Chapter V

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

　　It was late in the afternoon when the carriage containing littleLord Fauntleroy and Mr. Havisham drove up the long avenue whichled to the castle. The Earl had given orders that his grandsonshould arrive in time to dine with him; and for some reason bestknown to himself, he had also ordered that the child should besent alone into the room in which he intended to receive him. Asthe carriage rolled up the avenue, Lord Fauntleroy sat leaningcomfortably against the luxurious cushions, and regarded theprospect with great interest. He was, in fact, interested ineverything he saw. He had been interested in the carriage, withits large, splendid horses and their glittering harness; he hadbeen interested in the tall coachman and footman, with theirresplendent livery; and he had been especially interested in thecoronet on the panels, and had struck up an acquaintance with thefootman for the purpose of inquiring what it meant.When the carriage reached the great gates of the park, he lookedout of the window to get a good view of the huge stone lionsornamenting the entrance. The gates were opened by a motherly,rosy-looking woman, who came out of a pretty, ivy-covered lodge.Two children ran out of the door of the house and stood lookingwith round, wide-open eyes at the little boy in the carriage, wholooked at them also. Their mother stood courtesying and smiling,and the children, on receiving a sign from her, made bobbinglittle courtesies too."Does she know me?" asked Lord Fauntleroy. "I think she mustthink she knows me." And he took off his black velvet cap to herand smiled."How do you do?" he said brightly. "Good-afternoon!"The woman seemed pleased, he thought. The smile broadened on herrosy face and a kind look came into her blue eyes."God bless your lordship!" she said. "God bless your prettyface! Good luck and happiness to your lordship! Welcome toyou!"Lord Fauntleroy waved his cap and nodded to her again as thecarriage rolled by her."I like that woman," he said. "She looks as if she likedboys. I should like to come here and play with her children. Iwonder if she has enough to make up a company?"Mr. Havisham did not tell him that he would scarcely be allowedto make playmates of the gate-keeper's children. The lawyerthought there was time enough for giving him that information.The carriage rolled on and on between the great, beautiful treeswhich grew on each side of the avenue and stretched their broad,swaying branches in an arch across it. Cedric had never seensuch trees,--they were so grand and stately, and their branchesgrew so low down on their huge trunks. He did not then know thatDorincourt Castle was one of the most beautiful in all England;that its park was one of the broadest and finest, and its treesand avenue almost without rivals. But he did know that it wasall very beautiful. He liked the big, broad-branched trees, withthe late afternoon sunlight striking golden lances through them.He liked the perfect stillness which rested on everything. Hefelt a great, strange pleasure in the beauty of which he caughtglimpses under and between the sweeping boughs--the great,beautiful spaces of the park, with still other trees standingsometimes stately and alone, and sometimes in groups. Now andthen they passed places where tall ferns grew in masses, andagain and again the ground was azure with the bluebells swayingin the soft breeze. Several times he started up with a laugh ofdelight as a rabbit leaped up from under the greenery and scuddedaway with a twinkle of short white tail behind it. Once a coveyof partridges rose with a sudden whir and flew away, and then heshouted and clapped his hands."It's a beautiful place, isn't it?" he said to Mr. Havisham."I never saw such a beautiful place. It's prettier even thanCentral Park."He was rather puzzled by the length of time they were on theirway."How far is it," he said, at length, "from the gate to thefront door?""It is between three and four miles," answered the lawyer."That's a long way for a person to live from his gate,"remarked his lordship.Every few minutes he saw something new to wonder at and admire.When he caught sight of the deer, some couched in the grass, somestanding with their pretty antlered heads turned with ahalf-startled air toward the avenue as the carriage wheelsdisturbed them, he was enchanted."Has there been a circus?" he cried; "or do they live herealways? Whose are they?""They live here," Mr. Havisham told him. "They belong to theEarl, your grandfather."It was not long after this that they saw the castle. It rose upbefore them stately and beautiful and gray, the last rays of thesun casting dazzling lights on its many windows. It had turretsand battlements and towers; a great deal of ivy grew upon itswalls; all the broad, open space about it was laid out interraces and lawns and beds of brilliant flowers."It's the most beautiful place I ever saw!" said Cedric, hisround face