Little Lord Fauntleroy Page #8

prove it! - Lady Fauntleroy, please...

You may think you can fight me -

a lot of good it'll do!

They don't love you - you know it!

I've heard plenty about you

and your dirty, snobbish pride!

Plenty of pride you'll have when

I'm finished with you!

Unless you want to get reasonable

with your own flesh and blood.

Lady Fauntleroy, I beg you...

- Shut up!

I'll stop at nothing! I drag this case

through every court.

I'll let the world know what you are -

you and your precious son Bevis!

Deserting me and his own

child - a babe in arms!

How I've suffered,

heaven only knows!

And you standin' and lookin' at me

and my boy as if we was scum!

You ought to be ashamed of yourself!

You say you married my eldest son.

If that's proved to be true,

the law's on your side.

In that case your son will be Lord

Fauntleroy. and you will be provided for.

But I warn you - the matter

will be sifted to the very bottom.

I'll only add that I want to see nothing

of you or your boy as long as I live.

After my death, you can, unfortunately,

do as you please.

Yes, you're exactly the kind of person that I

should have expected my son Bevis to choose.

Ha, ha, ha!

I'm afraid, Dorincourt,

there can be no two opinions.

At least, that's how I see it.

You agree, Semple?

Yes, I'm afraid we can see it no

other way. - But it's... it's monstrous!

That woman...

that boy are utterly unfit!

Alas, the law can take

no cognizance of such things.

I sympathize, Dorincourt, more than I can

say. - Sympathize! What's the use of that?

If we take it to the courts there can

be only one result? - I'm afraid so.

The birth certificate, everything

we have, point the same way.

If you take it to court, you'll have

the expense and notoriety,

and only, I fear, one possible result.

Perhaps the boy won't turn

out so badly as you fear.

Perhaps you can do something

with him. - That boy?

That... oaf!

With the other one - yes.

Well...

I have no other course but

to accept your judgment.

Come, Havisham. - Thank you, my lord.

- And you, Mr. Semple.

It's the earl, ma'am. The earl himself!

Show him in.

Mrs. Errol, I believe.

- Yes, I'm Mrs. Errol.

I'm Lord Dorincourt.

The boy is very like you.

People have often said so.

I'm glad to think he's like his

father too. - Yes, he is - like my son.

Won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

I've come to tell you that I've had the

very best, the highest legal opinion.

But I'm sorry. This outrageous

woman and her child...

Perhaps she cares for him as much as

I care for Ceddie, my lord.

Her son is Lord Fauntleroy - mine's not.

Yes, I'm afraid you're right.

Perhaps you would have preferred that

Ceddie should not be the earl of Dorincourt.

It's a very magnificent thing to be

the earl of Dorincourt, my lord. I know that.

But all I care about is that Ceddie

should be what his father was -

brave, just and kind always.

Hmm, a striking contrast

to what his grandfather is, eh?

I haven't had the pleasure

of knowing his grandfather.

I know my little boy believes...

I know that Ceddie loves you.

Would he, if you have told him why

I didn't receive you at the castle?

No, honestly, I think not. That's

why I didn't wish him to know.

Well... there are very few women

who wouldn't have told him.

Dearest, Ceddie is fond of me.

And I am fond of him.

I can't say

that I was ever fond of anyone before.

But he pleased me from the first.

I'm an old man and

I was tired of my life.

But he's given me something to live for.

More than that - more than

that, I am proud of him!

I was satisfied to think that one day

he'd be taking my place

as the head of the family.

I'm miserable...

miserable!

Please, sit down. You've been so

much troubled, you must be tired

and you need all your strength.

Thank you.

Perhaps it's because I'm

miserable, I've come to you.

I used to hate you.

I've been jealous to you.

But this wretched disgraceful

business has changed all that.

And after seeing this repulsive woman who...

Well, I felt it would be

a relief to come to you.

I'm an obstinate old fool, I suppose.

I... I know I've treated you badly.

But I've come to you

because the boy cares for you

and because I care for him.

Treat me as well as you can

for the boy's sake.

Whatever happens,

he shall be provided for.

Ceddie shall be taken care

of now, and in the future.

Always!

- Thank you.

Do you like the house?

Oh, very much.

It's a cheerful room.

May I come back again and

talk this matter over?

As often as you wish.

You've heard bad news, haven't you?

- Yes. The worst.

Then I'm not Lord Fauntleroy

anymore, am I?

No, she's beaten me.

Then, the other boy...

he will... have to be...

your boy now, won't he? Like I was?

- No!

But he'll have to live in the castle

if he's Lord Fauntleroy, won't he?

That common little brat shall never

enter this place in my lifetime!

I'll take care of that!

Then, I can still be your boy

even if I'm not going to be the earl

just like I was before?

My boy!

Yes, you'll be my boy as long as I live.

And, by Jove, sometimes I think you're

the only boy I've ever had!

Then, I don't care about

the earl part at all.

I thought, you see, that the one that was

going to be the earl had to be your boy

and that I couldn't be.

They shall never take anything from you

that I can hold for you.

Come what may, you shall have

all that I can give - all!

And Dearest? Will the house

be taken away from her?

No, they can take nothing from her -

nothing from either of you!

Come, it's time you were asleep.

Good night, Grandfather.

-. Good night, my boy.

...the aged earl remains

secluded in his castle

and refuses to have any communication

with the rightful heir.

We know dat stuff. Dey've been

printing 'dat for de past week

Is dere anyt'ing new about Ceddie?

Yes! Here it says.

The prospects do not look very bright for the

false claimant, Cedric Errol of Brooklyn.

Well, I'm jiggered.

At last they've succeeded in robbin'

him outta bein' a earl.

I thought you was ag'inst erils?

- So I am!

Ain't it just like 'em - cheatin'

the poor kid outta his rightful estates!

Now, what's goin' to become of him?

I know one thing. He done everyt'ing for

me - he can always come back

an' have half of my shoe-shining business.

Well now, I'll tell you, Dick,

I'd always had it in my mind

that Ceddie would come in with me someday.

He'd be a shining light

in the grocery business.

The new Lady Fauntleroy

was formerly an actress.

She is said to have played in New York

and London. Continued in page 5.

Here's a picture of her.

Holy mackerel!

- What?

Look at this! it's her!

- Her?

She ain't no 'ristocrat! I know her as

I know you! It's Minna, Ben's wife!

Your brother's? - Sure!

- You mean it's some hocus-pocus?

Sure I do.

- Well, I'm jiggered.

She was married before - I never hoid of

her havin' no other kid but Ben's.

The one Ben went to look for?

- Sure.

Maybe she had another kid in England.

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