Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой
Chapter VI
Andheknew,too,—anotherthingFauntleroydidnot,—thatinallthosehomes,humbleorwell-to-do,therewasprobablynotoneperson,howevermuchheenviedthewealthandstatelynameandpower,andhoweverwillinghewouldhavebeentopossessthem,whowouldforaninstanthavethoughtofcallingthenobleowner“good,”orwishing,asthissimple-souledlittleboyhad,tobelikehim.
Anditwasnotexactlypleasanttoreflectupon,evenforacynical,worldlyoldman,whohadbeensufficientuntohimselfforseventyyearsandwhohadneverdeignedtocarewhatopiniontheworldheldofhimsolongasitdidnotinterferewithhiscomfortorentertainment.Andthefactwas,indeed,thathehadneverbeforecondescendedtoreflectuponitatall;andheonlydidsonowbecauseachildhadbelievedhimbetterthanhewas,andbywishingtofollowinhisillustriousfootstepsandimitatehisexample,hadsuggestedtohimthecuriousquestionwhetherhewasexactlythepersontotakeasamodel.
FauntleroythoughttheEarl’sfootmustbehurtinghim,hisbrowsknittedthemselvestogetherso,ashelookedoutatthepark;andthinkingthis,theconsideratelittlefellowtriednottodisturbhim,andenjoyedthetreesandthefernsandthedeerinsilence.
Butatlastthecarriage,havingpassedthegatesandbowledthroughthegreenlanesforashortdistance,stopped.TheyhadreachedCourtLodge;andFauntleroywasoutuponthegroundalmostbeforethebigfootmanhadtimetoopenthecarriagedoor.
TheEarlwakenedfromhisreveriewithastart.
“What!”hesaid