Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой

           Insteadofbeingabald-headedbaby,hestartedinlifewithaquantityofsoft,fine,gold-coloredhair,whichcurledupattheends,andwentintolooseringsbythetimehewassixmonthsold;hehadbigbrowneyesandlongeyelashesandadarlinglittleface;hehadsostrongabackandsuchsplendidsturdylegs,thatatninemonthshelearnedsuddenlytowalk;hismannersweresogood,forababy,thatitwasdelightfultomakehisacquaintance.Heseemedtofeelthateveryonewashisfriend,andwhenanyonespoketohim,whenhewasinhiscarriageinthestreet,hewouldgivethestrangeronesweet,seriouslookwiththebrowneyes,andthenfollowitwithalovely,friendlysmile;andtheconsequencewas,thattherewasnotapersonintheneighborhoodofthequietstreetwherehelived—eventothegrocerymanatthecorner,whowasconsideredthecrossestcreaturealive—whowasnotpleasedtoseehimandspeaktohim.Andeverymonthofhislifehegrewhandsomerandmoreinteresting.

           Whenhewasoldenoughtowalkoutwithhisnurse,draggingasmallwagonandwearingashortwhitekiltskirt,andabigwhitehatsetbackonhiscurlyyellowhair,hewassohandsomeandstrongandrosythatheattractedeveryone’sattention,andhisnursewouldcomehomeandtellhismammastoriesoftheladieswhohadstoppedtheircarriagestolookatandspeaktohim,andofhowpleasedtheywerewhenhetalkedtotheminhischeerfullittleway,asifhehadknownthemalways.Hisgreatestcharmwasthischeerful,fearless,quaintlittlewayofmakingfriendswithpeople.