Oldal 171 [171]
LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY We ER)
= = ——— =
if you wish to quarrel with me, you had better mention it at once.
What I hear of the young creature makes me quite sure that her
child owes her everything. We were told even at Lorridaile Park
that your poorer tenants adore her already.”
‘They adore Zzm, said the Earl, nodding toward Fauntleroy.
“As to Mrs. Errol, you II find her a pretty little woman. I’m rather —
in debt to her for giving some of her beauty to the boy, and you
can go fo see her if you like. All I ask is that she will remain at
Court Lodge and that you will not ask me to go and see her,” and
he scowled a little again.
‘But he does nt hate her as ‘much as he used to, that is plain
enough to me, her ladyship said to Sir Harry afterward. ‘And he
is a changed man in a measure, and, incredible as it may seem,
Harry, it is my opinion that he is being made into a human being,
through nothing more nor less than his affection for that innocent,
affectionate little fellow. Why, the child actually loves him—leans
on his chair and against his knee. His own children would as soon
have thought of nestling up to a tiger.”
The very next day she went to call upon Mrs. Errol. When she
returned, she said to her brother:
ce Molyneux, she is the loveliest little woman I ever saw! She has
a voice like a silver bell, and you may thank her for making the boy
what he is. She has given him more than her beauty, and you make
a great mistake in not persuading her to come and take charge of
you. I shall invite her to Lorridaile.”
“She 1] not leave the boy,” replied the Earl.
‘‘T must have the boy too,” said Lady Lorridaile, laughing. _
But she knew Fauntleroy would not be given up to her, and
each day she saw more clearly how closely those two had grown to
each other, and how all the proud, grim old man’s ambition and
hope and love centered themselves in the child, and how the warm,