black beauty-第2部分

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and　no　doubt　to　Squire　Gordon's；　to　let　him　know　about　his　son。

When　Mr。　Bond；　the　farrier；　came　to　look　at　the　black　horse

that　lay　groaning　on　the　grass；　he　felt　him　all　over；　and　shook　his　head；

one　of　his　legs　was　broken。　　Then　some　one　ran　to　our　master's　house

and　came　back　with　a　gun；　presently　there　was　a　loud　bang

and　a　dreadful　shriek；　and　then　all　was　still；　the　black　horse　moved　no　more。



My　mother　seemed　much　troubled；　she　said　she　had　known　that　horse　for　years；

and　that　his　name　was　〃Rob　Roy〃；　he　was　a　good　horse；　and　there　was

no　vice　in　him。　　She　never　would　go　to　that　part　of　the　field　afterward。



Not　many　days　after　we　heard　the　church…bell　tolling　for　a　long　time；

and　looking　over　the　gate　we　saw　a　long；　strange　black　coach

that　was　covered　with　black　cloth　and　was　drawn　by　black　horses；

after　that　came　another　and　another　and　another；　and　all　were　black；

while　the　bell　kept　tolling；　tolling。　　They　were　carrying　young　Gordon

to　the　churchyard　to　bury　him。　　He　would　never　ride　again。

What　they　did　with　Rob　Roy　I　never　knew；　but　'twas　all　for　one　little　hare。









03　　　　　　My　Breaking　In







I　was　now　beginning　to　grow　handsome；　my　coat　had　grown　fine　and　soft；

and　was　bright　black。　　I　had　one　white　foot　and　a　pretty　white　star

on　my　forehead。　　I　was　thought　very　handsome；　my　master　would　not　sell　me

till　I　was　four　years　old；　he　said　lads　ought　not　to　work　like　men；

and　colts　ought　not　to　work　like　horses　till　they　were　quite　grown　up。



When　I　was　four　years　old　Squire　Gordon　came　to　look　at　me。

He　examined　my　eyes；　my　mouth；　and　my　legs；　he　felt　them　all　down；

and　then　I　had　to　walk　and　trot　and　gallop　before　him。

He　seemed　to　like　me；　and　said；　〃When　he　has　been　well　broken　in

he　will　do　very　well。〃　　My　master　said　he　would　break　me　in　himself；

as　he　should　not　like　me　to　be　frightened　or　hurt；

and　he　lost　no　time　about　it；　for　the　next　day　he　began。



Every　one　may　not　know　what　breaking　in　is；　therefore　I　will　describe　it。

It　means　to　teach　a　horse　to　wear　a　saddle　and　bridle；

and　to　carry　on　his　back　a　man；　woman　or　child；　to　go　just　the　way　they　wish；

and　to　go　quietly。　　Besides　this　he　has　to　learn　to　wear　a　collar；　a　crupper；

and　a　breeching；　and　to　stand　still　while　they　are　put　on；

then　to　have　a　cart　or　a　chaise　fixed　behind；　so　that　he　cannot　walk　or　trot

without　dragging　it　after　him；　and　he　must　go　fast　or　slow；

just　as　his　driver　wishes。　　He　must　never　start　at　what　he　sees；

nor　speak　to　other　horses；　nor　bite；　nor　kick；　nor　have　any　will　of　his　own；

but　always　do　his　master's　will；　even　though　he　may　be　very　tired　or　hungry；

but　the　worst　of　all　is；　when　his　harness　is　once　on；

he　may　neither　jump　for　joy　nor　lie　down　for　weariness。

So　you　see　this　breaking　in　is　a　great　thing。



I　had　of　course　long　been　used　to　a　halter　and　a　headstall；

and　to　be　led　about　in　the　fields　and　lanes　quietly；

but　now　I　was　to　have　a　bit　and　bridle；　my　master　gave　me　some　oats　as　usual；

and　after　a　good　deal　of　coaxing　he　got　the　bit　into　my　mouth；

and　the　bridle　fixed；　but　it　was　a　nasty　thing！　　Those　who　have　never　had

a　bit　in　their　mouths　cannot　think　how　bad　it　feels；

a　great　piece　of　cold　hard　steel　as　thick　as　a　man's　finger

