“For I have to go to England and be a lord,” explained Cedric, sweet-temperedly. “And I shouldn't like to have your bones on my mind every time it rained. My own bones never hurt, so I think I don't know how painful a person's bones can be, but I've sympathized with you a great deal, and I hope you'll be better.”
“She's a very good apple-woman,” he said to Mr. Havisham, as they walked away, leaving the proprietress of the stall almost gasping3 for breath, and not at all believing in her great fortune. “Once, when I fell down and cut my knee, she gave me an apple for nothing. I've always remembered her for it. You know you always remember people who are kind to you.”
It had never occurred to his honest, simple little mind that there were people who could forget kindnesses.
The interview with Dick was quite exciting. Dick had just been having a great deal of trouble with Jake, and was in low spirits when they saw him. His amazement5 when Cedric calmly announced that they had come to give him what seemed a very great thing to him, and would set all his troubles right, almost struck him dumb. Lord Fauntleroy's manner of announcing the object of his visit was very simple and unceremonious. Mr. Havisham was much impressed by its directness as he stood by and listened. The statement that his old friend had become a lord, and was in danger of being an earl if he lived long enough, caused Dick to so open his eyes and mouth, and start, that his cap fell off. When he picked it up, he uttered a rather singular exclamation6. Mr. Havisham thought it singular, but Cedric had heard it before.
“I soy!” he said, “what're yer givin' us?” This plainly embarrassed his lordship a little, but he bore himself bravely.
“Everybody thinks it not true at first,” he said. “Mr. Hobbs thought I'd had a sunstroke. I didn't think I was going to like it myself, but I like it better now I'm used to it. The one who is the Earl now, he's my grandpapa; and he wants me to do anything I like. He's very kind, if he IS an earl; and he sent me a lot of money by Mr. Havisham, and I've brought some to you to buy Jake out.”
And the end of the matter was that Dick actually bought Jake out, and found himself the possessor of the business and some new brushes and a most astonishing sign and outfit7. He could not believe in his good luck any more easily than the apple-woman of ancient lineage could believe in hers; he walked about like a boot-black in a dream; he stared at his young benefactor8 and felt as if he might wake up at any moment. He scarcely seemed to realize anything until Cedric put out his hand to shake hands with him before going away.
“Well, good-bye,” he said; and though he tried to speak steadily9, there was a little tremble in his voice and he winked10 his big brown eyes. “And I hope trade'll be good. I'm sorry I'm going away to leave you, but perhaps I shall come back again when I'm an earl. And I wish you'd write to me, because we were always good friends. And if you write to me, here's where you must send your letter.” And he gave him a slip of paper. “And my name isn't Cedric Errol any more; it's Lord Fauntleroy and—and good-bye, Dick.”
Dick winked his eyes also, and yet they looked rather moist about the lashes11. He was not an educated boot-black, and he would have found it difficult to tell what he felt just then if he had tried; perhaps that was why he didn't try, and only winked his eyes and swallowed a lump in his throat.
“I wish ye wasn't goin' away,” he said in a husky voice. Then he winked his eyes again. Then he looked at Mr. Havisham, and touched his cap. “Thanky, sir, fur bringin' him down here an' fur wot ye've done, He's—he's a queer little feller,” he added. “I've allers thort a heap of him. He's such a game little feller, an'—an' such a queer little un.”
And when they turned away he stood and looked after them in a dazed kind of way, and there was still a mist in his eyes, and a lump in his throat, as he watched the gallant12 little figure marching gayly along by the side of its tall, rigid13 escort.
Until the day of his departure, his lordship spent as much time as possible with Mr. Hobbs in the store. Gloom had settled upon Mr. Hobbs; he was much depressed14 in spirits. When his young friend brought to him in triumph the parting gift of a gold watch and chain, Mr. Hobbs found it difficult to acknowledge it properly. He laid the case on his stout15 knee, and blew his nose violently several times.
“There's something written on it,” said Cedric,—“inside the case. I told the man myself what to say. 'From his oldest friend, Lord Fauntleroy, to Mr. Hobbs. When this you see, remember me.' I don't want you to forget me.”
Mr. Hobbs blew his nose very loudly again.
“I sha'n't forget you,” he said, speaking a trifle huskily, as Dick had spoken; “nor don't you go and forget me when you get among the British arrystocracy.”
