black beauty-第14部分

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



York　got　down；　and　said　very　respectfully；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　lady；

but　these　horses　have　not　been　reined　up　for　three　years；

and　my　lord　said　it　would　be　safer　to　bring　them　to　it　by　degrees；

but　if　your　ladyship　pleases　I　can　take　them　up　a　little　more。〃



〃Do　so；〃　she　said。



York　came　round　to　our　heads　and　shortened　the　rein　himself　　one　hole；

I　think；　every　little　makes　a　difference；　be　it　for　better　or　worse；

and　that　day　we　had　a　steep　hill　to　go　up。　　Then　I　began　to　understand

what　I　had　heard　of。　　Of　course；　I　wanted　to　put　my　head　forward

and　take　the　carriage　up　with　a　will；　as　we　had　been　used　to　do；　but　no；

I　had　to　pull　with　my　head　up　now；　and　that　took　all　the　spirit　out　of　me；

and　the　strain　came　on　my　back　and　legs。　　When　we　came　in　Ginger　said；

〃Now　you　see　what　it　is　like；　but　this　is　not　bad；

and　if　it　does　not　get　much　worse　than　this　I　shall　say　nothing　about　it；

for　we　are　very　well　treated　here；　but　if　they　strain　me　up　tight；

why；　let　'em　look　out！　　I　can't　bear　it；　and　I　won't。〃



Day　by　day；　hole　by　hole；　our　bearing　reins　were　shortened；

and　instead　of　looking　forward　with　pleasure　to　having　my　harness　put　on；

as　I　used　to　do；　I　began　to　dread　it。　　Ginger；　too；　seemed　restless；

though　she　said　very　little。　　At　last　I　thought　the　worst　was　over；

for　several　days　there　was　no　more　shortening；　and　I　determined

to　make　the　best　of　it　and　do　my　duty；　though　it　was　now　a　constant　harass

instead　of　a　pleasure；　but　the　worst　was　not　come。









23　　　　　　A　Strike　for　Liberty







One　day　my　lady　came　down　later　than　usual；　and　the　silk　rustled

more　than　ever。



〃Drive　to　the　Duchess　of　B's；〃　she　said；　and　then　after　a　pause；

〃Are　you　never　going　to　get　those　horses'　heads　up；　York？

Raise　them　at　once　and　let　us　have　no　more　of　this　humoring　and　nonsense。〃



York　came　to　me　first；　while　the　groom　stood　at　Ginger's　head。

He　drew　my　head　back　and　fixed　the　rein　so　tight　that　it　was

almost　intolerable；　then　he　went　to　Ginger；　who　was　impatiently

jerking　her　head　up　and　down　against　the　bit；　as　was　her　way　now。

She　had　a　good　idea　of　what　was　coming；　and　the　moment　York　took　the　rein

off　the　terret　in　order　to　shorten　it　she　took　her　opportunity

and　reared　up　so　suddenly　that　York　had　his　nose　roughly　hit

and　his　hat　knocked　off；　the　groom　was　nearly　thrown　off　his　legs。

At　once　they　both　flew　to　her　head；　but　she　was　a　match　for　them；

and　went　on　plunging；　rearing；　and　kicking　in　a　most　desperate　manner。

At　last　she　kicked　right　over　the　carriage　pole　and　fell　down；

