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双语《小勋爵》 第八章 学习骑马

所属教程:译林版·小勋爵

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2022年06月27日

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Chapter 8 Learning to Ride

Lord Dorincourt had occasion to wear his grim smile many a time as the days passed by. Indeed, as his acquaintance with his grandson progressed, he wore the smile so often that there were moments when it almost lost its grimness. There is no denying that before Lord Fauntleroy had appeared on the scene, the old man had been growing very tired of his loneliness and his gout and his seventy years. After so long a life of excitement and amusement, it was not agreeable to sit alone even in the most splendid room, with one foot on a gout-stool, and with no other diversion than flying into a rage, and shouting at a frightened footman who hated the sight of him. The old Earl was too clever a man not to know perfectly well that his servants detested him, and that even if he had visitors, they did not come for love of him—though some found a sort of amusement in his sharp, sarcastic talk, which spared no one. So long as he had been strong and well, he had gone from one place to another, pretending to amuse himself, though he had not really enjoyed it; and when his health began to fail, he felt tired of everything and shut himself up at Dorincourt, with his gout and his newspapers and his books. But he could not read all the time, and he became more and more "bored," as he called it. He hated the long nights and days, and he grew more and more savage and irritable. And then Fauntleroy came; and when the Earl saw him, fortunately for the little fellow, the secret pride of the grandfather was gratified at the outset. If Cedric had been a less handsome little fellow, the old man might have taken so strong a dislike to him that he would not have given himself the chance to see his grandson's finer qualities. But he chose to think that Cedric's beauty and fearless spirit were the results of the Dorincourt blood and a credit to the Dorincourt rank. And then when he heard the lad talk, and saw what a well-bred little fellow he was, notwithstanding his boyish ignorance of all that his new position meant, the old Earl liked his grandson more, and actually began to find himself rather entertained. It had amused him to give into those childish hands the power to bestow a benefit on poor Higgins. My lord cared nothing for poor Higgins, but it pleased him a little to think that his grandson would be talked about by the country people and would begin to be popular with the tenantry, even in his childhood. Then it had gratified him to drive to church with Cedric and to see the excitement and interest caused by the arrival. He knew how the people would speak of the beauty of the little lad; of his fine, strong, straight body; of his erect bearing, his handsome face, and his bright hair, and how they would say (as the Earl had heard one woman exclaim to another) that the boy was "every inch a lord." My lord of Dorincourt was an arrogant old man, proud of his name, proud of his rank, and therefore proud to show the world that at last the House of Dorincourt had an heir who was worthy of the position he was to fill.

The morning the new pony had been tried, the Earl had been so pleased that he had almost forgotten his gout. When the groom had brought out the pretty creature, which arched its brown, glossy neck and tossed its fine head in the sun, the Earl had sat at the open window of the library and had looked on while Fauntleroy took his first riding lesson. He wondered if the boy would show signs of timidity. It was not a very small pony, and he had often seen children lose courage in making their first essay at riding.

Fauntleroy mounted in great delight. He had never been on a pony before, and he was in the highest spirits. Wilkins, the groom, led the animal by the bridle up and down before the library window.

He's a well plucked un, he is, Wilkins remarked in the stable afterward with many grins. "It weren't no trouble to put HIM up. An' a old un wouldn't ha' sat any straighter when he WERE up. He ses—ses he to me, 'Wilkins,' he ses, 'am I sitting up straight? They sit up straight at the circus,' ses he. An' I ses, 'As straight as a arrer, your lordship!'—an' he laughs, as pleased as could be, an' he ses, 'That's right,' he ses, 'you tell me if I don't sit up straight, Wilkins!'"

But sitting up straight and being led at a walk were not altogether and completely satisfactory. After a few minutes, Fauntleroy spoke to his grandfather—watching him from the window:

Can't I go by myself? he asked; "and can't I go faster? The boy on Fifth Avenue used to trot and canter!"

Do you think you could trot and canter? said the Earl.

I should like to try, answered Fauntleroy.

His lordship made a sign to Wilkins, who at the signal brought up his own horse and mounted it and took Fauntleroy's pony by the leading-rein.

Now, said the Earl, "let him trot."

The next few minutes were rather exciting to the small equestrian. He found that trotting was not so easy as walking, and the faster the pony trotted, the less easy it was.

It j-jolts a g-goo-good deal—do-doesn't it? he said to Wilkins."Ddoes it j-jolt y-you?"