“I shouldn't forget you, whoever I was among,” answered his lordship. “I've spent my happiest hours with you; at least, some of my happiest hours. I hope you'll come to see me sometime. I'm sure my grandpapa would be very much pleased. Perhaps he'll write and ask you, when I tell him about you. You—you wouldn't mind his being an earl, would you, I mean you wouldn't stay away just because he was one, if he invited you to come?”
“I'd come to see you,” replied Mr. Hobbs, graciously.
So it seemed to be agreed that if he received a pressing invitation from the Earl to come and spend a few months at Dorincourt Castle, he was to lay aside his republican prejudices and pack his valise at once.
At last all the preparations were complete; the day came when the trunks were taken to the steamer, and the hour arrived when the carriage stood at the door. Then a curious feeling of loneliness came upon the little boy. His mamma had been shut up in her room for some time; when she came down the stairs, her eyes looked large and wet, and her sweet mouth was trembling. Cedric went to her, and she bent16 down to him, and he put his arms around her, and they kissed each other. He knew something made them both sorry, though he scarcely knew what it was; but one tender little thought rose to his lips.
“We liked this little house, Dearest, didn't we?” he said. “We always will like it, won't we?”
“Yes—yes,” she answered, in a low, sweet voice. “Yes, darling.”
And then they went into the carriage and Cedric sat very close to her, and as she looked back out of the window, he looked at her and stroked her hand and held it close.
And then, it seemed almost directly, they were on the steamer in the midst of the wildest bustle17 and confusion; carriages were driving down and leaving passengers; passengers were getting into a state of excitement about baggage which had not arrived and threatened to be too late; big trunks and cases were being bumped down and dragged about; sailors were uncoiling ropes and hurrying to and fro; officers were giving orders; ladies and gentlemen and children and nurses were coming on board,—some were laughing and looked gay, some were silent and sad, here and there two or three were crying and touching18 their eyes with their handkerchiefs. Cedric found something to interest him on every side; he looked at the piles of rope, at the furled sails, at the tall, tall masts which seemed almost to touch the hot blue sky; he began to make plans for conversing19 with the sailors and gaining some information on the subject of pirates.
It was just at the very last, when he was standing20 leaning on the railing of the upper deck and watching the final preparations, enjoying the excitement and the shouts of the sailors and wharfmen, that his attention was called to a slight bustle in one of the groups not far from him. Some one was hurriedly forcing his way through this group and coming toward him. It was a boy, with something red in his hand. It was Dick. He came up to Cedric quite breathless.
“I've run all the way,” he said. “I've come down to see ye off. Trade's been prime! I bought this for ye out o' what I made yesterday. Ye kin4 wear it when ye get among the swells22. I lost the paper when I was tryin' to get through them fellers downstairs. They didn't want to let me up. It's a hankercher.”
He poured it all forth23 as if in one sentence. A bell rang, and he made a leap away before Cedric had time to speak.
A few seconds later they saw him struggle through the crowd on the lower deck, and rush on shore just before the gang-plank was drawn25 in. He stood on the wharf21 and waved his cap.
Cedric held the handkerchief in his hand. It was of bright red silk ornamented26 with purple horseshoes and horses' heads.
There was a great straining and creaking and confusion. The people on the wharf began to shout to their friends, and the people on the steamer shouted back:
“Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye, old fellow!” Every one seemed to be saying, “Don't forget us. Write when you get to Liverpool. Good-bye! Good-bye!”
Little Lord Fauntleroy leaned forward and waved the red handkerchief.
“Good-bye, Dick!” he shouted, lustily. “Thank you! Good-bye, Dick!”
And the big steamer moved away, and the people cheered again, and Cedric's mother drew the veil over her eyes, and on the shore there was left great confusion; but Dick saw nothing save that bright, childish face and the bright hair that the sun shone on and the breeze lifted, and he heard nothing but the hearty27 childish voice calling “Good-bye, Dick!” as little Lord Fauntleroy steamed slowly away from the home of his birth to the unknown land of his ancestors.
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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2
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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3
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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4
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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5
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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6
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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7
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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8
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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9
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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10
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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11
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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12
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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13
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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14
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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16
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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17
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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18
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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19
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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20
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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21
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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22
swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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23
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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24
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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25
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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26
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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