flushing with pleasure. "It reminds any one of aking's palace. I saw a picture of one once in a fairy-book."He saw the great entrance-door thrown open and many servantsstanding in two lines looking at him. He wondered why they werestanding there, and admired their liveries very much. He did notknow that they were there to do honor to the little boy to whomall this splendor would one day belong,--the beautiful castlelike the fairy king's palace, the magnificent park, the grand oldtrees, the dells full of ferns and bluebells where the hares andrabbits played, the dappled, large-eyed deer couching in the deepgrass. It was only a couple of weeks since he had sat with Mr.Hobbs among the potatoes and canned peaches, with his legsdangling from the high stool; it would not have been possible forhim to realize that he had very much to do with all thisgrandeur. At the head of the line of servants there stood anelderly woman in a rich, plain black silk gown; she had gray hairand wore a cap. As he entered the hall she stood nearer than therest, and the child thought from the look in her eyes that shewas going to speak to him. Mr. Havisham, who held his hand,paused a moment."This is Lord Fauntleroy, Mrs. Mellon," he said. "LordFauntleroy, this is Mrs. Mellon, who is the housekeeper."Cedric gave her his hand, his eyes lighting up."Was it you who sent the cat?" he said. "I'm much obliged toyou, ma'am."Mrs. Mellon's handsome old face looked as pleased as the face ofthe lodge-keeper's wife had done."I should know his lordship anywhere," she said to Mr.Havisham. "He has the Captain's face and way. It's a greatday, this, sir."Cedric wondered why it was a great day. He looked at Mrs. Melloncuriously. It seemed to him for a moment as if there were tearsin her eyes, and yet it was evident she was not unhappy. Shesmiled down on him."The cat left two beautiful kittens here," she said; "theyshall be sent up to your lordship's nursery."Mr. Havisham said a few words to her in a low voice."In the library, sir," Mrs. Mellon replied. "His lordship isto be taken there alone."A few minutes later, the very tall footman in livery, who hadescorted Cedric to the library door, opened it and announced:"Lord Fauntleroy, my lord," in quite a majestic tone. If hewas only a footman, he felt it was rather a grand occasion whenthe heir came home to his own land and possessions, and wasushered into the presence of the old Earl, whose place and titlehe was to take.Cedric crossed the threshold into the room. It was a very largeand splendid room, with massive carven furniture in it, andshelves upon shelves of books; the furniture was so dark, and thedraperies so heavy, the diamond-paned windows were so deep, andit seemed such a distance from one end of it to the other, that,since the sun had gone down, the effect of it all was rathergloomy. For a moment Cedric thought there was nobody in theroom, but soon he saw that by the fire burning on the wide hearththere was a large easy-chair and that in that chair some one wassitting--some one who did not at first turn to look at him.But he had attracted attention in one quarter at least. On thefloor, by the arm-chair, lay a dog, a huge tawny mastiff, withbody and limbs almost as big as a lion's; and this great creaturerose majestically and slowly, and marched toward the littlefellow with a heavy step.Then the person in the chair spoke. "Dougal," he called,"come back, sir."But there was no more fear in little Lord Fauntleroy's heart thanthere was unkindness--he had been a brave little fellow all hislife. He put his hand on the big dog's collar in the mostnatural way in the world, and they strayed forward together,Dougal sniffing as he went.And then the Earl looked up. What Cedric saw was a large old manwith shaggy white hair and eyebrows, and a nose like an eagle'sbeak between his deep, fierce eyes. What the Earl saw was agraceful, childish figure in a black velvet suit, with a lacecollar, and with love-locks waving about the handsome, manlylittle face, whose eyes met his with a look of innocentgood-fellowship. If the Castle was like the palace in a fairystory, it must be owned that little Lord Fauntleroy was himselfrather like a small copy of the fairy prince, though he was notat all aware of the fact, and perhaps was rather a sturdy youngmodel of a fairy. But there was a sudden glow of triumph andexultation in the fiery old Earl's heart as he saw what a strong,beautiful boy this grandson was, and how unhesitatingly he lookedup as he stood with his hand on the big dog's neck. It pleasedthe grim old nobleman that the child should show no shyness orfear, either of the dog or of himself.Cedric looked at him just as he had looked at the woman at thelodge and at the housekeeper, and came quite close to him."Are you the Earl?" he said. "I'm your grandson, you know,that Mr. Havisham brought. I'm Lord Fauntleroy."He held out his hand because he thought it must be the polite andproper thing to do even with