No, my lord, answered Wilkins. "You'll get used to it in time. Rise in your stirrups."

I'm ri-rising all the t-time, said Fauntleroy.

He was both rising and falling rather uncomfortably and with many shakes and bounces. He was out of breath and his face grew red, but he held on with all his might, and sat as straight as he could. The Earl could see that from his window. When the riders came back within speaking distance, after they had been hidden by the trees a few minutes, Fauntleroy's hat was off, his cheeks were like poppies, and his lips were set, but he was still trotting manfully.

Stop a minute! said his grandfather. "Where's your hat?"

Wilkins touched his. "It fell off, your lordship," he said, with evident enjoyment. "Wouldn't let me stop to pick it up, my lord."

Not much afraid, is he? asked the Earl dryly.

Him, your lordship! exclaimed Wilkins. "I shouldn't say as he knowed what it meant. I've taught young gen'lemen to ride afore, an' I never see one stick on more determinder."

Tired? said the Earl to Fauntleroy. "Want to get off?"

It jolts you more than you think it will, admitted his young lordship frankly. "And it tires you a little, too; but I don't want to get off. I want to learn how. As soon as I've got my breath I want to go back for the hat."

The cleverest person in the world, if he had undertaken to teach Fauntleroy how to please the old man who watched him, could not have taught him anything which would have succeeded better. As the pony trotted off again toward the avenue, a faint color crept up in the fierce old face, and the eyes, under the shaggy brows, gleamed with a pleasure such as his lordship had scarcely expected to know again. And he sat and watched quite eagerly until the sound of the horses' hoofs returned. When they did come, which was after some time, they came at a faster pace. Fauntleroy's hat was still off; Wilkins was carrying it for him; his cheeks were redder than before, and his hair was flying about his ears, but he came at quite a brisk canter.

There! he panted, as they drew up, "I c-cantered. I didn't do it as well as the boy on Fifth Avenue, but I did it, and I staid on!"

He and Wilkins and the pony were close friends after that. Scarcely a day passed in which the country people did not see them out together, cantering gayly on the highroad or through the green lanes. The children in the cottages would run to the door to look at the proud little brown pony with the gallant little figure sitting so straight in the saddle, and the young lord would snatch off his cap and swing it at them, and shout, "Hullo! Good-morning!" in a very unlordly manner, though with great heartiness. Sometimes he would stop and talk with the children, and once Wilkins came back to the castle with a story of how Fauntleroy had insisted on dismounting near the village school, so that a boy who was lame and tired might ride home on his pony.

An' I'm blessed, said Wilkins, in telling the story at the stables,—"I'm blessed if he'd hear of amything else! He wouldn't let me get down, because he said the boy mightn't feel comfortable on a big horse. An' ses he, 'Wilkins,' ses he, 'that boy's lame and I'm not, and I want to talk to him, too.' And up the lad has to get, and my lord trudges alongside of him with his hands in his pockets, and his cap on the back of his head, a-whistling and talking as easy as you please! And when we come to the cottage, an' the boy's mother come out all in a taking to see what's up, he whips off his cap an' ses he, 'I've brought your son home, ma'am,' ses he, 'because his leg hurt him, and I don't think that stick is enough for him to lean on; and I'm going to ask my grandfather to have a pair of crutches made for him.' An' I'm blessed if the woman wasn't struck all of a help, as well she might be! I thought I should 'a' hex-plodid, myself!"

When the Earl heard the story he was not angry, as Wilkins had been half afraid that he would be; on the contrary, he laughed outright, and called Fauntleroy up to him, and made him tell all about the matter from beginning to end, and then he laughed again. And actually, a few days later, the Dorincourt carriage stopped in the green lane before the cottage where the lame boy lived, and Fauntleroy jumped out and walked up to the door, carrying a pair of strong, light, new crutches shouldered like a gun, and presented them to Mrs. Hartle (the lame boy's name was Hartle) with these words: "My grandfather's compliments, and if you please, these are for your boy, and we hope he will get better."

I said your compliments, he explained to the Earl when he returned to the carriage. "You didn't tell me to, but I thought perhaps you forgot. That was right, wasn't it?"

