker 1: a well-bred little fellow he was, notwithstanding his boyish ignorance
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Speaker 1: of all that his new position meant, the old Earl
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Speaker 1: liked his grandson more, and actually began to find himself
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Speaker 1: rather entertained. It had amused him to give into those
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Speaker 1: childish hands the power to bestow a benefit on poor Higgins.
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Speaker 1: My lord cared nothing for poor Higgins, but it pleased
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Speaker 1: him a little to think that his grandson would be
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Speaker 1: talked about by the country people and would begin to
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Speaker 1: be popular with the tenantry, even in his childhood. Then
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Speaker 1: it had gratified him to drive to church with Cedric
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Speaker 1: and to see the excitement and interest caused by the arrival.
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Speaker 1: He knew how people would speak of the beauty of
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Speaker 1: the little lad. of his fine, strong, straight body, of
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Speaker 1: his erect bearing, his handsome face, and his bright hair,
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Speaker 1: and how they would say, as the earl had heard
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Speaker 1: one woman exclaim to another, that the boy was every
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Speaker 1: inch a lord. My lord of Dorincourt was an arrogant
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Speaker 1: old man, proud of his name, proud of his rank,
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Speaker 1: and therefore proud to show the world that at last
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Speaker 1: the house of Dorincourt had an heir who was worthy
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Speaker 1: of the position he was to fill. The morning the
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Speaker 1: new pony had been tried, the Earl had been so
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Speaker 1: pleased that he had almost forgotten his gout. When the
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Speaker 1: groom had brought out the pretty creature, which arched its brown,
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Speaker 1: glossy neck and tossed its fine head in the sun,
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Speaker 1: the Earl had sat at the open window of the
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Speaker 1: library and had looked on while Fauntleroy took his first
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Speaker 1: riding lesson. He wondered if the boy would show signs
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Speaker 1: of timidity. It was not a very small pony, and
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Speaker 1: he had often seen children lose courage in making their
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Speaker 1: first essay at riding. Fauntleroy mounted in great delight. He
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Speaker 1: had never been on a pony before, and he was
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Speaker 1: in the highest spirits. Wilkins, the groom, led the animal
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Speaker 1: by the bridle up and down before the library window.
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Speaker 1: He's a well-plucked'un he is, Wilkins remarked in the stable
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Speaker 1: afterward with many grins. It weren't no trouble to put
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Speaker 1: him up, and an old'un wouldn't have sat any straighter
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Speaker 1: when he were up. He says, says he to me, Wilkins,
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Speaker 1: he said, am i sitting up straight they sit up
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Speaker 1: straight at the circus says he and i says as
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Speaker 1: straight as a error your lordship and he laughs as
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Speaker 1: pleased as could be and he says that's right he
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Speaker 1: says you tell me if i don't sit up straight
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Speaker 1: wilkins but sitting up straight and being led at a
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Speaker 1: walk were not altogether and completely satisfactory after a few
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Speaker 1: minutes fauntleroy spoke to his grandfather watching him from the
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Speaker 1: window Can't I go by myself? he asked. And can't
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Speaker 1: I go faster? The boy on Fifth Avenue used to
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Speaker 1: trot and canter. Do you think you could trot and canter?
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Speaker 1: said the earl. I should like to try, answered Fauntleroy.
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Speaker 1: His lordship made a sign to Wilkins, who at the
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Speaker 1: signal brought up his own horse and mounted it, and
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Speaker 1: took Fauntleroy's pony by the leading rein. Now, said the earl,
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Speaker 1: let him trot. The next few minutes were rather exciting
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Speaker 1: to the small equestrian. He found that trotting was not
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Speaker 1: so easy as walking, and the faster the pony trotted,
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Speaker 1: the less easy it was. It jolts a good deal,
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Speaker 1: doesn't it? he said to Wilkins. Does it jolt you? No,
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Speaker 1: my lord, answered Wilkins. You'll get used to it in time.
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Speaker 1: Rise in your stirrups. I'm rising all the time. said Fauntleroy.
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Speaker 1: He was both rising and falling rather uncomfortably, and with
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Speaker 1: many shakes and bounces. He was out of breath and
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Speaker 1: his face grew red, but he held on with all
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Speaker 1: his might and sat as straight as he could. The
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Speaker 1: earl could see that from his window. When the riders
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Speaker 1: came back within speaking distance, after they had been hidden
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Speaker 1: by the trees a few minutes, Fauntleroy's hat was off,
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Speaker 1: his cheeks were like poppies, and his lips were set,
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Speaker 1: but he was still trotting manfully. Stop a minute, said
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Speaker 1: his grandfather. Where's your hat? Wilkins touched his. It fell off,
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Speaker 1: your lordship, he said, with evident enjoyment. Wouldn't let me
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Speaker 1: stop to pick it up, my lord. Not much afraid,
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Speaker 1: is he? asked the earl dryly. Him, your lordship, exclaimed Wilkins.
