"It is rather difficult to judge of the character of a child of seven,"
he said cautiously.

The Earl's prejudices were very intense. He looked up quickly and
uttered a rough word.

"A fool, is he?" he exclaimed. "Or a clumsy cub? His American blood
tells, does it?"

"I do not think it has injured him, my lord," replied the lawyer in
his dry, deliberate fashion. "I don't know much about children, but I
thought him rather a fine lad."

His manner of speech was always deliberate and unenthusiastic, but he
made it a trifle more so than usual. He had a shrewd fancy that it
would be better that the Earl should judge for himself, and be quite
unprepared for his first interview with his grandson.

"Healthy and well-grown?" asked my lord.

"Apparently very healthy, and quite well-grown," replied the lawyer.

"Straight-limbed and well enough to look at?" demanded the Earl.

A very slight smile touched Mr. Havisham's thin lips. There rose up
before his mind's eye the picture he had left at Court Lodge,--the
beautiful, graceful child's body lying upon the tiger-skin in careless
comfort--the bright, tumbled hair spread on the rug--the bright, rosy
boy's face.