black beauty-第13部分

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

We　used　to　hear　it　talked　about　in　our　stable；　indeed；

nothing　else　was　talked　about。



John　went　about　his　work　silent　and　sad；　and　Joe　scarcely　whistled。

There　was　a　great　deal　of　coming　and　going；　Ginger　and　I　had　full　work。



The　first　of　the　party　who　went　were　Miss　Jessie　and　Flora；

with　their　governess。　　They　came　to　bid　us　good…by。

They　hugged　poor　Merrylegs　like　an　old　friend；　and　so　indeed　he　was。

Then　we　heard　what　had　been　arranged　for　us。　　Master　had　sold　Ginger　and　me

to　his　old　friend；　the　Earl　of　W；　for　he　thought　we　should　have

a　good　place　there。　　Merrylegs　he　had　given　to　the　vicar；

who　was　wanting　a　pony　for　Mrs。　Blomefield；　but　it　was　on　the　condition

that　he　should　never　be　sold；　and　that　when　he　was　past　work

he　should　be　shot　and　buried。



Joe　was　engaged　to　take　care　of　him　and　to　help　in　the　house；

so　I　thought　that　Merrylegs　was　well　off。　　John　had　the　offer

of　several　good　places；　but　he　said　he　should　wait　a　little　and　look　round。



The　evening　before　they　left　the　master　came　into　the　stable

to　give　some　directions；　and　to　give　his　horses　the　last　pat。

He　seemed　very　low…spirited；　I　knew　that　by　his　voice。

I　believe　we　horses　can　tell　more　by　the　voice　than　many　men　can。



〃Have　you　decided　what　to　do；　John？〃　he　said。　　〃I　find　you　have　not　accepted

either　of　those　offers。〃



〃No；　sir；　I　have　made　up　my　mind　that　if　I　could　get　a　situation

with　some　first…rate　colt…breaker　and　horse…trainer；　it　would　be

the　right　thing　for　me。　　Many　young　animals　are　frightened　and　spoiled

by　wrong　treatment；　which　need　not　be　if　the　right　man　took　them　in　hand。

I　always　get　on　well　with　horses；　and　if　I　could　help　some　of　them

to　a　fair　start　I　should　feel　as　if　I　was　doing　some　good。

What　do　you　think　of　it；　sir？〃



〃I　don't　know　a　man　anywhere；〃　said　master；　〃that　I　should　think

so　suitable　for　it　as　yourself。　　You　understand　horses；

and　somehow　they　understand　you；　and　in　time　you　might　set　up　for　yourself；

I　think　you　could　not　do　better。　　If　in　any　way　I　can　help　you；　write　to　me。

I　shall　speak　to　my　agent　in　London；　and　leave　your　character　with　him。〃



Master　gave　John　the　name　and　address；　and　then　he　thanked　him

for　his　long　and　faithful　service；　but　that　was　too　much　for　John。

〃Pray；　don't；　sir；　I　can't　bear　it；　you　and　my　dear　mistress　have　done

so　much　for　me　that　I　could　never　repay　it。　　But　we　shall　never　forget　you；

sir；　and　please　God；　we　may　some　day　see　mistress　back　again　like　herself；

we　must　keep　up　hope；　sir。〃　　Master　gave　John　his　hand；　but　he　did　not　speak；

and　they　both　left　the　stable。



The　last　sad　day　had　come；　the　footman　and　the　heavy　luggage　had　gone　off

the　day　before；　and　there　were　only　master　and　mistress　and　her　maid。

Ginger　and　I　brought　the　carriage　up　to　the　hall　door　for　the　last　time。

The　servants　brought　out　cushions　and　rugs　and　many　other　things；

and　when　all　were　arranged　master　came　down　the　steps　carrying　the　mistress

in　his　arms　（I　was　on　the　side　next　to　the　house；　and　could　see

all　that　went　on）；　he　placed　her　carefully　in　the　carriage；

while　the　house　servants　stood　round　crying。



〃Good…by；　again；〃　he　said；　〃we　shall　not　forget　any　of　you；〃　and　he　got　in。

〃Drive　on；　John。〃



Joe　jumped　up；　and　we　trotted　slowly　through　the　park

and　through　the　village；　where　the　people　were　standing　at　their　doors