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Speaker 1: I shouldn't say as he knowed what it meant. I've
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Speaker 1: taught young gentlemen to ride a four. and I never
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Speaker 1: see one stick on more determined her. Tired, said the
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Speaker 1: Earl to Fauntleroy. Want to get off? It jolts you
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Speaker 1: more than you think it will, admitted his young lordship frankly,
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Speaker 1: and it tires you a little too, but I don't
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Speaker 1: want to get off. I want to learn how. As
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Speaker 1: soon as I've got my breath, I want to go
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Speaker 1: back for the hat. The cleverest person in the world,
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Speaker 1: if he had undertaken to teach Fauntleroy how to please
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Speaker 1: the old man who watched him, could not have taught
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Speaker 1: him anything which would have succeeded better. As the pony
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Speaker 1: trotted off again toward the avenue, a faint color crept
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Speaker 1: up in the fierce old face, and the eyes, under
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Speaker 1: the shaggy brows, gleamed with a pleasure such as his
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Speaker 1: lordship had scarcely expected to know again. And he sat
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Speaker 1: and watched quite eagerly until the sound of the horse's
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Speaker 1: hoofs returned. When they did come, which was after some time,
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Speaker 1: they came at a faster pace. Fauntleroy's hat was still off.
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Speaker 1: Wilkins was carrying it for him. His cheeks were redder
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Speaker 1: than before, and his hair was flying about his ears,
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Speaker 1: but he came at quite a brisk canter. There, he
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Speaker 1: panted as they drew up. I cantered. I didn't do
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Speaker 1: it as well as the boy on Fifth Avenue, but
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Speaker 1: I did it, and I stayed on. He and Wilkins
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Speaker 1: and the pony were close friends after that, Scarcely a
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Speaker 1: day passed in which the country people did not see
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Speaker 1: them out together, cantering gaily on the high road or
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Speaker 1: through the green lanes. The children in the cottages would
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Speaker 1: run to the door to look at the proud little
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Speaker 1: brown pony with the gallant little figure sitting so straight
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Speaker 1: in the saddle, and the young lord would snatch off
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Speaker 1: his cap and swing it at them and shout, Hello!
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Speaker 1: Good morning! in a very unlordly manner, though with great hardiness.
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Speaker 1: Sometimes he would stop and talk with the children, and
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Speaker 1: once Wilkins came back to the castle with a story
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Speaker 1: of how Fauntleroy had insisted on dismounting near the village
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Speaker 1: school so that a boy who was lame and tired
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Speaker 1: might ride home on his pony. And I'm blessed, said
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Speaker 1: Wilkins in telling the story at the stables. I'm blessed
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Speaker 1: if he'd hear of anything else. He wouldn't let me
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Speaker 1: get down because he said the boy mightn't feel comfortable
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Speaker 1: on a big horse, and says he, wilkins says he
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Speaker 1: that boy's lame and i'm not and i want to
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Speaker 1: talk to him too and up the lad has to
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Speaker 1: get and my lord trudges alongside of him with his
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Speaker 1: hands in his pockets and his cap on the back
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Speaker 1: of his head, a-whistling and talking as easy as you please.
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Speaker 1: And when we come to the cottage, and the boy's
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Speaker 1: mother come out all in a-taking to see what's up,
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Speaker 1: he whips off his cap and says he, I've brought
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Speaker 1: your son home, ma'am, says he, because his leg hurt him.
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Speaker 1: and I don't think that stick is enough for him
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Speaker 1: to lean on, and I'm going to ask my grandfather
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Speaker 1: to have a pair of crutches made for him. And
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Speaker 1: I'm blessed if the woman wasn't struck all of a heap,
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Speaker 1: as well she might be. I thought I should have
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Speaker 1: exploded myself. When the Earl heard the story, he was
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Speaker 1: not angry, as Wilkins had been half afraid that he
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Speaker 1: would be. On the contrary, he laughed outright, and called
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy up to him, and made him tell all about
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Speaker 1: the matter from beginning to end, and then he laughed again.
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Speaker 1: And actually, a few days later, the Dorincourt carriage stopped
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Speaker 1: in the green lane before the cottage where the lame
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Speaker 1: boy lived, and Fauntleroy jumped out and walked up to
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Speaker 1: the door, carrying a pair of strong, light, new crutches,
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Speaker 1: shouldered like a gun, and presented them to Mrs. Hartle,
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Speaker 1: the lame boy's name was Hartle, with these words, My
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Speaker 1: grandfather's compliments, and if you please, these are for your boy,
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Speaker 1: and we hope he will get better. I said your compliments,
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Speaker 1: he explained to the Earl when he returned to the carriage.
