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Little Lord Fauntleroy Chapter 6 · The Frances Hodgson Burnett Library

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Speaker 1: CHAPTER VI. When Lord Fauntleroy wakened in the morning, he
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Speaker 1: had not wakened at all when he had been carried
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Speaker 1: to bed the night before, the first sounds he was
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Speaker 1: conscious of were the crackling of a wood fire and
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Speaker 1: the murmur of voices. You will be careful, Dawson, not
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Speaker 1: to say anything about it, he heard someone say. He
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Speaker 1: does not know why she is not to be with him,
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Speaker 1: and the reason is to be kept from him. If
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Speaker 1: them's his lordship's order, Mim, another voice answered, they'll have
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Speaker 1: to be kept, I suppose. But If you'll excuse the liberty, mem,
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Speaker 1: as it's between ourselves, servant or no servant, all I
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Speaker 1: have to say is, it's a cruel thing, parting that
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Speaker 1: poor pretty young widdered creature from her own flesh and blood,
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Speaker 1: and him such a little beauty, and a nobleman born.
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Speaker 1: James and Thomas, mem, last night in the servants' hall,
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Speaker 1: they both of them say, as they never seen anything
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Speaker 1: in their two lives, nor yet no other gentleman in livery,
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Speaker 1: like that little fellow's ways, as innocent and polite and
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Speaker 1: interested as if he'd been sitting there dining with his
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Speaker 1: best friend. And the temper of an angel, instead of one,
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Speaker 1: if you'll excuse me, mem, as it's well known, is
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Speaker 1: enough to curdle your blood in your veins at times.
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Speaker 1: And as to looks, mem, when we was rung for,
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Speaker 1: James and me, to go into the library and bring
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Speaker 1: him upstairs, and James lifted him up in his arms,'
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Speaker 1: what with his little innocent face all red and rosy,'
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Speaker 1: and his little head on James's shoulder,' and his hair
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Speaker 1: hanging down all curly and shining.' A prettier take in
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Speaker 1: her sight you'd never wish to see.' And it's my
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Speaker 1: opinion my lord wasn't blind to it neither,' for he
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Speaker 1: looked at him and he says to James,' See you
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Speaker 1: don't wake him,' he says.'' Cedric moved on his pillow
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Speaker 1: and turned over, opening his eyes.' There were two women
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Speaker 1: in the room. Everything was bright and cheerful with gay-flowered chintz.
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Speaker 1: There was a fire on the hearth, and the sunshine
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Speaker 1: was streaming in through the ivy-entwined windows. Both women came
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Speaker 1: toward him, and he saw that one of them was Mrs. Mellon,
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Speaker 1: the housekeeper, and the other a comfortable middle-aged woman with
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Speaker 1: a face as kind and good-humored as a face could be.'
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Speaker 1: Good morning, my lord,' said Mrs. Mellon.' Did you sleep well?'
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Speaker 1: His lordship rubbed his eyes and smiled. Good morning, he said.
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Speaker 1: I didn't know I was here. You were carried upstairs
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Speaker 1: when you were asleep, said the housekeeper. This is your bedroom,
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Speaker 1: and this is Dawson, who is to take care of you.
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Speaker 1: Fauntleroy sat up in bed and held out his hand
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Speaker 1: to Dawson as he had held it out to the earl.
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Speaker 1: How do you do, ma'am, he said. I'm much obliged
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Speaker 1: to you for coming to take care of me. You
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Speaker 1: can call her Dawson, my lord, said the housekeeper with
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Speaker 1: a smile. She is used to being called Dawson. Miss
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Speaker 1: Dawson or Mrs. Dawson, inquired his lordship. Just Dawson, my lord,
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Speaker 1: said Dawson herself, beaming all over. Neither Miss nor Mrs.,
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Speaker 1: bless your little heart. Will you get up now and
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Speaker 1: let Dawson dress you and then have your breakfast in
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Speaker 1: the nursery? I learned to dress myself many years ago,
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Speaker 1: thank you, answered Fauntleroy. Dearest taught me. Dearest is my mama.
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Speaker 1: We had only Mary to do all the work, washing
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Speaker 1: and all, and so, of course, it wouldn't do to
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Speaker 1: give her so much trouble. I could take my bath, too,
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Speaker 1: pretty well, if you'd just be kind enough to zam
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Speaker 1: in the corners after I'm done. Dawson and the housekeeper
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Speaker 1: exchanged glances. Dawson will do anything you ask her to,
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Speaker 1: said Mrs. Mellon. That I will bless him. said Dawson
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Speaker 1: in her comforting, good-humored voice. He shall dress himself if
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Speaker 1: he likes, and I'll stand by, ready to help him
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Speaker 1: if he wants me. Thank you, responded Lord Fauntleroy. It's
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Speaker 1: a little hard sometimes about the buttons, you know, and
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Speaker 1: then I have to ask somebody. He thought Dawson a
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Speaker 1: very kind woman, and before the bath and the dressing
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Speaker 1: were finished, they were excellent friends, and he had found
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Speaker 1: out a great deal about her. He had discovered that
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Speaker 1: her husband had been a soldier and had been killed
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Speaker 1: in a real battle and that her son was a
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Speaker 1: sailor and was away on a long cruise and that
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Speaker 1: he had seen pirates and cannibals and Chinese people and
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Speaker 1: Turks and that he had brought home strange shells and
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Speaker 1: pieces of coral which Dawson was ready to show at
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Speaker 1: any moment, some of them being in her trunk. All
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Speaker 1: this was very interesting. He also found out that she
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Speaker 1: had taken care of little children all her life and
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Speaker 1: that she had just come from a great house in
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Speaker 1: another part of England, where she had been taking care
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Speaker 1: of a beautiful little girl whose name was Lady Gwyneth Vaughan.'
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Speaker 1: And she is a sort of relation of your lordship's,'
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Speaker 1: said Dawson,' and perhaps sometime you may see her.'' Do
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Speaker 1: you think I shall?' said Fauntleroy.' I should like that.
