Chapter 5 (9) Kapitel 5 (9)

"He's a very nice dog," he said. "He's my friend. He knows how I feel." "How do you feel?" asked the Earl.

It disturbed him to see the struggle the little fellow was having with his first feeling of homesickness, but it pleased him to see that he was making so brave an effort to bear it well. Lo disturbava vedere la lotta che il piccolo stava affrontando con il suo primo senso di nostalgia, ma gli faceva piacere vedere che stava facendo uno sforzo così coraggioso per sopportarlo bene. He liked this childish courage.

"Come here," he said. Fauntleroy went to him.

"I never was away from my own house before," said the boy, with a troubled look in his brown eyes. "It makes a person feel a strange feeling when he has to stay all night in another person's castle instead of in his own house. But Dearest is not very far away from me. She told me to remember that--and--and I'm seven--and I can look at the picture she gave me." Mi ha detto di ricordarlo... e... e ho sette anni... e posso guardare la foto che mi ha dato". He put his hand in his pocket, and brought out a small violet velvet-covered case. Mise la mano in tasca e tirò fuori un piccolo astuccio rivestito di velluto viola.

"This is it," he said. "You see, you press this spring and it opens, and she is in there!" He had come close to the Earl's chair, and, as he drew forth the little case, he leaned against the arm of it, and against the old man's arm, too, as confidingly as if children had always leaned there. Si era avvicinato alla sedia del conte e, mentre tirava fuori la piccola valigetta, si appoggiò al suo braccio e anche a quello del vecchio, con la stessa confidenza con cui si appoggiano i bambini. "There she is," he said, as the case opened; and he looked up with a smile. The Earl knitted his brows; he did not wish to see the picture, but he looked at it in spite of himself; and there looked up at him from it such a pretty young face--a face so like the child's at his side--that it quite startled him. Il conte aggrottò le sopracciglia; non voleva vedere il quadro, ma lo guardò suo malgrado; e da esso emerse un viso così grazioso e giovane - un viso così simile a quello del bambino al suo fianco - che lo fece trasalire. "I suppose you think you are very fond of her," he said. "Suppongo che tu pensi di essere molto affezionato a lei", disse. "Yes," answered Lord Fauntleroy, in a gentle tone, and with simple directness; "I do think so, and I think it's true. "Sì", rispose Lord Fauntleroy, in tono gentile e con semplice schiettezza, "lo penso e penso che sia vero. You see, Mr. Hobbs was my friend, and Dick and Bridget and Mary and Michael, they were my friends, too; but Dearest--well, she is my close friend, and we always tell each other everything. My father left her to me to take care of, and when I am a man I am going to work and earn money for her." "What do you think of doing?" inquired his grandfather.

His young lordship slipped down upon the hearth-rug, and sat there with the picture still in his hand. Sua signoria scivolò sul copri focolare e si sedette con il quadro ancora in mano. He seemed to be reflecting seriously, before he answered.

"I did think perhaps I might go into business with Mr. Hobbs," he said; "but I should like to be a President." "Ho pensato che forse avrei potuto entrare in affari con Mr. Hobbs", ha detto, "ma mi piacerebbe essere un Presidente". "We'll send you to the House of Lords instead," said his grandfather. "Ti manderemo invece alla Camera dei Lord", disse il nonno. "Well," remarked Lord Fauntleroy, "if I couldn't be a President, and if that is a good business, I shouldn't mind. "Beh", osservò Lord Fauntleroy, "se non potessi diventare presidente, e se fosse un buon affare, non mi dispiacerebbe. The grocery business is dull sometimes." Il settore della drogheria a volte è noioso". Perhaps he was weighing the matter in his mind, for he sat very quiet after this, and looked at the fire for some time. Forse stava valutando la questione nella sua mente, perché dopo questo fatto rimase seduto in silenzio e guardò il fuoco per un po' di tempo.

The Earl did not speak again. He leaned back in his chair and watched him. A great many strange new thoughts passed through the old nobleman's mind. Nella mente dell'anziano nobile passarono molti strani pensieri. Dougal had stretched himself out and gone to sleep with his head on his huge paws. Dougal si era disteso e si era addormentato con la testa sulle sue enormi zampe. There was a long silence.

In about half an hour's time Mr. Havisham was ushered in. Dopo circa mezz'ora il signor Havisham fu introdotto. The great room was very still when he entered. La grande sala era molto immobile quando entrò. The Earl was still leaning back in his chair. He moved as Mr. Havisham approached, and held up his hand in a gesture of warning--it seemed as if he had scarcely intended to make the gesture--as if it were almost involuntary. Si mosse quando il signor Havisham si avvicinò e alzò la mano in segno di avvertimento - sembrava che non avesse quasi intenzione di fare quel gesto - come se fosse quasi involontario. Dougal was still asleep, and close beside the great dog, sleeping also, with his curly head upon his arm, lay little Lord Fauntleroy. Dougal dormiva ancora, e accanto al grande cane, anch'esso addormentato, con la testa riccioluta sul braccio, giaceva il piccolo Lord Fauntleroy.