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Speaker 1: You didn't tell me to, but I thought perhaps you forgot.
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Speaker 1: That was right, wasn't it? And the Earl laughed again,
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Speaker 1: and did not say it was not. In fact, the
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Speaker 1: two were becoming more intimate every day. and every day
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy's faith in his lordship's benevolence and virtue increased. He
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Speaker 1: had no doubt whatever that his grandfather was the most
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Speaker 1: amiable and generous of elderly gentlemen. Certainly he himself found
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Speaker 1: his wishes gratified almost before they were uttered, and such
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Speaker 1: gifts and pleasures were lavished upon him that he was
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Speaker 1: sometimes almost bewildered by his own possessions. Apparently he was
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Speaker 1: to have everything he wanted, and to do everything he
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Speaker 1: wished to do, and though this certainly would not have
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Speaker 1: been a very wise plan to pursue with all small boys,
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Speaker 1: his young lordship bore it amazingly well. Perhaps notwithstanding his
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Speaker 1: sweet nature, he might have been somewhat spoiled by it
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Speaker 1: if it had not been for the hours he spent
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Speaker 1: with his mother at Court Lodge. That best friend of
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Speaker 1: his watched over him ever closely and tenderly. The two
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Speaker 1: had many long talks together, and he never went back
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Speaker 1: to the castle with her kisses on his cheeks, without
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Speaker 1: carrying in his heart some simple pure words worth remembering.
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Speaker 1: There was one thing, it is true, which puzzled the
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Speaker 1: little fellow very much. He thought over the mystery of
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Speaker 1: it much oftener than any one supposed. Even his mother
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Speaker 1: did not know how often he pondered on it. The Earl,
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Speaker 1: for a long time, never suspected that he did so
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Speaker 1: at all. But being quick to observe, the little boy
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Speaker 1: could not help wondering why it was that his mother
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Speaker 1: and grandfather never seemed to meet. He had noticed that
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Speaker 1: they never did meet. When the Dorincourt carriage stopped at
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Speaker 1: Court Lodge, the earl never alighted, and on the rare
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Speaker 1: occasions of his lordship's going to church, Fauntleroy was always
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Speaker 1: left to speak to his mother in the porch alone,
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Speaker 1: or perhaps to go home with her. And yet, every day,
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Speaker 1: fruit and flowers were sent to Court Lodge from the
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Speaker 1: hothouses at the castle. But the one virtuous action of
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Speaker 1: the earls which had set him upon the pinnacle of
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Speaker 1: perfection in Cedric's eyes was what he had done soon
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Speaker 1: after that first Sunday when Mrs. Earle had walked home
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Speaker 1: from church unattended. About a week later, when Cedric was
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Speaker 1: going one day to visit his mother, he found at
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Speaker 1: the door, instead of the large carriage and prancing pair,
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Speaker 1: a pretty little brougham and a handsome bay horse. This
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Speaker 1: is a present from you to your mother, the earl
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Speaker 1: said abruptly. She cannot go walking about the country. She
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Speaker 1: needs a carriage. The man who drives will take charge
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Speaker 1: of it. It is a present from you. Fauntleroy's delight
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Speaker 1: could but feebly express itself. He could scarcely contain himself
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Speaker 1: until he reached the lodge. His mother was gathering roses
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Speaker 1: in the garden. He flung himself out of the little
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Speaker 1: brougham and flew to her. Dearest, he cried, could you
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Speaker 1: believe it? This is yours! He says it is a
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Speaker 1: present from me. It is your own carriage to drive
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Speaker 1: everywhere in. He was so happy that she did not
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Speaker 1: know what to say. She could not have borne to
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Speaker 1: spoil his pleasure by refusing to accept the gift, even
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Speaker 1: though it came from the man who chose to consider
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Speaker 1: himself her enemy. She was obliged to step into the carriage,
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Speaker 1: roses and all, and let herself be taken to drive,
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Speaker 1: while Fauntleroy told her stories of his grandfather's goodness and amiability.
