Stranica 62 [62]
42 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY.
met M—m—g mm —— == — ———— 8 i ST —_ = = - |
“T soy!” he said, " what’re yer givin’ us?” This plainly embar¬
rassed his lordship a little, but he bore himself bravely.
‘Everybody thinks it not true at first,” he said. " Mr. Hobbs
thought I’d had a sunstroke. I did n’t think I was going to like it
myself, but I like it better now I m used to it. The one who is the
earl now, he’s my grandpapa; and he wants me to do anything |
like. He’s very kind, if he zs an earl; and he sent me a lot of
money by Mr. Havisham, and I ’ve brought some to you to buy
Jake out.”
And the end of the matter was that Dick actually bought Jake
out, and found himself the possessor of the business and some new
brushes and a most astonishing sign and outfit. He could not
believe in his good luck any more easily than the apple-woman of
ancient lineage could believe in hers; he walked about like a boot¬
black in a dream; he stared at his young benefactor and felt as if he
might wake up at any moment. He scarcely seemed to realize any¬
thing until Cedric put out his hand to shake hands with him before
going away.
‘Well, good-bye,” he said; and though he tried to speak steadily,
there was a little tremble in his voice and he winked his big brown
eyes. "And I hope trade Il be good. I’m sorry I’m going away
to leave you, but perhaps I shall come back again when I’m an earl.
And I wish you ’d write to me, because we were always good friends.
And if you write to me, here’s where you must send your letter.”
And he gave him a slip of paper. ‘And my name is n’t Cedric
Errol any more; it s Lord Fauntleroy and—and good-bye, Dick.”
Dick winked his eyes also, and yet they looked rather moist
about the lashes. He was not an educated boot-black, and he would
have found it difficult to tell what he felt just then if he had tried;
perhaps that was why he did n’t try, and only winked his eyes and
swallowed a lump in his throat.