black beauty-第22部分

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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

the　last　charge　that　we　made　together；　it　was　across　a　valley　right　in　front

of　the　enemy's　cannon。　　By　this　time　we　were　well　used　to　the　roar

of　heavy　guns；　the　rattle　of　musket　fire；　and　the　flying　of　shot　near　us；

but　never　had　I　been　under　such　a　fire　as　we　rode　through　on　that　day。

From　the　right；　from　the　left；　and　from　the　front；　shot　and　shell

poured　in　upon　us。　　Many　a　brave　man　went　down；　many　a　horse　fell；

flinging　his　rider　to　the　earth；　many　a　horse　without　a　rider

ran　wildly　out　of　the　ranks；　then　terrified　at　being　alone；

with　no　hand　to　guide　him；　came　pressing　in　among　his　old　companions；

to　gallop　with　them　to　the　charge。



〃Fearful　as　it　was；　no　one　stopped；　no　one　turned　back。

Every　moment　the　ranks　were　thinned；　but　as　our　comrades　fell；

we　closed　in　to　keep　them　together；　and　instead　of　being　shaken

or　staggered　in　our　pace　our　gallop　became　faster　and　faster

as　we　neared　the　cannon。



〃My　master；　my　dear　master　was　cheering　on　his　comrades　with　his　right　arm

raised　on　high；　when　one　of　the　balls　whizzing　close　to　my　head　struck　him。

I　felt　him　stagger　with　the　shock；　though　he　uttered　no　cry；

I　tried　to　check　my　speed；　but　the　sword　dropped　from　his　right　hand；

the　rein　fell　loose　from　the　left；　and　sinking　backward　from　the　saddle

he　fell　to　the　earth；　the　other　riders　swept　past　us；　and　by　the　force

of　their　charge　I　was　driven　from　the　spot。



〃I　wanted　to　keep　my　place　by　his　side　and　not　leave　him　under　that　rush

of　horses'　feet；　but　it　was　in　vain；　and　now　without　a　master　or　a　friend

I　was　alone　on　that　great　slaughter　ground；　then　fear　took　hold　on　me；

and　I　trembled　as　I　had　never　trembled　before；　and　I　too；　as　I　had　seen

other　horses　do；　tried　to　join　in　the　ranks　and　gallop　with　them；

but　I　was　beaten　off　by　the　swords　of　the　soldiers。　　Just　then　a　soldier

whose　horse　had　been　killed　under　him　caught　at　my　bridle　and　mounted　me；

and　with　this　new　master　I　was　again　going　forward；　but　our　gallant　company

was　cruelly　overpowered；　and　those　who　remained　alive

after　the　fierce　fight　for　the　guns　came　galloping　back　over　the　same　ground。

Some　of　the　horses　had　been　so　badly　wounded　that　they　could　scarcely　move

from　the　loss　of　blood；　other　noble　creatures　were　trying　on　three　legs

to　drag　themselves　along；　and　others　were　struggling　to　rise

on　their　fore　feet；　when　their　hind　legs　had　been　shattered　by　shot。

After　the　battle　the　wounded　men　were　brought　in　and　the　dead　were　buried。〃



〃And　what　about　the　wounded　horses？〃　I　said；　〃were　they　left　to　die？〃



〃No；　the　army　farriers　went　over　the　field　with　their　pistols

and　shot　all　that　were　ruined；　some　that　had　only　slight　wounds

were　brought　back　and　attended　to；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　noble；

willing　creatures　that　went　out　that　morning　never　came　back！

In　our　stables　there　was　only　about　one　in　four　that　returned。



〃I　never　saw　my　dear　master　again。　　I　believe　he　fell　dead　from　the　saddle。

I　never　loved　any　other　master　so　well。　　I　went　into　many　other　engagements；

but　was　only　once　wounded；　and　then　not　seriously；　and　when　the　war　was　over

I　came　back　again　to　England；　as　sound　and　strong　as　when　I　went　out。〃



I　said；　〃I　have　heard　people　talk　about　war　as　if　it　was　a　very　fine　thing。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃I　should　think　they　never　saw　it。　　No　doubt　it　is　very　fine

when　there　is　no　enemy；　when　it　is　just　exercise　and　parade　and　sham　fight。

Yes；　it　is　very　fine　then；　but　when　thousands　of　good　brave　men　and　horses

are　killed　or　crippled　for　life；　it　has　a　very　different　look。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　they　fought　about？〃　said　I。



