Little Lord Fauntleroy Page #5

Bridget, Dick, and the apple woman?

Yes, and I gave Mr. Hobbs

a gold watch and chain, and a pipe.

I put some poetry in the watch.

It was:
"When this you see, remember me."

I'm going to miss Mr. Hobbs very much.

- Who is Mr. Hobbs?

He was our grocer - fancy vegetables and

groceries, you know. He's my closest friend.

Mr. Hobbs is a very clever man.

Do you know, he can recite the Declaration

of Independence right through.

Oh!

- What's the matter?

I just remembered you might not like to

hear about the Declaration of Independence.

I forgot you were an Englishman.

- Hunh! You forgot!

You were English too, didn't ye?

- Oh, no! I'm an American!

You are English! Your father was

an Englishman. - I was born in America.

You have to be an American

if you are born in America.

You don't... - I beg your

pardon for contradicting you.

Mr. Hobbs says if there's ever to be another

war, that I should have to be an American.

I promised him if there were another

war, I should try to stop it.

You would, would you? Ha, ha.

Dinner is served, my lord.

Ugh!

Now, be careful, man... be careful!

Careful now, careful.

Ow!

Would you like me to help you?

You can lean on me.

Once Mr. Hobbs hurt his foot with a potato

barrel falling on it.

He used to lean on me.

- Do you think you could do it?

I think I could. I'm very strong.

I'm nine, you know.

Lean on your stick on one side and on me

on the other. - Well... you may try it.

Just lean on me. I'll walk very slowly.

Don't be afraid of leaning on me.

I'm all right.

If it isn't a very long way.

D'you see that old fellow in red velvet?

He was the tenth earl of Dorincourt.

King George I decorated him for services

during the war with Spain and Austria.

He was tremendously strong, could bend

a bar of iron between his hands.

You get your strength from him.

- How... how very int'resting.

Did you ever try putting your foot in hot

water and mustard? Mr. Hobbs used to.

Arnica is a good thing too, they tell me.

Ah, thank ye. I'll try it.

It's warm, isn't it? A person can't

help getting warm in the summertime.

Great heavens! What's that? - It's a

present from Dick. Isn't it beautiful?

When this I see, I...

I shall always remember Dick.

Yes, I should think you would.

It would be difficult to forget him.

Dick's a professional bootblack.

You'd like him. He's so square.

Square? - Yes, he wouldn't cheat anyone

or hit a boy under his size.

Oh. Very praiseworthy.

Thank ye.

What's the matter?

Don't you like your soup? - Oh, yes.

I was just wondering.

- Wondering? Wondering what?

You don't wear your coronet

all the time, then?

No, no. It, er, it doesn't become me.

Mr. Hobbs said you wore it all the time.

After he thought it over, he said you must

take it off sometimes to put your hat on.

Yes, I, ah...

I take it off occasionally.

You must be very proud of your house.

I never saw anything so beautiful.

It's a very big house for just two people

to live in, isn't it?

Do you think it's too large?

I was only thinking that if two people

lived in it who were not good companions,

they might get a little lonely. - Do you

think I shall make a good companion?

Yes, I think you will. I think you should be

almost as interesting as Mr. Hobbs. - Oh.

Mr. Hobbs and I were very great friends.

He was the best friend I had expect...

Fauntleroy, what are you thinking of?

- I was thinking of Dearest.

Who is Dearest?

- She is my mother.

I... I think I'd better get up

and... and walk up and down.

He's a very nice dog. He's my friend.

He knows how I feel.

How do you feel?

Come here.

You see, I... I never was away

from my own house before.

It... it makes a person feel a strange

feeling when he has to stay all night

in another person's castle,

instead of his own house.

But... but Dearest is not very far away

from me. She told me to remember that.

And, after all, you know,

I'm nine, you know

and I can look at the picture she gave me.

Look! You press this spring

and it opens and there she is!

I suppose you think you're very fond of her?

- Yes, I do think so and it's true.

Mr. Hobbs and the others were my friends,

but Dearest is my close friends.

My father left her to me to take care of.

And when I'm a man, I'm going to

work and earn money for her.

Oh, and what do you think of doing?

Well, I did think of going

into business with Mr. Hobbs

but I should like to be president.

We'll send you to

the House of Lords instead.

Well, if I couldn't be president and if

that's a good business, I shouldn't mind.

The grocery business is dull sometimes.

Yes, so is the House of Lords,

but it's the business

that every earl of Dorincourt goes into.

- I shall have to talk to Dearest about it.

Good night.

God keep you all the night.

Morning, Thomas.

- Good morning, sir.

Where's His Lordship?

- In his library, sir and such goings on

I've never heard in my life!

- Do you think, it'll be all right?

Yes sir, he's expecting you.

- Oh!

Ah-ha.

Oh... ha, ha.

Ah...

Morning, Mordaunt.

I've found a new employment, you see.

Any good at marbles, Mordaunt?

My muscles are a little stiff, my lord,

but... I'll see what I can do.

Hah, pity about that!

I'd forgotten about your age.

Ha, ha, ha.

Ouch! Oh!

This is the new Lord Fauntleroy.

Fauntleroy, this is Mr. Mordaunt,

rector of the parish.

I'm very glad to make

your acquaintance, sir.

I'm delighted to make

your acquaintance, Lord Fauntleroy.

Well, what is it this morning,

Mordaunt? Who's in trouble now?

It's one of your tenants,

my lord. Higgins of Edge Farm.

Newick has told him that if he doesn't

pay the rent he must leave the place.

He's a bad tenant, always behind,

Newick tells me.

He's devoted to his wife and children,

and if the farm is taken from him,

they may literally starve.

- That's like Michael!

I forgot we had a philanthropist here.

Come here.

What would you do in this case?

If I were very rich, I should let him stay

and give him things for his children.

Nonsense! You're Lord Fauntleroy. It's time

you learned to deal with these situations.

You can write, can't ya?

- Yes, but not very well.

Well, go over to the desk

and write Newick his orders.

Now, what must I say?

- You must say:

Higgins is not to be interfered

with for the present.

Oh!

And sign it, "Fauntleroy."

Do you think it will do?

Dear mr. Newik if you pleas mr. higins is

not to be inturfeared with for the present

and oblige. Yours rispecferly

"FAUNTLEROY."

Yes.

Higgins will find it

entirely satisfactory.

Mr. Hobbs always signed his letters that

way and I thought Id better say "please."

Is that exactly the right

way to spell "interfered?"

Well, it's not exactly the way it's

spelled in the dictionary, but...

I was afraid of that.

Yes, Higgins won't

complain of the spelling.

I think you must be the best person in the

whole world, don't you, Mr. Mordaunt?

I shall write and tell Mr. Hobbs.

Oh, what'll you tell him?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes