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

The sensations of the Right Honorable the Earl of Dorincourt could scarcely be described. Le sensazioni provate dall'onorevole conte di Dorincourt sono difficilmente descrivibili. He was not an old nobleman who was very easily bewildered, because he had seen a great deal of the world; but here was something he found so novel that it almost took his lordly breath away, and caused him some singular emotions. Non era un vecchio nobile che si disorientava facilmente, perché aveva visto molto del mondo; ma qui c'era qualcosa di così nuovo che quasi gli toglieva il fiato e gli provocava singolari emozioni. He had never cared for children; he had been so occupied with his own pleasures that he had never had time to care for them. His own sons had not interested him when they were very young--though sometimes he remembered having thought Cedric's father a handsome and strong little fellow. He had been so selfish himself that he had missed the pleasure of seeing unselfishness in others, and he had not known how tender and faithful and affectionate a kind-hearted little child can be, and how innocent and unconscious are its simple, generous impulses. Era stato così egoista da perdersi il piacere di vedere l'altruismo negli altri, e non sapeva quanto tenero, fedele e affettuoso possa essere un bambino dal cuore gentile, e quanto innocenti e inconsapevoli siano i suoi semplici e generosi impulsi. A boy had always seemed to him a most objectionable little animal, selfish and greedy and boisterous when not under strict restraint; his own two eldest sons had given their tutors constant trouble and annoyance, and of the younger one he fancied he had heard few complaints because the boy was of no particular importance. Un ragazzo gli era sempre sembrato un animaletto molto discutibile, egoista, avido e chiassoso quando non era strettamente controllato; i suoi due figli maggiori avevano dato ai loro tutori continui problemi e fastidi, e del più giovane pensava di aver sentito poche lamentele perché il ragazzo non era di particolare importanza. It had never once occurred to him that he should like his grandson; he had sent for the little Cedric because his pride impelled him to do so. Non gli era mai venuto in mente che il nipote dovesse piacergli; aveva mandato a chiamare il piccolo Cedric perché il suo orgoglio lo spingeva a farlo. If the boy was to take his place in the future, he did not wish his name to be made ridiculous by descending to an uneducated boor. Se il ragazzo doveva prendere il suo posto in futuro, non voleva che il suo nome fosse reso ridicolo da un cafone incolto. He had been convinced the boy would be a clownish fellow if he were brought up in America. Era convinto che il ragazzo sarebbe diventato un clown se fosse cresciuto in America. He had no feeling of affection for the lad; his only hope was that he should find him decently well-featured, and with a respectable share of sense; he had been so disappointed in his other sons, and had been made so furious by Captain Errol's American marriage, that he had never once thought that anything creditable could come of it. Non provava alcun sentimento di affetto per il ragazzo; la sua unica speranza era quella di trovarlo decentemente ben dotato e con una rispettabile dose di buon senso; era stato così deluso dagli altri suoi figli, ed era stato così infuriato dal matrimonio americano del capitano Errol, che non aveva mai pensato che potesse venirne fuori qualcosa di apprezzabile. When the footman had announced Lord Fauntleroy, he had almost dreaded to look at the boy lest he should find him all that he had feared. Quando il cameriere aveva annunciato Lord Fauntleroy, aveva quasi temuto di guardare il ragazzo per non trovarvi tutto ciò che aveva temuto. It was because of this feeling that he had ordered that the child should be sent to him alone. His pride could not endure that others should see his disappointment if he was to be disappointed. Il suo orgoglio non poteva sopportare che gli altri vedessero la sua delusione, se doveva essere deluso. His proud, stubborn old heart therefore had leaped within him when the boy came forward with his graceful, easy carriage, his fearless hand on the big dog's neck. Il suo vecchio cuore orgoglioso e testardo aveva quindi sussultato quando il ragazzo si era fatto avanti con il suo portamento aggraziato e disinvolto, con la sua mano impavida sul collo del cagnone. Even in the moments when he had hoped the most, the Earl had never hoped that his grandson would look like that. Anche nei momenti in cui aveva sperato di più, il conte non aveva mai sperato che suo nipote avesse quell'aspetto. It seemed almost too good to be true that this should be the boy he had dreaded to see--the child of the woman he so disliked--this little fellow with so much beauty and such a brave, childish grace! Sembrava quasi troppo bello per essere vero che quello fosse il ragazzo che aveva temuto di vedere, il figlio della donna che gli era così antipatica, questo piccolo ragazzo con tanta bellezza e una grazia così coraggiosa e infantile! The Earl's stern composure was quite shaken by this startling surprise. La severa compostezza del conte fu scossa da questa sorprendente sorpresa. And then their talk began; and he was still more curiously moved, and more and more puzzled. Poi iniziarono i loro discorsi, ed egli era ancora più curioso e sempre più perplesso. In the first place, he was so used to seeing people rather afraid and embarrassed before him, that he had expected nothing else but that his grandson would be timid or shy. But Cedric was no more afraid of the Earl than he had been of Dougal. He was not bold; he was only innocently friendly, and he was not conscious that there could be any reason why he should be awkward or afraid. Non era audace; era solo innocentemente amichevole, e non era consapevole che ci potesse essere un motivo per cui dovesse essere impacciato o spaventato. The Earl could not help seeing that the little boy took him for a friend and treated him as one, without having any doubt of him at all. It was quite plain as the little fellow sat there in his tall chair and talked in his friendly way that it had never occurred to him that this large, fierce-looking old man could be anything but kind to him, and rather pleased to see him there. Mentre il piccolo si sedeva sulla sua alta sedia e parlava nel suo modo amichevole, era evidente che non gli era mai venuto in mente che quel grande vecchio dall'aspetto feroce potesse essere altro che gentile con lui, e piuttosto contento di vederlo lì. And it was plain, too, that, in his childish way, he wished to please and interest his grandfather. Ed era evidente che, nel suo modo infantile, desiderava compiacere e interessare il nonno. Cross, and hard-hearted, and worldly as the old Earl was, he could not help feeling a secret and novel pleasure in this very confidence. Per quanto il vecchio conte fosse un uomo crudele, duro di cuore e mondano, non poté fare a meno di provare un segreto e inedito piacere proprio in questa confidenza. After all, it was not disagreeable to meet some one who did not distrust him or shrink from him, or seem to detect the ugly part of his nature; some one who looked at him with clear, unsuspecting eyes,--if it was only a little boy in a black velvet suit. Dopotutto, non era spiacevole incontrare qualcuno che non diffidasse di lui o che non si sottraesse a lui, o che sembrasse individuare la parte brutta della sua natura; qualcuno che lo guardasse con occhi limpidi e ignari, se si trattava solo di un ragazzino vestito di velluto nero.