Page 80 [80]
OCR
60 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY. ‘ Well,” he said; "go on. You know I told you not to write to me about the matter, and I know nothing whatever about it. What kind of alad is he? I don’t care about the mother; what sort:of a lad is he?” | Mr. Havisham drank a little of the glass of port he had poured out for himself, and sat holding it in his hand. “Tt is rather difficult to judge of the character of a child of seven, " he said cautiously. The Earl’s prejudices were very intense. He looked up quickly and uttered a rough word. “A fool, is he?” he exclaimed. ‘Or a clumsy cub? His American blood tells, does it ? ” ‘1 do not think it has injured him, my lord,” replied the lawyer in his dry, deliberate fashion. ‘1 dont know much about children, but | thought him rather a fine lad.” His manner of speech was always deliberate and unenthusiastic, but he made it a trifle more so than usual. He had a shrewd fancy that it would be better that the Earl should judge for himself, and be quite unprepared for his first interview with his grandson. “ Healthy and well-grown ?” asked my lord. ‘Apparently very healthy, and quite well-grown,” replied the lawyer. | ‘ Straight-limbed and well enough to look at? " demanded the Earl. A very slight smile touched Mr. Havisham’s thin lips. There rose up before his minds eye the picture he had left at Court Lodge, — the beautiful, ‘graceful child’s body lying upon the tiger-skin in careless comfort —the bright, tumbled hair spread on the rug— the bright, rosy boy’s face. ‘“ Rather a handsome boy, I think, my lord, as boys go,” he said, ‘though I am scarcely a judge, perhaps. But you will find him somewhat different from most English children, I dare say.”