after　giving　me　a　severe　blow　on　my　near　quarter。　　There　is　no　knowing

what　further　mischief　she　might　have　done　had　not　York　promptly

sat　himself　down　flat　on　her　head　to　prevent　her　struggling；

at　the　same　time　calling　out；　〃Unbuckle　the　black　horse！

Run　for　the　winch　and　unscrew　the　carriage　pole！　　Cut　the　trace　here；

somebody；　if　you　can't　unhitch　it！〃　　One　of　the　footmen　ran　for　the　winch；

and　another　brought　a　knife　from　the　house。　　The　groom　soon　set　me　free

from　Ginger　and　the　carriage；　and　led　me　to　my　box。　　He　just　turned　me　in

as　I　was　and　ran　back　to　York。　　I　was　much　excited　by　what　had　happened；

and　if　I　had　ever　been　used　to　kick　or　rear　I　am　sure　I　should　have

done　it　then；　but　I　never　had；　and　there　I　stood；　angry；　sore　in　my　leg；

my　head　still　strained　up　to　the　terret　on　the　saddle；

and　no　power　to　get　it　down。　　I　was　very　miserable　and　felt　much　inclined

to　kick　the　first　person　who　came　near　me。



Before　long；　however；　Ginger　was　led　in　by　two　grooms；　a　good　deal

knocked　about　and　bruised。　　York　came　with　her　and　gave　his　orders；

and　then　came　to　look　at　me。　　In　a　moment　he　let　down　my　head。



〃Confound　these　check…reins！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　thought　we　should　have

some　mischief　soon。　　Master　will　be　sorely　vexed。　　But　there；

if　a　woman's　husband　can't　rule　her　of　course　a　servant　can't；

so　I　wash　my　hands　of　it；　and　if　she　can't　get　to　the　duchess'　garden　party

I　can't　help　it。〃



York　did　not　say　this　before　the　men；　he　always　spoke　respectfully

when　they　were　by。　　Now　he　felt　me　all　over；　and　soon　found　the　place

above　my　hock　where　I　had　been　kicked。　　It　was　swelled　and　painful；

he　ordered　it　to　be　sponged　with　hot　water；　and　then　some　lotion　was　put　on。



Lord　W　was　much　put　out　when　he　learned　what　had　happened；

he　blamed　York　for　giving　way　to　his　mistress；　to　which　he　replied

that　in　future　he　would　much　prefer　to　receive　his　orders　only　from

his　lordship；　but　I　think　nothing　came　of　it；　for　things　went　on

the　same　as　before。　　I　thought　York　might　have　stood　up　better

for　his　horses；　but　perhaps　I　am　no　judge。



Ginger　was　never　put　into　the　carriage　again；　but　when　she　was

well　of　her　bruises　one　of　the　Lord　W's　younger　sons

said　he　should　like　to　have　her；　he　was　sure　she　would　make　a　good　hunter。

As　for　me；　I　was　obliged　still　to　go　in　the　carriage；　and　had　a　fresh　partner

called　Max；　he　had　always　been　used　to　the　tight　rein。

I　asked　him　how　it　was　he　bore　it。



〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　bear　it　because　I　must；　but　it　is　shortening　my　life；

