black beauty-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



after　the　old　one　　shall　we；　Polly？〃



〃Do；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　like　to　keep　a　good　name　going。〃



Captain　went　out　in　the　cab　all　the　morning。　　Harry　came　in　after　school

to　feed　me　and　give　me　water。　　In　the　afternoon　I　was　put　into　the　cab。

Jerry　took　as　much　pains　to　see　if　the　collar　and　bridle　fitted　comfortably

as　if　he　had　been　John　Manly　over　again。　　When　the　crupper

was　let　out　a　hole　or　two　it　all　fitted　well。　　There　was　no　check…rein；

no　curb；　nothing　but　a　plain　ring　snaffle。　　What　a　blessing　that　was！



After　driving　through　the　side　street　we　came　to　the　large　cab　stand

where　Jerry　had　said　〃Good…night〃。　　On　one　side　of　this　wide　street

were　high　houses　with　wonderful　shop　fronts；　and　on　the　other

was　an　old　church　and　churchyard；　surrounded　by　iron　palisades。

Alongside　these　iron　rails　a　number　of　cabs　were　drawn　up；

waiting　for　passengers；　bits　of　hay　were　lying　about　on　the　ground；

some　of　the　men　were　standing　together　talking；　some　were　sitting

on　their　boxes　reading　the　newspaper；　and　one　or　two

were　feeding　their　horses　with　bits　of　hay；　and　giving　them　a　drink　of　water。

We　pulled　up　in　the　rank　at　the　back　of　the　last　cab。　　Two　or　three　men

came　round　and　began　to　look　at　me　and　pass　their　remarks。



〃Very　good　for　a　funeral；〃　said　one。



〃Too　smart…looking；〃　said　another；　shaking　his　head　in　a　very　wise　way；

〃you'll　find　out　something　wrong　one　of　these　fine　mornings；

or　my　name　isn't　Jones。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Jerry　pleasantly；　〃I　suppose　I　need　not　find　it　out　till　it

