Chapter 4 (5) Kapitel 4 (5) Розділ 4 (5)

"It is not exactly impudence in his case," said Mr. Havisham. "I can scarcely describe what the difference is. He has lived more with older people than with children, and the difference seems to be a mixture of maturity and childishness." "American impudence!" protested the Earl. "I've heard of it before. They call it precocity and freedom. La chiamano precocità e libertà. Beastly, impudent bad manners; that's what it is!" Maleducazione bestiale e impudente; ecco cos'è!". Mr. Havisham drank some more port. He seldom argued with his lordly patron,--never when his lordly patron's noble leg was inflamed by gout. Raramente discuteva con il suo nobile protettore, mai quando la gamba del suo nobile protettore era infiammata dalla gotta. At such times it was always better to leave him alone. So there was a silence of a few moments. It was Mr. Havisham who broke it.

"I have a message to deliver from Mrs. Errol," he remarked. "I don't want any of her messages!" growled his lordship; "the less I hear of her the better." ringhiò Sua Signoria; "meno ne sento parlare e meglio è". "This is a rather important one," explained the lawyer. "She prefers not to accept the income you proposed to settle on her." "Preferisce non accettare la rendita che le avete proposto di versare". The Earl started visibly. Il conte iniziò a muoversi visibilmente.

"What's that?" he cried out. "What's that?" Mr. Havisham repeated his words.

"She says it is not necessary, and that as the relations between you are not friendly--" "Not friendly!" ejaculated my lord savagely; "I should say they were not friendly! eiaculò selvaggiamente il mio signore; "direi che non erano amichevoli! I hate to think of her! A mercenary, sharp-voiced American! Un americano mercenario e dalla voce tagliente! I don't wish to see her." "My lord," said Mr. Havisham, "you can scarcely call her mercenary. She has asked for nothing. She does not accept the money you offer her." "All done for effect!" "Tutto fatto per l'effetto!". snapped his noble lordship. scattò la sua nobile signoria. "She wants to wheedle me into seeing her. "Vuole convincermi a vederla. She thinks I shall admire her spirit. I don't admire it! It's only American independence! I won't have her living like a beggar at my park gates. Non voglio che viva come una mendicante ai cancelli del mio parco. As she's the boy's mother, she has a position to keep up, and she shall keep it up. Essendo la madre del ragazzo, ha una posizione da mantenere, e la manterrà. She shall have the money, whether she likes it or not!" Avrà i soldi, che le piaccia o no!". "She won't spend it," said Mr. Havisham. "Non li spenderà", disse il signor Havisham. "I don't care whether she spends it or not!" blustered my lord. ha sbottato il mio signore. "She shall have it sent to her. "Glielo farà recapitare. She sha'n't tell people that she has to live like a pauper because I have done nothing for her! She wants to give the boy a bad opinion of me! I suppose she has poisoned his mind against me already!" "No," said Mr. Havisham. "I have another message, which will prove to you that she has not done that." "I don't want to hear it!" panted the Earl, out of breath with anger and excitement and gout.

But Mr. Havisham delivered it.

"She asks you not to let Lord Fauntleroy hear anything which would lead him to understand that you separate him from her because of your prejudice against her. He is very fond of her, and she is convinced that it would cause a barrier to exist between you. Lui è molto affezionato a lei e lei è convinta che questo provocherebbe una barriera tra di voi. She says he would not comprehend it, and it might make him fear you in some measure, or at least cause him to feel less affection for you. Lei dice che lui non lo capirebbe, e che questo potrebbe fargli avere un po' di timore nei suoi confronti, o almeno fargli provare meno affetto per lei. She has told him that he is too young to understand the reason, but shall hear it when he is older. She wishes that there should be no shadow on your first meeting." Desidera che non ci sia ombra sul vostro primo incontro". The Earl sank back into his chair. His deep-set fierce old eyes gleamed under his beetling brows. I suoi occhi profondi e feroci brillavano sotto le sopracciglia aggrottate.

"Come, now!" "Vieni, ora!" he said, still breathlessly. disse, ancora trafelato. "Come, now! You don't mean the mother hasn't told him?" Non vorrai dire che la madre non gliel'ha detto?". "Not one word, my lord," replied the lawyer coolly. "Non una parola, mio signore", rispose freddamente l'avvocato. "That I can assure you. The child is prepared to believe you the most amiable and affectionate of grandparents. Il bambino è pronto a credere che siate i nonni più amabili e affettuosi. Nothing--absolutely nothing has been said to him to give him the slightest doubt of your perfection. And as I carried out your commands in every detail, while in New York, he certainly regards you as a wonder of generosity." "He does, eh?" said the Earl.

"I give you my word of honor," said Mr. Havisham, "that Lord Fauntleroy's impressions of you will depend entirely upon yourself. And if you will pardon the liberty I take in making the suggestion, I think you will succeed better with him if you take the precaution not to speak slightingly of his mother." E se mi perdonate la libertà che mi permetto di suggerire, credo che avrete più successo con lui se prenderete la precauzione di non parlare male di sua madre". "Pooh, pooh!" said the Earl.

"The youngster is only seven years old!" "He has spent those seven years at his mother's side," returned Mr. Havisham; "and she has all his affection."