Chapter III

Little Lord Fauntleroy

by Francis Hodgson Burnett

Cedric's good opinion of the advantages of being an earl
increased greatly during the next week. It seemed almost impossible
for him to realize that there was scarcely anything he might wish to
do which he could not do easily; in fact, I think it may be said that
he did not fully realize it at all. But at least he understood,
after a few conversations with Mr. Havisham, that he could gratify
all his nearest wishes, and he proceeded to gratify them with a
simplicity and delight which caused Mr. Havisham much diversion. In
the week before they sailed for England he did many curious things.
The lawyer long after remembered the morning they went down-town
together to pay a visit to Dick, and the afternoon they so amazed the
apple-woman of ancient lineage by stopping before 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
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
gasping 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 amazement 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 exclamation. 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 outfit. 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 benefactor 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
steadily, there was 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, 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 lashes. 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 gallant little figure marching gayly
along by the side of its tall, rigid 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 depressed 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 stout 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
bent 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 bustle 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 touching 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 conversing with the sailors and
gaining some information on the subject of pirates.

It was just at the very last, when he was standing 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 kin wear 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 a leap away before Cedric had time to speak.

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

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
drawn in. He stood on the wharf and waved his cap.

Cedric held the handkerchief in his hand. It was of bright red
silk ornamented 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 hearty 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.