finds　me　out；　eh？　　And　if　so；　I'll　keep　up　my　spirits　a　little　longer。〃



Then　there　came　up　a　broad…faced　man；　dressed　in　a　great　gray　coat

with　great　gray　cape　and　great　white　buttons；　a　gray　hat；

and　a　blue　comforter　loosely　tied　round　his　neck；　his　hair　was　gray；　too；

but　he　was　a　jolly…looking　fellow；　and　the　other　men　made　way　for　him。

He　looked　me　all　over；　as　if　he　had　been　going　to　buy　me；

and　then　straightening　himself　up　with　a　grunt；　he　said；

〃He's　the　right　sort　for　you；　Jerry；　I　don't　care　what　you　gave　for　him；

he'll　be　worth　it。〃　　Thus　my　character　was　established　on　the　stand。



This　man's　name　was　Grant；　but　he　was　called　〃Gray　Grant〃；

or　〃Governor　Grant〃。　　He　had　been　the　longest　on　that　stand

of　any　of　the　men；　and　he　took　it　upon　himself　to　settle　matters

and　stop　disputes。　　He　was　generally　a　good…humored；　sensible　man；

but　if　his　temper　was　a　little　out；　as　it　was　sometimes

when　he　had　drunk　too　much；　nobody　liked　to　come　too　near　his　fist；

for　he　could　deal　a　very　heavy　blow。



The　first　week　of　my　life　as　a　cab　horse　was　very　trying。

I　had　never　been　used　to　London；　and　the　noise；　the　hurry；

the　crowds　of　horses；　carts；　and　carriages　that　I　had　to　make　my　way　through

made　me　feel　anxious　and　harassed；　but　I　soon　found　that　I　could

perfectly　trust　my　driver；　and　then　I　made　myself　easy　and　got　used　to　it。



Jerry　was　as　good　a　driver　as　I　had　ever　known；　and　what　was　better；

he　took　as　much　thought　for　his　horses　as　he　did　for　himself。

He　soon　found　out　that　I　was　willing　to　work　and　do　my　best；

and　he　never　laid　the　whip　on　me　unless　it　was　gently　drawing　the　end　of　it

over　my　back　when　I　was　to　go　on；　but　generally　I　knew　this　quite　well

by　the　way　in　which　he　took　up　the　reins；　and　I　believe　his　whip

was　more　frequently　stuck　up　by　his　side　than　in　his　hand。



In　a　short　time　I　and　my　master　understood　each　other　as　well

as　horse　and　man　can　do。　　In　the　stable；　too；　he　did　all　that　he　could

for　our　comfort。　　The　stalls　were　the　old…fashioned　style；

too　much　on　the　slope；　but　he　had　two　movable　bars　fixed　across

the　back　of　our　stalls；　so　that　at　night；　and　when　we　were　resting；

he　just　took　off　our　halters　and　put　up　the　bars；　and　thus　we　could

turn　about　and　stand　whichever　way　we　pleased；　which　is　a　great　comfort。



Jerry　kept　us　very　clean；　and　gave　us　as　much　change　of　food　as　he　could；

and　always　plenty　of　it；　and　not　only　that；　but　he　always　gave　us　plenty

of　clean　fresh　water；　which　he　allowed　to　stand　by　us　both　night　and　day；

except　of　course　when　we　came　in　warm。　　Some　people　say　that　a　horse

ought　not　to　drink　all　he　likes；　but　I　know　if　we　are　allowed　to　drink

when　we　want　it　we　drink　only　a　little　at　a　time；　and　it　does　us

a　great　deal　more　good　than　swallowing　down　half　a　bucketful　at　a　time；

because　we　have　been　left　without　till　we　are　thirsty　and　miserable。

Some　grooms　will　go　home　to　their　beer　and　leave　us　for　hours

with　our　dry　hay　and　oats　and　nothing　to　moisten　them；　then　of　course

we　gulp　down　too　much　at　once；　which　helps　to　spoil　our　breathing

and　sometimes　chills　our　stomachs。　　But　the　best　thing　we　had　here

was　our　Sundays　for　rest；　we　worked　so　hard　in　the　week

that　I　do　not　think　we　could　have　kept　up　to　it　but　for　that　day；

besides；　we　had　then　time　to　enjoy　each　other's　company。

It　was　on　these　days　that　I　learned　my　companion's　history。









34　　　　　　An　Old　War　Horse







Captain　had　been　broken　in　and　trained　for　an　army　horse；

his　first　owner　was　an　officer　of　cavalry　going　out　to　the　Crimean　war。

He　said　he　quite　enjoyed　the　training　with　all　the　other　horses；

trotting　together；　turning　together；　to　the　right　hand　or　the　left；

halting　at　the　word　of　command；　or　dashing　forward　at　full　speed

at　the　sound　of　the　trumpet　or　signal　of　the　officer。　　He　was；

when　young；　a　dark；　dappled　iron…gray；　and　considered　very　handsome。

His　master；　a　young；　high…spirited　gentleman；　was　very　fond　of　him；

and　treated　him　from　the　first　with　the　greatest　care　and　kindness。

He　told　me　he　thought　the　life　of　an　army　horse　was　very　pleasant；

but　when　it　came　to　being　sent　abroad　over　the　sea　in　a　great　ship；

he　almost　changed　his　mind。



〃That　part　of　it；〃　said　he；　〃was　dreadful！　　Of　course　we　could　not　walk

off　the　land　into　the　ship；　so　they　were　obliged　to　put　strong　straps

under　our　bodies；　and　then　we　were　lifted　off　our　legs

in　spite　of　our　struggles；　and　were　swung　through　the　air　over　the　water；

to　the　deck　of　the　great　vessel。　　There　we　were　placed　in　small　close　stalls；

and　never　for　a　long　time　saw　the　sky；　or　were　able　to　stretch　our　legs。

The　ship　sometimes　rolled　about　in　high　winds；　and　we　were　knocked　about；

and　felt　bad　enough。



〃However；　at　last　it　came　to　an　end；　and　we　were　hauled　up；

and　swung　over　again　to　the　land；　we　were　very　glad；　and　snorted　and　neighed

for　joy；　when　we　once　more　felt　firm　ground　under　our　feet。



〃We　soon　found　that　the　country　we　had　come　to　was　very　different

from　our　own　and　that　we　had　many　hardships　to　endure　besides　the　fighting；

but　many　of　the　men　were　so　fond　of　their　horses　that　they　did

everything　they　could　to　make　them　comfortable　in　spite　of　snow；　wet；

and　all　things　out　of　order。〃



〃But　what　about　the　fighting？〃　said　I；　〃was　not　that　worse

than　anything　else？〃



〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　hardly　know；　we　always　liked　to　hear　the　trumpet　sound；