to　have　a　last　look　and　to　say；　〃God　bless　them。〃



When　we　reached　the　railway　station　I　think　mistress　walked　from　the　carriage

to　the　waiting…room。　　I　heard　her　say　in　her　own　sweet　voice；　〃Good…by；　John。

God　bless　you。〃　　I　felt　the　rein　twitch；　but　John　made　no　answer；

perhaps　he　could　not　speak。　　As　soon　as　Joe　had　taken　the　things

out　of　the　carriage　John　called　him　to　stand　by　the　horses；

while　he　went　on　the　platform。　　Poor　Joe！　he　stood　close　up　to　our　heads

to　hide　his　tears。　　Very　soon　the　train　came　puffing　up　into　the　station；

then　two　or　three　minutes；　and　the　doors　were　slammed　to；　the　guard　whistled；

and　the　train　glided　away；　leaving　behind　it　only　clouds　of　white　smoke

and　some　very　heavy　hearts。



When　it　was　quite　out　of　sight　John　came　back。



〃We　shall　never　see　her　again；〃　he　said　　〃never。〃　　He　took　the　reins；

mounted　the　box；　and　with　Joe　drove　slowly　home；　but　it　was　not　our　home　now。













　　　　　　　　　　Part　II













22　　　　　　Earlshall







The　next　morning　after　breakfast　Joe　put　Merrylegs　into

the　mistress'　low　chaise　to　take　him　to　the　vicarage；　he　came　first

and　said　good…by　to　us；　and　Merrylegs　neighed　to　us　from　the　yard。

Then　John　put　the　saddle　on　Ginger　and　the　leading　rein　on　me；

and　rode　us　across　the　country　about　fifteen　miles　to　Earlshall　Park；

where　the　Earl　of　W　lived。　　There　was　a　very　fine　house

and　a　great　deal　of　stabling。　　We　went　into　the　yard　through　a　stone　gateway；

and　John　asked　for　Mr。　York。　　It　was　some　time　before　he　came。

He　was　a　fine…looking；　middle…aged　man；　and　his　voice　said　at　once

that　he　expected　to　be　obeyed。　　He　was　very　friendly　and　polite　to　John；

and　after　giving　us　a　slight　look　he　called　a　groom　to　take　us　to　our　boxes；

and　invited　John　to　take　some　refreshment。



We　were　taken　to　a　light；　airy　stable；　and　placed　in　boxes

adjoining　each　other；　where　we　were　rubbed　down　and　fed。

In　about　half　an　hour　John　and　Mr。　York；　who　was　to　be　our　new　coachman；

came　in　to　see　us。



〃Now；　Mr。　Manly；〃　he　said；　after　carefully　looking　at　us　both；

〃I　can　see　no　fault　in　these　horses；　but　we　all　know　that　horses

have　their　peculiarities　as　well　as　men；　and　that　sometimes　they　need

different　treatment。　　I　should　like　to　know　if　there　is　anything　particular

in　either　of　these　that　you　would　like　to　mention。〃



〃Well；〃　said　John；　〃I　don't　believe　there　is　a　better　pair　of　horses

in　the　country；　and　right　grieved　I　am　to　part　with　them；

but　they　are　not　alike。　　The　black　one　is　the　most　perfect　temper

I　ever　knew；　I　suppose　he　has　never　known　a　hard　word　or　a　blow

since　he　was　foaled；　and　all　his　pleasure　seems　to　be　to　do　what　you　wish；

but　the　chestnut；　I　fancy；　must　have　had　bad　treatment；

we　heard　as　much　from　the　dealer。　　She　came　to　us　snappish　and　suspicious；

but　when　she　found　what　sort　of　place　ours　was；　it　all　went　off　by　degrees；

for　three　years　I　have　never　seen　the　smallest　sign　of　temper；

and　if　she　is　well　treated　there　is　not　a　better；　more　willing　animal

than　she　is。　　But　she　is　naturally　a　more　irritable　constitution

than　the　black　horse；　flies　tease　her　more；　anything　wrong　in　the　harness

frets　her　more；　and　if　she　were　ill…used　or　unfairly　treated

she　would　not　be　unlikely　to　give　tit　for　tat。　　You　know　that

many　high…mettled　horses　will　do　so。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　York；　〃I　quite　understand；　but　you　know　it　is　not　easy

