Cedric himself knew nothing whatever about it. It had never been even mentioned to him. He knew that his papa had been an Englishman, because his mamma had told him so; but then his papa had died when he was so little a boy that he could not remember very much about him, except that he was big, and had blue eyes and a long mustache, and that it was a splendid thing to be carried around the room on his shoulder.
Since his papa's death, Cedric had found out that it was best not to talk to his mamma about him. When his father was ill, Cedric had been sent away, and when he had returned, everything was over; and his mother, who had been very ill, too, was only just beginning to sit in her chair by the window. She was pale and thin, and all the dimples had gone from her pretty face, and her eyes looked large and mournful, and she was dressed in black.
Dearest, said Cedric (his papa had called her that always, and so the little boy had learned to say it), —"dearest, is my papa better?"
He felt her arms tremble, and so he turned his curly head and looked in her face. There was something in it that made him feel that he was going to cry.
Dearest, he said, "is he well?"
Then suddenly his loving little heart told him that he'd better put both his arms around her neck and kiss her again and again, and keep his soft cheek close to hers; and he did so, and she laid her face on his shoulder and cried bitterly, holding him as if she could never let him go again.
Yes, he is well, she sobbed; "he is quite, quite well, but we—we have no one left but each other. No one at all."
Then, little as he was, he understood that his big, handsome young papa would not come back any more; that he was dead, as he had heard of other people being, although he could not comprehend exactly what strange thing had brought all this sadness about.
It was because his mamma always cried when he spoke of his papa that he secretly made up his mind it was better not to speak of him very often to her, and he found out, too, that it was better not to let her sit still and look into the fire or out of the window without moving or talking. He and his mamma knew very few people, and lived what might have been thought very lonely lives, although Cedric did not know it was lonely until he grew older and heard why it was they had no visitors.
Then he was told that his mamma was an orphan, and quite alone in the world when his papa had married her. She was very pretty, and had been living as companion to a rich old lady who was not kind to her, and one day Captain Cedric Errol, who was calling at the house, saw her run up the stairs with tears on her eyelashes; and she looked so sweet and innocent and sorrowful that the Captain could not forget her. And after many strange things had happened, they knew each other well and loved each other dearly, and were married, although their marriage brought them the ill-will of several persons. The one who was most angry of all, however, was the Captain's father, who lived in England, and was a very rich and important old nobleman, with a very bad temper and a very violent dislike to America and Americans. He had two sons older than Captain Cedric; and it was the law that the elder of these sons should inherit the family title and estates, which were very rich and splendid; if the eldest son died, the next one would be heir; so, though he was a member of such a great family, there was little chance that Captain Cedric would be very rich himself.
But it so happened that Nature had given to the youngest son gifts which she had not bestowed upon his elder brothers. He had a beautiful face and a fine, strong, graceful figure; he had a bright smile and a sweet, gay voice; he was brave and generous, and had the kindest heart in the world, and seemed to have the power to make every one love him.
And it was not so with his elder brothers; neither of them was handsome, or very kind, or clever. When they were boys at Eton, they were not popular; when they were at college, they cared nothing for study, and wasted both time and money, and made few real friends.
The old Earl, their father, was constantly disappointed and humiliated by them; his heir was no honor to his noble name, and did not promise to end in being anything but a selfish, wasteful, insignificant man, with no manly or noble qualities. It was very bitter, the old Earl thought, that the son who was only third, and would have only a very small fortune, should be the one who had all the gifts, and all the charms, and all the strength and beauty. Sometimes he almost hated the handsome young man because he seemed to have the good things which should have gone with the stately title and the magnificent estates; and yet, in the depths of his proud, stubborn old heart, he could not help caring very much for his youngest son. It was in one of his fits of petulance that he sent him off to travel in America; he thought he would send him away for a while, so that he should not be made angry by constantly contrasting him with his brothers, who were at that time giving him a great deal of trouble by their wild ways.
But, after about six months, he began to feel lonely, and longed in secret to see his son again, so he wrote to Captain Cedric and ordered him home. The letter he wrote crossed on its way a letter the Captain had just written to his father, telling of his love for the pretty American girl, and of his intended marriage; and when the Earl received that letter he was furiously angry.
Bad as his temper was, he had never given way to it in his life as he gave way to it when he read the Captain's letter. His valet, who was in the room when it came, thought his lordship would have a fit of apoplexy, he was so wild with anger. For an hour he raged like a tiger, and then he sat down and wrote to his son, and ordered him never to come near his old home, nor to write to his father or brothers again. He told him he might live as he pleased, and die where he pleased, that he should be cut off from his family forever, and that he need never expect help from his father as long as he lived.
