Oldal 142 [142]
I 22 LILZILE LORD FAUNTLEROY.
SSS TO SSR + ES
some little fellow, the old man might have taken so strong a dislike
to him that he would not have given himself the chance to see
his grandson’s finer qualities. But he chose to think that Cedric’s
beauty and fearless spirit were the results of the Dorincourt blood
and a credit to the Dorincourt rank. And then when he heard the
lad talk, and saw what a well-bred little fellow he was, notwithstand¬
ing his boyish ignorance of all that his new position meant, the old
Earl liked his grandson more, and actually began to find himself
rather entertained. It had amused him to give into those childish
hands the power to bestow a benefit on poor Higgins. My lord
cared nothing for poor Higgins, but it pleased him a little to
think that his grandson would be talked about by the country
people and would begin to be popular with the tenantry, even
in his childhood. Then it had gratified him to drive to church
with Cedric and to see the excitement and interest caused by the
arrival. He knew how the people would speak of the beauty of the
little lad; of his fine, strong, straight body; of his. erect bear¬
ing, his handsome face, and his bright hair, and how they would say
(as the Earl had heard one woman exclaim to another) that the boy
was "every inch a lord.” My lord of Dorincourt was an arrogant
old man, proud of his name, proud of his rank, and therefore proud
to show the world that at last the House of Dorincourt had an heir
who was worthy of the position he was to fill.
The morning the new pony had been tried, the. Earl had been
so pleased that he had almost forgotten his gout. When the groom
had brought out the pretty creature, which arched its brown, glossy
neck and tossed its fine head in the sun, the Earl had sat at the open
window of the library and had looked on while Fauntleroy took his
first riding lesson. He wondered if the boy would show signs of
timidity. It was not a very small pony, and he had often seen
children lose courage in making their first essay at riding.