to　be　pushed　into　one's　mouth；　between　one's　teeth；　and　over　one's　tongue；

with　the　ends　coming　out　at　the　corner　of　your　mouth；

and　held　fast　there　by　straps　over　your　head；　under　your　throat；

round　your　nose；　and　under　your　chin；　so　that　no　way　in　the　world

can　you　get　rid　of　the　nasty　hard　thing；　it　is　very　bad！　yes；　very　bad！

at　least　I　thought　so；　but　I　knew　my　mother　always　wore　one

when　she　went　out；　and　all　horses　did　when　they　were　grown　up；

and　so；　what　with　the　nice　oats；　and　what　with　my　master's　pats；

kind　words；　and　gentle　ways；　I　got　to　wear　my　bit　and　bridle。



Next　came　the　saddle；　but　that　was　not　half　so　bad；

my　master　put　it　on　my　back　very　gently；　while　old　Daniel　held　my　head；

he　then　made　the　girths　fast　under　my　body；　patting　and　talking　to　me

all　the　time；　then　I　had　a　few　oats；　then　a　little　leading　about；

and　this　he　did　every　day　till　I　began　to　look　for　the　oats　and　the　saddle。

At　length；　one　morning；　my　master　got　on　my　back　and　rode　me　round　the　meadow

on　the　soft　grass。　　It　certainly　did　feel　queer；　but　I　must　say

I　felt　rather　proud　to　carry　my　master；　and　as　he　continued　to　ride　me

a　little　every　day　I　soon　became　accustomed　to　it。



The　next　unpleasant　business　was　putting　on　the　iron　shoes；　that　too

was　very　hard　at　first。　　My　master　went　with　me　to　the　smith's　forge；

to　see　that　I　was　not　hurt　or　got　any　fright。　　The　blacksmith　took　my　feet

in　his　hand；　one　after　the　other；　and　cut　away　some　of　the　hoof。

It　did　not　pain　me；　so　I　stood　still　on　three　legs　till　he　had　done　them　all。

Then　he　took　a　piece　of　iron　the　shape　of　my　foot；　and　clapped　it　on；

and　drove　some　nails　through　the　shoe　quite　into　my　hoof；

so　that　the　shoe　was　firmly　on。　　My　feet　felt　very　stiff　and　heavy；

but　in　time　I　got　used　to　it。



And　now　having　got　so　far；　my　master　went　on　to　break　me　to　harness；

there　were　more　new　things　to　wear。　　First；　a　stiff　heavy　collar

just　on　my　neck；　and　a　bridle　with　great　side…pieces　against　my　eyes

called　blinkers；　and　blinkers　indeed　they　were；　for　I　could　not　see

on　either　side；　but　only　straight　in　front　of　me；　next；

there　was　a　small　saddle　with　a　nasty　stiff　strap　that　went

right　under　my　tail；　that　was　the　crupper。　　I　hated　the　crupper；

to　have　my　long　tail　doubled　up　and　poked　through　that　strap

was　almost　as　bad　as　the　bit。　　I　never　felt　more　like　kicking；

but　of　course　I　could　not　kick　such　a　good　master；　and　so　in　time

I　got　used　to　everything；　and　could　do　my　work　as　well　as　my　mother。



I　must　not　forget　to　mention　one　part　of　my　training；

which　I　have　always　considered　a　very　great　advantage。

My　master　sent　me　for　a　fortnight　to　a　neighboring　farmer's；

who　had　a　meadow　which　was　skirted　on　one　side　by　the　railway。

Here　were　some　sheep　and　cows；　and　I　was　turned　in　among　them。



I　shall　never　forget　the　first　train　that　ran　by。　　I　was　feeding　quietly

near　the　pales　which　separated　the　meadow　from　the　railway；

when　I　heard　a　strange　sound　at　a　distance；　and　before　I　knew　whence　it　came

　with　a　rush　and　a　clatter；　and　a　puffing　out　of　smoke　

a　long　black　train　of　something　flew　by；　and　was　gone　almost　before　I　could

draw　my　breath。　　I　turned　and　galloped　to　the　further　side　of　the　meadow

as　fast　as　I　could　go；　and　there　I　stood　snorting　with　astonishment　and　fear。

In　the　course　of　the　day　many　other　trains　went　by；　some　more　slowly；