and　to　be　called　out；　and　were　impatient　to　start　off；　though　sometimes

we　had　to　stand　for　hours；　waiting　for　the　word　of　command；

and　when　the　word　was　given　we　used　to　spring　forward　as　gayly　and　eagerly

as　if　there　were　no　cannon　balls；　bayonets；　or　bullets。

I　believe　so　long　as　we　felt　our　rider　firm　in　the　saddle；

and　his　hand　steady　on　the　bridle；　not　one　of　us　gave　way　to　fear；

not　even　when　the　terrible　bomb…shells　whirled　through　the　air

and　burst　into　a　thousand　pieces。



〃I；　with　my　noble　master；　went　into　many　actions　together　without　a　wound；

and　though　I　saw　horses　shot　down　with　bullets；　pierced　through　with　lances；

and　gashed　with　fearful　saber…cuts；　though　we　left　them　dead　on　the　field；

or　dying　in　the　agony　of　their　wounds；　I　don't　think　I　feared　for　myself。

My　master's　cheery　voice；　as　he　encouraged　his　men；　made　me　feel　as　if

he　and　I　could　not　be　killed。　　I　had　such　perfect　trust　in　him　that

while　he　was　guiding　me　I　was　ready　to　charge　up　to　the　very　cannon's　mouth。

I　saw　many　brave　men　cut　down；　many　fall　mortally　wounded　from　their　saddles。

I　had　heard　the　cries　and　groans　of　the　dying；　I　had　cantered　over　ground

slippery　with　blood；　and　frequently　had　to　turn　aside　to　avoid　trampling　on

wounded　man　or　horse；　but；　until　one　dreadful　day；　I　had　never　felt　terror；

that　day　I　shall　never　forget。〃



Here　old　Captain　paused　for　awhile　and　drew　a　long　breath；　I　waited；

and　he　went　on。



〃It　was　one　autumn　morning；　and　as　usual；　an　hour　before　daybreak　our　cavalry

had　turned　out；　ready　caparisoned　for　the　day's　work；　whether　it　might　be

fighting　or　waiting。　　The　men　stood　by　their　horses　waiting；

ready　for　orders。　　As　the　light　increased　there　seemed　to　be　some　excitement

among　the　officers；　and　before　the　day　was　well　begun　we　heard　the　firing

of　the　enemy's　guns。



〃Then　one　of　the　officers　rode　up　and　gave　the　word　for　the　men　to　mount；

and　in　a　second　every　man　was　in　his　saddle；　and　every　horse　stood

expecting　the　touch　of　the　rein；　or　the　pressure　of　his　rider's　heels；

all　animated；　all　eager；　but　still　we　had　been　trained　so　well　that；

except　by　the　champing　of　our　bits；　and　the　restive　tossing　of　our　heads

from　time　to　time；　it　could　not　be　said　that　we　stirred。



〃My　dear　master　and　I　were　at　the　head　of　the　line；　and　as　all　sat

motionless　and　watchful；　he　took　a　little　stray　lock　of　my　mane

which　had　turned　over　on　the　wrong　side；　laid　it　over　on　the　right；

and　smoothed　it　down　with　his　hand；　then　patting　my　neck；　he　said；

‘We　shall　have　a　day　of　it　to…day；　Bayard；　my　beauty；　but　we'll　do　our　duty

as　we　have　done。'　　He　stroked　my　neck　that　morning　more；　I　think；

than　he　had　ever　done　before；　quietly　on　and　on；　as　if　he　were　thinking

of　something　else。　　I　loved　to　feel　his　hand　on　my　neck；　and　arched　my　crest

proudly　and　happily；　but　I　stood　very　still；　for　I　knew　all　his　moods；

and　when　he　liked　me　to　be　quiet；　and　when　gay。



〃I　cannot　tell　all　that　happened　on　that　day；　but　I　will　tell　of