Chapter VII

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

　　On the following Sunday morning, Mr. Mordaunt had a largecongregation. Indeed, he could scarcely remember any Sunday onwhich the church had been so crowded. People appeared upon thescene who seldom did him the honor of coming to hear his sermons.There were even people from Hazelton, which was the next parish.There were hearty, sunburned farmers, stout, comfortable,apple-cheeked wives in their best bonnets and most gorgeousshawls, and half a dozen children or so to each family. Thedoctor's wife was there, with her four daughters. Mrs. Kimseyand Mr. Kimsey, who kept the druggist's shop, and made pills, anddid up powders for everybody within ten miles, sat in their pew;Mrs. Dibble in hers; Miss Smiff, the village dressmaker, and herfriend Miss Perkins, the milliner, sat in theirs; the doctor'syoung man was present, and the druggist's apprentice; in fact,almost every family on the county side was represented, in oneway or another.In the course of the preceding week, many wonderful stories hadbeen told of little Lord Fauntleroy. Mrs. Dibble had been keptso busy attending to customers who came in to buy a pennyworth ofneedles or a ha'porth of tape and to hear what she had to relate,that the little shop bell over the door had nearly tinkled itselfto death over the coming and going. Mrs. Dibble knew exactly howhis small lordship's rooms had been furnished for him, whatexpensive toys had been bought, how there was a beautiful brownpony awaiting him, and a small groom to attend it, and a littledog-cart, with silver-mounted harness. And she could tell, too,what all the servants had said when they had caught glimpses ofthe child on the night of his arrival; and how every female belowstairs had said it was a shame, so it was, to part the poorpretty dear from his mother; and had all declared their heartscame into their mouths when he went alone into the library to seehis grandfather, for "there was no knowing how he'd be treated,and his lordship's temper was enough to fluster them with oldheads on their shoulders, let alone a child.""But if you'll believe me, Mrs. Jennifer, mum," Mrs. Dibble hadsaid, "fear that child does not know--so Mr. Thomas hisselfsays; an' set an' smile he did, an' talked to his lordship as ifthey'd been friends ever since his first hour. An' the Earl sotook aback, Mr. Thomas says, that he couldn't do nothing butlisten and stare from under his eyebrows. An' it's Mr. Thomas'sopinion, Mrs. Bates, mum, that bad as he is, he was pleased inhis secret soul, an' proud, too; for a handsomer little fellow,or with better manners, though so old-fashioned, Mr. Thomas sayshe'd never wish to see."And then there had come the story of Higgins. The Reverend Mr.Mordaunt had told it at his own dinner table, and the servantswho had heard it had told it in the kitchen, and from there ithad spread like wildfire.And on market-day, when Higgins had appeared in town, he had beenquestioned on every side, and Newick had been questioned too, andin response had shown to two or three people the note signed"Fauntleroy."And so the farmers' wives had found plenty to talk of over theirtea and their shopping, and they had done the subject fulljustice and made the most of it. And on Sunday they had eitherwalked to church or had been driven in their gigs by theirhusbands, who were perhaps a trifle curious themselves about thenew little lord who was to be in time the owner of the soil.It was by no means the Earl's habit to attend church, but hechose to appear on this first Sunday--it was his whim to presenthimself in the huge family pew, with Fauntleroy at his side.There were many loiterers in the churchyard, and many lingerersin the lane that morning. There were groups at the gates and inthe porch, and there had been much discussion as to whether mylord would really appear or not. When this discussion was at itsheight, one good woman suddenly uttered an exclamation."Eh," she said, "that must be the mother, pretty youngthing." All who heard turned and looked at the slender figure inblack coming up the path. The veil was thrown back from her faceand they could see how fair and sweet it was, and how the brighthair curled as softly as a child's under the little widow's cap.She was not thinking of the people about; she was thinking ofCedric, and of his visits to her, and his joy over his new pony,on which he had actually ridden to her door the day before,sitting very straight and looking very proud and happy. But soonshe could not help being attracted by the fact that she was beinglooked at and that her arrival had created some sort ofsensation. She first noticed it because an old woman in a redcloak made a bobbing courtesy to her, and then another did thesame thing and said, "God bless you, my lady!" and one manafter another took off his hat as she passed. For a moment shedid not understand, and then she realized that it was because shewas little Lord Fauntleroy's mother that they did so, and sheflushed rather shyly and smiled and bowed too, and said, "Thankyou," in a gentle voice to the old woman who had blessed her.To a person who had always lived in a bustling, crowded Americancity this simple deference was very novel, and at first just alittle embarrassing; but after all, she could not help liking andbeing touched by the friendly warm-heartedness of which it seemedto speak. She had scarcely passed through the stone porch intothe church before the great event of the day happened. Thecarriage from the Castle, with its handsome horses and tallliveried servants, bowled around the corner and down the greenlane."Here they come!" went from one looker-on to another.And then the carriage drew up, and Thomas stepped down and openedthe door, and a little boy, dressed in black velvet, and with asplendid mop of bright waving hair, jumped out.Every man, woman, and child looked curiously upon him."He's the Captain over again!" said those of the on-lookers whoremembered his father. "He's the Captain's self, to the life!"He stood there in the sunlight looking up at the Earl, as Thomashelped that nobleman out, with the most affectionate interestthat could be imagined. The instant he could help, he put outhis hand and offered his shoulder as if he had been seven feethigh. It was plain enough to every one that however it might bewith other people, the Earl of Dorincourt struck no terror intothe breast of his grandson."Just lean on me," they heard him say. "How glad the peopleare to see you, and how well they all seem to know you!""Take off your cap, Fauntleroy," said