Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой

           Heknewverylittleaboutchildren,thoughhehadseenplentyoftheminEngland—fine,handsome,rosygirlsandboys,whowerestrictlytakencareofbytheirtutorsandgovernesses,andwhoweresometimesshy,andsometimesatrifleboisterous,butneververyinterestingtoaceremonious,rigidoldlawyer.PerhapshispersonalinterestinlittleLordFauntleroy’sfortunesmadehimnoticeCeddiemorethanhehadnoticedotherchildren;but,howeverthatwas,hecertainlyfoundhimselfnoticinghimagreatdeal.

           Cedricdidnotknowhewasbeingobserved,andheonlybehavedhimselfinhisordinarymanner.HeshookhandswithMr.Havishaminhisfriendlywaywhentheywereintroducedtoeachother,andheansweredallhisquestionswiththeunhesitatingreadinesswithwhichheansweredMr.Hobbs.Hewasneithershynorbold,andwhenMr.Havishamwastalkingtohismother,thelawyernoticedthathelistenedtotheconversationwithasmuchinterestasifhehadbeenquitegrownup.

           “Heseemstobeaverymaturelittlefellow,”Mr.Havishamsaidtothemother.

           “Ithinkheis,insomethings,”sheanswered.“Hehasalwaysbeenveryquicktolearn,andhehaslivedagreatdealwithgrownuppeople.Hehasafunnylittlehabitofusinglongwordsandexpressionshehasreadinbooks,orhasheardothersuse,butheisveryfondofchildishplay.Ithinkheisratherclever,butheisaveryboyishlittleboy,sometimes.”

           ThenexttimeMr.Havishammethim,hesawthatthislastwasquitetrue.Ashiscoupeturnedthecorner,hecaughtsightofagroupofsmallboys,whowereevidentlymuchexcited.