And the Earl laughed again, and did not say it was not. In fact, the two were becoming more intimate every day, and every day Fauntleroy's faith in his lordship's benevolence and virtue increased. He had no doubt whatever that his grandfather was the most amiable and generous of elderly gentlemen. Certainly, he himself found his wishes gratified almost before they were uttered; and such gifts and pleasures were lavished upon him, that he was sometimes almost bewildered by his own possessions. Apparently, he was to have everything he wanted, and to do everything he wished to do. And thought this would certainly not have been a very wise plan to pursue with all small boys, his young lordship bore it amazingly well. Perhaps, notwithstanding his sweet nature, he might have been somewhat spoiled by it, if it had not been for the hours he spent with his mother at Court Lodge. That "best friend" of his watch over him ever closely and tenderly. The two had many long talks together, and he never went back to the Castle with her kisses on his cheeks without carrying in his heart some simple, pure words worth remembering.

There was one thing, it is true, which puzzled the little fellow very much. He thought over the mystery of it much oftener than any one supposed; even his mother did not know how often he pondered on it; the Earl for a long time never suspected that he did so at all. But, being quick to observe, the little boy could not help wondering why it was that his mother and grandfather never seemed to meet. He had noticed that they never did meet. When the Dorincourt carriage stopped at Court Lodge, the Earl ever alighted, and on the rare occasions of his lordship's going to church, Fauntleroy was always left to speak to his mother in the porch alone, or perhaps to go home with her. And yet, every day, fruit and flowers were sent to Court Lodge from the hot-houses at the Castle. But the one virtuous action of the Earl's which had set him upon the pinnacle of perfection in Cedric's eyes, was what he had done soon after that first Sunday when Mrs. Errol had walked home from church unattented. About a week later, when Cedric was going one day to visit his mother, he found at the door, instead of the large carriage and prancing pair, a pretty little brougham and a handsome bay horse.

That is a present from you to your mother, the Earl said abruptly. "She can not go walking about the country. She needs a carriage. The man who drives will take charge of it. It is a present from YOU."

Fauntleroy's delight could but feebly express itself. He could scarcely contain himself until he reached the lodge. His mother was gathering roses in the garden. He flung himself out of the little brougham and flew to her.

Dearest! he cried, "could you believe it? This is yours! He says it is a present from me. It is your own carriage to drive everywhere in!"

He was so happy that she did not know what to say. She could not have borne to spoil his pleasure by refusing to accept the gift even though it came from the man who chose to consider himself her enemy. She was obliged to step into the carriage, roses and all, and let herself be taken to drive, while Fauntleroy told her stories of his grandfather's goodness and amiability. They were such innocent stories that sometimes she could not help laughing a little, and then she would draw her little boy closer to her side and kiss him, feeling glad that he could see only good in the old man, who had so few friends.

The very next day after that, Fauntleroy wrote to Mr. Hobbs. He wrote quite a long letter, and after the first copy was written, he brought it to his grandfather to be inspected.

Because, he said, "it's so uncertain about the spelling. And if you'll tell me the mistakes, I'll write it out again."

This was what he had written:

My dear mr hobbs i want to tell you about my granfarther he is the best earl you ever new it is a mistake about earls being tirents he is not a tirent at all i wish you new him you would be good friends i am sure you would he has the gout in his foot and is a grate sufrer but he is so pashent i love him more every day becaus no one could help loving an earl like that who is kind to every one in this world i wish you could talk to him he knows everything in the world you can ask him any question but he has never plaid base ball he has given me a pony and a cart and my mamma a bewtifle cariage and I have three rooms and toys of all kinds it would serprise you you would like the castle and the park it is such a large castle you could lose yourself wilkins tells me wilkins is my groom he says there is a dungon under the castle it is so pretty everything in the park would serprise you there are such big trees and there are deers and rabbits and games flying about in the cover my granfarther is very rich but he is not proud and orty as you thought earls always were i like to be with him the people are so polite and kind they take of their hats to you and the women make curtsies and sometimes say god bless you i can ride now but at first it shook me when i troted my granfarther let a poor man stay on his farm when he could not pay his rent and mrs mellon went to take wine and things to his sick children i should like to see you and i wish dearest could live at the castle but i am very happy when i dont miss her too much and i love my granfarther every one does plees write soon. your afechshnet old frend."

Cedric Errol.

ps no one is in the dungon my granfarfher never had any one langwishin in there.

ps he is such a good earl he reminds me of you he is a unerversle favrit

Do you miss your mother very much? asked the Earl when he had finished reading this.

Yes, said Fauntleroy, "I miss her all the time."

He went and stood before the Earl and put his hand on his knee, looking up at him.

