Stranica 96 [96]
76 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY.
When the footman had announced Lord Fauntleroy, he had almost
dreaded to look at the boy lest he should find him all that he had
feared. It was because of this feeling that he had ordered that the
child should be sent to him alone. His pride could not endure that
others should see his disappointment if he was to be disappointed.
His proud, stubborn old heart therefore had leaped within him when
the boy came forward with his graceful, easy carriage, his fearless
hand on the big dog’s neck. Even in the moments when he had
hoped the most, the Earl had never hoped that his grandson would
look like that. It seemed almost too good to be true that this should
be the boy he had dreaded to see—the child of the woman he so
disliked—this little fellow with so much beauty and such a brave,
childish grace! The Earl’s stern composure was quite shaken by
this startling surprise.
And then their talk began; and he was still more curiously
moved, and more and more puzzled. In the first place, he was so
used to seeing people rather afraid and embarrassed before him, that
he had expected nothing else but that his grandson would be timid
or shy. But Cedric was no more afraid of the Earl than he had been
of Dougal. He was not bold; he was only innocently friendly, and
he was not conscious that there could be any reason why he should
be awkward or afraid. The Earl could not help seeing that the
little boy took him for a friend and treated him as one, without hav¬
ing any doubt of him at all. It was quite plain as the little fellow
sat there in his tall chair and talked in his friendly way that it had
never occurred to him that this large, fierce-looking old man could
be anything but kind to him, and rather pleased to see him there.
And it was plain, too, that, in his childish way, he wished to please
and interest his grandfather. Cross, and hard-hearted, and worldly
as the old Earl was, he could not help feeling a secret and novel
pleasure in this very confidence. After all, it was not disagree¬