earls. "I hope you are verywell," he continued, with the utmost friendliness. "I'm veryglad to see you."The Earl shook hands with him, with a curious gleam in his eyes;just at first, he was so astonished that he scarcely knew what tosay. He stared at the picturesque little apparition from underhis shaggy brows, and took it all in from head to foot."Glad to see me, are you?" he said."Yes," answered Lord Fauntleroy, "very."There was a chair near him, and he sat down on it; it was ahigh-backed, rather tall chair, and his feet did not touch thefloor when he had settled himself in it, but he seemed to bequite comfortable as he sat there, and regarded his augustrelative intently but modestly."I've kept wondering what you would look like," he remarked."I used to lie in my berth in the ship and wonder if you wouldbe anything like my father.""Am I?" asked the Earl."Well," Cedric replied, "I was very young when he died, and Imay not remember exactly how he looked, but I don't think you arelike him.""You are disappointed, I suppose?" suggested his grandfather."Oh, no," responded Cedric politely. "Of course you wouldlike any one to look like your father; but of course you wouldenjoy the way your grandfather looked, even if he wasn't likeyour father. You know how it is yourself about admiring yourrelations."The Earl leaned back in his chair and stared. He could not besaid to know how it was about admiring his relations. He hademployed most of his noble leisure in quarreling violently withthem, in turning them out of his house, and applying abusiveepithets to them; and they all hated him cordially."Any boy would love his grandfather," continued LordFauntleroy, "especially one that had been as kind to him as youhave been."Another queer gleam came into the old nobleman's eyes."Oh!" he said, "I have been kind to you, have I?""Yes," answered Lord Fauntleroy brightly; "I'm ever so muchobliged to you about Bridget, and the apple-woman, and Dick.""Bridget!" exclaimed the Earl. "Dick! The apple-woman!""Yes!" explained Cedric; "the ones you gave me all that moneyfor--the money you told Mr. Havisham to give me if I wanted it.""Ha!" ejaculated his lordship. "That's it, is it? The moneyyou were to spend as you liked. What did you buy with it? Ishould like to hear something about that."He drew his shaggy eyebrows together and looked at the childsharply. He was secretly curious to know in what way the lad hadindulged himself."Oh!" said Lord Fauntleroy, "perhaps you didn't know aboutDick and the apple-woman and Bridget. I forgot you lived such along way off from them. They were particular friends of mine.And you see Michael had the fever----""Who's Michael?" asked the Earl."Michael is Bridget's husband, and they were in great trouble.When a man is sick and can't work and has twelve children, youknow how it is. And Michael has always been a sober man. AndBridget used to come to our house and cry. And the evening Mr.Havisham was there, she was in the kitchen crying, because theyhad almost nothing to eat and couldn't pay the rent; and I wentin to see her, and Mr. Havisham sent for me and he said you hadgiven him some money for me. And I ran as fast as I could intothe kitchen and gave it to Bridget; and that made it all right;and Bridget could scarcely believe her eyes. That's why I'm soobliged to you.""Oh!" said the Earl in his deep voice, "that was one of thethings you did for yourself, was it? What else?"Dougal had been sitting by the tall chair; the great dog hadtaken its place there when Cedric sat down. Several times it hadturned and looked up at the boy as if interested in theconversation. Dougal was a solemn dog, who seemed to feelaltogether too big to take life's responsibilities lightly. Theold Earl, who knew the dog well, had watched it with secretinterest. Dougal was not a dog whose habit it was to makeacquaintances rashly, and the Earl wondered somewhat to see howquietly the brute sat under the touch of the childish hand. And,just at this moment, the big dog gave little Lord Fauntleroy onemore look of dignified scrutiny, and deliberately laid its huge,lion-like head on the boy's black-velvet knee.The small hand went on stroking this new friend as Cedricanswered:"Well, there was Dick," he said. "You'd like Dick, he's sosquare."This was an Americanism the Earl was not prepared for."What does that mean?" he inquired.Lord Fauntleroy paused a moment to reflect. He was not very surehimself what it meant. He had taken it for granted as meaningsomething very creditable because Dick had been fond of using it."I think it means that he wouldn't cheat any one," heexclaimed; "or hit a boy who was under his size, and that heblacks people's boots very well and makes them shine as much ashe can. He's a perfessional bootblack.""And he's one of your acquaintances, is he?" said the Earl."He is an old friend of mine," replied his grandson. "Notquite as old as Mr. Hobbs, but quite old. He gave me a presentjust before the ship sailed."He put