III
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.