the Earl. "They arebowing to you.""To me!" cried Fauntleroy, whipping off his cap in a moment,baring his bright head to the crowd and turning shining, puzzledeyes on them as he tried to bow to every one at once."God bless your lordship!" said the courtesying, red-cloakedold woman who had spoken to his mother; "long life to you!""Thank you, ma'am," said Fauntleroy. And then they went intothe church, and were looked at there, on their way up the aisleto the square, red-cushioned and curtained pew. When Fauntleroywas fairly seated, he made two discoveries which pleased him: thefirst that, across the church where he could look at her, hismother sat and smiled at him; the second, that at one end of thepew, against the wall, knelt two quaint figures carven in stone,facing each other as they kneeled on either side of a pillarsupporting two stone missals, their pointed hands folded as if inprayer, their dress very antique and strange. On the tablet bythem was written something of which he could only read thecurious words:"Here lyeth ye bodye of Gregorye Arthure Fyrst Earle ofDorincourt Allsoe of Alisone Hildegarde hys wyfe.""May I whisper?" inquired his lordship, devoured by curiousity."What is it?" said his grandfather."Who are they?""Some of your ancestors," answered the Earl, "who lived a fewhundred years ago.""Perhaps," said Lord Fauntleroy, regarding them with respect,"perhaps I got my spelling from them." And then he proceeded tofind his place in the church service. When the music began, hestood up and looked across at his mother, smiling. He was veryfond of music, and his mother and he often sang together, so hejoined in with the rest, his pure, sweet, high voice rising asclear as the song of a bird. He quite forgot himself in hispleasure in it. The Earl forgot himself a little too, as he satin his curtain-shielded corner of the pew and watched the boy.Cedric stood with the big psalter open in his hands, singing withall his childish might, his face a little uplifted, happily; andas he sang, a long ray of sunshine crept in and, slanting througha golden pane of a stained glass window, brightened the fallinghair about his young head. His mother, as she looked at himacross the church, felt a thrill pass through her heart, and aprayer rose in it too,--a prayer that the pure, simple happinessof his childish soul might last, and that the strange, greatfortune which had fallen to him might bring no wrong or evil withit. There were many soft, anxious thoughts in her tender heartin those new days."Oh, Ceddie!" she had said to him the evening before, as shehung over him in saying good-night, before he went away; "oh,Ceddie, dear, I wish for your sake I was very clever and couldsay a great many wise things! But only be good, dear, only bebrave, only be kind and true always, and then you will never hurtany one, so long as you live, and you may help many, and the bigworld may be better because my little child was born. And thatis best of all, Ceddie,--it is better than everything else, thatthe world should be a little better because a man has lived--evenever so little better, dearest."And on his return to the Castle, Fauntleroy had repeated herwords to his grandfather."And I thought about you when she said that," he ended; "and Itold her that was the way the world was because you had lived,and I was going to try if I could be like you.""And what did she say to that?" asked his lordship, a trifleuneasily."She said that was right, and we must always look for good inpeople and try to be like it."Perhaps it was this the old man remembered as he glanced throughthe divided folds of the red curtain of his pew. Many times helooked over the people's heads to where his son's wife sat alone,and he saw the fair face the unforgiven dead had loved, and theeyes which were so like those of the child at his side; but whathis thoughts were, and whether they were hard and bitter, orsoftened a little, it would have been hard to discover.As they came out of church, many of those who had attended theservice stood waiting to see them pass. As they neared the gate,a man who stood with his hat in his hand made a step forward andthen hesitated. He was a middle-aged farmer, with a carewornface."Well, Higgins," said the Earl.Fauntleroy turned quickly to look at him."Oh!" he exclaimed, "is it Mr. Higgins?""Yes," answered the Earl dryly; "and I suppose he came to takea look at his new landlord.""Yes, my lord," said the man, his sunburned face reddening."Mr. Newick told me his young lordship was kind enough to speakfor me, and I thought I'd like to say a word of thanks, if Imight be allowed."Perhaps he felt some wonder when he saw what a little fellow itwas who had innocently done so much for him, and who stood therelooking up just as one of his own less fortunate children mighthave done--apparently not realizing his own importance in theleast."I've a great deal to thank your lordship for," he said; "agreat deal. I----""Oh," said Fauntleroy; "I only wrote the letter. It was mygrandfather who did it. But you know how he is about alwaysbeing good to everybody. Is Mrs. Higgins well now?"Higgins looked a trifle taken aback. He also was somewhatstartled at hearing his noble landlord presented in the characterof a benevolent being, full of engaging qualities."I--well, yes, your lordship," he stammered, "the missus isbetter since the trouble was took off her mind. It was worryingbroke her down.""I'm glad of that," said Fauntleroy. "My grandfather was verysorry about your children having the scarlet fever, and so was I.He has had children himself. I'm his son's little boy, youknow."Higgins was on the verge of being panic-stricken. He felt itwould be the safer and more discreet plan not to look at theEarl, as it had been well known that his fatherly affection forhis sons had been such that he had seen them about twice a year,and that when they had been ill, he had promptly departed forLondon, because he would not be bored with doctors and nurses.It was a little trying, therefore, to his lordship's nerves to betold, while he looked on, his eyes gleaming from under his shaggyeyebrows, that he felt an interest in scarlet fever."You see, Higgins," broke in the Earl with a fine grim smile,"you people have been mistaken in me. Lord Fauntleroyunderstands me. When you want reliable information on thesubject of my character, apply to him. Get into the carriage,Fauntleroy."And Fauntleroy jumped in, and the carriage rolled away down thegreen lane, and even when it turned the corner into the highroad, the Earl was still grimly smiling.