YOU don't miss her, do you? he said.

I don't know her, answered his lordship rather crustily.

I know that, said Fauntleroy, "and that's what makes me wonder. She told me not to ask you any questions, and—and I won't, but sometimes I can't help thinking, you know, and it makes me all puzzled. But I'm not going to ask any questions. And when I miss her very much, I go and look out of my window to where I see her light shine for me every night through an open place in the trees. It is a long way off, but she puts it in her window as soon as it is dark, and I can see it twinkle far away, and I know what it says."

What does it say? asked my lord.

It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'—just what she used to say when we were together. Every night she used to say that to me, and every morning she said, 'God bless you all the day!' So you see I am quite safe all the time—

Quite, I have no doubt, said his lordship dryly. And he drew down his beetling eyebrows and looked at the little boy so fixedly and so long that Fauntleroy wondered what he could be thinking of.

第八章 学习骑马

日子一天天地过去,多林考特伯爵脸上挂着狞笑已有很多次了。事实上,随着他跟他的孙子越来越相知,他脸上经常挂着这种笑容,以至于有时候几乎没有狞厉的性质了。不可否认的是,在方特勒罗伊勋爵到来之前,老人对自己的孤独、痛风和七十高龄感到越来越厌烦。过去的漫长人生激动人心、赏心悦目,现在让他独自坐着,一只脚搁在痛风凳上,尽管房间布置得精美无比,但他确实感到不舒服。他的情绪无从转移,只好突然地大发脾气、大声喊叫,弄得惊恐的仆人一见他就心生厌恶。老伯爵聪明反被聪明误,以至于他并不清楚他的仆人们讨厌他,纵然有人来拜访他,也不是因为爱他——尽管有人发现,他那些尖锐的、讽刺人的、得理不饶人的谈话中,也有些可笑的成分。过去他身体好,又有钱,他从一个地方漫游到另一个地方,尽管他并不真正喜欢这样,但他还是假装以此愉悦自己。当他的健康状况开始下降时,他变得对一切都感到厌烦,他把自己关在多林考特城堡里,只跟他的报刊、书籍和痛风在一起。但他又不能一直阅读,用他自己的话来说,他变得越来越“厌烦”了。他讨厌漫长的黑夜和白天,他变得越来越凶残、易怒。这时方特勒罗伊来了,当伯爵看到他时,他内心的傲慢一下就得到了满足,这对于小家伙来说,是很幸运的事。如果塞德里克长得不是那么漂亮,老人可能会非常不喜欢他,以至于不让自己有机会去发现孙子更好的品质。不过,他认为塞德里克的漂亮和无畏精神都是多林考特血统的遗传,并且是多林考特家族的荣耀。然后,他听孩子的谈吐,发现他是一个很有教养的孩子。尽管作为一个孩子,小家伙对他的新的地位及其意义一无所知,但他非常有教养,老伯爵更加喜欢孙子了,而且真正开始发现自己也从中得到了相当多的快乐。使他高兴的是,他把权力交到那双孩子的小手中,让孩子给可怜的希金斯施行恩德。老伯爵自己根本不关心可怜的希金斯,不过他想到了他的孙子尽管还很小,但是已经开始在仆人中有知名度了,而且村民们也乐于跟小家伙聊天,这使老伯爵感到些许高兴。和塞德里克一起乘车去教堂,看见他们到达时所引起的兴奋和兴趣,也使他感到满足。他知道人们是如何谈论小家伙的漂亮的,他们谈到了他那匀称、强健、笔直的小身体,也谈到了他挺拔的身材、漂亮的脸蛋、油亮的头发。伯爵还听一个女人对另一个女人说,这男孩身上处处都流露着贵族气。多林考特老爷是一个自负的老人,为自己的名号而自豪,也为自己的头衔而骄傲,因此他会傲慢地向全世界宣告,多林考特家族终于得到了一个继承人,一个值得担当伯爵爵位的继承人。

一天上午,塞德里克试骑他新得到的小马驹,伯爵是如此高兴,以至于几乎忘掉了痛风。当马车夫将漂亮的小马驹牵出来时,小马驹弯垂着光滑的棕色脖子,在阳光中抬起俊俏的头颅。伯爵坐在书房打开的窗户旁,看着方特勒罗伊上第一节骑马课。他想知道,这男孩会不会表现出胆怯来。这不是一匹很小的马驹。他经常看到孩子们在开始学骑马的时候,就失去了勇气。

