black beauty-第12部分

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he　would　get　up　two　or　three　times　in　the　night　to　come　to　me。

My　master；　too；　often　came　to　see　me。　　〃My　poor　Beauty；〃　he　said　one　day；

〃my　good　horse；　you　saved　your　mistress'　life；　Beauty；

yes；　you　saved　her　life。〃　　I　was　very　glad　to　hear　that；

for　it　seems　the　doctor　had　said　if　we　had　been　a　little　longer

it　would　have　been　too　late。　　John　told　my　master　he　never　saw　a　horse

go　so　fast　in　his　life。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　horse　knew　what　was　the　matter。

Of　course　I　did；　though　John　thought　not；　at　least　I　knew　as　much　as　this　

that　John　and　I　must　go　at　the　top　of　our　speed；　and　that　it　was

for　the　sake　of　the　mistress。









19　　　　　　Only　Ignorance







I　do　not　know　how　long　I　was　ill。　　Mr。　Bond；　the　horse…doctor；

came　every　day。　　One　day　he　bled　me；　John　held　a　pail　for　the　blood。

I　felt　very　faint　after　it　and　thought　I　should　die；　and　I　believe

they　all　thought　so　too。



Ginger　and　Merrylegs　had　been　moved　into　the　other　stable；

so　that　I　might　be　quiet；　for　the　fever　made　me　very　quick　of　hearing；

any　little　noise　seemed　quite　loud；　and　I　could　tell　every　one's　footstep

going　to　and　from　the　house。　　I　knew　all　that　was　going　on。

One　night　John　had　to　give　me　a　draught；　Thomas　Green　came　in　to　help　him。

After　I　had　taken　it　and　John　had　made　me　as　comfortable　as　he　could；

he　said　he　should　stay　half　an　hour　to　see　how　the　medicine　settled。

Thomas　said　he　would　stay　with　him；　so　they　went　and　sat　down　on　a　bench

that　had　been　brought　into　Merrylegs'　stall；　and　put　down　the　lantern

at　their　feet；　that　I　might　not　be　disturbed　with　the　light。



For　awhile　both　men　sat　silent；　and　then　Tom　Green　said　in　a　low　voice：



〃I　wish；　John；　you'd　say　a　bit　of　a　kind　word　to　Joe。

The　boy　is　quite　broken…hearted；　he　can't　eat　his　meals；　and　he　can't　smile。

He　says　he　knows　it　was　all　his　fault；　though　he　is　sure　he　did　the　best

he　knew；　and　he　says　if　Beauty　dies　no　one　will　ever　speak　to　him　again。

It　goes　to　my　heart　to　hear　him。　　I　think　you　might　give　him　just　a　word；

he　is　not　a　bad　boy。〃



After　a　short　pause　John　said　slowly；　〃You　must　not　be　too　hard　upon　me；　Tom。

I　know　he　meant　no　harm；　I　never　said　he　did；　I　know　he　is　not　a　bad　boy。

But　you　see；　I　am　sore　myself；　that　horse　is　the　pride　of　my　heart；

to　say　nothing　of　his　being　such　a　favorite　with　the　master　and　mistress；

and　to　think　that　his　life　may　be　flung　away　in　this　manner

is　more　than　I　can　bear。　　But　if　you　think　I　am　hard　on　the　boy

I　will　try　to　give　him　a　good　word　to…morrow　　that　is；

I　mean　if　Beauty　is　better。〃



〃Well；　John；　thank　you。　　I　knew　you　did　not　wish　to　be　too　hard；

and　I　am　glad　you　see　it　was　only　ignorance。〃



John's　voice　almost　startled　me　as　he　answered：



〃Only　ignorance！　only　ignorance！　how　can　you　talk　about　only　ignorance？

Don't　you　know　that　it　is　the　worst　thing　in　the　world；　next　to　wickedness？

　and　which　does　the　most　mischief　heaven　only　knows。　　If　people　can　say；

‘Oh！　I　did　not　know；　I　did　not　mean　any　harm；'　they　think　it　is　all　right。

I　suppose　Martha　Mulwash　did　not　mean　to　kill　that　baby

when　she　dosed　it　with　Dalby　and　soothing　syrups；　but　she　did　kill　it；

and　was　tried　for　manslaughter。〃



〃And　serve　her　right；　too；〃　said　Tom。　　〃A　woman　should　not　undertake　to　nurse

