black beauty-第20部分

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as　he　was　conceited；　and　then；　instead　of　exercise　or　change　of　food；

I　had　to　take　horse　balls　and　draughts；　which；　beside　the　nuisance

of　having　them　poured　down　my　throat；　used　to　make　me　feel　ill

and　uncomfortable。



One　day　my　feet　were　so　tender　that；　trotting　over　some　fresh　stones

with　my　master　on　my　back；　I　made　two　such　serious　stumbles　that；

as　he　came　down　Lansdown　into　the　city；　he　stopped　at　the　farrier's；

and　asked　him　to　see　what　was　the　matter　with　me。　　The　man　took　up　my　feet

one　by　one　and　examined　them；　then　standing　up　and　dusting　his　hands

one　against　the　other；　he　said：



〃Your　horse　has　got　the　‘thrush'；　and　badly；　too；　his　feet　are　very　tender；

it　is　fortunate　that　he　has　not　been　down。　　I　wonder　your　groom　has　not

seen　to　it　before。　　This　is　the　sort　of　thing　we　find　in　foul　stables；

where　the　litter　is　never　properly　cleaned　out。　　If　you　will

send　him　here　to…morrow　I　will　attend　to　the　hoof；　and　I　will　direct　your　man

how　to　apply　the　liniment　which　I　will　give　him。〃



The　next　day　I　had　my　feet　thoroughly　cleansed　and　stuffed　with　tow

soaked　in　some　strong　lotion；　and　an　unpleasant　business　it　was。



The　farrier　ordered　all　the　litter　to　be　taken　out　of　my　box　day　by　day；

and　the　floor　kept　very　clean。　　Then　I　was　to　have　bran　mashes；

a　little　green　food；　and　not　so　much　corn；　till　my　feet　were　well　again。

With　this　treatment　I　soon　regained　my　spirits；　but　Mr。　Barry　was

so　much　disgusted　at　being　twice　deceived　by　his　grooms　that　he　determined

to　give　up　keeping　a　horse；　and　to　hire　when　he　wanted　one。

I　was　therefore　kept　till　my　feet　were　quite　sound；　and　was　then　sold　again。













　　　　　　　　　　Part　III













32　　　　　　A　Horse　Fair







No　doubt　a　horse　fair　is　a　very　amusing　place　to　those　who　have

nothing　to　lose；　at　any　rate；　there　is　plenty　to　see。



Long　strings　of　young　horses　out　of　the　country；　fresh　from　the　marshes；

and　droves　of　shaggy　little　Welsh　ponies；　no　higher　than　Merrylegs；

and　hundreds　of　cart　horses　of　all　sorts；　some　of　them　with　their　long　tails

braided　up　and　tied　with　scarlet　cord；　and　a　good　many　like　myself；

handsome　and　high…bred；　but　fallen　into　the　middle　class；　through　some

accident　or　blemish；　unsoundness　of　wind；　or　some　other　complaint。

There　were　some　splendid　animals　quite　in　their　prime；　and　fit　for　anything；

they　were　throwing　out　their　legs　and　showing　off　their　paces　in　high　style；

as　they　were　trotted　out　with　a　leading　rein；　the　groom　running　by　the　side。

But　round　in　the　background　there　were　a　number　of　poor　things；

sadly　broken　down　with　hard　work；　with　their　knees　knuckling　over

and　their　hind　legs　swinging　out　at　every　step；　and　there　were　some

