Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой
Chapter XII
“Yes,”saidtheEarl,“heislike—myson—too.”Heputhishanduptohisbigwhitemustacheandpulleditfiercely.“Doyouknow,”hesaid,“whyIhavecomehere?”
“IhaveseenMr.Havisham,”Mrs.Errolbegan,“andhehastoldmeoftheclaimswhichhavebeenmade——”
“Ihavecometotellyou,”saidtheEarl,“thattheywillbeinvestigatedandcontested,ifacontestcanbemade.Ihavecometotellyouthattheboyshallbedefendedwithallthepowerofthelaw.Hisrights——”
Thesoftvoiceinterruptedhim.
“HemusthavenothingthatisNOThisbyright,evenifthelawcangiveittohim,”shesaid.
“Unfortunatelythelawcannot,”saidtheEarl.“Ifitcould,itshould.Thisoutrageouswomanandherchild——”
“PerhapsshecaresforhimasmuchasIcareforCedric,mylord,”saidlittleMrs.Errol.“Andifshewasyoureldestson’swife,hersonisLordFauntleroy,andmineisnot.”
ShewasnomoreafraidofhimthanCedrichadbeen,andshelookedathimjustasCedricwouldhavelooked,andhe,havingbeenanoldtyrantallhislife,wasprivatelypleasedbyit.Peoplesoseldomdaredtodifferfromhimthattherewasanentertainingnoveltyinit.
“Isuppose,”hesaid,scowlingslightly,“thatyouwouldmuchpreferthatheshouldnotbetheEarlofDorincourt.”
Herfairyoungfaceflushed.
“ItisaverymagnificentthingtobetheEarlofDorincourt,mylord,”shesaid.“Iknowthat,butIcaremostthatheshouldbewhathisfatherwas—braveandjustandtruealways.