〃No；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　more　than　a　horse　can　understand；

but　the　enemy　must　have　been　awfully　wicked　people；　if　it　was　right

to　go　all　that　way　over　the　sea　on　purpose　to　kill　them。〃









35　　　　　　Jerry　Barker







I　never　knew　a　better　man　than　my　new　master。　　He　was　kind　and　good；

and　as　strong　for　the　right　as　John　Manly；　and　so　good…tempered　and　merry

that　very　few　people　could　pick　a　quarrel　with　him。

He　was　very　fond　of　making　little　songs；　and　singing　them　to　himself。

One　he　was　very　fond　of　was　this：



　　　　〃Come；　father　and　mother；

　　　　　And　sister　and　brother；

　　　　　Come；　all　of　you；　turn　to

　　　　　And　help　one　another。〃



And　so　they　did；　Harry　was　as　clever　at　stable…work　as　a　much　older　boy；

and　always　wanted　to　do　what　he　could。　　Then　Polly　and　Dolly　used　to　come

in　the　morning　to　help　with　the　cab　　to　brush　and　beat　the　cushions；

and　rub　the　glass；　while　Jerry　was　giving　us　a　cleaning　in　the　yard；

and　Harry　was　rubbing　the　harness。　　There　used　to　be　a　great　deal

of　laughing　and　fun　between　them；　and　it　put　Captain　and　me

in　much　better　spirits　than　if　we　had　heard　scolding　and　hard　words。

They　were　always　early　in　the　morning；　for　Jerry　would　say：



　　　　〃If　you　in　the　morning

　　　　　　Throw　minutes　away；

　　　　　You　can't　pick　them　up

　　　　　　In　the　course　of　a　day。

　　　　　You　may　hurry　and　scurry；

　　　　　And　flurry　and　worry；

　　　　　You've　lost　them　forever；

　　　　　　Forever　and　aye。〃



He　could　not　bear　any　careless　loitering　and　waste　of　time；

and　nothing　was　so　near　making　him　angry　as　to　find　people；

who　were　always　late；　wanting　a　cab　horse　to　be　driven　hard；

to　make　up　for　their　idleness。



One　day　two　wild…looking　young　men　came　out　of　a　tavern　close　by　the　stand；

and　called　Jerry。



〃Here；　cabby！　look　sharp；　we　are　rather　late；　put　on　the　steam；　will　you；

and　take　us　to　the　Victoria　in　time　for　the　one　o'clock　train？

You　shall　have　a　shilling　extra。〃



〃I　will　take　you　at　the　regular　pace；　gentlemen；　shillings　don't　pay

for　putting　on　the　steam　like　that。〃



Larry's　cab　was　standing　next　to　ours；　he　flung　open　the　door；　and　said；

〃I'm　your　man；　gentlemen！　take　my　cab；　my　horse　will　get　you　there

all　right；〃　and　as　he　shut　them　in；　with　a　wink　toward　Jerry；　said；

〃It's　against　his　conscience　to　go　beyond　a　jog…trot。〃

Then　slashing　his　jaded　horse；　he　set　off　as　hard　as　he　could。

Jerry　patted　me　on　the　neck：　　〃No；　Jack；　a　shilling　would　not　pay

for　that　sort　of　thing；　would　it；　old　boy？〃



Although　Jerry　was　determinedly　set　against　hard　driving；

to　please　careless　people；　he　always　went　a　good　fair　pace；

and　was　not　against　putting　on　the　steam；　as　he　said；　if　only　he　knew　why。



I　well　remember　one　morning；　as　we　were　on　the　stand　waiting　for　a　fare；

that　a　young　man；　carrying　a　heavy　portmanteau；　trod　on　a　piece

of　orange　peel　which　lay　on　the　pavement；　and　fell　down　with　great　force。



Jerry　was　the　first　to　run　and　lift　him　up。　　He　seemed　much　stunned；

and　as　they　led　him　into　a　shop　he　walked　as　if　he　were　in　great　pain。

Jerry　of　course　came　back　to　the　stand；　but　in　about　ten　minutes