his hand into his pocket and drew forth a neatly foldedred object and opened it with an air of affectionate pride. Itwas the red silk handkerchief with the large purple horse-shoesand heads on it."He gave me this," said his young lordship. "I shall keep italways. You can wear it round your neck or keep it in yourpocket. He bought it with the first money he earned after Ibought Jake out and gave him the new brushes. It's a keepsake.I put some poetry in Mr. Hobbs's watch. It was, `When this yousee, remember me.' When this I see, I shall always rememberDick."The sensations of the Right Honorable the Earl of Dorincourtcould scarcely be described. He was not an old nobleman who wasvery easily bewildered, because he had seen a great deal of theworld; but here was something he found so novel that it almosttook his lordly breath away, and caused him some singularemotions. He had never cared for children; he had been sooccupied with his own pleasures that he had never had time tocare for them. His own sons had not interested him when theywere very young--though sometimes he remembered having thoughtCedric's father a handsome and strong little fellow. He had beenso selfish himself that he had missed the pleasure of seeingunselfishness in others, and he had not known how tender andfaithful and affectionate a kind-hearted little child can be, andhow innocent and unconscious are its simple, generous impulses.A boy had always seemed to him a most objectionable littleanimal, selfish and greedy and boisterous when not under strictrestraint; his own two eldest sons had given their tutorsconstant trouble and annoyance, and of the younger one he fanciedhe had heard few complaints because the boy was of no particularimportance. It had never once occurred to him that he shouldlike his grandson; he had sent for the little Cedric because hispride impelled him to do so. If the boy was to take his place inthe future, he did not wish his name to be made ridiculous bydescending to an uneducated boor. He had been convinced the boywould be a clownish fellow if he were brought up in America. Hehad no feeling of affection for the lad; his only hope was thathe should find him decently well-featured, and with a respectableshare of sense; he had been so disappointed in his other sons,and had been made so furious by Captain Errol's Americanmarriage, that he had never once thought that anything creditablecould come of it. When the footman had announced LordFauntleroy, he had almost dreaded to look at the boy lest heshould find him all that he had feared. It was because of thisfeeling that he had ordered that the child should be sent to himalone. His pride could not endure that others should see hisdisappointment if he was to be disappointed. His proud, stubbornold heart therefore had leaped within him when the boy cameforward with his graceful, easy carriage, his fearless hand onthe big dog's neck. Even in the moments when he had hoped themost, the Earl had never hoped that his grandson would look likethat. It seemed almost too good to be true that this should bethe boy he had dreaded to see--the child of the woman he sodisliked--this little fellow with so much beauty and such abrave, childish grace! The Earl's stern composure was quiteshaken by this startling surprise.And then their talk began; and he was still more curiously moved,and more and more puzzled. In the first place, he was so used toseeing people rather afraid and embarrassed before him, that hehad expected nothing else but that his grandson would be timid orshy. But Cedric was no more afraid of the Earl than he had beenof Dougal. He was not bold; he was only innocently friendly, andhe was not conscious that there could be any reason why he shouldbe awkward or afraid. The Earl could not help seeing that thelittle boy took him for a friend and treated him as one, withouthaving any doubt of him at all. It was quite plain as the littlefellow sat there in his tall chair and talked in his friendly waythat it had never occurred to him that this large, fierce-lookingold man could be anything but kind to him, and rather pleased tosee him there. And it was plain, too, that, in his childish way,he wished to please and interest his grandfather. Cross, andhard-hearted, and worldly as the old Earl was, he could not helpfeeling a secret and novel pleasure in this very confidence.After all, it was not disagreeable to meet some one who did notdistrust him or shrink from him, or seem to detect the ugly partof his nature; some one who looked at him with clear,unsuspecting eyes,--if it was only a little boy in a black velvetsuit.So the old man leaned back in his chair, and led his youngcompanion on to telling him still more of himself, and with thatodd gleam in his eyes watched the little fellow as he talked.Lord Fauntleroy was quite willing to answer all his questions andchatted on in his genial little way quite composedly. He toldhim all about Dick and Jake, and the apple-woman, and