a　tender　little　child　without　knowing　what　is　good　and　what　is　bad　for　it。〃



〃Bill　Starkey；〃　continued　John；　〃did　not　mean　to　frighten　his　brother

into　fits　when　he　dressed　up　like　a　ghost　and　ran　after　him　in　the　moonlight；

but　he　did；　and　that　bright；　handsome　little　fellow；　that　might　have　been

the　pride　of　any　mother's　heart　is　just　no　better　than　an　idiot；

and　never　will　be；　if　he　lives　to　be　eighty　years　old。

You　were　a　good　deal　cut　up　yourself；　Tom；　two　weeks　ago；

when　those　young　ladies　left　your　hothouse　door　open；　with　a　frosty　east　wind

blowing　right　in；　you　said　it　killed　a　good　many　of　your　plants。〃



〃A　good　many！〃　said　Tom；　〃there　was　not　one　of　the　tender　cuttings

that　was　not　nipped　off。　　I　shall　have　to　strike　all　over　again；

and　the　worst　of　it　is　that　I　don't　know　where　to　go　to　get　fresh　ones。

I　was　nearly　mad　when　I　came　in　and　saw　what　was　done。〃



〃And　yet；〃　said　John；　〃I　am　sure　the　young　ladies　did　not　mean　it；

it　was　only　ignorance。〃



I　heard　no　more　of　this　conversation；　for　the　medicine　did　well

and　sent　me　to　sleep；　and　in　the　morning　I　felt　much　better；

but　I　often　thought　of　John's　words　when　I　came　to　know　more　of　the　world。









20　　　　　　Joe　Green







Joe　Green　went　on　very　well；　he　learned　quickly；　and　was　so

attentive　and　careful　that　John　began　to　trust　him　in　many　things；

but　as　I　have　said；　he　was　small　of　his　age；　and　it　was　seldom

that　he　was　allowed　to　exercise　either　Ginger　or　me；　but　it　so　happened

one　morning　that　John　was　out　with　Justice　in　the　luggage　cart；

and　the　master　wanted　a　note　to　be　taken　immediately　to　a　gentleman's　house；

about　three　miles　distant；　and　sent　his　orders　for　Joe　to　saddle　me

and　take　it；　adding　the　caution　that　he　was　to　ride　steadily。




The　note　was　delivered；　and　we　were　quietly　returning　when　we　came

to　the　brick…field。　　Here　we　saw　a　cart　heavily　laden　with　bricks；

the　wheels　had　stuck　fast　in　the　stiff　mud　of　some　deep　ruts；

and　the　carter　was　shouting　and　flogging　the　two　horses　unmercifully。

Joe　pulled　up。　　It　was　a　sad　sight。　　There　were　the　two　horses

straining　and　struggling　with　all　their　might　to　drag　the　cart　out；

but　they　could　not　move　it；　the　sweat　streamed　from　their　legs　and　flanks；

their　sides　heaved；　and　every　muscle　was　strained；　while　the　man；

fiercely　pulling　at　the　head　of　the　fore　horse；　swore　and　lashed

most　brutally。



〃Hold　hard；〃　said　Joe；　〃don't　go　on　flogging　the　horses　like　that；

the　wheels　are　so　stuck　that　they　cannot　move　the　cart。〃



The　man　took　no　heed；　but　went　on　lashing。



〃Stop！　pray　stop！〃　said　Joe。　　〃I'll　help　you　to　lighten　the　cart；

they　can't　move　it　now。〃



〃Mind　your　own　business；　you　impudent　young　rascal；　and　I'll　mind　mine！〃

The　man　was　in　a　towering　passion　and　the　worse　for　drink；

and　laid　on　the　whip　again。　　Joe　turned　my　head；　and　the　next　moment

we　were　going　at　a　round　gallop　toward　the　house　of　the　master　brick…maker。

I　cannot　say　if　John　would　have　approved　of　our　pace；　but　Joe　and　I

were　both　of　one　mind；　and　so　angry　that　we　could　not　have　gone　slower。



The　house　stood　close　by　the　roadside。　　Joe　knocked　at　the　door；

and　shouted；　〃Halloo！　　Is　Mr。　Clay　at　home？〃　　The　door　was　opened；

and　Mr。　Clay　himself　came　out。



〃Halloo；　young　man！　　You　seem　in　a　hurry；　any　orders　from　the　squire

