Chapter 6 (3) Kapitel 6 (3) Розділ 6 (3)

"Did you ever know any one," he said to Dawson, "who had such a kind grandfather!" "Hai mai conosciuto qualcuno", disse a Dawson, "che avesse un nonno così gentile!". Dawson's face wore an uncertain expression for a moment. She had not a very high opinion of his lordship the Earl. She had not been in the house many days, but she had been there long enough to hear the old nobleman's peculiarities discussed very freely in the servants' hall. "An' of all the wicious, savage, hill-tempered hold fellows it was ever my hill-luck to wear livery hunder," the tallest footman had said, "he's the wiolentest and wust by a long shot." "E di tutti i malvagi, selvaggi e irascibili che ho avuto la fortuna di portare in livrea", aveva detto il cameriere più alto, "lui è il più violento e il più cattivo di tutti". And this particular footman, whose name was Thomas, had also repeated to his companions below stairs some of the Earl's remarks to Mr. Havisham, when they had been discussing these very preparations. E questo cameriere in particolare, che si chiamava Thomas, aveva anche ripetuto ai suoi compagni sotto le scale alcune delle osservazioni fatte dal conte al signor Havisham, quando avevano discusso proprio di questi preparativi. "Give him his own way, and fill his rooms with toys," my lord had said. "Lasciatelo fare a modo suo e riempite le sue stanze di giocattoli", aveva detto il mio signore. "Give him what will amuse him, and he'll forget about his mother quickly enough. "Dategli ciò che lo diverte, e si dimenticherà di sua madre abbastanza in fretta. Amuse him, and fill his mind with other things, and we shall have no trouble. That's boy nature." So, perhaps, having had this truly amiable object in view, it did not please him so very much to find it did not seem to be exactly this particular boy's nature. Quindi, forse, avendo in mente questo oggetto davvero amabile, non gli fece molto piacere scoprire che non sembrava essere esattamente la natura di questo particolare ragazzo. The Earl had passed a bad night and had spent the morning in his room; but at noon, after he had lunched, he sent for his grandson.

Fauntleroy answered the summons at once. Fauntleroy rispose subito alla convocazione. He came down the broad staircase with a bounding step; the Earl heard him run across the hall, and then the door opened and he came in with red cheeks and sparkling eyes. Scese l'ampia scalinata con passo spedito; il conte lo sentì correre attraverso il corridoio, poi la porta si aprì e lui entrò con le guance rosse e gli occhi scintillanti.

"I was waiting for you to send for me," he said. "Stavo aspettando che mi mandassi a chiamare", disse. "I was ready a long time ago. I'm EVER so much obliged to you for all those things! Vi sono sempre molto grata per tutte queste cose! I'm EVER so much obliged to you! Vi sono sempre molto grata! I have been playing with them all the morning." "Oh!" said the Earl, "you like them, do you?" "I like them so much—well, I couldn't tell you how much!" "Mi piacciono così tanto... beh, non saprei dire quanto!". said Fauntleroy, his face glowing with delight. disse Fauntleroy, con il volto raggiante di gioia. "There's one that's like baseball, only you play it on a board with black and white pegs, and you keep your score with some counters on a wire. "Ce n'è uno che è come il baseball, solo che si gioca su un tabellone con pioli bianchi e neri e si tiene il punteggio con dei segnalini su un filo. I tried to teach Dawson, but she couldn't quite understand it just at first—you see, she never played baseball, being a lady; and I'm afraid I wasn't very good at explaining it to her. Ho cercato di insegnare a Dawson, ma all'inizio non riusciva a capire... Vedete, non aveva mai giocato a baseball, essendo una signora, e temo di non essere stato molto bravo a spiegarglielo. But you know all about it, don't you?" "I'm afraid I don't," replied the Earl. "It's an American game, isn't it? Is it something like cricket?" "I never saw cricket," said Fauntleroy; "but Mr. Hobbs took me several times to see baseball. It's a splendid game. You get so excited! Would you like me to go and get my game and show it to you? Vuoi che vada a prendere il mio gioco e te lo mostri? Perhaps it would amuse you and make you forget about your foot. Does your foot hurt you very much this morning?" "More than I enjoy," was the answer. "Più di quanto mi piaccia", è stata la risposta. "Then perhaps you couldn't forget it," said the little fellow anxiously. "Perhaps it would bother you to be told about the game. "Forse vi darebbe fastidio se vi dicessero della partita. Do you think it would amuse you, or do you think it would bother you?" "Go and get it," said the Earl. It certainly was a novel entertainment this,—making a companion of a child who offered to teach him to play games,—but the very novelty of it amused him. Era certamente un divertimento nuovo questo, fare da compagno a un bambino che si offriva di insegnargli a giocare, ma proprio la novità lo divertiva. There was a smile lurking about the Earl's mouth when Cedric came back with the box containing the game, in his arms, and an expression of the most eager interest on his face. La bocca del conte sorrideva quando Cedric tornò con la scatola contenente il gioco tra le braccia e un'espressione di grande interesse sul volto. "May I pull that little table over here to your chair?" "Posso accostare quel tavolino alla sua sedia?". he asked.

"Ring for Thomas," said the Earl. "Suona per Thomas", disse il conte. "He will place it for you." "Oh, I can do it myself," answered Fauntleroy. "It's not very heavy." "Very well," replied his grandfather. The lurking smile deepened on the old man's face as he watched the little fellow's preparations; there was such an absorbed interest in them. Il sorriso in agguato si intensificò sul volto del vecchio mentre osservava i preparativi del piccolo; c'era un interesse così assorto in essi. The small table was dragged forward and placed by his chair, and the game taken from its box and arranged upon it.

"It's very interesting when you once begin," said Fauntleroy. "È molto interessante quando si comincia", disse Fauntleroy. "You see, the black pegs can be your side and the white ones mine. "Vedi, i pioli neri possono essere il tuo lato e quelli bianchi il mio. They're men, you know, and once round the field is a home run and counts one—and these are the outs—and here is the first base and that's the second and that's the third and that's the home base." Sono uomini, sapete, e una volta in campo è un fuoricampo e conta uno - e questi sono gli out - e qui c'è la prima base e questa è la seconda e questa è la terza e questa è la casa base". He entered into the details of explanation with the greatest animation. He showed all the attitudes of pitcher and catcher and batter in the real game, and gave a dramatic description of a wonderful "hot ball" he had seen caught on the glorious occasion on which he had witnessed a match in company with Mr. Hobbs. Mostrò tutti gli atteggiamenti del lanciatore, del ricevitore e del battitore nel gioco reale e descrisse in modo drammatico una meravigliosa "palla calda" che aveva visto prendere nella gloriosa occasione in cui aveva assistito a una partita in compagnia di Mr. His vigorous, graceful little body, his eager gestures, his simple enjoyment of it all, were pleasant to behold. Il suo corpicino vigoroso e aggraziato, i suoi gesti impazienti, il suo semplice divertimento erano piacevoli da vedere.