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Speaker 1: I never knew any little girls, but I always like
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Speaker 1: to look at them.' When he went into the adjoining
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Speaker 1: room to take his breakfast— and saw what a great
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Speaker 1: room it was, and found there was another adjoining it,
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Speaker 1: which Dawson told him was his also, the feeling that
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Speaker 1: he was very small indeed came over him again so
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Speaker 1: strongly that he confided it to Dawson as he sat
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Speaker 1: down to the table on which the pretty breakfast service
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Speaker 1: was arranged.' I am a very little boy,' he said
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Speaker 1: rather wistfully,' to live in such a large castle and
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Speaker 1: have so many big rooms. Don't you think so?'' Oh, come,'
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Speaker 1: said Dawson.' You feel just a little strange at first,
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Speaker 1: that's all. But you'll get over that very soon, and
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Speaker 1: then you'll like it here. It's such a beautiful place,
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Speaker 1: you know.'' It' s a very beautiful place, of course,' said Fauntleroy,
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Speaker 1: with a little sigh.' But I should like it better
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Speaker 1: if I didn't miss dearest so. I always had my
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Speaker 1: breakfast with her in the morning, and put the sugar
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Speaker 1: and cream in her tea for her, and handed her
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Speaker 1: the toast.' That made it very sociable, of course. Oh, well,
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Speaker 1: answered Dawson comfortingly. You know you can see her every day.
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Speaker 1: And there's no knowing how much you'll have to tell her.
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Speaker 1: Bless you. Wait till you've walked about a bit and
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Speaker 1: seen things. The dogs and the stables with all the
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Speaker 1: horses in them. There's one of them I know you'll
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Speaker 1: like to see. Is there? exclaimed Fauntleroy. I'm very fond
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Speaker 1: of horses. I was very fond of Jim. He was
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Speaker 1: the horse that belonged to Mr. Hobbs' grocery wagon. He
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Speaker 1: was a beautiful horse when he wasn't bulky. Well, said Dawson,
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Speaker 1: you just wait till you've seen what's in the stables. And,
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Speaker 1: deary me, you haven't looked even into the very next
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Speaker 1: room yet. What is there? asked Fauntleroy. Wait until you've
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Speaker 1: had your breakfast, and then you shall see, said Dawson.
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Speaker 1: At this he naturally began to grow curious, and he
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Speaker 1: applied himself assiduously to his breakfast. It seemed to him
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Speaker 1: that there must be something worth looking at in the
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Speaker 1: next room. Dawson had such a consequential, mysterious air. Now then,
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Speaker 1: he said, slipping off his seat a few minutes later,
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Speaker 1: I've had enough. Can I go and look at it?
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Speaker 1: Dawson nodded and led the way, looking more mysterious and
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Speaker 1: important than ever. he began to be very much interested indeed.
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Speaker 1: When she opened the door of the room, he stood
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Speaker 1: upon the threshold and looked about him in amazement. He
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Speaker 1: did not speak. He only put his hands in his
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Speaker 1: pockets and stood there, flushing up to his forehead and
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Speaker 1: looking in. He flushed up because he was so surprised and,
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Speaker 1: for the moment, excited. To see such a place was
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Speaker 1: enough to surprise any ordinary boy. The room was a
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Speaker 1: large one, too, as all the rooms seemed to be,
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Speaker 1: and it appeared to him more beautiful than the rest,
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Speaker 1: only in a different way. The furniture was not so
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Speaker 1: massive and antique as was that in the rooms he
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Speaker 1: had seen downstairs. The draperies and rugs and walls were brighter.
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Speaker 1: There were shelves full of books, and on the tables
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Speaker 1: were numbers of toys, beautiful, ingenious things, such as he
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Speaker 1: had looked at with wonder and delight through the shop
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Speaker 1: windows in New York. It looks like a boy's room,
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Speaker 1: he said at last, catching his breath a little. Whom
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Speaker 1: do they belong to? Go and look at them, said Dawson.
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Speaker 1: They belong to you. To me, he cried. To me?
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Speaker 1: Why do they belong to me? Who gave them to me?
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Speaker 1: And he sprang forward with a gay little shout. It
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Speaker 1: seemed almost too much to be believed. It was Grandpapa,
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Speaker 1: he said, with his eyes as bright as stars. I
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Speaker 1: know it was Grandpapa. Yes, it was his lordship, said Dawson,
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Speaker 1: and if you will be a nice little gentleman, and
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Speaker 1: not fret about things, and will enjoy yourself, and be
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Speaker 1: happy all the day, he will give you anything you
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Speaker 1: ask for. It was a tremendously exciting morning. There were
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Speaker 1: so many things to be examined, so many experiments to
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Speaker 1: be tried. Each novelty was so absorbing that he could
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Speaker 1: scarcely turn from it to look at the next. And
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Speaker 1: it was so curious to know all this had been
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Speaker 1: prepared for himself alone, that, even before he had left
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Speaker 1: New York, people had come down from London to arrange
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Speaker 1: the rooms he was to occupy. and had provided the
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Speaker 1: books and playthings most likely to interest him. Did you
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Speaker 1: ever know anyone, he said to Dawson, who had such
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Speaker 1: a kind grandfather? Dawson's face wore an uncertain expression for
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Speaker 1: a moment. She had not a very high opinion of
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Speaker 1: His Lordship the Earl. She had not been in the
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Speaker 1: house many days, but she had been there long enough
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Speaker 1: to hear the old nobleman's peculiarities discussed very freely in
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Speaker 1: the servants' hall. And of all the wishiest, savage, hill-tempered
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Speaker 1: old fellows, it was ever my hill luck to wear
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Speaker 1: livery under, the tallest footman had said. He's the violentest
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Speaker 1: and wust by a long shot. And this particular footman,
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Speaker 1: whose name was Thomas, had also repeated to his companions
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Speaker 1: below stairs some of the Earl's remarks to Mr. Havisham
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Speaker 1: when they had been discussing these very preparations. Give him
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Speaker 1: his own way and fill his room with toys, my
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Speaker 1: lord had said. Give him what will amuse him, and
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Speaker 1: he'll forget about his mother quickly enough. Amuse him, and
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Speaker 1: fill his mind with other things, and we shall have
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Speaker 1: no trouble. That's boy nature. So perhaps, having had this
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Speaker 1: truly amiable object in view, it did not please him
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Speaker 1: so very much to find it did not seem to
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Speaker 1: be exactly this particular boy's nature. The Earl had passed
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Speaker 1: a bad night, and had spent the morning in his room,
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Speaker 1: but at noon, after he had lunched, he sent for
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Speaker 1: his grandson. Fauntleroy answered the summons at once. He came
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Speaker 1: down the broad staircase with a bounding step. The earl
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Speaker 1: heard him run across the hall, and then the door opened,
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Speaker 1: and he came in with red cheeks and sparkling eyes.