The Captain was very sad when he read the letter; he was very fond of England, and he dearly loved the beautiful home where he had been born; he had even loved his ill-tempered old father, and had sympathized with him in his disappointments; but he knew he need expect no kindness from him in the future.
At first he scarcely knew what to do; he had not been brought up to work, and had no business experience, but he had courage and plenty of determination.
So he sold his commission in the English army, and after some trouble found a situation in New York, and married. The change from his old life in England was very great, but he was young and happy, and he hoped that hard work would do great things for him in the future.
He had a small house on a quiet street, and his little boy was born there, and everything was so gay and cheerful, in a simple way, that he was never sorry for a moment that he had married the rich old lady's pretty companion just because she was so sweet and he loved her and she loved him.
She was very sweet, indeed, and her little boy was like both her and his father. Though he was born in so quiet and cheap a little home, it seemed as if there never had been a more fortunate baby.
In the first place, he was always well, and so he never gave any one trouble; in the second place, he had so sweet a temper and ways so charming that he was a pleasure to every one; and in the third place, he was so beautiful to look at that he was quite a picture.
Instead of being a bald-headed baby, he started in life with a quantity of soft, fine, gold-colored hair, which curled up at the ends, and went into loose rings by the time he was six months old; he had big brown eyes and long eyelashes and a darling little face; he had so strong a back and such splendid sturdy legs, that at nine months he learned suddenly to walk; his manners were so good, for a baby, that it was delightful to make his acquaintance. He seemed to feel that every one was his friend, and when any one spoke to him, when he was in his carriage in the street, he would give the stranger one sweet, serious look with the brown eyes, and then follow it with a lovely, friendly smile.
And the consequence was, that there was not a person in the neighborhood of the quiet street where he lived—even to the groceryman at the corner, who was considered the crossest creature alive—who was not pleased to see him and speak to him. And every month of his life he grew handsomer and more interesting.
When he was old enough to walk out with his nurse, dragging a small wagon and wearing a short white kilt skirt, and a big white hat set back on his curly yellow hair, he was so handsome and strong and rosy that he attracted every one's attention, and his nurse would come home and tell his mamma stories of the ladies who had stopped their carriages to look at and speak to him, and of how pleased they were when he talked to them in his cheerful little way, as if he had known them always. His greatest charm was this cheerful, fearless, quaint little way of making friends with people.
I think it arose from his having a very confiding nature, and a kind little heart that sympathized with every one, and wished to make every one as comfortable as he liked to be himself. It made him very quick to understand the feelings of those about him. Perhaps this had grown on him, too, because he had lived so much with his father and mother, who were always loving and considerate and tender and well-bred. He had never heard an unkind or uncourteous word spoken at home; he had always been loved and caressed and treated tenderly, and so his childish soul was full of kindness and innocent warm feeling. He had always heard his mamma called by pretty, loving names, and so he used them himself when he spoke to her; he had always seen that his papa watched over her and took great care of her, and so he learned, too, to be careful of her.
So when he knew his papa would come back no more, and saw how very sad his mamma was, there gradually came into his kind little heart the thought that he must do what he could to make her happy. He was not much more than a baby, but that thought was in his mind whenever he climbed upon her knee and kissed her and put his curly head on her neck, and when he brought his toys and picture-books to show her, and when he curled up quietly by her side as she used to lie on the sofa. He was not old enough to know of anything else to do, so he did what he could, and was more of a comfort to her than he could have understood.
Oh, Mary! he heard her say once to her old servant; "I am sure he is trying to help me in his innocent way—I know he is. He looks at me sometimes with a loving, wondering little look, as if he were sorry for me, and then he will come and pet me or show me something. He is such a little man, I really think he knows."
As he grew older, he had a great many quaint little ways which amused and interested people greatly. He was so much of a companion for his mother that she scarcely cared for any other. They used to walk together and talk together and play together. When he was quite a little fellow, he learned to read; and after that he used to lie on the hearth-rug, in the evening, and read aloud—sometimes stories, and sometimes big books such as older people read, and sometimes even the newspaper; and often at such times Mary, in the kitchen, would hear Mrs. Errol laughing with delight at the quaint things he said.
And, indade, said Mary to the groceryman, "nobody cud help laughin' at the quare little ways of him—and his ould-fashioned sayin's! Didn't he come into my kitchen the noight the new Prisident was nominated and shtand afore the fire, lookin' loike a pictur', wid his hands in his shmall pockets, an' his innocent bit of a face as sayrious as a jedge? An' sez he to me: 'Mary,' sez he, 'I'm very much int'rusted in the 'lection,' sez he.'I'm a 'publican, an' so is Dearest. Are you a 'publican, Mary?' 'Sorra a bit,' sez I; 'I'm the bist o' dimmycrats!' An' he looks up at me wid a look that ud go to yer heart, an' sez he: 'Mary,' sez he, 'the country will go to ruin.' An' nivver a day since thin has he let go by widout argyin' wid me to change me polytics."
