Oldal 112 [112]
92 LITTLE LORD FAUNTILEROY.
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yourself, and be happy all the day, he will give you anything you
ask for.”
It was a tremendously exciting morning. There were so many
things to be examined, so many experiments to be tried; each nov¬
elty was so absorbing that he could scarcely turn from it to look at
the next. And it was so curious to know that all this had been pre¬
pared for himself alone; that, even before he had left New York,
people had come down from London to arrange the rooms he was
to occupy, and had provided the books and playthings most likely to
interest him.
“Did you ever know any one,” he said to Dawson, " who had
such a kind grandfather ! "
Dawson s face wore an uncertain expression fora moment. She
had not a very high opinion of his lordship the Earl. She had not
been in the house many days, but she had been there long enough
to hear the old nobleman’s peculiarities discussed very freely 1 in the
servants’ hall.
‘An’ of all the wicious, savage, hill-tempered hold fellows it was
ever my hill-luck to wear livery hunder,” the tallest footman had
said, " he’s the wiolentest and wust by a long shot.”
And this particular footman, whose name was Thomas, had
also repeated to his companions below stairs some of the Earl’s
remarks to Mr. Havisham, when they had been discussing these very
preparations.
“Give him his own way, and fill his rooms with toys,” my |
lord had said. "(Give him what will amuse him, and he Il forget
about his mother quickly enough. Amuse him, and fill his mind with
other things, and we shall have no trouble. That’s boy nature.”
So, perhaps, having had this truly amiable object in view, it did
not please him so very much to find it did not seem to be exactly
this particular boys nature. The Earl had passed a bad night and