black beauty-第15部分

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up　to　the　house　between　tall　evergreens。



Blantyre　alighted　at　the　gate；　and　was　going　to　open　it　for　Lady　Anne；

but　she　said；　〃I　will　wait　for　you　here；　and　you　can　hang　Auster's　rein

on　the　gate。〃



He　looked　at　her　doubtfully。　　〃I　will　not　be　five　minutes；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　do　not　hurry　yourself；　Lizzie　and　I　shall　not　run　away　from　you。〃



He　hung　my　rein　on　one　of　the　iron　spikes；　and　was　soon　hidden

among　the　trees。　　Lizzie　was　standing　quietly　by　the　side　of　the　road

a　few　paces　off；　with　her　back　to　me。　　My　young　mistress　was　sitting　easily

with　a　loose　rein；　humming　a　little　song。　　I　listened　to　my　rider's　footsteps

until　they　reached　the　house；　and　heard　him　knock　at　the　door。

There　was　a　meadow　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　the　gate　of　which

stood　open；　just　then　some　cart　horses　and　several　young　colts

came　trotting　out　in　a　very　disorderly　manner；　while　a　boy　behind

was　cracking　a　great　whip。　　The　colts　were　wild　and　frolicsome；

and　one　of　them　bolted　across　the　road　and　blundered　up　against

Lizzie's　hind　legs；　and　whether　it　was　the　stupid　colt；

or　the　loud　cracking　of　the　whip；　or　both　together；　I　cannot　say；

but　she　gave　a　violent　kick；　and　dashed　off　into　a　headlong　gallop。

It　was　so　sudden　that　Lady　Anne　was　nearly　unseated；

but　she　soon　recovered　herself。　　I　gave　a　loud；　shrill　neigh　for　help；

again　and　again　I　neighed；　pawing　the　ground　impatiently；

and　tossing　my　head　to　get　the　rein　loose。　　I　had　not　long　to　wait。

Blantyre　came　running　to　the　gate；　he　looked　anxiously　about；

and　just　caught　sight　of　the　flying　figure；　now　far　away　on　the　road。

In　an　instant　he　sprang　to　the　saddle。　　I　needed　no　whip；　no　spur；

for　I　was　as　eager　as　my　rider；　he　saw　it；　and　giving　me　a　free　rein；

and　leaning　a　little　forward；　we　dashed　after　them。



For　about　a　mile　and　a　half　the　road　ran　straight；

and　then　bent　to　the　right；　after　which　it　divided　into　two　roads。

Long　before　we　came　to　the　bend　she　was　out　of　sight。

Which　way　had　she　turned？　　A　woman　was　standing　at　her　garden　gate；

shading　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　looking　eagerly　up　the　road。