Mary was very fond of him, and very proud of him, too. She had been with his mother ever since he was born; and, after his father's death, had been cook and housemaid and nurse and everything else. She was proud of his graceful, strong little body and his pretty manners, and especially proud of the bright curly hair which waved over his forehead and fell in charming love-locks on his shoulders. She was willing to work early and late to help his mamma make his small and suits and keep them in order.
Ristycratic, is it? she would say. "Faith, an' I'd loike to see the choild on Fifth Avey-NOO as looks loike him an' shteps out as handsome as himself. An' ivvery man, woman, and child lookin' afther him in his bit of a black velvet skirt made out of the misthress's ould gownd; an' his little head up, an' his curly hair flyin' an' shinin'. It's loike a young lord he looks."
Cedric did not know that he looked like a young lord; he did not know what a lord was. His greatest friend was the grocery man at the corner—the cross groceryman, who was never cross to him. His name was Mr. Hobbs, and Cedric admired and respected him very much. He thought him a very rich and powerful person, he had so many things in his store, —prunes and figs and oranges and biscuits,—and he had a horse and wagon. Cedric was fond of the milkman and the baker and the apple-woman, but he liked Mr. Hobbs best of all, and was on terms of such intimacy with him that he went to see him every day, and often sat with him quite a long time, discussing the topics of the hour. It was quite surprising how many things they found to talk about—the Fourth of July, for instance. When they began to talk about the Fourth of July there really seemed no end to it. Mr. Hobbs had a very bad opinion of "the British," and he told the whole story of the Revolution, relating very wonderful and patriotic stories about the villainy of the enemy and the bravery of the Revolutionary heroes, and he even generously repeated part of the Declaration of Independence.
Cedric was so excited that his eyes shone and his cheeks were red and his curls were all rubbed and tumbled into a yellow mop. He could hardly wait to eat his dinner after he went home, he was so anxious to tell his mamma. It was, perhaps, Mr. Hobbs who gave him his first interest in politics. Mr. Hobbs was fond of reading the newspapers, and so Cedric heard a great deal about that was going on in Washington; and Mr. Hobbs would tell him whether the President was doing his duty or not. And once, when there was an election, he found it all quite grand, and probably but for Mr. Hobbs and Cedric the country might have been wrecked.
Mr. Hobbs took him to see a great torchlight procession, and many of the men who carried torches remembered afterward a stout man who stood near a lamp-post and held on his shoulder a handsome little shouting boy, who waved his cap in the air.
It was not long after this election, when Cedric was between seven and eight years old, that the very strange thing happened which made so wonderful a change in his life. It was quite curious, too, that the day it happened he had been talking to Mr. Hobbs about England and the Queen, and Mr. Hobbs had said some very severe things about the aristocracy, being specially indignant against earls and marquises. It had been a hot morning; and after playing soldiers with some friends of his, Cedric had gone into the store to rest, and had found Mr. Hobbs looking very fierce over a piece of the Illustrated London News, which contained a picture of some court ceremony.
Ah, he said, "that's the way they go on now; but they'll get enough of it some day, when those they've trod on rise and blow 'em up sky-high,—earls and marquises and all! It's coming, and they may look out for it!"
Cedric had perched himself as usual on the high stool and pushed his hat back, and put his hands in his pockets in delicate compliment to Mr. Hobbs.
Did you ever know many marquises, Mr. Hobbs? Cedric inquired,—"or earls?"
No, answered Mr. Hobbs, with indignation; "I guess not. I'd like to catch one of 'em inside here; that's all! I'll have no grasping tyrants sittin' 'round on my cracker-barrels!"
And he was so proud of the sentiment that he looked around proudly and mopped his forehead.
Perhaps they wouldn't be earls if they knew any better, said Cedric, feeling some vague sympathy for their unhappy condition.
Wouldn't they! said Mr. Hobbs. "They just glory in it! It's in 'em. They're a bad lot."
They were in the midst of their conversation, when Mary appeared. Cedric thought she had come to buy some sugar, perhaps, but she had not. She looked almost pale and as if she were excited about something.
Come home, darlint,she said; "the misthrees is wantin' yez."
Cedric slipped down from his stool.
Does she want me to go out with her, Mary?he asked. "Goodmorining, Mr. Hobbs. I'll see you again."