方特勒罗伊兴高采烈地上了马,他以前从未骑过马,所以兴致高极了。在书房的窗前,马夫威尔金斯一上一下地控制着马的缰绳。

“他是一个胆大心细的孩子。”威尔金斯事后在马圈里大笑着说,“我不费什么力就把他扶了上去,当他坐起来时,一个老手都不会坐得那样笔直。他说——他对我说,‘威尔金斯我坐得直吗?他们在马戏团里的都坐得很直。’我说,‘像箭一样直,少爷!’——他大笑着,高兴得不能再高兴了。他说:‘好的,如果我坐得不直,你就告诉我,威尔金斯。’”

但是在马背上坐得直直的,让马夫牵着走路,不能使塞德里克完全满意。几分钟后,他对祖父说——老头儿正从窗户里看着他呢。

“能不能让我自己来?”他问道,“能不能让我骑得更快些?第五大道上的那个小男孩经常让马小跑!”

“你觉得你能让马慢跑吗?”伯爵说。

“我想试试看。”方特勒罗伊答道。

老爷给威尔金斯使了个信号,后者立即牵过自己的马来,翻身上去,然后牵着小马驹的缰绳。

“好,”伯爵说,“让它小跑吧。”

接下来的几分钟,小骑手感到相当激动。他发现,小跑并不像走那样轻松,小马驹跑得越快,他骑得就越不容易。

“它颠……颠得好……好……厉……厉……害……是……是吗?”方特勒罗伊对威尔金斯说,“它……它……也颠……颠……你……你吗?”

“不颠。少爷。”威尔金斯答道,“到时你会习惯的。身子在马鞍里起来一些。”

“我的身……身体一直在往上……上颠。”方特勒罗伊说。

他的身体一会儿上,一会儿下,左右摇晃着,来回弹动着,相当不舒服。最后他上气不接下气了,脸也变得通红了,但是竭尽全力坚持着,尽可能地坐直。伯爵能从窗户里看到这一切。有几分钟马和人都被树木挡住了。当他们回到他能听见他们说话的距离时,方特勒罗伊的帽子已经掉了,脸颊红得像芙蓉花似的,嘴唇则像被固定住了似的。但是他仍然英武地让马小跑着。

“停一会儿!”他祖父说,“你的帽子呢?”

威尔金斯碰了碰自己的帽子,“它掉了,老爷,”他掩饰不住自己的高兴,说道,“要我停下来去拾帽子吗,老爷?”

“他不太害怕,是吗?”伯爵干巴巴地说。

“哦,老爷!”威尔金斯喊道,“我不应该这么说,因为他知道骑马是怎么一回事。我以前也教过其他小绅士骑马,我从未见过比他更意志坚定的了。”

“累吗?”伯爵对方特勒罗伊说,“想下来吗?”

“您想象不到,它颠得我有多厉害,”小勋爵坦白地承认道,“我也有点儿累了,可是我不想下来,我想继续学。一等我喘气定缓了,我就会回去找帽子。”

方特勒罗伊的话在老人心中产生了极好的效果。如果让世界上最聪明的人来教导方特勒罗伊,教他如何去讨好那个看着他的老头,也教不出比这话更有效的了。当小马驹再一次向着大路小跑而去时,一种淡淡的色泽爬上了老人那凶相的脸庞。在他浓粗的眉毛下,双眼闪烁着快乐的光芒。他坐着,看着,非常焦躁不安,直到马蹄声逐渐靠近。过了一阵子,他们就来了,快要到达时,马跑得更快了。方特勒罗伊的帽子仍然不在头上,威尔金斯帮他拿着呢,他的脸颊比刚才更红了,头发在耳朵边飘着,但他还是让马小跑着来到窗前。

“在那儿,”当他们停下来时,他大喊着,“我让马慢跑。我做得没有第五大道上的男孩那么好,但是我做到了,而且我没有摔下来!”