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Speaker 1: I was waiting for you to send for me, he said.
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Speaker 1: I was ready a long time ago. I'm ever so
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Speaker 1: much obliged to you for all those things. I'm ever
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Speaker 1: so much obliged to you. I have been playing with
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Speaker 1: them all the morning. Oh, said the Earl, you like them,
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Speaker 1: do you? I like them so much. Well, I couldn't
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Speaker 1: tell you how much, said Fauntleroy, his face glowing with delight.
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Speaker 1: There's one that's like baseball, only you play it on
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Speaker 1: a board with black and white pegs, and you keep
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Speaker 1: your score with some counters on a wire. I tried
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Speaker 1: to teach Dawson, but she couldn't quite understand it just
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Speaker 1: at first. You see, She never played baseball, being a lady,
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Speaker 1: and I'm afraid I wasn't very good at explaining it
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Speaker 1: to her. But you know all about it, don't you?
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Speaker 1: I'm afraid I don't, replied the Earl. It's an American game,
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Speaker 1: isn't it? Is it something like cricket? I never saw cricket,
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Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy, but Mr. Hobbs took me several times to
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Speaker 1: see baseball. It's a splendid game. You get so excited.
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Speaker 1: Would you like me to go and get my game
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Speaker 1: and show it to you? Perhaps it would amuse you
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Speaker 1: and make you forget about your foot. Does your foot
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Speaker 1: hurt you very much this morning? More than I enjoy,
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Speaker 1: was the answer. Then perhaps you couldn't forget it, said
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Speaker 1: the little fellow anxiously. Perhaps it would bother you to
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Speaker 1: be told about the game. Do you think it would
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Speaker 1: amuse you, or do you think it would bother you?
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Speaker 1: Go and get it, said the Earl. It was certainly
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Speaker 1: a novel entertainment, this. making a companion of a child
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Speaker 1: who offered to teach him to play games. But the
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Speaker 1: very novelty of it amused him. There was a smile
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Speaker 1: lurking about the Earl's mouth when Cedric came back with
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Speaker 1: the box containing the game in his arms, and an
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Speaker 1: expression of the most eager interest on his face.' May
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Speaker 1: I pull that little table over here to your chair?'
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Speaker 1: he asked.' Ring for Thomas,' said the Earl.' He will
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Speaker 1: place it for you.'' Oh, I can do it myself,'
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Speaker 1: answered Fauntleroy.' It' s not very heavy.' Very well, replied his grandfather.
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Speaker 1: The lurking smile deepened on the old man's face as
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Speaker 1: he watched the little fellow's preparations. There was such an
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Speaker 1: absorbed interest in them. The small table was dragged forward
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Speaker 1: and placed by his chair, and the game taken from
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Speaker 1: its box and arranged upon it. It's very interesting once
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Speaker 1: you begin, said Fauntleroy. You see, the black pegs can
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Speaker 1: be your side and the white ones mine. They're men,
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Speaker 1: you know, and once round the field is a home
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Speaker 1: run and counts one. and these are outs, and here
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Speaker 1: is the first base, and that's the second, and that's
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Speaker 1: the third, and that's the home base. He entered into
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Speaker 1: the details of explanation with the greatest animation. He showed
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Speaker 1: all the attitudes of pitcher and catcher and batter in
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Speaker 1: the real game, and gave a dramatic description of the
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Speaker 1: wonderful hot ball he had seen caught on the glorious
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Speaker 1: occasion on which he had witnessed a match in company
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Speaker 1: with Mr. Hobbs. His vigorous, graceful little body, his eager gestures,
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Speaker 1: his simple enjoyment of it all, were pleasant to behold.
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Speaker 1: When at last the explanations and illustrations were at an end,
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Speaker 1: and the game began in good earnest, the Earl still
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Speaker 1: found himself entertained. His young companion was wholly absorbed. He
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Speaker 1: played with all his childish heart. His gay little laughs
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Speaker 1: when he made a good throw, his enthusiasm over a
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Speaker 1: home run, his impartial delight over his own good luck
15:35
Speaker 1: and his opponent's, would have given a flavor to any game. If,
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Speaker 1: a week before, anyone had told the Earl of Dorincourt
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Speaker 1: that on that particular morning he would be forgetting his
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Speaker 1: gout and his bad temper in a child's game, played
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Speaker 1: with black and white wooden pegs on a gaily painted board,
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Speaker 1: with a curly-headed small boy for a companion, he would
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Speaker 1: without doubt have made himself very unpleasant. And yet he
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Speaker 1: certainly had forgotten himself when the door opened and Thomas
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Speaker 1: announced a visitor. The visitor in question, who was an
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Speaker 1: elderly gentleman in black, and no less a person than
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Speaker 1: the clergyman of the parish, was so startled by the
16:14
Speaker 1: amazing scene which met his eye that he almost fell
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Speaker 1: back apace and ran some risk of colliding with Thomas.
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Speaker 1: There was, in fact, no part of his duty that
16:24
Speaker 1: the Reverend Mr. Mordunt found so decidedly unpleasant as that
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Speaker 1: part which compelled him to call upon his noble patron
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Speaker 1: at the castle. His noble patron, indeed, usually made these
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Speaker 1: visits as disagreeable as it lay in his lordly power
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Speaker 1: to make them, He abhorred churches and charities, and flew
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Speaker 1: into violent rages when any of his tenantry took the
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Speaker 1: liberty of being poor and ill and needing assistance. When
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Speaker 1: his gout was at its worst, he did not hesitate
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Speaker 1: to announce that he would not be bored and irritated
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Speaker 1: by being told stories of their miserable misfortunes. When his
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Speaker 1: gout troubled him less, and he was in a somewhat
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Speaker 1: more humane frame of mind, he would perhaps give the
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Speaker 1: rector some money, after having bullied him in the most
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Speaker 1: painful manner. and berated the whole parish for its shiftlessness
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Speaker 1: and imbecility. But, whatsoever his mood, he never failed to
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Speaker 1: make as many sarcastic and embarrassing speeches as possible, and
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Speaker 1: to cause the Reverend Mr. Mordant to wish it were
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Speaker 1: proper and Christian-like to throw something heavy at him. During
17:30
Speaker 1: all the years in which Mr. Mordant had been in
17:32
Speaker 1: charge of Dorincourt Parish, the rector certainly did not remember
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Speaker 1: having seen his lordship, of his own free will, do
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Speaker 1: any one a kindness. or, under any circumstances whatever, show
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Speaker 1: that he thought of anyone but himself. He had called
17:46
Speaker 1: to-day to speak to him of a specially pressing case,
17:50
Speaker 1: and as he had walked up the avenue he had,
17:52
Speaker 1: for two reasons, dreaded his visit more than usual. In
17:56
Speaker 1: the first place he knew that his lordship had for
17:58
Speaker 1: several days been suffering with the gout, and had been
18:02
Speaker 1: in so villainous a humor that rumors of it had
18:04
Speaker 1: even reached the village, carried there by one of the
18:07
Speaker 1: young women's servants to her sister, who kept a little
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Speaker 1: shop and retailed darning needles and cotton and peppermints and
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Speaker 1: gossip as a means of earning an honest living. What Mrs.