in　stables　like　these　to　have　all　the　grooms　just　what　they　should　be。

I　do　my　best；　and　there　I　must　leave　it。　　I'll　remember　what　you　have　said

about　the　mare。〃



They　were　going　out　of　the　stable；　when　John　stopped　and　said；

〃I　had　better　mention　that　we　have　never　used　the　check…rein

with　either　of　them；　the　black　horse　never　had　one　on；

and　the　dealer　said　it　was　the　gag…bit　that　spoiled　the　other's　temper。〃



〃Well；〃　said　York；　〃if　they　come　here　they　must　wear　the　check…rein。

I　prefer　a　loose　rein　myself；　and　his　lordship　is　always　very　reasonable

about　horses；　but　my　lady　　that's　another　thing；　she　will　have　style；

and　if　her　carriage　horses　are　not　reined　up　tight　she　wouldn't　look　at　them。

I　always　stand　out　against　the　gag…bit；　and　shall　do　so；

but　it　must　be　tight　up　when　my　lady　rides！〃



〃I　am　sorry　for　it；　very　sorry；〃　said　John；　〃but　I　must　go　now；

or　I　shall　lose　the　train。〃



He　came　round　to　each　of　us　to　pat　and　speak　to　us　for　the　last　time；

his　voice　sounded　very　sad。



I　held　my　face　close　to　him；　that　was　all　I　could　do　to　say　good…by；

and　then　he　was　gone；　and　I　have　never　seen　him　since。



The　next　day　Lord　W　came　to　look　at　us；　he　seemed　pleased

with　our　appearance。



〃I　have　great　confidence　in　these　horses；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　character

my　friend　Mr。　Gordon　has　given　me　of　them。　　Of　course　they　are　not

a　match　in　color；　but　my　idea　is　that　they　will　do　very　well　for　the　carriage

while　we　are　in　the　country。　　Before　we　go　to　London　I　must　try

to　match　Baron；　the　black　horse；　I　believe；　is　perfect　for　riding。〃



York　then　told　him　what　John　had　said　about　us。



〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃you　must　keep　an　eye　to　the　mare；

and　put　the　check…rein　easy；　I　dare　say　they　will　do　very　well

with　a　little　humoring　at　first。　　I'll　mention　it　to　your　lady。〃



In　the　afternoon　we　were　harnessed　and　put　in　the　carriage；

and　as　the　stable　clock　struck　three　we　were　led　round　to　the　front

of　the　house。　　It　was　all　very　grand；　and　three　or　four　times　as　large

as　the　old　house　at　Birtwick；　but　not　half　so　pleasant；

if　a　horse　may　have　an　opinion。　　Two　footmen　were　standing　ready；

dressed　in　drab　livery；　with　scarlet　breeches　and　white　stockings。

Presently　we　heard　the　rustling　sound　of　silk　as　my　lady　came　down

the　flight　of　stone　steps。　　She　stepped　round　to　look　at　us；　she　was　a　tall；

proud…looking　woman；　and　did　not　seem　pleased　about　something；

but　she　said　nothing；　and　got　into　the　carriage。　　This　was　the　first　time

of　wearing　a　check…rein；　and　I　must　say；　though　it　certainly　was　a　nuisance

not　to　be　able　to　get　my　head　down　now　and　then；　it　did　not　pull　my　head

higher　than　I　was　accustomed　to　carry　it。　　I　felt　anxious　about　Ginger；

but　she　seemed　to　be　quiet　and　content。



The　next　day　at　three　o'clock　we　were　again　at　the　door；

and　the　footmen　as　before；　we　heard　the　silk　dress　rustle

and　the　lady　came　down　the　steps；　and　in　an　imperious　voice　she　said；

〃York；　you　must　put　those　horses'　heads　higher；　they　are　not　fit　to　be　seen。〃



York　got　down；　and　said　very　resp