他、威尔金斯和小马驹打那以后成了亲密的朋友,村民们没有一天不见他们一起出来,在大路上或在绿荫小径上,快乐地慢跑着。棚屋里的孩子们纷纷跑到门口,看着那匹骄傲的棕色小马驹,以及那个勇敢的坐在马鞍上的小家伙,他会把帽子抓下来,向着他们挥舞着,喊道:“喂!上午好!”他喊得真心诚意,一点都没有勋爵的架子。有时候,他会停下来,跟小伙伴们一起聊天。有一回,当他们回到城堡后,威尔金斯跟人说,在村里的学校附近,方特勒罗伊坚持不肯上马,要让一个小男孩骑着他的马回家,因为那个男孩又瘸又累。

“哎哟!我的天哪!”威尔金斯在马圈里叙述故事时说,“我的天哪!他还不让我下马,他说,因为让一个男孩骑大马,可能会感到不舒服。他还说:‘威尔金斯,那个男孩的腿瘸了,而我好好的,而且我还想去跟他谈谈。’那个男孩不得不上了马,然后小勋爵步履艰难地走在他身边,双手插在衣兜里,帽子戴在后脑勺上,一边轻松地吹着口哨,一边高兴地闲聊着。当我们到达那个男孩的家时,他母亲以为出什么事了,赶紧跑出来看个究竟。小勋爵摘下帽子,说:‘我把您的孩子带回来了,太太。因为他的腿受伤了,而我觉得那根拐棍根本不够用,我要去请求我爷爷叫人为他做一副拐杖。’”

威尔金斯曾害怕伯爵听说了这事会大发雷霆,但伯爵并没有发怒,相反,他放声笑了,他把方特勒罗伊叫去,让他把事情从头到尾原原本本地说出来,听了以后他又笑了。几天后,在瘸腿小男孩家门前的绿荫小径上,多林考特家的马车停在了那儿。方特勒罗伊跳了出来,走到门口,手里果然拿了一副拐杖,这副新拐杖又轻便又结实,扛在肩膀上就像一把枪。他把拐杖送给了哈特尔太太(瘸腿男孩的名字就叫哈特尔),并说:“这是我爷爷的赠品,给您的孩子的,请您笑纳,我们希望他会好起来。”

“我说是您的赠品,”他回到马车里时,向伯爵解释道,“您没有跟我说过,但我想,也许您忘记了,就是那么回事,对吗?”

伯爵又笑了,没有说不是这么回事。事实上,他们俩日益亲密了,方特勒罗伊对他爷爷的仁慈和美德的信任也与日俱增。他毫不怀疑他祖父是老年绅士中最最和蔼、最最大方的。当然了,他自己发现,他的愿望几乎还没有说出口,往往就得到了满足。这类礼物和快乐泛滥在他面前,有时候他几乎因为自己能拥有这么多而迷惑了。显而易见,他想要什么就能得到什么,他想做什么就能去做。

尽管跟所有的小男孩相互攀比,肯定是不明智,但小勋爵处理得非常好。也许是这么回事:虽然他天性善良,但是,假如他不是每天有几个小时跟母亲一起待在罗奇苑,他可能就有点儿被宠坏了。那个“最好的朋友”常常凑近了温和地看着他,母子俩有过许多次长谈。在他要回到城堡去的时候,母亲会亲吻他的脸颊,说一些淳朴但值得他记在心里的叮嘱。

有一件事真让小家伙困惑不堪。任何人都想不到,他会那么经常地思索这件事的神秘性,甚至于他母亲都不知道,他到底花了多少时间来苦思冥想。好长时间以来,伯爵一点儿都没有觉察到他的想法。但是,小男孩敏于观察,他早已注意到,他母亲和祖父似乎从不见面,他禁不住想知道为什么。当多林考特的马车停靠在罗奇苑时,伯爵从来不下车。偶然地,方特勒罗伊和祖父一起去教堂,伯爵总是让他在门口单独和他母亲谈话,或者让他跟母亲一起回家去。但是每天都有人将水果和花朵从城堡的温室里拿出来,送到罗奇苑去。不过,伯爵后来做了一个善举,使他的形象在塞德里克的眼中,达到了完美的顶点。大约一个礼拜后的一天,塞德里克去拜访母亲时,他发现,门口有一辆漂亮的小马车,还有一匹栗色的骏马,而平常那儿都停着一辆大型马车,站着两匹烈马。

“那是你给你母亲的礼物,”伯爵直率地说,“她不能在乡村里到处步行,她需要一辆马车。驾驶马车的仆人会负责此事。这是你送给她的礼物。”

方特勒罗伊此时喜悦的心情无法用语言来表达。在去罗奇苑的路上,他几乎不能自制。他母亲正在花园里采集玫瑰花,他冲出小马车,向她飞跑过去。

“最最亲爱的!”他喊道,“你相信吗?这是给你的!爷爷说这是我给你的礼物,这是你自己的马车,你可以乘着它到各处去!”

