Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой

           HehadtwosonsolderthanCaptainCedric;anditwasthelawthattheelderofthesesonsshouldinheritthefamilytitleandestates,whichwereveryrichandsplendid;iftheeldestsondied,thenextonewouldbeheir;so,thoughhewasamemberofsuchagreatfamily,therewaslittlechancethatCaptainCedricwouldbeveryrichhimself.

           ButitsohappenedthatNaturehadgiventotheyoungestsongiftswhichshehadnotbestoweduponhiselderbrothers.Hehadabeautifulfaceandafine,strong,gracefulfigure;hehadabrightsmileandasweet,gayvoice;hewasbraveandgenerous,andhadthekindestheartintheworld,andseemedtohavethepowertomakeeveryonelovehim.Anditwasnotsowithhiselderbrothers;neitherofthemwashandsome,orverykind,orclever.WhentheywereboysatEton,theywerenotpopular;whentheywereatcollege,theycarednothingforstudy,andwastedbothtimeandmoney,andmadefewrealfriends.TheoldEarl,theirfather,wasconstantlydisappointedandhumiliatedbythem;hisheirwasnohonortohisnoblename,anddidnotpromisetoendinbeinganythingbutaselfish,wasteful,insignificantman,withnomanlyornoblequalities.Itwasverybitter,theoldEarlthought,thatthesonwhowasonlythird,andwouldhaveonlyaverysmallfortune,shouldbetheonewhohadallthegifts,andallthecharms,andallthestrengthandbeauty.