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Speaker 1: Dibble did not know about the castle and its inmates
18:22
Speaker 1: and the farmhouses and their inmates and the village and
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Speaker 1: its population was really not worth being talked about. And,
18:29
Speaker 1: of course, she knew everything about the castle because her sister,
18:33
Speaker 1: Jane Shorts, was one of the upper housemaids and was
18:36
Speaker 1: very friendly and intimate with Thomas. And the way his
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Speaker 1: lordship do go on, said Mrs. Dibble over the counter,
18:45
Speaker 1: and the way he do use language, Mr. Thomas told
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Speaker 1: Jane herself, no flesh and blood as is in livery
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Speaker 1: could stand, for throw a plate of toast at Mr.
18:55
Speaker 1: Thomas hisself he did, not more than two days since.
18:59
Speaker 1: And if it weren't for other things being agreeable, and
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Speaker 1: the society below stairs most genteel, warning would have been
19:05
Speaker 1: gave within an hour. and the rector had heard all this,
19:11
Speaker 1: for somehow the earl was a favorite black sheep in
19:14
Speaker 1: the cottages and farmhouses, and his bad behavior gave many
19:18
Speaker 1: a good woman something to talk about when she had
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Speaker 1: company to tea. And the second reason was even worse,
19:25
Speaker 1: because it was a new one, and had been talked
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Speaker 1: about with the most excited interest. Who did not know
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Speaker 1: of the old nobleman's fury when his handsome son the
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Speaker 1: captain had married the American lady, who did not know
19:39
Speaker 1: how cruelly he had treated the captain and how the
19:41
Speaker 1: big gay sweet smiling young man who was the only
19:45
Speaker 1: member of the grand family anyone liked, had died in
19:48
Speaker 1: a foreign land, poor and unforgiven. Who did not know
19:52
Speaker 1: how fiercely his lordship had hated the poor young creature
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Speaker 1: who had been his son's wife, and how he had
19:58
Speaker 1: hated the thought of her child, and never meant to
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Speaker 1: see the boy, until his two sons died and left
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Speaker 1: him without an heir. And then, who did not know
20:07
Speaker 1: that he had looked forward without any affection or pleasure
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Speaker 1: to his grandson's coming, and that he had made up
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Speaker 1: his mind that he should find the boy a vulgar, awkward,
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Speaker 1: pert American lad, more likely to disgrace his noble name
20:20
Speaker 1: than to honor it. The proud, angry old man thought
20:24
Speaker 1: he had kept all his thoughts secret. He did not
20:28
Speaker 1: suppose anyone dared to guess at, much less talk over,
20:31
Speaker 1: what he felt, and dreaded. But his servants watched him,
20:35
Speaker 1: and read his face, and his ill humors, and fits
20:38
Speaker 1: of gloom, and discussed them in the servants' hall. And
20:42
Speaker 1: while he thought himself quite secure from the common herd,
20:45
Speaker 1: Thomas was telling Jane, and the cook, and the butler,
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Speaker 1: and the housemaids, and the other footmen, that it was
20:51
Speaker 1: his opinion that the whole man was worse than usual
20:54
Speaker 1: at thinking over the captain's boy, and anticipating as he
20:58
Speaker 1: won't be no credit to the family. And serve him right,
21:02
Speaker 1: added Thomas, it's his own fault. What can he expect
21:06
Speaker 1: from a child brought up in poor circumstances in that
21:09
Speaker 1: there low America? And as the Reverend Mr. Mordant walked
21:15
Speaker 1: under the great trees, he remembered that this questionable little
21:18
Speaker 1: boy had arrived at the castle only the evening before,
21:22
Speaker 1: and that there were nine chances to one that his
21:25
Speaker 1: lordship's worst fears were realized, and twenty-two chances to one
21:29
Speaker 1: that if the poor little fellow had disappointed him, the
21:32
Speaker 1: earl was even now in a tearing rage. and ready
21:35
Speaker 1: to vent all his rancor on the first person who called,
21:38
Speaker 1: which it appeared probable would be his reverend self. Judge, then,
21:43
Speaker 1: of his amazement when, as Thomas opened the library door,
21:47
Speaker 1: his ears were greeted by a delighted ring of childish laughter.
21:51
Speaker 1: That's two out! shouted an excited, clear little voice. You see,
21:56
Speaker 1: it's two out! And there was the Earl's chair, and
22:01
Speaker 1: the gout stool, and his foot on it, and by
22:03
Speaker 1: him a small table, and a game on it. And
22:07
Speaker 1: quite close to him, actually leaning against his arm and
22:10
Speaker 1: his ungoudy knee, was a little boy with face glowing
22:14
Speaker 1: and eyes dancing with excitement. It's two out! the little
22:18
Speaker 1: stranger cried. You hadn't any luck that time, had you?
22:23
Speaker 1: And then they both recognized at once that someone had
22:25
Speaker 1: come in. The Earl glanced around, knitting his shaggy eyebrows
22:30
Speaker 1: as he had a trick of doing. and when he
22:33
Speaker 1: saw who it was, Mr. Mordent was still more surprised
22:36
Speaker 1: to see that he looked even less disagreeable than usual,
22:39
Speaker 1: instead of more so. In fact, he looked almost as
22:43
Speaker 1: if he had forgotten for the moment how disagreeable he was,
22:47
Speaker 1: and how unpleasant he really could make himself when he tried. Ah,
22:52
Speaker 1: he said in his harsh voice, but giving his hand
22:55
Speaker 1: rather graciously. Good morning, Mordent. I've found a new employment,
23:00
Speaker 1: you see. He put his other hand on Cedric's shoulder.