very　dejected…looking　old　horses；　with　the　under　lip　hanging　down

and　the　ears　lying　back　heavily；　as　if　there　were　no　more　pleasure　in　life；

and　no　more　hope；　there　were　some　so　thin　you　might　see　all　their　ribs；

and　some　with　old　sores　on　their　backs　and　hips。　　These　were　sad　sights

for　a　horse　to　look　upon；　who　knows　not　but　he　may　come　to　the　same　state。



There　was　a　great　deal　of　bargaining；　of　running　up　and　beating　down；

and　if　a　horse　may　speak　his　mind　so　far　as　he　understands；

I　should　say　there　were　more　lies　told　and　more　trickery　at　that　horse　fair

than　a　clever　man　could　give　an　account　of。　　I　was　put　with

two　or　three　other　strong；　useful…looking　horses；　and　a　good　many　people

came　to　look　at　us。　　The　gentlemen　always　turned　from　me

when　they　saw　my　broken　knees；　though　the　man　who　had　me

swore　it　was　only　a　slip　in　the　stall。



The　first　thing　was　to　pull　my　mouth　open；　then　to　look　at　my　eyes；

then　feel　all　the　way　down　my　legs；　and　give　me　a　hard　feel

of　the　skin　and　flesh；　and　then　try　my　paces。　　It　was　wonderful

what　a　difference　there　was　in　the　way　these　things　were　done。

Some　did　it　in　a　rough；　offhand　way；　as　if　one　was　only　a　piece　of　wood；

while　others　would　take　their　hands　gently　over　one's　body；

with　a　pat　now　and　then；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃By　your　leave。〃

Of　course　I　judged　a　good　deal　of　the　buyers　by　their　manners　to　myself。



There　was　one　man；　I　thought；　if　he　would　buy　me；　I　should　be　happy。

He　was　not　a　gentleman；　nor　yet　one　of　the　loud；　flashy　sort

that　call　themselves　so。　　He　was　rather　a　small　man；　but　well　made；

and　quick　in　all　his　motions。　　I　knew　in　a　moment　by　the　way　he　handled　me；

that　he　was　used　to　horses；　he　spoke　gently；　and　his　gray　eye　had　a　kindly；

cheery　look　in　it。　　It　may　seem　strange　to　say　　but　it　is　true

all　the　same　　that　the　clean；　fresh　smell　there　was　about　him

made　me　take　to　him；　no　smell　of　old　beer　and　tobacco；　which　I　hated；

but　a　fresh　smell　as　if　he　had　come　out　of　a　hayloft。

He　offered　twenty…three　pounds　for　me；　but　that　was　refused；

and　he　walked　away。　　I　looked　after　him；　but　he　was　gone；

and　a　very　hard…looking；　loud…voiced　man　came。　　I　was　dreadfully　afraid

he　would　have　me；　but　he　walked　off。　　One　or　two　more　came

who　did　not　mean　business。　　Then　the　hard…faced　man　came　back　again

and　offered　twenty…three　pounds。　　A　very　close　bargain　was　being　driven；

for　my　salesman　began　to　think　he　should　not　get　all　he　asked；

and　must　come　down；　but　just　then　the　gray…eyed　man　came　back　again。

I　could　not　help　reaching　out　my　head　toward　him。　　He　stroked　my　face　kindly。



〃Well；　old　chap；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　we　should　suit　each　other。