one　of　the　shopmen　called　him；　so　we　drew　up　to　the　pavement。



〃Can　you　take　me　to　the　South…Eastern　Railway？〃　said　the　young　man；

〃this　unlucky　fall　has　made　me　late；　I　fear；　but　it　is　of　great　importance

that　I　should　not　lose　the　twelve　o'clock　train。　　I　should　be　most　thankful

if　you　could　get　me　there　in　time；　and　will　gladly　pay　you　an　extra　fare。〃



〃I'll　do　my　very　best；〃　said　Jerry　heartily；　〃if　you　think　you　are

well　enough；　sir；〃　for　he　looked　dreadfully　white　and　ill。



〃I　must　go；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃please　to　open　the　door；

and　let　us　lose　no　time。〃



The　next　minute　Jerry　was　on　the　box；　with　a　cheery　chirrup　to　me；

and　a　twitch　of　the　rein　that　I　well　understood。



〃Now　then；　Jack；　my　boy；〃　said　he；　〃spin　along；　we'll　show　them

how　we　can　get　over　the　ground；　if　we　only　know　why。〃



It　is　always　difficult　to　drive　fast　in　the　city　in　the　middle　of　the　day；

when　the　streets　are　full　of　traffic；　but　we　did　what　could　be　done；

and　when　a　good　driver　and　a　good　horse；　who　understand　each　other；

are　of　one　mind；　it　is　wonderful　what　they　can　do。　　I　had　a　very　good　mouth

　that　is　I　could　be　guided　by　the　slightest　touch　of　the　rein；

and　that　is　a　great　thing　in　London；　among　carriages；　omnibuses；　carts；

vans；　trucks；　cabs；　and　great　wagons　creeping　along　at　a　walking　pace；

some　going　one　way；　some　another；　some　going　slowly；

others　wanting　to　pass　them；　omnibuses　stopping　short　every　few　minutes

to　take　up　a　passenger；　obliging　the　horse　that　is　coming　behind

to　pull　up　too；　or　to　pass；　and　get　before　them；　perhaps　you　try　to　pass；

but　just　then　something　else　comes　dashing　in　through　the　narrow　opening；

and　you　have　to　keep　in　behind　the　omnibus　again；　presently　you　think

you　see　a　chance；　and　manage　to　get　to　the　front；　going　so　near

the　wheels　on　each　side　that　half　an　inch　nearer　and　they　would　scrape。

Well；　you　get　along　for　a　bit；　but　soon　find　yourself　in　a　long　train

of　carts　and　carriages　all　obliged　to　go　at　a　walk；　perhaps　you　come

to　a　regular　block…up；　and　have　to　stand　still　for　minutes　together；

till　something　clears　out　into　a　side　street；　or　the　policeman　interferes；

you　have　to　be　ready　for　any　chance　　to　dash　forward

if　there　be　an　opening；　and　be　quick　as　a　rat…dog　to　see　if　there　be　room

and　if　there　be　time；　lest　you　get　your　own　wheels　locked　or　smashed；

or　the　shaft　of　some　other　vehicle　run　into　your　chest　or　shoulder。　　All　this

is　what　you　have　to　be　ready　for。　　If　you　want　to　get　through　London　fast

in　the　middle　of　the　day　it　wants　a　deal　of　practice。



Jerry　and　I　were　used　to　it；　and　no　one　could　beat　us　at　getting　through

when　we　were　set　upon　it。　　I　was　quick　and　bold　and　could　always　trust

my　driver；　Jerry　was　quick　and　patient　at　the　same　time；

and　could　trust　his　horse；　which　was　a　great　thing　too。

He　very　seldom　used　the　whip；　I　knew　by　his　voice；　and　his　click；　click；

when　he　wanted　to　get　on　fast；　and　by　the　rein　where　I　was　to　go；

so　there　was　no　need　for　whipping；　but　I　must　go　back　to　my　story。



The　streets　were　very　full　that　day；　but　we　got　on