23:04
Speaker 1: Perhaps deep down in his heart there was a stir
23:06
Speaker 1: of gratified pride that it was such an air he
23:09
Speaker 1: had to present. There was a spark of something like
23:12
Speaker 1: pleasure in his eyes as he moved the boy slightly forward.
23:17
Speaker 1: This is the new Lord Fauntleroy, he said. Fauntleroy, this
23:21
Speaker 1: is Mr. Mordent, the rector of the parish. Fauntleroy looked
23:26
Speaker 1: up at the gentleman in the clerical garments and gave
23:28
Speaker 1: him his hand. I am very glad to make your acquaintance, sir,
23:32
Speaker 1: he said, remembering the words he had heard Mr. Hobbs
23:35
Speaker 1: used on one or two occasions when he had been
23:37
Speaker 1: greeting a new customer with ceremony. Cedric felt quite sure
23:42
Speaker 1: that one ought to be more than usually polite to
23:45
Speaker 1: a minister. Mr. Morden held the small hand in his
23:49
Speaker 1: a moment as he looked down at the child's face,
23:52
Speaker 1: smiling involuntarily. He liked the little fellow from that instant,
23:57
Speaker 1: as in fact people always did like him, and it
24:00
Speaker 1: was not the boy's beauty and grace which most appealed
24:03
Speaker 1: to him. It was the simple, natural kindliness in the
24:06
Speaker 1: little lad which made any words he uttered, however quaint
24:09
Speaker 1: and unexpected, sound pleasant and sincere. As the rector looked
24:14
Speaker 1: at Cedric, he forgot to think of the earl at all.
24:18
Speaker 1: Nothing in the world is so strong as a kind heart,
24:21
Speaker 1: and somehow this kind little heart, though it was only
24:24
Speaker 1: the heart of a child, seemed to clear all the
24:26
Speaker 1: atmosphere of the big gloomy room and make it brighter.
24:31
Speaker 1: I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Lord Fauntleroy, said
24:34
Speaker 1: the rector. You made a long journey to come to us.
24:38
Speaker 1: A great many people will be glad to know you
24:40
Speaker 1: made it safely. It was a long way, answered Fauntleroy, but, dearest,
24:46
Speaker 1: my mother was with me, and I wasn't lonely. Of course,
24:50
Speaker 1: you are never lonely if your mother is with you,
24:53
Speaker 1: and the ship was beautiful. Take a chair, Morden, said
24:57
Speaker 1: the earl. Mr. Morden sat down. he glanced from Fauntleroy
25:01
Speaker 1: to the earl.' Your lordship is greatly to be congratulated,'
25:06
Speaker 1: he said warmly. But the earl plainly had no intention
25:10
Speaker 1: of showing his feelings on the subject.' He is like
25:13
Speaker 1: his father,' he said rather gruffly.' Let us hope he'll
25:17
Speaker 1: conduct himself more creditably.' And then he added,' Well, what
25:22
Speaker 1: is it this morning, Mordent? Who is in trouble now?'
25:27
Speaker 1: This was not as bad as Mr. Mordent had expected,
25:30
Speaker 1: but he hesitated a second before he began.' It is Higgins,'
25:35
Speaker 1: he said.' Higgins of Edge Farm. He has been very unfortunate.
25:40
Speaker 1: He was ill himself last autumn, and his children had
25:43
Speaker 1: scarlet fever. I can't say that he is a very
25:46
Speaker 1: good manager, but he has had ill luck, and of
25:50
Speaker 1: course he is behindhand in many ways. He is in
25:53
Speaker 1: trouble about his rent now. Newick tells him if he
25:57
Speaker 1: doesn't pay it, he must leave the place.' and of
25:59
Speaker 1: course that would be a very serious matter. His wife
26:03
Speaker 1: is ill, and he came to me yesterday to beg
26:06
Speaker 1: me to see about it, and ask you for time.
26:09
Speaker 1: He thinks if you would give him time, he could
26:11
Speaker 1: catch up again.'' They all think that,' said the earl,
26:15
Speaker 1: looking rather black. Fauntleroy made a movement forward. He had
26:20
Speaker 1: been standing between his grandfather and the visitor, listening with
26:24
Speaker 1: all his might. He had begun to be interested in
26:27
Speaker 1: Higgins at once.' He wondered how many children there were,
26:31
Speaker 1: and if the scarlet fever had hurt them very much.
26:34
Speaker 1: His eyes were wide open and were fixed upon Mr.
26:37
Speaker 1: Mordent with intent interest as that gentleman went on with
26:40
Speaker 1: the conversation. Higgins is a well-meaning man, said the rector,
26:45
Speaker 1: making an effort to strengthen his plea. He is a
26:48
Speaker 1: bad enough tenant, replied his lordship, and he is always behindhand,
26:53
Speaker 1: knew it tells me. He is in great trouble now,
26:57
Speaker 1: said the rector. He is very fond of his wife
27:00
Speaker 1: and children, and if the farm is taken away from him,
27:03
Speaker 1: they may literally starve. He cannot give them the nourishing
27:06
Speaker 1: things they need. Two of the children were left very
27:10
Speaker 1: low after the fever, and the doctor orders for them
27:12
Speaker 1: wine and luxuries that Higgins cannot afford. At this, Fauntleroy
27:18
Speaker 1: moved a step nearer. That was the way with Michael,
27:22
Speaker 1: he said. The earl slightly started. I forgot you, he said.
27:27
Speaker 1: I forgot we had a philanthropist in the room. Who
27:30
Speaker 1: was Michael? And the gleam of queer amusement came back
27:34
Speaker 1: into the old man's deep-set eyes. He was Bridget's husband
27:38
Speaker 1: who had the fever, answered Fauntleroy, and he couldn't pay
27:42
Speaker 1: the rent or buy wine and things. And you gave
27:45
Speaker 1: me that money to help him. The earl drew his
27:49
Speaker 1: brows together in a curious frown, which somehow was scarcely
27:53
Speaker 1: grim at all. He glanced across at Mr. Mordaunt. I
27:58
Speaker 1: don't know what sort of landed proprietor he will make,
28:01
Speaker 1: he said. I told Havisham the boy was to have
28:04
Speaker 1: what he wanted, anything he wanted. And what he wanted,
28:07
Speaker 1: it seems, was money to give to beggars. Oh, but
28:11
Speaker 1: they weren't beggars, said Fauntleroy eagerly. Michael was a splendid bricklayer.
