Chapter II

           TherewasneveramoreamazedlittleboythanCedricduringtheweekthatfollowed;therewasneversostrangeorsounrealaweek.Inthefirstplace,thestoryhismammatoldhimwasaverycuriousone.Hewasobligedtohearittwoorthreetimesbeforehecouldunderstandit.HecouldnotimaginewhatMr.Hobbswouldthinkofit.Itbeganwithearls:hisgrandpapa,whomhehadneverseen,wasanearl;andhiseldestuncle,ifhehadnotbeenkilledbyafallfromhishorse,wouldhavebeenanearl,too,intime;andafterhisdeath,hisotherunclewouldhavebeenanearl,ifhehadnotdiedsuddenly,inRome,ofafever.Afterthat,hisownpapa,ifhehadlived,wouldhavebeenanearl,but,sincetheyallhaddiedandonlyCedricwasleft,itappearedthatHEwastobeanearlafterhisgrandpapa’sdeath—andforthepresenthewasLordFauntleroy.

           Heturnedquitepalewhenhewasfirsttoldofit.

           “Oh!Dearest!”hesaid,“Ishouldrathernotbeanearl.Noneoftheboysareearls.Can’tINOTbeone?”

           Butitseemedtobeunavoidable.Andwhen,thatevening,theysattogetherbytheopenwindowlookingoutintotheshabbystreet,heandhismotherhadalongtalkaboutit.Cedricsatonhisfootstool,claspingonekneeinhisfavoriteattitudeandwearingabewilderedlittlefaceratherredfromtheexertionofthinking.HisgrandfatherhadsentforhimtocometoEngland,andhismammathoughthemustgo.

           “Because,”shesaid,lookingoutofthewindowwithsorrowfuleyes,“Iknowyourpapawouldwishittobeso,Ceddie.