I'll　give　twenty…four　for　him。〃



〃Say　twenty…five　and　you　shall　have　him。〃



〃Twenty…four　ten；〃　said　my　friend；　in　a　very　decided　tone；

〃and　not　another　sixpence　　yes　or　no？〃



〃Done；〃　said　the　salesman；　〃and　you　may　depend　upon　it

there's　a　monstrous　deal　of　quality　in　that　horse；　and　if　you　want　him

for　cab　work　he's　a　bargain。〃



The　money　was　paid　on　the　spot；　and　my　new　master　took　my　halter；

and　led　me　out　of　the　fair　to　an　inn；　where　he　had　a　saddle　and　bridle　ready。

He　gave　me　a　good　feed　of　oats　and　stood　by　while　I　ate　it；

talking　to　himself　and　talking　to　me。　　Half　an　hour　after

we　were　on　our　way　to　London；　through　pleasant　lanes　and　country　roads；

until　we　came　into　the　great　London　thoroughfare；　on　which

we　traveled　steadily；　till　in　the　twilight　we　reached　the　great　city。

The　gas　lamps　were　already　lighted；　there　were　streets　to　the　right；

and　streets　to　the　left；　and　streets　crossing　each　other；　for　mile　upon　mile。

I　thought　we　should　never　come　to　the　end　of　them。　　At　last；

in　passing　through　one；　we　came　to　a　long　cab　stand；　when　my　rider　called　out

in　a　cheery　voice；　〃Good…night；　governor！〃



〃Halloo！〃　cried　a　voice。　　〃Have　you　got　a　good　one？〃



〃I　think　so；〃　replied　my　owner。



〃I　wish　you　luck　with　him。〃



〃Thank　you；　governor；〃　and　he　rode　on。　　We　soon　turned　up

one　of　the　side　streets；　and　about　halfway　up　that　we　turned　into

a　very　narrow　street；　with　rather　poor…looking　houses　on　one　side；

and　what　seemed　to　be　coach…houses　and　stables　on　the　other。



My　owner　pulled　up　at　one　of　the　houses　and　whistled。　　The　door　flew　open；

and　a　young　woman；　followed　by　a　little　girl　and　boy；　ran　out。

There　was　a　very　lively　greeting　as　my　rider　dismounted。



〃Now；　then；　Harry；　my　boy；　open　the　gates；　and　mother　will　bring　us

the　lantern。〃



The　next　minute　they　were　all　standing　round　me　in　a　small　stable…yard。



〃Is　he　gentle；　father？〃



〃Yes；　Dolly；　as　gentle　as　your　own　kitten；　come　and　pat　him。〃



At　once　the　little　hand　was　patting　about　all　over　my　shoulder　without　fear。

How　good　it　felt！



〃Let　me　get　him　a　bran　mash　while　you　rub　him　down；〃　said　the　mother。



〃Do；　Polly；　it's　just　what　he　wants；　and　I　know　you've　got　a　beautiful　mash

ready　for　me。〃



〃Sausage　dumpling　and　apple　turnover！〃　shouted　the　boy；

which　set　them　all　laughing。　　I　was　led　into　a　comfortable；

clean…smelling　stall；　with　plenty　of　dry　straw；　and　after　a　capital　supper

I　lay　down；　thinking　I　was　going　to　be　happy。









33　　　　　　A　London　Cab　Horse







Jeremiah　Barker　was　my　new　master's　name；　but　as　every　one　called　him　Jerry；

I　shall　do　the　same。　　Polly；　his　wife；　was　just　as　good　a　match

as　a　man　could　have。　　She　was　a　plump；　trim；　tidy　little　woman；

with　smooth；　dark　hair；　dark　eyes；　and　a　merry　little　mouth。

The　boy　was　twelve　years　old；　a　tall；　frank；　good…tempered　lad；

and　little　Dorothy　（Dolly　they　called　her）　was　her　mother　over　again；

at　eight　years　old。　　They　were　all　wonderfully　fond　of　each　other；

I　never　knew　such　a　happy；　merry　family　before　or　since。　　Jerry　had

a　cab　of　his　own；　and　two　horses；　which　he　drove　and　attended　to　himself。

His　other　horse　was　a　tall；　white；　rather　large…boned　animal

called　〃Captain〃。　　He　was　old　now；　but　when　he　was　young

he　must　have　been　splendid；　he　had　still　a　proud　way　of　holding　his　head

and　arching　his　neck；　in　fact；　he　was　a　high…bred；　fine…mannered；

noble　old　horse；　every　inch　of　him。　　He　told　me　that　in　his　early　youth

he　went　to　the　Crimean　War；　he　belonged　to　an　officer　in　the　cavalry；

and　used　to　lead　the　regiment。　　I　will　tell　more　of　that　hereafter。



The　next　morning；　when　I　was　well…groomed；　Polly　and　Dolly　came　into　the　yard

to　see　me　and　make　friends。　　Harry　had　been　helping　his　father

since　the　early　morning；　and　had　stated　his　opinion　that　I　should　turn　out

a　〃regular　brick〃。　　Polly　brought　me　a　slice　of　apple；

and　Dolly　a　piece　of　bread；　and　made　as　much　of　me　as　if　I　had　been

the　〃Black　Beauty〃　of　olden　time。　　It　was　a　great　treat　to　be　petted　again

and　talked　to　in　a　gentle　voice；　and　I　let　them　see　as　well　as　I　could

that　I　wished　to　be　friendly。　　Polly　thought　I　was　very　handsome；

and　a　great　deal　too　good　for　a　cab；　if　it　was　not　for　the　broken　knees。



〃Of　course　there's　no　one　to　tell　us　whose　fault　that　was；〃　said　Jerry；

〃and　as　long　as　I　don't　know　I　shall　give　him　the　benefit　of　the　doubt；

for　a　firmer；　neater　stepper　I　never　rode。　　We'll　call　him　‘Jack'；

after　the　old　one　　shall　we；　Polly？〃



〃Do；〃　s