28:17
Speaker 1: They all worked. Oh, said the earl, they were not beggars.
28:23
Speaker 1: They were splendid bricklayers and bootblacks and apple women. he
28:28
Speaker 1: bent his gaze on the boy for a few seconds
28:30
Speaker 1: in silence. The fact was that a new thought was
28:33
Speaker 1: coming to him, and though, perhaps, it was not prompted
28:37
Speaker 1: by the noblest emotions, it was not a bad thought.
28:41
Speaker 1: Come here, he said at last. Fauntleroy went and stood
28:45
Speaker 1: as near to him as possible, without encroaching on the
28:48
Speaker 1: gouty foot. What would you do in this case? his
28:52
Speaker 1: lordship asked. it must be confessed that mr mordaunt experienced
28:58
Speaker 1: for the moment a curious sensation being a man of
29:02
Speaker 1: great thoughtfulness and having spent so many years on the
29:05
Speaker 1: estate of dorincourt knowing the tenantry rich and poor the
29:09
Speaker 1: people of the village honest and industrious dishonest and lazy
29:13
Speaker 1: he realized very strongly what power for good or evil
29:17
Speaker 1: would be given in the future to this one small
29:19
Speaker 1: boy standing there his brown eyes wide open his hands
29:23
Speaker 1: deep in his pockets and the thought came to him
29:26
Speaker 1: also that a great deal of power might perhaps through
29:29
Speaker 1: the caprice of a proud self-indulgent old man be given
29:33
Speaker 1: to him now and that if his young nature were
29:36
Speaker 1: not a simple and generous one it might be the
29:39
Speaker 1: worst thing that could happen, not only for others, but
29:42
Speaker 1: for himself. And what would you do in such a case?
29:46
Speaker 1: demanded the Earl. Fauntleroy drew a little nearer, and laid
29:51
Speaker 1: one hand on his knee, with the most confiding air
29:54
Speaker 1: of good comradeship. If I were very rich, he said,
30:00
Speaker 1: and not only just a little boy. I should let
30:03
Speaker 1: him stay, and give him the things for his children,
30:05
Speaker 1: but then I am only a boy. Then, after a
30:10
Speaker 1: second's pause, in which his face brightened visibly, You can
30:14
Speaker 1: do anything, can't you? he said. Hump! said my lord,
30:19
Speaker 1: staring at him. That's your opinion, is it? And he
30:22
Speaker 1: was not displeased either. I mean, you can give anyone anything,
30:27
Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy. Who's Newick? He is my agent, answered the earl,
30:33
Speaker 1: and some of my tenants are not over-fond of him.
30:37
Speaker 1: Are you going to write him a letter now? inquired Fauntleroy.
30:41
Speaker 1: Shall I bring you the pen and ink? I can
30:43
Speaker 1: take the game off this table. It plainly had not
30:47
Speaker 1: for an instant occurred to him that Newick would be
30:50
Speaker 1: allowed to do his worst. The earl paused a moment,
30:54
Speaker 1: still looking at him. Can you write? he asked. Yes,
30:59
Speaker 1: answered Cedric, but not very well. Move the things from
31:03
Speaker 1: the table, commanded my lord, and bring the pen and
31:06
Speaker 1: ink and a sheet of paper from my desk. Mr.
31:10
Speaker 1: Morden's interest began to increase. Fauntleroy did as he was
31:14
Speaker 1: told very deftly. In a few moments the sheet of paper,
31:18
Speaker 1: the big inkstand, and the pen were ready. There, he
31:22
Speaker 1: said gaily, now you can write it. You are to
31:26
Speaker 1: write it, said the earl. I, exclaimed Fauntleroy, and a
31:31
Speaker 1: flush overspread his forehead. Will it do if I write it?
31:36
Speaker 1: I don't always spell quite right when I haven't a dictionary,
31:39
Speaker 1: and nobody tells me. It will do, answered the earl.
31:45
Speaker 1: Higgins will not complain of the spelling. I'm not the philanthropist.
31:49
Speaker 1: You are. Dip your pen in the ink. Fauntleroy took
31:53
Speaker 1: up the pen and dipped it in the ink bottle.
31:56
Speaker 1: Then he arranged himself in position, leaning on the table. Now,
32:00
Speaker 1: he inquired, what must I say? You may say, Higgins
32:05
Speaker 1: is not to be interfered with for the present, and
32:08
Speaker 1: sign it Fauntleroy, said the Earl. Fauntleroy dipped his pen
32:13
Speaker 1: in the ink again, and, resting his arm, began to write.
32:17
Speaker 1: It was rather a slow and serious process, but he
32:20
Speaker 1: gave his whole soul to it. After a while, however,
32:24
Speaker 1: the manuscript was complete, and he handed it to his
32:27
Speaker 1: grandfather with a smile slightly tinged with anxiety. Do you
32:31
Speaker 1: think it will do? he asked. The Earl looked at it,
32:35
Speaker 1: and the corners of his mouth twitched a little. Yes,
32:38
Speaker 1: he answered. Higgins will find it entirely satisfactory. And he
32:42
Speaker 1: handed it to Mr. Mordent. What Mr. Mordent found written
32:46
Speaker 1: was this. Dear Mr. Newick, if you please, Mr. Higgins
32:52
Speaker 1: is not to be interfered with for the present. and oblige,
32:57
Speaker 1: yours respectfully, Fauntleroy. Mr. Hobbs always signed his letters that way,
33:05
Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy, and I thought I'd better say please. Is
33:09
Speaker 1: that exactly the right way to spell interfered? It is
33:14
Speaker 1: not exactly the way it is spelled in the dictionary,
33:17
Speaker 1: answered the earl. I was afraid of that, said Fauntleroy.
