Oldal 42 [42]
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22 LITILL LORD FAUNTLEROY.
The lawyer cleared his throat.
‘“T am obliged to tell you,” he said, "that the Earl of Dorincourt
is not—1is not very friendly toward you. He is an old man, and
his prejudices are very strong. He has always especially disliked
America and Americans, and was very much enraged by his sons
marriage. [am sorry to be the bearer of so unpleasant a communt¬
cation, but he is very fixed in his determination not to see you.
His plan is that Lord Fauntleroy shall be educated under his own
supervision; that he shall live with him. The Earl is attached to
Dorincourt Castle, and spends a great deal of time there. He is a
victim to inflammatory gout, and is not fond of London. Lord
Fauntleroy will, therefore, be likely to live chiefly at Dorincourt.
The Earl offers you as a home Court Lodge, which is situated
pleasantly, and is not very far from the castle. He also offers you
a suitable income. Lord Fauntleroy will be permitted to visit you ;
. the only stipulation is, that you shall not visit him or enter the park
gates. You see you will not be really separated from your son, and
I assure you, madam, the terms are not so harsh as—as they might
have been. The advantage of such surroundings and education as
Lord Fauntleroy will have, | am sure you must see, will be very
great. |
He felt a little uneasy lest she should begin to cry or make a
scene, as he knew some women would have done. It embarrassed
and annoyed him to see women cry.
But she did not. She went to the window and stood with her
face turned away for a few moments, and he saw she was trying to
steady herself.
‘Captain Errol was very fond of Dorincourt,” she said at last.
“He loved England, and everything English. It was always a
grief to him that he was parted from his home. He was proud of
his home, and of his name. He would wish—I know he would wish