Chapter 5 At the Castle.
It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen.
Cedric said the next morning as the carriage approached Dorincourt Castle.
It reminds me of a king's palace I saw in a picture book once.
Dorincourt Castle was one of the grandest in all of England.
It rose up stately and gray.
The windows dazzled in the sun.
It had turrets and battlements and towers.
All around it were grand terraces and beds of brilliantly colored flowers.
Cedric saw the great entrance door thrown open.
Dozens of servants were waiting before it in two lines.
The tallest footman took him to the library.
He opened the door and announced, Lord Fauntleroy, my lord.
Cedric entered the room.
It was very large and fancy, but the furniture was so dark and the curtain so heavy that the room looked gloomy.
For a moment, Cedric thought that nobody was there, but then he saw a fire burning.
Someone was sitting in the easy chair before the fireplace, someone who didn't turn to look at him.
A large dog was lying on the floor next to the easy chair.
When he saw Cedric, he rose and slowly marched toward him.
At that, the person in the chair spoke.
Dougal, he called to the dog, come back here.
But Cedric was not afraid of the giant dog.
He put his hand on the dog's huge collar in the most natural way in the world.
Then they walked forth together, Dougal sniffing him as they went.
Finally, the earl looked up and Cedric saw a large old man with shaggy white hair and eyebrows.
He had a nose like an eagle's beak and deep, fierce eyes.
The earl saw a graceful boy in a black velvet suit with curly blonde hair and a handsome face.
His eyes met the earl's without any fear.
There was a glow of pride in the fiery old earl's heart.
He could see what a strong, beautiful boy his grandson was.
It pleased him that the boy didn't seem frayed, not of the dog and not of him.
You must be the earl, Cedric said.
I'm your grandson, you know.
I'm Lord Fauntleroy.
He held out his hand.
I hope you are very well, he continued.
I'm glad to see you.
The Earl shook hands with him.
He was so surprised at how charming the boy was that he didn't know what to say.
I wondered what you would look like, Cedric said.
I wondered if you would look like my father.
Do I? asked the Earl.
Well, Cedric said, I was just three when he died.
I may not remember exactly how he looked, but I don't think you do.
You are disappointed, I suppose, suggested his grandfather.
Oh, no, said Cedric.
Of course you would like anyone to look like your father, but of course you would enjoy the way your grandfather looks too.
He is your grandfather.
The earl leaned back in his chair and stared.
Any boy would love his grandfather, continued Cedric, especially one who has been so kind.
I have been kind to you, have I?
Oh, yes, said Cedric.
Thank you for Bridget and the Apple Woman and Dick.
Bridget? exclaimed the Earl.
Dick, the Apple Woman.
The ones you gave me the money for, Cedric explained.
Ha! said the Earl.
That's it?
The money you were to spend as you liked.
What did you buy?
Cedric explained how he had helped all of his friends.
It's all thanks to you, he said.
As Cedric talked, the earl became more and more shocked.
He never thought he would like his grandson.
He had sent away for the boy out of pride.
Now it was almost too good to be true that this was the little boy he had dreaded meeting.
The child of the woman he so disliked had so much beauty and grace.
Relaxing in his chair, the Earl let his grandson talk.
The boy told him all about Mr. Hobbs.
Then the conversation turned to the Fourth of July and the American Revolution.
Cedric was getting excited, but suddenly he stopped talking.
What's the matter? demanded his grandfather.
Why don't you go on?
Cedric flushed.
I was only thinking that you might not like what I was saying.
I forgot that you are an Englishman.
You forgot?
You are an Englishman, you mean?
I'm an American, Cedric said.
You are an Englishman, said the Earl grimly.
Your father was an Englishman.
Seeing his grandson act so serious and about being an American of all things amused the Earl.
But the boy did not seem amused.
I was born in America, he protested.
You have to be an American if you were born in America.
Earl gave a half laugh.
It was short, but it was a laugh.
He hated America and Americans.
But such a good American might make a rather good Englishman when he grew up to be a man.
Then dinner was announced.
A footman arrived to help the Earl into the dining room.
