Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой
Chapter VI
Mordaunthadexpected,buthehesitatedasecondbeforehebegan.
“ItisHiggins,”hesaid;“HigginsofEdgeFarm.Hehasbeenveryunfortunate.Hewasillhimselflastautumn,andhischildrenhadscarletfever.Ican’tsaythatheisaverygoodmanager,buthehashadill-luck,andofcourseheisbehindhandinmanyways.Heisintroubleabouthisrentnow.Newicktellshimifhedoesn’tpayit,hemustleavetheplace;andofcoursethatwouldbeaveryseriousmatter.Hiswifeisill,andhecametomeyesterdaytobegmetoseeaboutit,andaskyoufortime.Hethinksifyouwouldgivehimtimehecouldcatchupagain.”
“Theyallthinkthat,”saidtheEarl,lookingratherblack.
Fauntleroymadeamovementforward.Hehadbeenstandingbetweenhisgrandfatherandthevisitor,listeningwithallhismight.HehadbeguntobeinterestedinHigginsatonce.Hewonderedhowmanychildrentherewere,andifthescarletfeverhadhurtthemverymuch.HiseyeswerewideopenandwerefixeduponMr.Mordauntwithintentinterestasthatgentlemanwentonwiththeconversation.
“Higginsisawell-meaningman,”saidtherector,makinganefforttostrengthenhisplea.
“Heisabadenoughtenant,”repliedhislordship.“Andheisalwaysbehindhand,Newicktellsme.”
“Heisingreattroublenow,”saidtherector.
“Heisveryfondofhiswifeandchildren,andifthefarmistakenfromhimtheymayliterallystarve.Hecannotgivethemthenourishingthingstheyneed.