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Speaker 1: They were such innocent stories that sometimes she could not
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Speaker 1: help laughing a little, and then she would draw her
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Speaker 1: little boy closer to her side and kiss him, feeling
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Speaker 1: glad that he could see only good in the old man,
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Speaker 1: who had so few friends. The very next day after that,
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy wrote to Mr. Hobbs. He wrote quite a long letter,
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Speaker 1: and after the first copy was written, he brought it
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Speaker 1: to his grandfather to be inspected. Because, he said, it's
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Speaker 1: so uncertain about the spelling. and if you tell me
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Speaker 1: the mistakes, I'll write it out again. This is what
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Speaker 1: he had written. My dear Mr. Hobbs, I want to
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Speaker 1: tell you about my grandfather. He is the best earl
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Speaker 1: you ever knew. It is a mistake about earls being tyrants.
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Speaker 1: He is not a tyrant at all. I wish you
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Speaker 1: knew him. You would be good friends. I am sure
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Speaker 1: you would. He has gout in his foot and is
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Speaker 1: a great sufferer, but he is so patient and i
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Speaker 1: love him more every day because no one could help
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Speaker 1: loving an earl like that who is kind to everyone
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Speaker 1: in this world i wish you could talk to him
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Speaker 1: he knows everything in the world you can ask him
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Speaker 1: any question but he has never played baseball he has
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Speaker 1: given me a pony and a cart and my mamma
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Speaker 1: has a beautiful carriage and i have three rooms and
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Speaker 1: toys of all kinds it would surprise you you would
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Speaker 1: like the castle and the park it is such a
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Speaker 1: large castle You could lose yourself, Wilkins tells me. Wilkins
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Speaker 1: is my groom. He says there is a dungeon under
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Speaker 1: the castle. It is so pretty everything in the park
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Speaker 1: would surprise you. There are such big trees and there
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Speaker 1: are deers and rabbits and games flying about in the cover.
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Speaker 1: My grandfather is very rich, but he is not proud
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Speaker 1: and orty as you thought earls always were. I like
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Speaker 1: to be with him. The people are so polite and kind.
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Speaker 1: They take off their hats to you. and the women
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Speaker 1: make curtsies and sometimes say, God bless you. I can
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Speaker 1: ride now, but at first it shook me when I trotted.
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Speaker 1: My grandfather let a poor man stay on his farm
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Speaker 1: when he could not pay his rent, and Mrs. Mellon
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Speaker 1: went to take wine and things to his sick children.
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Speaker 1: I should like to see you, and I wish dearest
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Speaker 1: could live at the castle, but I am very happy
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Speaker 1: when I don't miss her too much, and I love
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Speaker 1: my grandfather. Everyone does. Please write soon. your affectionate old
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Speaker 1: friend Cedric Errol. P.S. No one is in the dungeon.
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Speaker 1: My grandfather never had anyone languishing in there. P.S. He
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Speaker 1: is such a good Earl. He reminds me of you.
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Speaker 1: He is a universal favorite. Do you miss your mother
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Speaker 1: very much? asked the Earl when he had finished reading this. Yes,
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Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy. I miss her all the time. he went
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Speaker 1: and stood before the earl and put his hand on
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Speaker 1: his knee, looking up at him.' You don't miss her,
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Speaker 1: do you?' he said.' I don't know her,' answered his
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Speaker 1: lordship rather crustily.' I know that,' said Fauntleroy,' and that's
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Speaker 1: what makes me wonder.' She told me not to ask
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Speaker 1: you any questions, and I won't.' But sometimes I can't
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Speaker 1: help thinking, you know,' and it makes me all puzzled.'
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Speaker 1: But I'm not going to ask any questions.' AND WHEN
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Speaker 1: I MISS HER VERY MUCH, I GO AND LOOK OUT
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Speaker 1: MY WINDOW TO WHERE I SEE HER LIGHT SHINE FOR
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Speaker 1: ME EVERY NIGHT THROUGH AN OPEN PLACE IN THE TREES.
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Speaker 1: IT IS A LONG WAY OFF, BUT SHE PUTS IT
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Speaker 1: IN HER WINDOW AS SOON AS IT IS DARK, AND
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Speaker 1: I CAN SEE IT TWINKLE FAR AWAY, AND I KNOW
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Speaker 1: WHAT IT SAYS. WHAT DOES IT SAY? ASKED MY LORD.
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Speaker 1: IT SAYS, GOOD NIGHT. GOD KEEP YOU ALL THE NIGHT.
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Speaker 1: JUST WHAT SHE USED TO SAY WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER.
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Speaker 1: Every night she used to say that to me, and
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Speaker 1: every morning she said, God bless you all the day.
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Speaker 1: So you see, I am quite safe all the time. Quite,
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Speaker 1: I have no doubt, said his lordship dryly. And he
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Speaker 1: drew down his beetling brows and looked at the little
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Speaker 1: boy so fixedly and so long that Fauntleroy wondered what
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Speaker 1: he could be thinking of. End of chapter 8