Chapter XIV

           Itisastonishinghowshortatimeittakesforverywonderfulthingstohappen.Ithadtakenonlyafewminutes,apparently,tochangeallthefortunesofthelittleboydanglinghisredlegsfromthehighstoolinMr.Hobbs’sstore,andtotransformhimfromasmallboy,livingthesimplestlifeinaquietstreet,intoanEnglishnobleman,theheirtoanearldomandmagnificentwealth.Ithadtakenonlyafewminutes,apparently,tochangehimfromanEnglishnoblemanintoapennilesslittleimpostor,withnorighttoanyofthesplendorshehadbeenenjoying.And,surprisingasitmayappear,itdidnottakenearlysolongatimeasonemighthaveexpected,toalterthefaceofeverythingagainandtogivebacktohimallthathehadbeenindangeroflosing.

           Ittookthelesstimebecause,afterall,thewomanwhohadcalledherselfLadyFauntleroywasnotnearlysocleverasshewaswicked;andwhenshehadbeencloselypressedbyMr.Havisham’squestionsabouthermarriageandherboy,shehadmadeoneortwoblunderswhichhadcausedsuspiciontobeawakened;andthenshehadlostherpresenceofmindandhertemper,andinherexcitementandangerhadbetrayedherselfstillfurther.Allthemistakesshemadewereaboutherchild.ThereseemednodoubtthatshehadbeenmarriedtoBevis,LordFauntleroy,andhadquarreledwithhimandhadbeenpaidtokeepawayfromhim;butMr.