rous, innocent, honest
way. And he thought of the immense income, the beautiful, majestic
estates, the wealth, and power for good or evil, which in the course of
time would lie in the small, chubby hands little Lord Fauntleroy thrust
so deep into his pockets.

"It will make a great difference," he said to himself. "It will make a
great difference."

Cedric and his mother came back soon after. Cedric was in high spirits.
He sat down in his own chair, between his mother and the lawyer, and
fell into one of his quaint attitudes, with his hands on his knees. He
was glowing with enjoyment of Bridget's relief and rapture.

"She cried!" he said. "She said she was crying for joy! I never saw any
one cry for joy before. My grandpapa must be a very good man. I didn't
know he was so good a man. It's more--more agreeabler to be an earl than
I thought it was. I'm almost glad--I'm almost QUITE glad I'm going to be
one."

III

Cedric's good opinion of the advantages of being an earl increased
greatly during the next week. It seemed almost impossible for him to
realize that there was scarcely anything he might wish to do which he
could not do easily; in fact, I think it may be said that he did
not fully realize it at all. But at least he understood, after a few
conversations with Mr. Havisham, that he could gratify all his nearest
wishes, and he proceeded to gratify them with a simplicity and delight
which caused Mr. Havisham much diversion. In the week before they sailed
for England he did many curious things. The lawyer long after remembered
the morning they went down-town together to pay a visit to Dick, and the
afternoon they so amazed the apple-woman of ancient lineage by stopping
before her stall and telling her she was to have a tent, and a stove,
and a shawl, and a sum of money which seemed to her quite wonderful.

"For I have to go to England and be a lord," explained Cedric,
sweet-temperedly. "And I shouldn't like to have your bones on my mind
every time it rained. My own bones never hurt, so I think I don't know
how painful a person's bones can be, but I've sympathized with you a
great deal, and I hope you'll be better."

"She's a very good apple-woman," he said to Mr. Havisham, as they walked
away, leaving the proprietress of the stall almost gasping for breath,
and not at all believing in her great fortune. "Once, when I fell
down and cut my knee, she gave me an apple for nothing. I've always
remembered her