Маленький лорд Фаунтлерой
Chapter V
Aboyhadalwaysseemedtohimamostobjectionablelittleanimal,selfishandgreedyandboisterouswhennotunderstrictrestraint;hisowntwoeldestsonshadgiventheirtutorsconstanttroubleandannoyance,andoftheyoungeronehefanciedhehadheardfewcomplaintsbecausetheboywasofnoparticularimportance.Ithadneveronceoccurredtohimthatheshouldlikehisgrandson;hehadsentforthelittleCedricbecausehisprideimpelledhimtodoso.Iftheboywastotakehisplaceinthefuture,hedidnotwishhisnametobemaderidiculousbydescendingtoanuneducatedboor.HehadbeenconvincedtheboywouldbeaclownishfellowifhewerebroughtupinAmerica.Hehadnofeelingofaffectionforthelad;hisonlyhopewasthatheshouldfindhimdecentlywell-featured,andwitharespectableshareofsense;hehadbeensodisappointedinhisothersons,andhadbeenmadesofuriousbyCaptainErrol’sAmericanmarriage,thathehadneveroncethoughtthatanythingcreditablecouldcomeofit.WhenthefootmanhadannouncedLordFauntleroy,hehadalmostdreadedtolookattheboylestheshouldfindhimallthathehadfeared.Itwasbecauseofthisfeelingthathehadorderedthatthechildshouldbesenttohimalone.Hispridecouldnotendurethatothersshouldseehisdisappointmentifhewastobedisappointed.Hisproud,stubbornoldheartthereforehadleapedwithinhimwhentheboycameforwardwithhisgraceful,easycarriage,hisfearlesshandonthebigdog’sneck.Eveninthemomentswhenhehadhopedthemost,theEarlhadneverhopedthathisgrandsonwouldlooklikethat.
