od and knows a
great deal, he is elected president. They have torch-light processions
and bands, and everybody makes speeches. I used to think I might perhaps
be a president, but I never thought of being an earl. I didn't know
about earls," he said, rather hastily, lest Mr. Havisham might feel it
impolite in him not to have wished to be one,--"if I'd known about them,
I dare say I should have thought I should like to be one."

"It is rather different from being a president," said Mr. Havisham.

"Is it?" asked Cedric. "How? Are there no torch-light processions?"

Mr. Havisham crossed his own legs and put the tips of his fingers
carefully together. He thought perhaps the time had come to explain
matters rather more clearly.

"An earl is--is a very important person," he began.

"So is a president!" put in Ceddie. "The torch-light processions are
five miles long, and they shoot up rockets, and the band plays! Mr.
Hobbs took me to see them."

"An earl," Mr. Havisham went on, feeling rather uncertain of his ground,
"is frequently of very ancient lineage----"

"What's that?" asked Ceddie.

"Of very old family--extremely old."

"Ah!" said Cedric, thrusting his hands deeper into his pockets. "I
suppose that is the way with the apple-woman near the park. I dare say
she is of ancient lin-lenage. She is so old it would surprise you how
she can stand up. She's a hundred, I should think, and yet she is out
there when it rains, even. I'm sorry for her, and so are the other boys.
Billy Williams once had nearly a dollar, and I asked him to buy five
cents' worth of apples from her every day until he had spent it all.
That made twenty days, and he grew tired of apples after a week; but
then--it was quite fortunate--a gentleman gave me fifty cents and I
bought apples from her instead. You feel sorry for any one that's so
poor and has such ancient lin-lenage. She says hers has gone into her
bones and the rain makes it worse."

Mr. Havisham felt rather at a loss as he looked at his companion's
innocent, serious little face.

"I am afraid you did not quite understand me," he explained. "When I
said 'ancient lineage' I did not mean old age; I meant that the name
of such a family has been known in the world a long time; perhaps for
hundreds of years persons bearing that name have been known and spoken
of in the history of their country."

"Like George Washington," said Ceddie. "I've heard of him ever since I
was born, and he was