33:22
Speaker 1: I ought to have asked. You see, That's the way
33:25
Speaker 1: with words of more than one syllable. You have to
33:27
Speaker 1: look in the dictionary. It's always safest. I'll write it
33:31
Speaker 1: over again. And write it over again he did, making
33:36
Speaker 1: quite an imposing copy and taking precautions in the matter
33:39
Speaker 1: of spelling by consulting the earl himself. Spelling is a
33:43
Speaker 1: curious thing, he said. It's so often different from what
33:47
Speaker 1: you expect it to be. I used to think please
33:50
Speaker 1: was spelled P-L-E-E-S. But it isn't, you know. And you'd
33:56
Speaker 1: think dear was spelled D-E-R-E if you didn't inquire. Sometimes
34:02
Speaker 1: it almost discourages you. When Mr. Mordent went away, he
34:07
Speaker 1: took the letter with him. And he took something else
34:09
Speaker 1: with him also. Namely, a pleasanter feeling and a more
34:13
Speaker 1: hopeful one than he had ever carried home with him
34:16
Speaker 1: down that avenue on any previous visit he had made
34:19
Speaker 1: at Dorincourt Castle. When he was gone, Fauntleroy, who had
34:23
Speaker 1: accompanied him to the door, went back to his grandfather.'
34:26
Speaker 1: May I go to dearest now?' he asked.' I think
34:31
Speaker 1: she will be waiting for me.' The earl was silent
34:35
Speaker 1: a moment.' There is something in the stable for you
34:38
Speaker 1: to see first,' he said.' Ring the bell.'' If you please,'
34:43
Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy with his quick little flush.' I' m very much obliged,
34:47
Speaker 1: but I think I'd better see it to-morrow.' She will
34:51
Speaker 1: be expecting me all the time. Very well, answered the earl.
34:55
Speaker 1: We will order the carriage. Then he added dryly, It's
35:00
Speaker 1: a pony. Fauntleroy drew a long breath. A pony! he exclaimed.
35:08
Speaker 1: Whose pony is it? Yours, replied the earl. Mine! cried
35:14
Speaker 1: the little fellow. Mine! Like the things upstairs? Yes, said
35:20
Speaker 1: his grandfather. Would you like to see it? Shall I
35:23
Speaker 1: order it to be brought around? Fauntleroy's cheeks grew redder
35:27
Speaker 1: and redder. I never thought I should have a pony,
35:32
Speaker 1: he said. I never thought that. How glad dearest will be.
35:37
Speaker 1: You give me everything, don't you? Do you wish to
35:42
Speaker 1: see it? inquired the earl. Fauntleroy drew a long breath.
35:48
Speaker 1: I want to see it. he said. I want to
35:51
Speaker 1: see it so much I can hardly wait, but I'm
35:54
Speaker 1: afraid there isn't time. You must go and see your
35:58
Speaker 1: mother this afternoon, asked the Earl. You think you can't
36:01
Speaker 1: put it off? Why, said Fauntleroy, she has been thinking
36:06
Speaker 1: about me all the morning, and I have been thinking
36:09
Speaker 1: about her. Oh, said the Earl, you have, have you?
36:14
Speaker 1: Ring the bell. As they drove down the avenue under
36:19
Speaker 1: the arching trees, he was rather silent. But Fauntleroy was not.
36:24
Speaker 1: He talked about the pony. What color was it? How
36:27
Speaker 1: big was it? What was his name? What did it
36:30
Speaker 1: like to eat best? How old was it? How early
36:33
Speaker 1: in the morning might he get up and see it?
36:36
Speaker 1: Dearest will be so glad, he kept saying. She will
36:40
Speaker 1: be so much obliged to you for being so kind
36:42
Speaker 1: to me. She knows I always liked ponies so much.
36:46
Speaker 1: but we never thought I should have one. There was
36:49
Speaker 1: a little boy on Fifth Avenue who had one, and
36:52
Speaker 1: he used to ride out every morning, and we used
36:55
Speaker 1: to take a walk past his house to see him.
36:58
Speaker 1: He leaned back against the cushions and regarded the Earl
37:01
Speaker 1: with rapt interest for a few minutes and an entire silence.
37:07
Speaker 1: I think you must be the best person in the world,
37:10
Speaker 1: he burst forth at last. You are always doing good,
37:14
Speaker 1: aren't you? and thinking about other people dearest says that
37:19
Speaker 1: is the best kind of goodness not to think about
37:22
Speaker 1: yourself but to think about other people that's just the
37:25
Speaker 1: way you are isn't it his lordship was so dumbfounded
37:30
Speaker 1: to find himself presented in such agreeable colors that he
37:34
Speaker 1: did not know exactly what to say he felt that
37:37
Speaker 1: he needed time for reflection to see each of his
37:41
Speaker 1: ugly selfish motives changed into a good and generous one
37:45
Speaker 1: by the simplicity of a child, was a singular experience.
37:49
Speaker 1: Fauntleroy went on, still regarding him with admiring eyes, those great, clear,
37:55
Speaker 1: innocent eyes. You make so many people happy, he said.
38:01
Speaker 1: There's Michael and Bridget and their ten children, and the
38:04
Speaker 1: Apple Woman, and Dick, and Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Higgins,
38:09
Speaker 1: and Mrs. Higgins, and their children, and Mr. Mordent, because,
38:13
Speaker 1: of course, he was glad. and dearest in me, about
38:16
Speaker 1: the pony and all the other things. Do you know?
38:21
Speaker 1: I've counted it up on my fingers and in my mind,
38:24
Speaker 1: and it's twenty-seven people you've been kind to. That's a
38:27
Speaker 1: good many, twenty-seven.'' And I was the person who was
38:32
Speaker 1: kind to them, was I?' said the earl.' Why, yes,
38:36
Speaker 1: you know,' answered Fauntleroy.' You made them all happy.'' Do
38:41
Speaker 1: you know,' with some delicate hesitation—' that people are sometimes
38:46
Speaker 1: mistaken about earls when they don't know them mr hobbs
38:50
Speaker 1: was i am going to write him and tell him
38:53
Speaker 1: about it what was mr hobbs's opinion of earls asked
38:58
Speaker 1: his lordship well you see the difficulty was replied his
39:03
Speaker 1: young companion that he didn't know any and he'd only
39:06
Speaker 1: read about them in books he thought you mustn't mind
39:11
Speaker 1: it that they were gory tyrants and he said he
39:14
Speaker 1: wouldn't have them hanging around his store but if he'd
39:18
Speaker 1: known you i'm sure he would have felt quite different
39:22
Speaker 1: i shall tell him about you what shall you tell
39:25
Speaker 1: him i shall tell him said fauntleroy glowing with enthusiasm,
39:31
Speaker 1: that you are the kindest man I ever heard of,
39:35
Speaker 1: and you are always thinking of other people and making
39:38
Speaker 1: them happy, and I hope when I grow up I
39:41
Speaker 1: shall be just like you. Just like me, repeated his lordship.