this　morning？〃



〃No；　Mr。　Clay；　but　there's　a　fellow　in　your　brick…yard

flogging　two　horses　to　death。　　I　told　him　to　stop；　and　he　wouldn't；

I　said　I'd　help　him　to　lighten　the　cart；　and　he　wouldn't；　so　I　have　come

to　tell　you。　　Pray；　sir；　go。〃　　Joe's　voice　shook　with　excitement。



〃Thank　ye；　my　lad；〃　said　the　man；　running　in　for　his　hat；

then　pausing　for　a　moment；　〃Will　you　give　evidence　of　what　you　saw

if　I　should　bring　the　fellow　up　before　a　magistrate？〃



〃That　I　will；〃　said　Joe；　〃and　glad　too。〃　　The　man　was　gone；

and　we　were　on　our　way　home　at　a　smart　trot。



〃Why；　what's　the　matter　with　you；　Joe？　　You　look　angry　all　over；〃　said　John；

as　the　boy　flung　himself　from　the　saddle。



〃I　am　angry　all　over；　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　the　boy；　and　then　in　hurried；

excited　words　he　told　all　that　had　happened。　　Joe　was　usually　such　a　quiet；

gentle　little　fellow　that　it　was　wonderful　to　see　him　so　roused。



〃Right；　Joe！　you　did　right；　my　boy；　whether　the　fellow　gets　a　summons　or　not。

Many　folks　would　have　ridden　by　and　said　it　was　not　their　business

to　interfere。　　Now　I　say　that　with　cruelty　and　oppression　it　is

everybody's　business　to　interfere　when　they　see　it；　you　did　right；　my　boy。〃



Joe　was　quite　calm　by　this　time；　and　proud　that　John　approved　of　him；

and　cleaned　out　my　feet　and　rubbed　me　down　with　a　firmer　hand　than　usual。



They　were　just　going　home　to　dinner　when　the　footman　came　down　to　the　stable

to　say　that　Joe　was　wanted　directly　in　master's　private　room；

there　was　a　man　brought　up　for　ill…using　horses；　and　Joe's　evidence

was　wanted。　　The　boy　flushed　up　to　his　forehead；　and　his　eyes　sparkled。

〃They　shall　have　it；〃　said　he。



〃Put　yourself　a　bit　straight；〃　said　John。　　Joe　gave　a　pull　at　his　necktie

and　a　twitch　at　his　jacket；　and　was　off　in　a　moment。　　Our　master　being

one　of　the　county　magistrates；　cases　were　often　brought　to　him　to　settle；

or　say　what　should　be　done。　　In　the　stable　we　heard　no　more　for　some　time；

as　it　was　the　men's　dinner　hour；　but　when　Joe　came　next　into　the　stable

I　saw　he　was　in　high　spirits；　he　gave　me　a　good…natured　slap；　and　said；

〃We　won't　see　such　things　done；　will　we；　old　fellow？〃　　We　heard　afterward

that　he　had　given　his　evidence　so　clearly；　and　the　horses　were　in　such

an　exhausted　state；　bearing　marks　of　such　brutal　usage；　that　the　carter

was　committed　to　take　his　trial；　and　might　possibly　be　sentenced

to　two　or　three　months　in　prison。



It　was　wonderful　what　a　change　had　come　over　Joe。　　John　laughed；

and　said　he　had　grown　an　inch　taller　in　that　week；　and　I　believe　he　had。

He　was　just　as　kind　and　gentle　as　before；　but　there　was　more　purpose

and　determination　in　all　that　he　did　　as　if　he　had　jumped　at　once

from　a　boy　into　a　man。









21　　　　　　The　Parting







Now　I　had　lived　in　this　happy　place　three　years；　but　sad　changes　were　about

to　come　over　us。　　We　heard　from　time　to　time　that　our　mistress　was　ill。

The　doctor　was　often　at　the　house；　and　the　master　looked　grave　and　anxious。

Then　we　heard　that　she　must　leave　her　home　at　once；　and　go　to　a　warm　country

for　two　or　three　years。　　The　news　fell　upon　the　household　like　the　tolling

of　a　deathbell。　　Everybody　was　sorry；　but　the　master　began　directly

to　make　arrangements　for　breaking　up　his　establishment　and　leaving　England。

We　use