He was surprised to see Mary staring at him in a dumfounded fashion, and he wondered why she kept shaking her head.
What's the matter, Mary? he said. "Is it the hot weather?"
No, said Mary; "but there's strange things happenin' to us."
Has the sun given Dearest a headache? he inquired anxiously.
But it was not that. When he reached his own house there was a coupe standing before the door and some one was in the little parlor talking to his mamma. Mary hurried him upstairs and put on his best summer suit of cream-colored flannel, with the red scarf around his waist, and combed out his curly locks.
Lords, is it? he heard her say. "An' the nobility an' gintry. Och! bad cess to them! Lords, indade—worse luck."
It was really very puzzling, but he felt sure his mamma would tell him what all the excitement meant, so he allowed Mary to bemoan herself without asking many questions. When he was dressed, he ran downstairs and went into the parlor. A tall, thin old gentleman with a sharp face was sitting in an arm-chair. His mother was standing near by with a pale face, and he saw that there were tears in her eyes.
Oh! Ceddie! she cried out, and ran to her little boy and caught him in her arms and kissed him in a frightened, troubled way. "Oh! Ceddie, darling!"
The tall old gentleman rose from his chair and looked at Cedric with his sharp eyes. He rubbed his thin chin with his bony hand as he looked. He seemed not at all displeased.
And so, he said at last, slowly,—"and so this is little Lord Fauntleroy."
這到底是怎么一回事?塞德里克一點兒概念都沒有。他只知道爸爸是一個英國人,因為媽媽曾經(jīng)告訴過他。但是,在他還是個小不點兒的時候,爸爸就去世了,所以,在他腦子里,關(guān)于爸爸的記憶很少。他只記得,爸爸的個頭高高的,眼睛藍(lán)藍(lán)的,胡子長長的。還有啊,坐在爸爸的肩膀上,在屋子里轉(zhuǎn)啊轉(zhuǎn),可好玩兒了。
自從爸爸去世后,塞德里克發(fā)覺,最好也不要跟媽媽談?wù)摪职帧K浀媚菚r候,爸爸生病了,媽媽也病得不輕,而他被別人帶到了別的地方;等他回來的時候,一切都完了,家里只剩下媽媽一個人,她剛剛能夠費力地坐上窗邊的椅子。她穿著黑色的喪服,身體瘦弱,面色蒼白,美麗的臉上兩個酒窩都消失了,哀傷的眼睛看上去比以前更大了。
“最最親愛的,”塞德里克說(爸爸總是那樣稱呼媽媽,所以小不點兒也學(xué)會了),“最最親愛的,爸爸他好些了嗎?”