and　it　will　shorten　yours　too　if　you　have　to　stick　to　it。〃



〃Do　you　think；〃　I　said；　〃that　our　masters　know　how　bad　it　is　for　us？〃



〃I　can't　say；〃　he　replied；　〃but　the　dealers　and　the　horse…doctors

know　it　very　well。　　I　was　at　a　dealer's　once；　who　was　training　me

and　another　horse　to　go　as　a　pair；　he　was　getting　our　heads　up；　as　he　said；

a　little　higher　and　a　little　higher　every　day。　　A　gentleman　who　was　there

asked　him　why　he　did　so。　　‘Because；'　said　he；　‘people　won't　buy　them

unless　we　do。　　The　London　people　always　want　their　horses

to　carry　their　heads　high　and　to　step　high。　　Of　course　it　is　very　bad

for　the　horses；　but　then　it　is　good　for　trade。　　The　horses　soon　wear　up；

or　get　diseased；　and　they　come　for　another　pair。'　　That；〃　said　Max；

〃is　what　he　said　in　my　hearing；　and　you　can　judge　for　yourself。〃



What　I　suffered　with　that　rein　for　four　long　months　in　my　lady's　carriage

it　would　be　hard　to　describe；　but　I　am　quite　sure　that；　had　it　lasted

much　longer；　either　my　health　or　my　temper　would　have　given　way。

Before　that；　I　never　knew　what　it　was　to　foam　at　the　mouth；

but　now　the　action　of　the　sharp　bit　on　my　tongue　and　jaw；

and　the　constrained　position　of　my　head　and　throat；　always　caused　me

to　froth　at　the　mouth　more　or　less。　　Some　people　think　it　very　fine

to　see　this；　and　say；　〃What　fine　spirited　creatures！〃　　But　it　is　just

as　unnatural　for　horses　as　for　men　to　foam　at　the　mouth；　it　is　a　sure　sign

of　some　discomfort；　and　should　be　attended　to。　　Besides　this；

there　was　a　pressure　on　my　windpipe；　which　often　made　my　breathing

very　uncomfortable；　when　I　returned　from　my　work　my　neck　and　chest

were　strained　and　painful；　my　mouth　and　tongue　tender；

and　I　felt　worn　and　depressed。



In　my　old　home　I　always　knew　that　John　and　my　master　were　my　friends；

but　here；　although　in　many　ways　I　was　well　treated；　I　had　no　friend。

York　might　have　known；　and　very　likely　did　know；　how　that　rein　harassed　me；

but　I　suppose　he　took　it　as　a　matter　of　course　that　it　could　not　be　helped；

at　any　rate；　nothing　was　done　to　relieve　me。









24　　　　　　The　Lady　Anne；　or　a　Runaway　Horse







Early　in　the　spring；　Lord　W　and　part　of　his　family　went　up　to　London；

and　took　York　with　them。　　I　and　Ginger　and　some　other　horses

were　left　at　home　for　use；　and　the　head　groom　was　left　in　charge。



The　Lady　Harriet；　who　remained　at　the　hall；　was　a　great　invalid；

and　never　went　out　in　the　carriage；　and　the　Lady　Anne　preferred

riding　on　horseback　with　her　brother　or　cousins。　　She　was

a　perfect　horsewoman；　and　as　gay　and　gentle　as　she　was　beautiful。

She　chose　me　for　her　horse；　and　named　me　〃Black　Auster〃。

I　enjoyed　these　rides　very　much　in　the　clear　cold　air；　sometimes　with　Ginger；

sometimes　with　Lizzie。　　This　Lizzie　was　a　bright　bay　mare；

almost　thoroughbred；　and　a　great　favorite　with　the　gentlemen；

on　account　of　her　fine　action　and　lively　spirit；　but　Ginger；

who　knew　more　of　her　than　I　did；　told　me　she　was　rather　nervous。



There　was　a　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Blantyre　staying　at　the　hall；

he　always　rode　Lizzie；　and　praised　her　so　much　that　one　day　Lady　Anne　ordered

the　side…saddle　to　be　put　on　her；　and　the　other　saddle　on　me。

When　we　came　to　the　door　the　gentleman　seemed　very　uneasy。



〃How　is　this？〃　he　said。　　〃Are　you　tired　of　your　good　Black　Auster？〃



〃Oh；　no；　not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　am　amiable　enough

to　let　you　ride　him　for　once；　and　I　will　try　your　charming　Lizzie。

You　must　confess　that　in　size　and　appearance　she　is　far　more　like

a　lady's　horse　than　my　own　favorite。〃



〃Do　let　me　advise　you　not　to　mount　her；〃　he　said；

〃she　is　a　charming　creature；　but　she　is　too　nervous　for　a　lady。

I　assure　you；　she　is　not　perfectly　safe；　let　me　beg　you

to　have　the　saddles　changed。〃



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Lady　Anne；　laughing；　〃pray　do　not　trouble

your　good　careful　head　about　me。　　I　have　been　a　horsewoman

ever　since　I　was　a　baby；　and　I　have　followed　the　hounds　a　great　many　times；

though　I　know　you　do　not　approve　of　ladies　hunting；

but　still　that　is　the　fact；　and　I　intend　to　try　this　Lizzie

that　you　gentlemen　are　all　so　fond　of；　so　please　help　me　to　mount；

like　a　good　friend　as　you　are。〃



There　was　no　more　to　be　said；　he　placed　her　carefully　on　the　saddle；

looked　to　the　bit　and　curb；　gave　the　reins　gently　into　her　hand；

and　then　mounted　me。　　Just　as　we　were　moving　off　a　footman　came　out

with　a　slip　of　paper　and　message　from　the　Lady　Harriet。

〃Would　they　ask　this　question　for　her　at　Dr。　Ashley's；　and　bring　the　answer？〃



The　village　was　about　a　mile　off；　and　the　doctor's　house　was　the　last　in　it。

We　went　along　gayly　enough　till　we　came　to　his　gate。　　There　was　a　short　drive

up　to　the　house　between　tall　evergreens。



Blantyre