他是如此高兴,以至于她不知道该说些什么。纵然她知道,马车来自那个决定把她看成仇敌的老人,但她不忍心扼杀孩子的快乐、拒绝接受这礼物。她不得不带着玫瑰和身边所有的东西,走进车里,任凭自己被车载着。一路上,方特勒罗伊告诉她,有关他祖父善良与和蔼的故事。这些故事是如此天真,以至于有时候她会禁不住笑一笑,然后她会把小男孩更近地拉向她身边,吻着他。那个老人几乎没有朋友,而方特勒罗伊却只看到他身上的好处,这使她感到高兴。

就在第二天,方特勒罗伊给霍布斯先生写了一封信。信写得很长。第一遍抄写完后,他拿着去让祖父检查。

“因为,”他说,“因为在拼写方面,我实在拿不准。如果你告诉我错在哪儿,我会把它重写一遍。”

下面就是他写的信:

亲爱的霍布斯先生,我想把我祖父的事告诉你。他是你所见过的最好的伯爵。说伯爵是暴君的看法是错误的,我祖父根本不是暴君。我希望你能认识他,你们会成为好朋友的,我相信,你们会的。他的一只脚得了痛风病,很受罪,但是他很有忍耐力。我爱他,一天更比一天多。他对这世界上所有的人都很友好,像他这样的伯爵,你会情不自禁地爱上他的。我希望你能跟他谈一谈,他知道这世界上的一切事物。你可以问他任何问题。不过,他从未玩过棒球。他给了我一匹小马驹和一辆小马车,给了我妈妈一辆漂亮的马车。我有三间屋子,有各种各样的玩具,你见了会感到惊讶的。你会喜欢城堡和庄园的。城堡很大很大,威尔金斯说,你可能会在城堡里迷路的。威尔金斯是我的马夫,他说,城堡下面,有一个地牢。庄园里的每一样东西都很美丽,都会使你惊讶的。庄园里有大树、麋鹿、兔子和猎物,它们在隐蔽处到处瞎跑。我祖父很富有,您觉得伯爵们都是很傲慢的,但他并不目中无人。我喜欢跟他在一起。这里的人们很友好,很讲礼貌,男人会向你行脱帽礼,女人会向你行屈膝礼,有时候还会说:“上帝保佑你。”我现在会骑马了,不过一开始,当我让马小跑的时候,它颠得很厉害。有一个贫穷的佃户付不起租金的时候,我祖父让他继续留在农场里,梅隆夫人还给他生病的孩子们拿去了药酒等东西。我想见到你,我希望最最亲爱的能住在城堡里。不过,我不太思念她的时候,我过得很快乐。我爱我祖父,大家都爱他,请你早点儿给我回信。

你亲爱的老朋友

塞德里克·埃罗尔

附言:地牢里没有人,我祖父从来不曾将任何人长期关在那儿。

又及:他真的很好,他让我想起了你,他非常讨人喜欢。

“你很想念你母亲吗?”伯爵看完信时,问道。

“是的。”方特勒罗伊说,“我一直在想念她。”

方特勒罗伊走过去,站在伯爵面前,把手放在他膝盖上,抬头看着他。

“您不想念她,是吗?”他说。

“我不认识她。”老伯爵相当粗鲁地答道。

“我知道您不认识她,”方特勒罗伊说,“就是那一点使我感到迷惑不解。她告诉我不要问您任何问题,所以——所以我没问,可是有时候我禁不住要想这问题,您知道,这使我困惑不已。不过我还是不想问您任何问题。我实在想她的时候,就望着窗外,每天晚上,我都能看见,她的光辉透过树林中的空地向我照来。我和她相隔很远,但是天一变黑,她就把她的光辉照在窗户上,我能看见那光辉在远方闪烁,而且我知道它在说什么。”

“说的是什么?”

“说的是:‘晚安,愿上帝整个晚上保佑你!’——就是我们在一起的时候,她常常说的那些话。她每天晚上都会那么说,而每天早上她说:‘愿上帝整天保佑你!’您瞧,这样我就一直很安全——”

“是很安全,我毫不怀疑。”老伯爵干巴巴地说。他垂下突出的浓眉,盯着这小男孩,看了很长时间,以至于方特勒罗伊很想知道:他可能在想什么呢?

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