Cedric went to his grandfather and looked down at his gouty foot.
Would you like me to help you? he asked politely.
You could lean on me.
Once when a potato barrel rolled over Mr. Hob's foot, he leaned on me.
The Earl gazed down at Cedric.
Well, he said, you may try.
Cedric gave the Earl his stick and helped him to stand.
Usually the footman did this and was yelled at when the Earl's foot throbbed from the gout.
But tonight the Earl didn't yell, even though his foot did hurt.
He decided to try an experiment.
He got up slowly and put his hand on his grandson's small shoulder.
Then he leaned down.
Cedric took a careful step forward.
Just lean on me, he said.
I'll walk slowly.
It was part of the Earl's experiment to let his grandson feel how heavy he was.
He wanted to see what the boy would do.
Sidrick's face grew quite hot, and his heart beat fast, but he kept walking.
It wasn't very far to the dining room, though it seemed a long way to Sidrick.
The hand on his shoulder grew heavier with each step and the boy's face became hotter, but he never once thought of giving up.
At last they reached the chair.
The Earl took his hand from Sidrick's shoulder and sat down.
Old man was so fond of his dinner.
He dined in a formal style even when he was alone.
The room was very grand, with many servants and bright lights and glittering silver and glass.
The Earl sat at the head of the table, and Cedric sat at the foot.
The Earl kept the boy talking throughout dinner.
He never imagined that he could be entertained by listening to a child talk, but the boy puzzled and amused him.
He kept thinking of how he had let the boy feel his full weight when he helped him into the dining room.
He'd wanted to test his grandson's courage.
It pleased him to know that the boy did not give up.
You must be very proud of your house, Cedric said.
I've never seen anything so beautiful.
Of course, I'm only seven and I haven't seen much.
It's a very big house for just two people to live in, isn't it?
It's quite large enough for two, answered the earl.
Do you find it too large?
Cedric hesitated a moment.
I was only thinking.
He said that if two people lived in it who were not very good companions, they might feel lonely sometimes.
Do you think I shall make a good companion? asked the Earl.
Yes, said Cedric.
I think you will.
Mr. Hobbs and I were great friends.
He was the best friend I had, except for Dearest.
Who was Dearest?
She is my mother, Cedric said in a quiet voice.
He could not help thinking about her, and the more he thought of her, the less he wanted to talk.
By the time dinner had ended and they went back to the library, the Earl saw there was a faint shadow on the boy's face.
The Earl watched Cedric as he sat on a rug near Dougal.
For a few minutes, he stroked the dog's ears in silence and looked at the fire.
Once or twice, the boy sighed.
Cedric, the earl said at last, what are you thinking of?
Cedric looked up and tried to smile.
I was thinking about dearest, and I'd better get up and walk around the room.
It helps me think.
He stood up and put his hands in his small pockets.
Then he began to pace to and fro.
Dougal followed.
Cedric removed a hand from his pocket and petted the dog's head.
He's a very nice dog, he said.
He's my friend.
He knows how I feel.
Come here, the earl said.
How do you feel?
I've never been so far away from home before, the boy said, a troubled look in his brown eyes.
It makes a person feel strange when he has to stay all night in a new place, but dearest's not very far away from here.
She told me to remember that. and I can look at the picture she gave me.
He took out a small velvet-covered case from his pocket.
This is it, he said.
You see, you press this spring and it opens, and she's in there.
The case opened and he looked up with a smile.
The Earl did not wish to see the picture, but he looked at it anyway and saw a pretty young face, a face a lot like the boy's.
I suppose you are very fond of her, he said.
Yes, said Cedric.
It's true.
My father left dearest to me to take care of.
The earl didn't speak again.
He leaned back in his chair and watched the boy.
A great many strange new thoughts passed through the old nobleman's mind.
There was a long silence.
Half an hour later, Mr. Havisham arrived.
The great room was very still when he entered.
The Earl was still leaning back in his chair.
He moved as Mr. Havisham approached and, without thinking, held up a hand to warn him.
Dougal was asleep, and close beside the great dog, also sleeping, lay little Lord Havisham.
