Little Lord Fauntleroy Read online

  III

  Cedric's good opinion of the advantages of being an earl increasedgreatly during the next week. It seemed almost impossible for him torealize that there was scarcely anything he might wish to do which hecould not do easily; in fact, I think it may be said that he didnot fully realize it at all. But at least he understood, after a fewconversations with Mr. Havisham, that he could gratify all his nearestwishes, and he proceeded to gratify them with a simplicity and delightwhich caused Mr. Havisham much diversion. In the week before they sailedfor England he did many curious things. The lawyer long after rememberedthe morning they went down-town together to pay a visit to Dick, and theafternoon they so amazed the apple-woman of ancient lineage by stoppingbefore her stall and telling her she was to have a tent, and a stove,and a shawl, and a sum of money which seemed to her quite wonderful.

  "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 mindevery time it rained. My own bones never hurt, so I think I don't knowhow painful a person's bones can be, but I've sympathized with you agreat deal, and I hope you'll be better."

  "She's a very good apple-woman," he said to Mr. Havisham, as they walkedaway, leaving the proprietress of the stall almost gasping for breath,and not at all believing in her great fortune. "Once, when I felldown and cut my knee, she gave me an apple for nothing. I've alwaysremembered her for it. You know you always remember people who are kindto you."

  It had never occurred to his honest, simple little mind that there werepeople who could forget kindnesses.

  The interview with Dick was quite exciting. Dick had just been havinga great deal of trouble with Jake, and was in low spirits when they sawhim. His amazement when Cedric calmly announced that they had come togive him what seemed a very great thing to him, and would set all histroubles right, almost struck him dumb. Lord Fauntleroy's manner ofannouncing the object of his visit was very simple and unceremonious.Mr. Havisham was much impressed by its directness as he stood by andlistened. The statement that his old friend had become a lord, and wasin danger of being an earl if he lived long enough, caused Dick toso open his eyes and mouth, and start, that his cap fell off. When hepicked it up, he uttered a rather singular exclamation. Mr. Havishamthought it singular, but Cedric had heard it before.

  "I soy!" he said, "what're yer givin' us?" This plainly embarrassed hislordship a little, but he bore himself bravely.

  "Everybody thinks it not true at first," he said. "Mr. Hobbs thoughtI'd had a sunstroke. I didn't think I was going to like it myself, but Ilike it better now I'm used to it. The one who is the Earl now, he's mygrandpapa; and he wants me to do anything I like. He's very kind, ifhe IS an earl; and he sent me a lot of money by Mr. Havisham, and I'vebrought some to you to buy Jake out."

  And the end of the matter was that Dick actually bought Jake out, andfound himself the possessor of the business and some new brushes and amost astonishing sign and outfit. He could not believe in his good luckany more easily than the apple-woman of ancient lineage could believein hers; he walked about like a boot-black in a dream; he stared athis young benefactor and felt as if he might wake up at any moment. Hescarcely seemed to realize anything until Cedric put out his hand toshake hands with him before going away.

  "Well, good-bye," he said; and though he tried to speak steadily, therewas a little tremble in his voice and he winked his big brown eyes."And I hope trade'll be good. I'm sorry I'm going away to leave you, butperhaps I shall come back again when I'm an earl. And I wish you'd writeto 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 ofpaper. "And my name isn't Cedric Errol any more; it's Lord Fauntleroyand--and good-bye, Dick."

  Dick winked his eyes also, and yet they looked rather moist about thelashes. He was not an educated boot-black, and he would have found itdifficult to tell what he felt just then if he had tried; perhaps thatwas why he didn't try, and only winked his eyes and swallowed a lump inhis throat.

  "I wish ye wasn't goin' away," he said in a husky voice. Then he winkedhis 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 heapof him. He's such a game little feller, an'--an' such a queer littleun."

  And when they turned away he stood and looked after them in a dazedkind of way, and there was still a mist in his eyes, and a lump in histhroat, as he watched the gallant little figure marching gayly along bythe side of its tall, rigid escort.

