Oldal 38 [38]
18 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY.
a —s
expression in his childish eyes, and saw that he was not changed at
all, but was simply as he had been the day before, just a handsome,
cheerful, brave little fellow in a blue suit and red _ neck-ribbon,
all this information about the nobility bewildered him. He was all
the more bewildered because Cedric gave it with such ingenuous
simplicity, and plainly without realizing himself how stupendous
it was.
‘“Wha—what did you say your name was" Mr. Hobbs inquired.
‘It’s Cedric Errol, Lord Fauntleroy,” answered Cedric. ‘ That
was what Mr. Havisham called me. He said when Í went into the
room: ‘And so this is little Lord Fauntleroy:!’”
“Well,” said Mr. Hobbs, "1! II be —jiggered !”
This was an exclamation he always used when he was very
much astonished or excited. He could think of nothing else to say
just at that puzzling moment.
Cedric felt it to be quite a proper and suitable ejaculation. His
respect and affection for Mr. Hobbs were so great that he admired
and approved of all his remarks. He had not seen enough of
society as yet to make him realize that sometimes Mr. Hobbs was
not quite conventional. He knew, of course, that he was different
from his mamma, but, then, his mamma was a lady, and he had an
idea that ladies were always different from gentlemen.
He looked at Mr. Hobbs wistfully.
“England is a long way off, is nt it?” he asked.
“It’s across the Atlantic Ocean,” Mr. Hobbs answered.
‘That ’s the worst of it,” said Cedric. ‘Perhaps I shall not
see you again for a long time. I don’t like to think of that, Mr.
Hobbs.”
‘The best of friends must part,” said Mr. Hobbs.
“Well,” said Cedric, "we have been friends for a great many
years, have nt we?”