他感到媽媽的胳膊在顫抖,所以他轉(zhuǎn)過鬈毛頭,盯著媽媽的臉,那臉上有一種讓他感到想哭的表情。
“最最親愛的,”他說,“爸爸的病好了嗎?”
就在那時,他那顆小小的“愛”心突然告訴他,他最好用雙臂環(huán)抱媽媽的脖子,用溫軟的臉頰貼近她的臉頰,然后一遍遍地吻她。當(dāng)他這么做時,媽媽把臉擱在他的肩膀上,哭得腸子都快斷了。她緊緊地抱住他,就好像再也不想讓他離開身邊似的。
“是的,他好了,”媽媽啜泣著說,“他很好,很好??墒窃蹅儭F(xiàn)在就剩下咱們倆了,再沒有別人了?!?/p>
那時,盡管他很小,不能理解這到底是怎么一回事,到底是什么東西給他們家?guī)砹巳绱说谋?,但他明白,他的高大、英俊而年輕的爸爸死了,再也不會回來了。
每當(dāng)他談起爸爸,媽媽就會一個勁兒地哭,所以他暗暗下定決心,最好不要經(jīng)常提起爸爸。他還發(fā)覺,最好不要讓媽媽靜靜地坐著、看著爐火,或望著窗外,一動不動,一聲不吭。
塞德里克和媽媽都極少結(jié)識人,過著一種在一般人看來十分孤獨的生活。盡管直到他長大了一點兒,知道沒有人來訪問他們的原因后,他才意識到他們過的是一種孤獨的生活。
塞德里克聽說,媽媽曾是一個孤兒,爸爸跟她結(jié)婚之前,她一直是孤零零一個人。她非常漂亮,陪侍著一位富裕而年老的夫人,那位夫人對她一點兒也不好。有一天,塞德里克·埃羅爾上尉來拜訪夫人,一眼就看見媽媽急急忙忙地跑上樓梯去,眼睫毛上掛滿了淚珠。她看上去是那樣的甜美、天真而又悲傷,上尉再也忘不了她了。
后來發(fā)生了許多奇怪的事情,他們倆相互熟知,進而又傾心相愛、結(jié)婚;但是他們的婚姻給他們帶來的卻是幾個人的敵意,其中最感到氣憤的不是別人,恰恰是上尉的父親。老頭兒生活在英國,是一個有錢有勢的老牌貴族。他的脾氣壞透了,極端討厭美國和美國人。塞德里克上尉還有兩個哥哥。按照英國法律,只有老大才有權(quán)利繼承家族無比榮耀的封號和無比龐大的財產(chǎn)。如果老大死了,就由老二繼承。所以盡管上尉是這樣一個大家族的成員,但他幾乎沒有機會成為富人。
不過,多虧造化給了他一些他的哥哥們所不具備的饋贈。他身材勻稱,體魄健壯,舉止優(yōu)雅,臉長得很清秀;他的笑容燦爛,聲音甜潤而快樂;他勇敢而慷慨,具有世界上最美好的心靈;他似乎有一種特殊的魅力,能讓所有的人喜愛他。
他的兄長們就不一樣了。那兩個人都不英俊,也不友善、不聰明。他們在伊頓中學(xué)上學(xué)的時候,一點兒也不出名;后來上大學(xué)的時候,對學(xué)習(xí)一點兒興趣都沒有,只是耗費時間和金錢罷了。他們連一個真心的朋友都沒有。
他們的父親——那位伯爵老爺為他們感到失望和恥辱。他的繼承人實在配不上貴族的名譽,到最后都可能不具備男子漢氣概和貴族氣質(zhì),而只是自私的、亂花錢的俗人罷了。上帝把所有的力和美都賜予了老三,而老三畢竟只是老三,他只能得到一份極少的財產(chǎn)。一想到這里,伯爵老爺就感到很難過。有時候,他幾乎變得厭惡英俊的小兒子,因為小兒子似乎具備所有的優(yōu)良素質(zhì),真正配得上榮耀的封號和龐大的財產(chǎn)。不過,在他那顆傲慢的、僵化的、年老的心靈深處,他情不自禁地對小兒子寄予了厚望。
有一回,伯爵老爺?shù)膲钠獍l(fā)作了,遂打發(fā)小兒子離開英國,去美國旅行。他覺得讓小兒子離開一段時間,自己就不會老是拿他和他的哥哥們做比較而惱火了。那段時間,那兩個粗野的家伙惹得他煩惱不堪。
但是,大約六個月后,伯爵開始感到孤單,暗暗地盼望小兒子能夠回來,于是他寫信給塞德里克上尉,命令他回家。上尉也剛好給父親寫了一封信,說他愛上了一個漂亮的美國女孩,打算跟她結(jié)婚。
伯爵老爺讀了兒子的來信,大發(fā)雷霆。他的脾氣一向很壞,但從來沒有像這一次這么壞。在他火氣沖天的時候,他的隨從正好也在房間里,還以為他得了中風(fēng)呢。他像一頭猛虎似的,狂怒了一個小時。然后,他坐下來,給小兒子寫信,命令小兒子永遠(yuǎn)不要再靠近老家,也不要再給父親和哥哥們寫信。老伯爵告訴埃羅爾上尉說,他愿意怎么活,就怎么活;愿意在哪兒死,就在哪兒死。老伯爵還告訴他,他已經(jīng)永遠(yuǎn)地和家族斷絕了關(guān)系,在自己的有生之年,他就不要再妄想得到任何幫助。
上尉讀了父親的來信非常難過。他愛英國,愛自己出生的美麗家園,甚至愛他那壞脾氣的老父親。在父親失望的時候,他總是同情他。但是,他知道,他將來休想從父親那兒得到任何仁慈。