Scarcely　drawing　the　rein；　Blantyre　shouted；　〃Which　way？〃

〃To　the　right！〃　cried　the　woman；　pointing　with　her　hand；　and　away　we　went

up　the　right…hand　road；　then　for　a　moment　we　caught　sight　of　her；

another　bend　and　she　was　hidden　again。　　Several　times　we　caught　glimpses；

and　then　lost　them。　　We　scarcely　seemed　to　gain　ground　upon　them　at　all。

An　old　road…mender　was　standing　near　a　heap　of　stones；　his　shovel　dropped

and　his　hands　raised。　　As　we　came　near　he　made　a　sign　to　speak。

Blantyre　drew　the　rein　a　little。　　〃To　the　common；　to　the　common；　sir；

she　has　turned　off　there。〃　　I　knew　this　common　very　well；

it　was　for　the　most　part　very　uneven　ground；　covered　with　heather

and　dark…green　furze　bushes；　with　here　and　there　a　scrubby　old　thorn…tree；

there　were　also　open　spaces　of　fine　short　grass；　with　ant…hills

and　mole…turns　everywhere；　the　worst　place　I　ever　knew　for　a　headlong　gallop。



We　had　hardly　turned　on　the　common；　when　we　caught　sight　again

of　the　green　habit　flying　on　before　us。　　My　lady's　hat　was　gone；

and　her　long　brown　hair　was　streaming　behind　her。　　Her　head　and　body

were　thrown　back；　as　if　she　were　pulling　with　all　her　remaining　strength；

and　as　if　that　strength　were　nearly　exhausted。　　It　was　clear

that　the　roughness　of　the　ground　had　very　much　lessened　Lizzie's　speed；

and　there　seemed　a　chance　that　we　might　overtake　her。



While　we　were　on　the　highroad；　Blantyre　had　given　me　my　head；　but　now；

with　a　light　hand　and　a　practiced　eye；　he　guided　me　over　the　ground

in　such　a　masterly　manner　that　my　pace　was　scarcely　slackened；

and　we　were　decidedly　gaining　on　them。



About　halfway　across　the　heath　there　had　been　a　wide　dike　recently　cut；

and　the　earth　from　the　cutting　was　cast　up　roughly　on　the　other　side。

Surely　this　would　stop　them！　　But　no；　with　scarcely　a　pause

Lizzie　took　the　leap；　stumbled　among　the　rough　clods　and　fell。

Blantyre　groaned；　〃Now；　Auster；　do　your　best！〃　　He　gave　me　a　steady　rein。

I　gathered　myself　well　together　and　with　one　determined　leap

cleared　both　dike　and　bank。



Motionless　among　the　heather；　with　her　face　to　the　earth；

lay　my　poor　young　mistress。　　Blantyre　kneeled　down　and　called　her　name：

there　was　no　sound。　　Gently　he　turned　her　face　upward：　　it　was　ghastly　white

and　the　eyes　were　closed。　　〃Annie；　dear　Annie；　do　speak！〃

But　there　was　no　answer。　　He　unbuttoned　her　habit；　loosened　her　collar；

felt　her　hands　and　wrist；　then　started　up　and　looked　wildly　round　him

for　help。



At　no　great　distance　there　were　two　men　cutting　turf；　who；

seeing　Lizzie　running　wild　without　a　rider；　had　left　their　work　to　catch　her。



Blantyre's　halloo　soon　brought　them　to　the　spot。　　The　foremost　man

seemed　much　troubled　at　the　sight；　and　asked　what　he　could　do。



〃Can　you　ride？〃



〃Well；　sir；　I　bean't　much　of　a　horseman；　but　I'd　risk　my　neck

for　the　Lady　Anne；　she　was　uncommon　good　to　my　wife　in　the　winter。〃



〃Then　mount　this　horse；　my　friend　　your　neck　will　be　quite　safe　

and　ride　to　the　doctor's　and　ask　him　to　come　instantly；　then　on　to　the　hall；

tell　them　all　that　you　know；　and　bid　them　send　me　the　carriage；

with　Lady　Anne's　maid　and　help。　　I　shall　stay　here。〃



〃All　right；　sir；　I'll　do　my　best；　and　I　pray　God　the　dear　young　lady

may　open　her　eyes　soon。〃　　Then；　seeing　the　other　man；　he　called　out；

〃Here；　Joe；　run　for　some　water；　and　tell　my　missis　to　come

as　quick　as　she　can　to　the　Lady　Anne。〃



He　then　somehow　scrambled　into　the　saddle；　and　with　a　〃Gee　up〃

and　a　clap　on　my　sides　with　both　his　legs；　he　started　on　his　journey；

making　a　little　circuit　to　avoid　the　dike。　　He　had　no　whip；

which　seemed　to　trouble　him；　but　my　pace　soon　cured　that　difficulty；

and　he　found　the　best　thing　he　could　do　was　to　stick　to　the　saddle

and　hold　me　in；　which　he　did　manfully。　　I　shook　him　as　little

as　I　could　help；　but　once　or　twice　on　the　rough　ground　he　called　out；

〃Steady！　Woah！　Steady！〃　　On　the　highroad　we　were　all　right；