Mr. Hobbs;he described the Republican Rally in all the glory of its bannersand transparencies, torches and rockets. In the course of theconversation, he reached the Fourth of July and the Revolution,and was just becoming enthusiastic, when he suddenly recollectedsomething and stopped very abruptly."What is the matter?" demanded his grandfather. "Why don'tyou go on?"Lord Fauntleroy moved rather uneasily in his chair. It wasevident to the Earl that he was embarrassed by the thought whichhad just occurred to him."I was just thinking that perhaps you mightn't like it," hereplied. "Perhaps some one belonging to you might have beenthere. I forgot you were an Englishman.""You can go on," said my lord. "No one belonging to me wasthere. You forgot you were an Englishman, too.""Oh! no," said Cedric quickly. "I'm an American!""You are an Englishman," said the Earl grimly. "Your fatherwas an Englishman."It amused him a little to say this, but it did not amuse Cedric.The lad had never thought of such a development as this. He felthimself grow quite hot up to the roots of his hair."I was born in America," he protested. "You have to be anAmerican if you are born in America. I beg your pardon," withserious politeness and delicacy, "for contradicting you. Mr.Hobbs told me, if there were another war, you know, I should haveto--to be an American."The Earl gave a grim half laugh--it was short and grim, but itwas a laugh."You would, would you?" he said.He hated America and Americans, but it amused him to see howserious and interested this small patriot was. He thought thatso good an American might make a rather good Englishman when hewas a man.They had not time to go very deep into the Revolution again--andindeed Lord Fauntleroy felt some delicacy about returning to thesubject--before dinner was announced.Cedric left his chair and went to his noble kinsman. He lookeddown at his gouty foot."Would you like me to help you?" he said politely. "You couldlean on me, you know. Once when Mr. Hobbs hurt his foot with apotato-barrel rolling on it, he used to lean on me."The big footman almost periled his reputation and his situationby smiling. He was an aristocratic footman who had always livedin the best of noble families, and he had never smiled; indeed,he would have felt himself a disgraced and vulgar footman if hehad allowed himself to be led by any circumstance whatever intosuch an indiscretion as a smile. But he had a very narrowescape. He only just saved himself by staring straight over theEarl's head at a very ugly picture.The Earl looked his valiant young relative over from head tofoot."Do you think you could do it?" he asked gruffly."I think I could," said Cedric. "I'm strong. I'm seven, youknow. You could lean on your stick on one side, and on me on theother. Dick says I've a good deal of muscle for a boy that'sonly seven."He shut his hand and moved it upward to his shoulder, so that theEarl might see the muscle Dick had kindly approved of, and hisface was so grave and earnest that the footman found it necessaryto look very hard indeed at the ugly picture."Well," said the Earl, "you may try."Cedric gave him his stick and began to assist him to rise.Usually, the footman did this, and was violently sworn at whenhis lordship had an extra twinge of gout. The Earl was not avery polite person as a rule, and many a time the huge footmenabout him quaked inside their imposing liveries.But this evening he did not swear, though his gouty foot gave himmore twinges than one. He chose to try an experiment. He got upslowly and put his hand on the small shoulder presented to himwith so much courage. Little Lord Fauntleroy made a careful stepforward, looking down at the gouty foot."Just lean on me," he said, with encouraging good cheer."I'll walk very slowly."If the Earl had been supported by the footman he would haverested less on his stick and more on his assistant's arm. Andyet it was part of his experiment to let his grandson feel hisburden as no light weight. It was quite a heavy weight indeed,and after a few steps his young lordship's face grew quite hot,and his heart beat rather fast, but he braced himself sturdily,remembering his muscle and Dick's approval of it."Don't be afraid of leaning on me," he panted. "I'm allright--if--if it isn't a very long way."It was not really very far to the dining-room, but it seemedrather a long way to Cedric, before they reached the chair at thehead of the table. The hand on his shoulder seemed to growheavier at every step, and his face grew redder and hotter, andhis breath shorter, but he never thought of giving up; hestiffened his childish muscles, held his head erect, andencouraged the Earl as he limped along."Does your foot hurt you very much when you stand on it?" heasked. "Did you ever put it in hot water and mustard? Mr.Hobbs used to put his in hot water. Arnica is a very nice thing,they tell me."The big dog stalked slowly beside them, and the big footmanfollowed; several times he looked