一開始,他不知道自己能干什么。在他的成長過程中,他從沒學(xué)過工作,也沒有任何做生意的經(jīng)歷。不過,他有勇氣、有決心。
于是他交出了自己在英國軍隊中的職權(quán)。經(jīng)過一陣艱辛后,他在紐約找到了一個職位,隨即跟心愛的姑娘結(jié)了婚。舍棄在英國的舊生活,在美國開始新生活,對他來說是莫大的改變。但是他年輕、樂觀,心中懷著希望,他認(rèn)為,只要辛勤工作,將來他肯定會大有作為。
在一條寧靜的街道上,他有一處小小的居所。他的小不點兒就是在那兒出生的。一切都顯得那樣輕松、愉快、單純。他娶了一個年老富婆的漂亮女仆,但他似乎從來沒有為此而感到難過,因為妻子太甜美了。他太愛她了,她也很愛他。
她實在是太甜美了,而小不點兒既像她,也像父親。盡管出生在這樣一個既安和又清貧的小家庭里,但看起來似乎從來沒有哪個孩子比小不點兒更幸運的了。
首先,小不點兒的狀態(tài)一直很好,所以從未給任何人添過麻煩;其次,他的脾氣是那樣好,舉止是那樣討人喜歡,他給每個人帶來了快樂;再其次,他的容貌是那樣秀美,看上去就像一幅畫似的。
剛剛出生的時候,他不像一般孩子似的是個禿子,他的腦袋上長著許多柔柔的、細(xì)細(xì)的、金黃的頭發(fā),發(fā)梢都向上卷曲著,六個月的時候,成了一圈一圈稀松的鬈發(fā)。他一雙褐色的眼睛大大的,睫毛長長的,小臉蛋人見人愛。他的脊背是如此的健壯,兩腿是如此的結(jié)實。九個月的時候,他就突然之間學(xué)會了走路。對于一個嬰兒來說,他的儀容是如此得體,任何陌生人見了他,都會覺得賞心悅目。他似乎感覺每一個人都是他的朋友。當(dāng)他坐在街邊的小童車?yán)?,任何人過來跟他說話,他都會用那雙褐色的眼睛報以甜蜜而嚴(yán)肅的一瞥,緊接著是一抹可愛的、友好的微笑。
結(jié)果,在他生活的那條安和的街道上,左鄰右舍中沒有一個人不喜歡看看他,跟他說說話,甚至街角上那個雜貨店的老板也喜歡他,要知道人們都認(rèn)為那是一個壞脾氣的家伙。一月又一月過去了,他越長越好看,越長越招人喜歡了。
在他足夠大的時候,他會和保姆一起出去玩兒,拉著小車,穿著白色的蘇格蘭式短裙,一頂白色的大帽子倒扣在金黃的鬈發(fā)上。他是如此漂亮、健康、生氣勃勃,因而引來了每一個人的關(guān)注。保姆一回家就告訴他媽媽,女士們是如何攔住他們的車,對他看啊看,跟他說啊說。當(dāng)他以一副富于童趣的神態(tài),高興地和她們搭腔時,她們興高采烈,就好像他和她們一直很熟悉。
他跟人交朋友時,總是顯出無憂無慮、富有童趣的模樣,這是他最吸引人的地方。他具有非常自信的天性,還有一顆善良的心靈,他同情每一個人。這使他能十分敏銳地捕捉到周圍人們的情感。也許這份魅力是隨著他的生長而增長的,因為他已跟父親和母親一起生活了好多年,而他們總是很溫柔、很有教養(yǎng),總是相親相愛,處處為對方著想。在家里,他們從不說一個不友好的或不禮貌的詞。父母一直愛護他、關(guān)心他,溫和地對待他,所以他的童心里裝滿了友愛和溫暖,還有天真無邪的情感。他經(jīng)常聽到父親用美麗的、可愛的名稱來稱呼媽媽,所以當(dāng)他跟她說話時,也學(xué)會了用這些名稱。他經(jīng)??匆姼赣H愛護著媽媽,無微不至地關(guān)心媽媽,所以他也學(xué)會了照顧她。
因此,當(dāng)他知道爸爸再也不會回來時,當(dāng)他看見媽媽是那么傷心時,漸漸地,在他幼小而善良的心靈里產(chǎn)生了一個念頭,即他必須竭盡全力來使媽媽開心。他基本上還只是一個嬰兒,但是,當(dāng)他爬到媽媽的膝蓋上吻她時,當(dāng)他把鬈毛頭放在她的脖子上時,當(dāng)他將玩具、小人書拿給她看時,那個念頭就會閃現(xiàn)在他心頭。媽媽經(jīng)常睡在沙發(fā)上,他也靜靜地蜷起身子,睡在她身邊。他還沒有長大到能知道為媽媽干些別的事,所以他能做什么就做什么。對媽媽而言,與其說他是理解了她,還不如說他是在安慰她。
“哦,瑪麗!”有一回,他聽見媽媽對年老的女仆說,“我確信,他試圖用天真的方式來幫助我——我知道,他是想幫助我。有時候,他用一種充滿愛意和迷惑的目光看著我,就好像他在為我難過似的。隨后,他就走過來,拍拍我,或者給我看一件東西。他是一個小不點兒的大人,我真的相信,他懂得這一切。”
