The lawyer cleared his throat.

"I am obliged to tell you," he said, "that the Earl of Dorincourt
is not--is not very friendly toward you. He is an old man, and his
prejudices are very strong. He has always especially disliked America
and Americans, and was very much enraged by his son's marriage. I am
sorry to be the bearer of so unpleasant a communication, but he is
very fixed in his determination not to see you. His plan is that Lord
Fauntleroy shall be educated under his own supervision; that he shall
live with him. The Earl is attached to Dorincourt Castle, and spends a
great deal of time there. He is a victim to inflammatory gout, and is
not fond of London. Lord Fauntleroy will, therefore, be likely to live
chiefly at Dorincourt. The Earl offers you as a home Court Lodge, which
is situated pleasantly, and is not very far from the castle. He also
offers you a suitable income. Lord Fauntleroy will be permitted to visit
you; the only stipulation is, that you shall not visit him or enter the
park gates. You see you will not be really separated from your son, and
I assure you, madam, the terms are not so harsh as--as they might
have been. The advantage of such surroundings and education as Lord
Fauntleroy will have, I am sure you must see, will be very great."

He felt a little uneasy lest she should begin to cry or make a scene,
as he knew some women would have done. It embarrassed and annoyed him to
see women cry.

But she did not. She went to the window and stood with her face turned
away for a few moments, and he saw she was trying to steady herself.

"Captain Errol was very fond of Dorincourt," she said at last. "He loved