very queer as he watched thelittle figure making the very most of all its strength, andbearing its burden with such good-will. The Earl, too, lookedrather queer, once, as he glanced sidewise down at the flushedlittle face. When they entered the room where they were to dine,Cedric saw it was a very large and imposing one, and that thefootman who stood behind the chair at the head of the tablestared very hard as they came in.But they reached the chair at last. The hand was removed fromhis shoulder, and the Earl was fairly seated.Cedric took out Dick's handkerchief and wiped his forehead."It's a warm night, isn't it?" he said. "Perhaps you need afire because--because of your foot, but it seems just a littlewarm to me."His delicate consideration for his noble relative's feelings wassuch that he did not wish to seem to intimate that any of hissurroundings were unnecessary."You have been doing some rather hard work," said the Earl."Oh, no!" said Lord Fauntleroy, "it wasn't exactly hard, but Igot a little warm. A person will get warm in summer time."And he rubbed his damp curls rather vigorously with the gorgeoushandkerchief. His own chair was placed at the other end of thetable, opposite his grandfather's. It was a chair with arms, andintended for a much larger individual than himself; indeed,everything he had seen so far,--the great rooms, with their highceilings, the massive furniture, the big footman, the big dog,the Earl himself,--were all of proportions calculated to makethis little lad feel that he was very small, indeed. But thatdid not trouble him; he had never thought himself very large orimportant, and he was quite willing to accommodate himself evento circumstances which rather overpowered him.Perhaps he had never looked so little a fellow as when seated nowin his great chair, at the end of the table. Notwithstanding hissolitary existence, the Earl chose to live in some state. He wasfond of his dinner, and he dined in a formal style. Cedriclooked at him across a glitter of splendid glass and plate, whichto his unaccustomed eyes seemed quite dazzling. A strangerlooking on might well have smiled at the picture,--the greatstately room, the big liveried servants, the bright lights, theglittering silver and glass, the fierce-looking old nobleman atthe head of the table and the very small boy at the foot. Dinnerwas usually a very serious matter with the Earl--and it was avery serious matter with the cook, if his lordship was notpleased or had an indifferent appetite. To-day, however, hisappetite seemed a trifle better than usual, perhaps because hehad something to think of beside the flavor of the entrees andthe management of the gravies. His grandson gave him somethingto think of. He kept looking at him across the table. He didnot say very much himself, but he managed to make the boy talk.He had never imagined that he could be entertained by hearing achild talk, but Lord Fauntleroy at once puzzled and amused him,and he kept remembering how he had let the childish shoulder feelhis weight just for the sake of trying how far the boy's courageand endurance would go, and it pleased him to know that hisgrandson had not quailed and had not seemed to think even for amoment of giving up what he had undertaken to do."You don't wear your coronet all the time?" remarked LordFauntleroy respectfully."No," replied the Earl, with his grim smile; "it is notbecoming to me.""Mr. Hobbs said you always wore it," said Cedric; "but afterhe thought it over, he said he supposed you must sometimes takeit off to put your hat on.""Yes," said the Earl, "I take it off occasionally."And one of the footmen suddenly turned aside and gave a singularlittle cough behind his hand.Cedric finished his dinner first, and then he leaned back in hischair and took a survey of the room."You must be very proud of your house," he said, "it's such abeautiful house. I never saw anything so beautiful; but, ofcourse, as I'm only seven, I haven't seen much.""And you think I must be proud of it, do you?" said the Earl."I should think any one would be proud of it," replied LordFauntleroy. "I should be proud of it if it were my house.Everything about it is beautiful. And the park, and thosetrees,--how beautiful they are, and how the leaves rustle!"Then he paused an instant and looked across the table ratherwistfully."It's a very big house for just two people to live in, isn'tit?" he said."It is quite large enough for two," answered the Earl. "Doyou find it too large?"His little lordship hesitated a moment."I was only thinking," he said, "that if two people lived init who were not very good companions, they might feel lonelysometimes.""Do you think I shall make a good companion?" inquired theEarl."Yes," replied Cedric, "I think you will. Mr. Hobbs and Iwere great friends. He was the best friend I had exceptDearest."The Earl made a quick movement of his bushy eyebrows."Who is Dearest?""She is my mother," said Lord Fauntleroy, in a rather low,quiet little