當(dāng)他長大了一些后,他會用許多有趣的童稚的方式,逗得人們哈哈大笑,使人們對他的興趣更加濃烈。對于母親來說,他的陪伴至關(guān)重要,所以她極少關(guān)心任何別的人。他們倆常常一起散步,一起閑聊,一起玩耍。當(dāng)他還是一個小家伙的時候,他就學(xué)會了讀書;晚上,他常常躺在爐邊的地毯上朗讀——有時是一些小故事,有時是適合成年人讀的大部頭,有時甚至是報紙。這時候,在廚房里忙碌的瑪麗經(jīng)常能聽見埃羅爾夫人被小家伙講的趣事逗得咯咯直笑。
“事實上,”瑪麗對雜貨店老板說,“對于小家伙那些奇妙的言行,所有人都情不自禁地哈哈大笑——他那些大人氣的話實在好笑。新總統(tǒng)被任命的那天晚上,小不點兒來到廚房里,站在火爐前,兩手插在小口袋里,天真的臉上顯出法官似的嚴(yán)肅,他整個看起來活像一幅畫。他對我說:‘瑪麗,我對總統(tǒng)選舉非常感興趣?!f,‘我是一個共和黨人,最最親愛的媽媽也是共和黨人。你是共和黨人嗎,瑪麗?’‘有點兒抱歉,’我說,‘我是一個最最堅定的民主黨人?!鹉?,看著我,那目光好像是要看到人心里,他說:‘瑪麗,國將不國了?!蚰且院?,他一刻都不放過,總來跟我辯論,要改變我的政治立場?!?/p>
瑪麗很喜歡他,也很為他感到驕傲。自從他出生起,瑪麗就跟他媽媽在一起。他爸爸去世后,瑪麗一直是他們家的廚娘、女仆和保姆,全面照顧著他們母子。
他那優(yōu)美而健壯的小身體,可愛的舉止,尤其是那頭明亮的鬈發(fā),時而波動在額頭,時而迷人地披垂在肩膀上,讓瑪麗感到驕傲。她樂意起早貪黑地幫他媽媽給他做衣服,并使他的衣服保持筆挺的樣子。
“他像個貴族,不是嗎?”瑪麗常常說,“真的,我喜歡看著這孩子快步走在紐約最繁華的第五大街上,就好像是去參加社交活動,看上去非常漂亮。不管是男人還是女人,不管是老人還是孩子,大家都樂意照顧他。他穿著一件黑色天鵝絨襯衫,那是用他母親的一條舊裙子改成的。他的小腦袋高昂著,鬈發(fā)飛揚著,閃閃發(fā)光。他看起來可真像是一個小貴族啊?!?/p>
塞德里克不知道自己像一個小貴族,他不知道貴族是什么樣的。他最好的朋友是一大街拐角處的雜貨店老板。他叫霍布斯先生,脾氣很壞,但從來沒有對他發(fā)過脾氣。塞德里克非常仰慕他、尊敬他。塞德里克認(rèn)為霍布斯先生是一個有錢有勢的人,因為他的雜貨店里有很多很多東西——如楊梅干、無花果、橘子和餅干。他還有一匹馬、一輛馬車。塞德里克也喜歡送牛奶的人、烤面包的師傅以及賣蘋果的婦女,但他最喜歡的還是霍布斯先生。他倆的關(guān)系是如此親密,以至于塞德里克每天都要去看他。兩人經(jīng)常久久地坐在一起,討論些時事話題。令人萬分奇怪的是,他們找來交談的事層出不窮——如七月四日國慶節(jié)就是一件。兩人一談起七月四日,就會談個沒完沒了?;舨妓瓜壬J(rèn)為“英國佬”壞透了。他講了獨立戰(zhàn)爭的整個過程,敘述了一些非常精彩的愛國故事,故事中的敵人都很可惡,而戰(zhàn)爭英雄都很勇敢。他甚至?xí)犊ぐ旱乇痴b《獨立宣言》的選段。
塞德里克興奮極了。他的眼睛閃閃放光,他的面頰紅撲撲的,他的鬈發(fā)被他自己弄得亂蓬蓬的,活像一個黃色的拖把。塞德里克回家后,還沒等吃完飯,就迫不及待地將今天聽到的事告訴媽媽。也許可以說,是霍布斯先生最早使他對政治產(chǎn)生了興趣?;舨妓瓜壬芟矚g讀報紙,所以,從他那兒,塞德里克聽到了許多發(fā)生在華盛頓的事兒?;舨妓瓜壬€會告訴他,總統(tǒng)是否在履行自己的職責(zé)。有一回,正好碰上選舉,塞德里克覺得場面宏大極了。也許只有他倆認(rèn)為這個國家可能已經(jīng)被破壞了。
霍布斯先生帶著他去看壯觀的火炬游行。好多當(dāng)時舉著火炬參加游行的人們后來都還記得,一個粗壯的男人站在路燈桿旁邊,肩膀上扛著一個漂亮的小男孩。那男孩一邊大喊著,一邊在空中揮舞著自己的帽子。
這次選舉后不久,一件奇怪的事發(fā)生了,這事使只有七八歲的塞德里克的人生有了一個奇妙的變化。那天他正在跟霍布斯先生談?wù)撚团酰舨妓瓜壬鷮F族制度說了一些非常嚴(yán)厲的話,他尤其痛恨伯爵和侯爵。那天上午很熱,塞德里克和一些小伙伴玩兒了一陣打仗游戲后,便來到雜貨店休息。他看見霍布斯先生正在閱讀《倫敦新聞畫報》,一副兇神惡煞的樣子,報紙上有一張關(guān)于宮廷儀式的圖片。
“啊,”霍布斯說,“他們現(xiàn)在還能風(fēng)光一時,但有朝一日,他們將為此付出代價。當(dāng)那些被他們蹂躪的人們團結(jié)起來,就會將他們——伯爵、侯爵和所有的貴族都打個落花流水。這日子馬上就要來了,他們該當(dāng)心點兒!”