39:48
Speaker 1: looking at the little kindling face. And a dull red
39:52
Speaker 1: crept up under his withered skin, and he suddenly turned
39:55
Speaker 1: his eyes away and looked out of the carriage window
39:58
Speaker 1: at the great beech trees with the sun shining on
40:00
Speaker 1: their glossy red-brown leaves.' Just like you,' said Fauntleroy, adding modestly.'
40:07
Speaker 1: If I can. Perhaps I'm not good enough, but I'm
40:11
Speaker 1: going to try.' The carriage rolled on down the stately
40:15
Speaker 1: avenue under the beautiful broad-branched trees, through the spaces of
40:20
Speaker 1: green shade and lanes of golden sunlight. Fauntleroy saw again
40:24
Speaker 1: the lovely places where the ferns grew high and the
40:27
Speaker 1: bluebells swayed in the breeze. He saw the deer, standing
40:31
Speaker 1: or lying in the deep grass, turn their large startled
40:34
Speaker 1: eyes as the carriage passed, and caught glimpses of the
40:37
Speaker 1: brown rabbits as they scurried away. He heard the whir
40:41
Speaker 1: of the partridges and the calls and songs of the birds,
40:44
Speaker 1: and it all seemed even more beautiful to him than before.
40:48
Speaker 1: all his heart was filled with pleasure and happiness in
40:51
Speaker 1: the beauty that was on every side. But the old
40:55
Speaker 1: Earl saw and heard very different things, though he was
40:58
Speaker 1: apparently looking out too. He saw a long life in
41:02
Speaker 1: which there had been neither generous deeds nor kind thoughts.
41:06
Speaker 1: He saw years in which a man who had been
41:08
Speaker 1: young and strong and rich and powerful had used his
41:11
Speaker 1: youth and strength and wealth and power only to please himself,
41:16
Speaker 1: and kill time as the days and years succeeded each other.
41:20
Speaker 1: He saw this man, when the time had been killed
41:22
Speaker 1: and old age had come, solitary and without real friends
41:26
Speaker 1: in the midst of all his splendid wealth. He saw
41:30
Speaker 1: people who disliked or feared him, and people who would
41:33
Speaker 1: flatter and cringe to him, but no one who really
41:36
Speaker 1: cared whether he lived or died, unless they had something
41:40
Speaker 1: to gain or lose by it. He looked out on
41:44
Speaker 1: the broad acres which belonged to him, and he knew
41:46
Speaker 1: what Fauntleroy did not, how far they extended, what wealth
41:51
Speaker 1: they represented, and how many people had homes on their soil.
41:55
Speaker 1: And he knew, too, another thing Fauntleroy did not, that
41:59
Speaker 1: in all those homes, humble or well-to-do, there was probably
42:03
Speaker 1: not one person, however much he envied the wealth and
42:06
Speaker 1: stately name and power, and however willing he would have
42:10
Speaker 1: been to possess them, who would for an instant have
42:12
Speaker 1: thought of calling the noble owner good, or wishing, as
42:16
Speaker 1: this simple-souled little boy had, to be like him. And
42:21
Speaker 1: it was not exactly pleasant to reflect upon, even for
42:25
Speaker 1: a cynical, worldly old man, who had been sufficient unto
42:28
Speaker 1: himself for seventy years, and who had never deigned to
42:32
Speaker 1: care what opinion the world held of him, so long
42:34
Speaker 1: as it did not interfere with his comfort or entertainment.
42:38
Speaker 1: And the fact was, indeed, that he had never before
42:41
Speaker 1: condescended to reflect upon it at all, and he only
42:45
Speaker 1: did so now because a child had believed him better
42:48
Speaker 1: than he was, and by wishing to follow in his
42:50
Speaker 1: illustrious footsteps and imitate his example, had suggested to him
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Speaker 1: the curious question whether he was exactly the person to
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Speaker 1: take as a model. Fauntleroy thought the earl's foot must
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Speaker 1: be hurting him. His brows knitted themselves together so, as
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Speaker 1: he looked out at the park, and thinking this, the
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Speaker 1: considerate little fellow tried not to disturb him. and enjoyed
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Speaker 1: the trees and the ferns and the deer in silence.
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Speaker 1: But at last the carriage, having passed the gates and
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Speaker 1: bowled through the green lanes for a short distance, stopped.
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Speaker 1: They had reached Court Lodge, and Fauntleroy was out upon
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Speaker 1: the ground almost before the big footman had time to
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Speaker 1: open the carriage door. The Earl wakened from his reverie
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Speaker 1: with a start. What, he said, are we here? Yes,
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Speaker 1: said Fauntleroy, let me give you your sticks. Just lean
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Speaker 1: on me when you get out. I am not going
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Speaker 1: to get out, replied his lordship brusquely. Not to see dearest?
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Speaker 1: exclaimed Fauntleroy with an astonished face. Dearest will excuse me,
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Speaker 1: said the earl dryly. Go to her and tell her
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Speaker 1: that not even a new pony would keep you away.
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Speaker 1: She will be disappointed, said Fauntleroy. She will want to
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Speaker 1: see you very much. I am afraid not, was the answer.
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Speaker 1: The carriage will call for you as we come back.
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Speaker 1: Tell Jeffreys to drive on, Thomas. Thomas closed the carriage door, and,
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Speaker 1: after a puzzled look, Fauntleroy ran up the drive. The
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Speaker 1: Earl had the opportunity, as Mr. Havisham once had, of
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Speaker 1: seeing a pair of handsome, strong little legs flash over
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Speaker 1: the ground with astonishing rapidity. Evidently their owner had no
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Speaker 1: intention of losing any time. The carriage rolled slowly away,
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Speaker 1: but his lordship did not at once lean back. He
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Speaker 1: still looked out. Through a space in the trees, he
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Speaker 1: could see the house door. It was wide open. The
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Speaker 1: little figure dashed up the steps. Another figure, a little
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Speaker 1: figure too, slender and young in its black gown, ran
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Speaker 1: to meet it. It seemed as if they flew together
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Speaker 1: as Fauntleroy leaped into his mother's arms, hanging about her
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Speaker 1: neck and covering her sweet young face with kisses. End
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Speaker 1: of chapter 6