voice.Perhaps he was a trifle tired, as his bed-time was nearing, andperhaps after the excitement of the last few days it was naturalhe should be tired, so perhaps, too, the feeling of wearinessbrought to him a vague sense of loneliness in the remembrancethat to-night he was not to sleep at home, watched over by theloving eyes of that "best friend" of his. They had always been"best friends," this boy and his young mother. He could nothelp thinking of her, and the more he thought of her the less washe inclined to talk, and by the time the dinner was at an end theEarl saw that there was a faint shadow on his face. But Cedricbore himself with excellent courage, and when they went back tothe library, though the tall footman walked on one side of hismaster, the Earl's hand rested on his grandson's shoulder, thoughnot so heavily as before.When the footman left them alone, Cedric sat down upon thehearth-rug near Dougal. For a few minutes he stroked the dog'sears in silence and looked at the fire.The Earl watched him. The boy's eyes looked wistful andthoughtful, and once or twice he gave a little sigh. The Earlsat still, and kept his eyes fixed on his grandson."Fauntleroy," he said at last, "what are you thinking of?"Fauntleroy looked up with a manful effort at a smile."I was thinking about Dearest," he said; "and--and I think I'dbetter get up and walk up and down the room."He rose up, and put his hands in his small pockets, and began towalk to and fro. His eyes were very bright, and his lips werepressed together, but he kept his head up and walked firmly.Dougal moved lazily and looked at him, and then stood up. Hewalked over to the child, and began to follow him uneasily.Fauntleroy drew one hand from his pocket and laid it on the dog'shead."He's a very nice dog," he said. "He's my friend. He knowshow I feel.""How do you feel?" asked the Earl.It disturbed him to see the struggle the little fellow was havingwith his first feeling of homesickness, but it pleased him to seethat he was making so brave an effort to bear it well. He likedthis childish courage."Come here," he said.Fauntleroy went to him."I never was away from my own house before," said the boy, witha troubled look in his brown eyes. "It makes a person feel astrange feeling when he has to stay all night in another person'scastle instead of in his own house. But Dearest is not very faraway from me. She told me to remember that--and--and I'mseven--and I can look at the picture she gave me."He put his hand in his pocket, and brought out a small violetvelvet-covered case."This is it," he said. "You see, you press this spring and itopens, and she is in there!"He had come close to the Earl's chair, and, as he drew forth thelittle case, he leaned against the arm of it, and against the oldman's arm, too, as confidingly as if children had always leanedthere."There she is," he said, as the case opened; and he looked upwith a smile.The Earl knitted his brows; he did not wish to see the picture,but he looked at it in spite of himself; and there looked up athim from it such a pretty young face--a face so like the child'sat his side--that it quite startled him."I suppose you think you are very fond of her," he said."Yes," answered Lord Fauntleroy, in a gentle tone, and withsimple directness; "I do think so, and I think it's true. Yousee, Mr. Hobbs was my friend, and Dick and Bridget and Mary andMichael, they were my friends, too; but Dearest--well, she is myclose friend, and we always tell each other everything. Myfather left her to me to take care of, and when I am a man I amgoing to work and earn money for her.""What do you think of doing?" inquired his grandfather.His young lordship slipped down upon the hearth-rug, and satthere with the picture still in his hand. He seemed to bereflecting seriously, before he answered."I did think perhaps I might go into business with Mr. Hobbs,"he said; "but I should like to be a President.""We'll send you to the House of Lords instead," said hisgrandfather."Well," remarked Lord Fauntleroy, "if I couldn't be aPresident, and if that is a good business, I shouldn't mind. Thegrocery business is dull sometimes."Perhaps he was weighing the matter in his mind, for he sat veryquiet after this, and looked at the fire for some time.The Earl did not speak again. He leaned back in his chair andwatched him. A great many strange new thoughts passed throughthe old nobleman's mind. Dougal had stretched himself out andgone to sleep with his head on his huge paws. There was a longsilence.In about half an hour's time Mr. Havisham was ushered in. Thegreat room was very still when he entered. The Earl was stillleaning back in his chair. He moved as Mr. Havisham approached,and held up his hand in a gesture of warning--it seemed as if hehad scarcely intended to make the gesture--as if it were almostinvoluntary. Dougal was still asleep, and close beside the greatdog, sleeping also, with his curly head upon his arm, lay littleLord Fauntleroy.