Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой
Chapter VI
“There’sonethat’slikebaseball,onlyyouplayitonaboardwithblackandwhitepegs,andyoukeepyourscorewithsomecountersonawire.ItriedtoteachDawson,butshecouldn’tquiteunderstanditjustatfirst—yousee,sheneverplayedbaseball,beingalady;andI’mafraidIwasn’tverygoodatexplainingittoher.Butyouknowallaboutit,don’tyou?”
“I’mafraidIdon’t,”repliedtheEarl.“It’sanAmericangame,isn’tit?Isitsomethinglikecricket?”
“Ineversawcricket,”saidFauntleroy;“butMr.Hobbstookmeseveraltimestoseebaseball.It’sasplendidgame.Yougetsoexcited!Wouldyoulikemetogoandgetmygameandshowittoyou?Perhapsitwouldamuseyouandmakeyouforgetaboutyourfoot.Doesyourfoothurtyouverymuchthismorning?”
“MorethanIenjoy,”wastheanswer.
“Thenperhapsyoucouldn’tforgetit,”saidthelittlefellowanxiously.“Perhapsitwouldbotheryoutobetoldaboutthegame.Doyouthinkitwouldamuseyou,ordoyouthinkitwouldbotheryou?”
“Goandgetit,”saidtheEarl.
Itcertainlywasanovelentertainmentthis,—makingacompanionofachildwhoofferedtoteachhimtoplaygames,—buttheverynoveltyofitamusedhim.TherewasasmilelurkingabouttheEarl’smouthwhenCedriccamebackwiththeboxcontainingthegame,inhisarms,andanexpressionofthemosteagerinterestonhisface.
“MayIpullthatlittletableoverheretoyourchair?”heasked.
“RingforThomas,”saidtheEarl.“Hewillplaceitforyou.”
“Oh,Icandoitmyself,”answeredFauntleroy.
