Oldal 51 [51]
LITILE LORD FAUNTLEROY. 31
made twenty days, and he grew tired of apples after a week; but
then — it was quite fortunate — a gentleman gave me fifty cents and
I bought apples from her instead. You feel sorry for any one that’s
so poor and has such ancient lin-lenage. She says hers has gone
into her bones and the rain makes it worse.”
Mr. Havisham felt rather at a loss as he looked at his com¬
panion s innocent, serious little face.
‘“l am afraid you did not quite understand me,” he explained.
‘“When I said ‘ancient lineage’ | did not mean old age; I meant
that the name of such a family has been known in the world a long
time ; perhaps for hundreds of years persons bearing that name have
been known and spoken of in the history of their country.”
‘“ Like George Washington,” said Ceddie. “‘I’ve heard of him
ever since | was born, and he was known about, long before that.
Mr. Hobbs says he will never be forgotten. That s because of the
Declaration of Independence, you know, and the Fourth of July.
You see, he was a very brave man.”
‘The first Earl of Dorincourt,” said Mr. Havisham solemnly,
‘was created an earl four hundred years ago.”
"c Well, well!” said Ceddie. ‘ That was along time ago! Did
you tell Dearest that? It would intrust her very much. We'll tell
her when she comes in. She always likes to hear cur’us things.
What else does an earl do besides being created ?”
‘A great many of them have helped to govern England. Some
of them have been brave men and have fought in great battles in
the old days.” |
. "I should like to do that myself,” said Cedric. ‘‘ My papa was a
soldier, and he was a very brave man—as brave as George Wash¬
ington. Perhaps that was because he would have been an earl if he
had nt died. I am glad earls are brave. That’s a great ‘van¬
tage —to be a brave man. Once I used to be rather afraid of