and　at　the　doctor's　and　the　hall　he　did　his　errand　like　a　good　man　and　true。

They　asked　him　in　to　take　a　drop　of　something。　　〃No；　no；〃　he　said；

〃I'll　be　back　to　'em　again　by　a　short　cut　through　the　fields；

and　be　there　afore　the　carriage。〃



There　was　a　great　deal　of　hurry　and　excitement　after　the　news　became　known。

I　was　just　turned　into　my　box；　the　saddle　and　bridle　were　taken　off；

and　a　cloth　thrown　over　me。



Ginger　was　saddled　and　sent　off　in　great　haste　for　Lord　George；

and　I　soon　heard　the　carriage　roll　out　of　the　yard。



It　seemed　a　long　time　before　Ginger　came　back；　and　before　we　were　left　alone；

and　then　she　told　me　all　that　she　had　seen。



〃I　can't　tell　much；〃　she　said。　　〃We　went　a　gallop　nearly　all　the　way；

and　got　there　just　as　the　doctor　rode　up。　　There　was　a　woman

sitting　on　the　ground　with　the　lady's　head　in　her　lap。

The　doctor　poured　something　into　her　mouth；　but　all　that　I　heard　was；

‘She　is　not　dead。'　　Then　I　was　led　off　by　a　man　to　a　little　distance。

After　awhile　she　was　taken　to　the　carriage；　and　we　came　home　together。

I　heard　my　master　say　to　a　gentleman　who　stopped　him　to　inquire；

that　he　hoped　no　bones　were　broken；　but　that　she　had　not　spoken　yet。〃



When　Lord　George　took　Ginger　for　hunting；　York　shook　his　head；

he　said　it　ought　to　be　a　steady　hand　to　train　a　horse　for　the　first　season；

and　not　a　random　rider　like　Lord　George。



Ginger　used　to　like　it　very　much；　but　sometimes　when　she　came　back

I　could　see　that　she　had　been　very　much　strained；　and　now　and　then

she　gave　a　short　cough。　　She　had　too　much　spirit　to　complain；

but　I　could　not　help　feeling　anxious　about　her。



Two　days　after　the　accident　Blantyre　paid　me　a　visit；

he　patted　me　and　praised　me　very　much；　he　told　Lord　George　that　he　was　sure

the　horse　knew　of　Annie's　danger　as　well　as　he　did。　　〃I　could　not　have

held　him　in　if　I　would；〃　said　he；　〃she　ought　never　to　ride　any　other　horse。〃

I　found　by　their　conversation　that　my　young　mistress　was　now　out　of　danger；

and　would　soon　be　able　to　ride　again。　　This　was　good　news　to　me

and　I　looked　forward　to　a　happy　life。









25　　　　　　Reuben　Smith







Now　I　must　say　a　little　about　Reuben　Smith；　who　was　left　in　charge

of　the　stables　when　York　went　to　London。　　No　one　more　thoroughly

understood　his　business　than　he　did；　and　when　he　was　all　right

there　could　not　be　a　more　faithful　or　valuable　man。

He　was　gentle　and　very　clever　in　his　management　of　horses；

and　could　doctor　them　almost　as　well　as　a　farrier；

for　he　had　lived　two　years　with　a　veterinary　surgeon。

He　was　a　first…rate　driver；　he　could　take　a　four…in…hand　or　a　tandem

as　easily　as　a　pair。　　He　was　a　handsome　man；　a　good　scholar；

and　had　very　pleasant　manners。　　I　believe　everybody　liked　him；

certainly　the　horses　did。　　The　only　wonder　was　that　he　should　be

in　an　under　situation　and　not　in　the　place　of　a　head　coachman　like　York；

but　he　had　one　great　fault　and　that　was　the　love　of　drink。

He　was　not　like　some　men；　always　at　it；　he　used　to　keep　steady　for　weeks

or　months　together；　and　then　he　would　break　out　and　have　a　〃bout〃　of　it；

as　York　called　it；　and　be　a　disgrace　to　himself；　a　terror　to　his　wife；

and　a　nuisance　to　all　that　had　to　do　with　him。　　He　was；　however；　so　useful

that　two　or　three　times　York　had　hushed　the　matter　up　and　kept　it

from　the　earl's　knowledge；　but　one　night；　when　Reuben　had　to　drive　a　party

home　from　a　ball　he　was　so　drunk　that　he　could　not　hold　the　reins；

and　a　gentleman　of　the　party　had　to　mount　the　box　and　drive　the　ladies　home。

Of　course；　this　could　not　be　hidden；　and　Reuben　was　at　once　dismissed；

his　poor　wife　and　little　children　had　to　turn　out　of　the　pretty　cottage

by　the　park　gate　and　go　where　they　could。　　Old　Max　told　me　all　this；

for　it　happened　a　good　while　ago；　but　shortly　before　Ginger　and　I　came

Smith　had　been　taken　back　again。　　York　had　interceded　for　him　wit