塞德里克像往常一樣,坐在那只高凳子上,將帽子往后推了一推,雙手插在褲兜里,對霍布斯先生畢恭畢敬。
“你認(rèn)識許多侯爵嗎,霍布斯先生?”塞德里克詢問道,“或者伯爵?”
“沒有!”霍布斯先生憤憤地回答道,“我想是沒有。如果這屋子里有一個,我就會把他抓起來!我不愿意在這里,在我的餅干箱子上,坐著一個什么都想抓在手里的暴君!”
霍布斯先生為自己的這個想法感到驕傲,自豪地環(huán)顧了一下四周,擦了擦額頭。
“也許,如果他們了解得多一些,他們就不愿意再當(dāng)伯爵了?!比吕锟苏f。他感覺貴族們的處境挺不幸的,自己對他們還有點兒模模糊糊的同情呢。
“他們會嗎?!”霍布斯說,“他們只會為爵位感到榮耀!這是他們根深蒂固的心理。他們生來就這么壞?!?/p>
這時瑪麗進來,打斷了他們的談話。塞德里克原以為她可能是來買糖的,但她沒有買。她臉色蒼白,好像出了什么事。
“回家吧,親親,”她說,“太太要你回家?!?/p>
塞德里克從凳子上滑了下去。
“媽媽要我跟她一起出去嗎,瑪麗?”他問道。
“上午好,霍布斯先生。我會再來看您的?!?/p>
塞德里克看見瑪麗盯著自己而說不出話來的樣子,感到很驚訝,他想知道,瑪麗為何一個勁兒地?fù)u頭。
“出什么事了,瑪麗?”他問道,“是不是天太熱了?”
“不是,”瑪麗說,“咱們家出了怪事了?!?/p>
“是太陽曬得我那最親愛的媽媽頭疼了嗎?”塞德里克急切地詢問道。
但不是這么一回事。他回到自己家門口時,看到了一輛轎式馬車停在那兒,還有一個人在小客廳里跟他媽媽談著話?,旣惣奔泵γ︻I(lǐng)他上樓,給他穿上一套奶油色的法蘭絨衣服,脖子上圍了條紅色頸帶,那是他最好的夏季服裝?,旣愡€梳理了他那頭鬈發(fā)。
“老爺們,是嗎?”他聽見她在說,“還有貴族和紳士。呸!他們會倒霉的!老爺們,實際上,老爺們的運氣會更糟糕?!?/p>
這話真正叫人摸不著頭腦,但他相信他媽媽會告訴他,所有這些讓人激動的事到底意味著什么。所以他聽任瑪麗自悲自嘆,沒有問她很多問題。衣服穿好后,他跑下樓,走進客廳。一個高高的、瘦瘦的,面部輪廓分明的老年紳士,此時正坐在一把靠背椅子上。他媽媽站在旁邊,臉色蒼白。他看見她的眼中噙滿了淚水。
“噢!塞迪!”她喊出聲來,跑向她的小寶貝,緊緊抱住他,吻他,讓他感到有點兒害怕和憂慮?!芭?!塞迪,親愛的!”
那高個子老紳士從椅子里站起來,用銳利的目光看著塞德里克,同時用那瘦骨嶙峋的手摸著自己瘦削的下巴。他似乎一點兒都沒有不高興。
“如此說來,”他最后慢慢地說,“如此說來,這位就是小方特勒羅伊勛爵了?!?/p>
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