Little Lord Fauntleroy Page #7

How do you do, sir?

- Hear, you're fond of horses.

I'll confess to you, Constantia, that

what you will probably see for yourself

there's a risk of my becoming rather

an old fool about him. - Becoming?!

Ha, ha, ha! - By the way the mother,

what does she think of you?

I don't know. I haven't asked her.

You must come over to

Lorridale Park to see us.

There are some new cocker puppies in the

kennel. You shall have your pick.

Oh, thank you very much, indeed, uncle,

only, Dougal might be offended.

He's very fond of me and I really shouldn't

like to hurt his feelings. - Ha, ha, ha.

Hurt his feelings! That's a good one!

Did you hear that, Con?

Hurt his feelings! Ha, ha, ha!

This is Miss Herbert, Fauntleroy.

I want you to be great friends with her.

How do you do? Have you met Dougal?

He shakes hands beautifully.

Shake hands with Miss Herbert, Dougal.

He's a great friend of mine. I like

making friends, don't you? - Yes, I do.

May I be your friend? And Dougal's?

- Oh, yes, if you please!

How's your lumbago, Fortescue?

Better, I hope? - Thanks. Much better.

I've known Dorincourt as well as anyone

could know him for five and thirty years,

and that's the first time he's ever

bothered to inquire about my health!

Most extraordinary!

Well, Havisham, you're late.

What's kept you?

I beg your pardon, my lord. I was

detained by extraordinary news.

News? What... what news? - Not now,

if you don't mind. Later, my lord, later.

The young May moon is beaming, love

The glowworm's lamp is gleaming, love

How sweet to rove through Morna's Grove

While the drowsy world is dreaming, love

Then awake! Till rise of sun, my dear

The Sage's glass we'll shun my dear

Or in watching the flight

of bodies of light

He might happen to take

thee for one, my dear

Charming! Charming! What a sweet song!

Thank ye, my dear, thank you.

Do you like music?

- Yes. I like it when you sing it.

Tell me, Lord Fauntleroy, why you look at

me so? - I was thinking how beautiful you are.

Fauntleroy, make the most of your time. When you're

older, you'll not have the courage to say that!

Nobody could help saying it.

Don't you think, she's pretty too?

We're not allowed to say what we think.

- Lord Fauntleroy shall say what he thinks.

I am sure he thinks what he says.

I think you're prettier than anyone I ever

saw, expect Dearest.

I think she's the prettiest person

on the world. - I'm sure she is.

And I must tell her how kind youve been to me.

I never was at a party before,

and I've enjoyed myself so much.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

Good night, little Lord

Fauntleroy. Sleep well.

Good night. So glad you came.

Well, Havisham,

what in the world's the matter?

Something serious must have happened

to make you behave like this. What is it?

It's bad news, the very

worst of news, my lord.

I'm sorry to have to be the bearer of it.

Why do you look at the boy so? You

hang over him like a bird of ill omen.

Has it anything to do with Fauntleroy?

My lord, I'll waste no words. My news

has everything to do with him.

If we are to believe it, it's not Lord

Fauntleroy who lies asleep before us,

but only the son of Captain Errol.

The present Lord Fauntleroy is the son

of your boy Bevis, and at this moment

is in a lodging house in London.

- What do you mean? You're mad!

It's a lie!

An abominable lie!

If it's a lie, it's painfully like the truth.

A woman came to my chambers this morning

and told me that she married your son Bevis

in London 11 years ago.

She showed me the marriage certificate.

The child was born shortly after Bevis

deserted her and was taken by her to America.

The woman's obviously an imposter!

It's a trumped-up fraud!

I'm afraid not, my lord.

I saw the boy's birth certificate.

She is, I'm afraid, a very ignorant person

but she has consulted a lawyer who advises

her, that her son is, of course,

Lord Fauntleroy and the rightful heir.

She demands that his claim

be immediately acknowledged.

I'll protest this to the last!

I'll disown Bevis' boy!

I'll have nothing to do with him or his

mother! - You can't disown him, my lord.

Nothing we can do can keep the eldest

son's child from his inheritance.

The woman, you say is an

ignorant vulgar person, eh?

She can hardly spell her own name. She is

obviously uneducated and openly mercenary.

And I... I objected to his mother.

I suppose it's retribution.

If anyone have ever told me that I could

be fond of a child,

I wouldn't have believed them.

I always detested children -

my own more than most.

But I'm fond of him, and oddly

enough - he's fond of me.

You know, Havisham, I'm not

popular. I never was

but he is fond of me.

He never was afraid of me,

always trusted me.

Yes, Havisham, he'd have filled my

place better than I've filled it.

He'd have been an honor to the name.

You rang, my lord?

Take...

take Lord Fauntleroy

to his room.

What a pity! The boy's

thoroughbred if ever there was one.

I suppose you may say it's a

judgment of Molyneux.

That boy...

the first human being he ever loved!

Will Molyneux take the case

to the courts d'you think?

Can't tell. He's obstinate enough.

You go in with your best suit,

buckles on your shoes

and you come out as nature made you

Bless my soul, Constantia, whoever would

have dreamed that I'd felt sorry

for the old boy!

I wouldn't have minded our having

a boy like that, Harry.

Yes, bit of luck for us,

old girl, if we had. - Yeah.

I'll tell you one thing - if his

Little Lordship loses his title,

the village loses the best friend it has.

That's right. An' I'll tell you another thing -

it'll drive the earl mad if this goes wrong for him.

He's been so proud of the boy,

you hardly believe it

if you knew him for what he was before.

- And the new one's no lady, that's sure.

Bold-faced thing, that's what she is.

The dark-eyed brazen-faced wench!

'Ere's the earl comin' now

with Mr. Havisham.

You've somebody here calling herself

Lady Fauntleroy? I want to see her.

Come the ways, my lord. This way, my lord.

Come in.

T' earl of Dorincourt!

Pleased to meetcha, I'm sure, my lord.

Bevis!

Go shake hands with your grandpa.

So that's the way you're

gonna treat your grandson?

You needn't try to look so fierce about

it - he's your grandson all right!

Ah, yes, me lord, we have proof

of young gentleman's birth.

He is the son of the late Lord Fauntleroy.

Allow me to introduce myself.

Joshua Snade at your service. My card.

I've already had the pleasure of making

Mr. Havisham's acquaintance.

Lady Fauntleroy has placed

all the evidence in my hands.

I can assure you, lord, it is sufficient

to justify her case should it come into court.

But may I suggest that, uh,

we come to an arrangement

and settle this matter amicably

on a friendly basis...

Friendly? Huh!

Look at him starin' as though I was

dirt! His own daughter-in-law!

Oh, your son Bevis married me,

all right and a fine rotter he was!

But he was the father and I can

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