these　drew　up　at　the　station　close　by；　and　sometimes　made

an　awful　shriek　and　groan　before　they　stopped。　　I　thought　it　very　dreadful；

but　the　cows　went　on　eating　very　quietly；　and　hardly　raised　their　heads

as　the　black　frightful　thing　came　puffing　and　grinding　past。



For　the　first　few　days　I　could　not　feed　in　peace；　but　as　I　found

that　this　terrible　creature　never　came　into　the　field；　or　did　me　any　harm；

I　began　to　disregard　it；　and　very　soon　I　cared　as　little

about　the　passing　of　a　train　as　the　cows　and　sheep　did。



Since　then　I　have　seen　many　horses　much　alarmed　and　restive

at　the　sight　or　sound　of　a　steam　engine；　but　thanks　to　my　good　master's　care；

I　am　as　fearless　at　railway　stations　as　in　my　own　stable。



Now　if　any　one　wants　to　break　in　a　young　horse　well；　that　is　the　way。



My　master　often　drove　me　in　double　harness　with　my　mother；

because　she　was　steady　and　could　teach　me　how　to　go

better　than　a　strange　horse。　　She　told　me　the　better　I　behaved

the　better　I　should　be　treated；　and　that　it　was　wisest　always　to　do　my　best

to　please　my　master；　〃but；〃　said　she；　〃there　are　a　great　many　kinds　of　men；

there　are　good　thoughtful　men　like　our　master；　that　any　horse

may　be　proud　to　serve；　and　there　are　bad；　cruel　men；

who　never　ought　to　have　a　horse　or　dog　to　call　their　own。　　Besides；

there　are　a　great　many　foolish　men；　vain；　ignorant；　and　careless；

who　never　trouble　themselves　to　think；　these　spoil　more　horses　than　all；

just　for　want　of　sense；　they　don't　mean　it；　but　they　do　it　for　all　that。

I　hope　you　will　fall　into　good　hands；　but　a　horse　never　knows

who　may　buy　him；　or　who　may　drive　him；　it　is　all　a　chance　for　us；

but　still　I　say；　do　your　best　wherever　it　is；　and　keep　up　your　good　name。〃









04　　　　　　Birtwick　Park







At　this　time　I　used　to　stand　in　the　stable　and　my　coat　was　brushed　every　day

till　it　shone　like　a　rook's　wing。　　It　was　early　in　May；　when　there　came　a　man

from　Squire　Gordon's；　who　took　me　away　to　the　hall。　　My　master　said；

〃Good…by；　Darkie；　be　a　good　horse；　and　always　do　your　best。〃

I　could　not　say　〃good…by〃；　so　I　put　my　nose　into　his　hand；

he　patted　me　kindly；　and　I　left　my　first　home。　　As　I　lived　some　years

with　Squire　Gordon；　I　may　as　well　tell　something　about　the　place。



Squire　Gordon's　park　skirted　the　village　of　Birtwick。

It　was　entered　by　a　large　iron　gate；　at　which　stood　the　first　lodge；

and　then　you　trotted　along　on　a　smooth　road　between　clumps

of　large　old　trees；　then　another　lodge　and　another　gate；

which　brought　you　to　the　house　and　the　gardens。　　Beyond　this　lay

the　home　paddock；　the　old　orchard；　and　the　stables。　　There　was　accommodation

for　many　horses　and　carriages；　but　I　need　only　describe　the　stable

into　which　I　was　taken；　this　was　very　roomy；　with　four　good　stalls；

a　large　swinging　window　opened　into　the　yard；　which　made　it　pleasant　and　airy。



The　first　stall　was　a　large　square　one；　shut　in　behind　with　a　wooden　gate；

the　others　were　common　stalls；　good　stalls；　but　not　nearly　so　large；

it　had　a　low　rack　for　hay　and　a　low　manger　for　corn；

it　was　called　a　loose　box；　because　the　horse　that　was　put　into　it

was　not　tied　up；　but　left　loose；　to　do　as　he　liked。　　It　is　a　great　thing

to　have　a　loose　box。



Into　this　fine　box　the　groom　put　me；　it　was　clean；　sweet；　and　airy。

I　never　w