  Until the day of his departure, his lordship spent as much time aspossible with Mr. Hobbs in the store. Gloom had settled upon Mr. Hobbs;he was much depressed in spirits. When his young friend brought to himin triumph the parting gift of a gold watch and chain, Mr. Hobbs foundit difficult to acknowledge it properly. He laid the case on his stoutknee, 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, LordFauntleroy, to Mr. Hobbs. When this you see, remember me.' I don't wantyou 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 hadspoken; "nor don't you go and forget me when you get among the Britisharrystocracy."

  "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 happiesthours. I hope you'll come to see me sometime. I'm sure my grandpapawould be very much pleased. Perhaps he'll write and ask you, when I tellhim about you. You--you wouldn't mind his being an earl, would you, Imean you wouldn't stay away just because he was one, if he invited youto come?"

  "I'd come to see you," replied Mr. Hobbs, graciously.

  So it seemed to be agreed that if he received a pressing invitation fromthe Earl to come and spend a few months at Dorincourt Castle, he was tolay aside his republican prejudices and pack his valise at once.

  At last all the preparations were complete; the day came when the trunkswere taken to the steamer, and the hour arrived when the carriage stoodat the door. Then a curious feeling of loneliness came upon the littleboy. His mamma had been shut up in her room for some time; when she camedown the stairs, her eyes looked large and wet, and her sweet mouth wastrembling. Cedric went to her, and she bent down to him, and he put hisarms around her, and they kissed each other. He knew something made themboth sorry, though he scarcely knew what it was; but one tender littlethought rose to his lips.

  "We liked this little house, Dearest, didn't we?" he said. "We alwayswill 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 strokedher hand and held it close.

  And then, it seemed almost directly, they were on the steamer in themidst of the wildest bustle and confusion; carriages were drivingdown and leaving passengers; passengers were getting into a state ofexcitement about baggage which had not arrived and threatened to be toolate; big trunks and cases were being bumped down and dragged about;sailors were uncoiling ropes and hurrying to and fro; officers weregiving orders; ladies and gentlemen and children and nurses were comingon board,--some were laughing and looked gay, some were silent and sad,here and there two or three were crying and touching their eyes withtheir handkerchiefs. Cedric found something to interest him on everyside; 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 tomake plans for conversing with the sailors and gaining some informationon the subject of pirates.

  It was just at the very last, when he was standing leaning on therailing of the upper deck and watching the final preparations, enjoyingthe excitement and the shouts of the sailors and wharfmen, that hisattention was called to a slight bustle in one of
the groups not farfrom him. Some one was hurriedly forcing his way through this group andcoming toward him. It was a boy, with something red in his hand. It wasDick. He came up to Cedric quite breathless.

  "I've run all the way," he said. "I've come down to see ye off. Trade'sbeen prime! I bought this for ye out o' what I made yesterday. Ye kinwear it when ye get among the swells. 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 forth as if in one sentence. A bell rang, and he made aleap away before Cedric had time to speak.

  "Good-bye!" he panted. "Wear it when ye get among the swells." And hedarted off and was gone.

  A few seconds later they saw him struggle through the crowd on the lowerdeck, and rush on shore just before the gang-plank was drawn in. Hestood on the wharf and waved his cap.

  Cedric held the handkerchief in his hand. It was of bright red silkornamented with purple horseshoes and horses' heads.

  There was a great straining and creaking and confusion. The people onthe wharf began to shout to their friends, and the people on the steamershouted back:

  "Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye, old fellow!" Every one seemed to besaying, "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, andCedric's mother drew the veil over her eyes, and on the shore there wasleft great confusion; but Dick saw nothing save that bright, childishface and the bright hair that the sun shone on and the breeze lifted,and he heard nothing but the hearty childish voice calling "Good-bye,Dick!" as little Lord Fauntleroy steamed slowly away from the home ofhis birth to the unknown land of his ancestors.