black beauty-第23部分

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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　pretty　well　as　far　as

the　bottom　of　Cheapside；　where　there　was　a　block　for　three　or　four　minutes。

The　young　man　put　his　head　out　and　said　anxiously；　〃I　think　I　had　better

get　out　and　walk；　I　shall　never　get　there　if　this　goes　on。〃



〃I'll　do　all　that　can　be　done；　sir；〃　said　Jerry；　〃I　think　we　shall

be　in　time。　　This　block…up　cannot　last　much　longer；　and　your　luggage

is　very　heavy　for　you　to　carry；　sir。〃



Just　then　the　cart　in　front　of　us　began　to　move　on；

and　then　we　had　a　good　turn。　　In　and　out；　in　and　out　we　went；

as　fast　as　horseflesh　could　do　it；　and　for　a　wonder　had　a　good　clear　time

on　London　Bridge；　for　there　was　a　whole　train　of　cabs　and　carriages

all　going　our　way　at　a　quick　trot；　perhaps　wanting　to　catch　that　very　train。

At　any　rate；　we　whirled　into　the　station　with　many　more；

just　as　the　great　clock　pointed　to　eight　minutes　to　twelve　o'clock。



〃Thank　God！　we　are　in　time；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃and　thank　you；　too；

my　friend；　and　your　good　horse。　　You　have　saved　me　more　than　money

can　ever　pay　for。　　Take　this　extra　half…crown。〃



〃No；　sir；　no；　thank　you　all　the　same；　so　glad　we　hit　the　time；　sir；

but　don't　stay　now；　sir；　the　bell　is　ringing。　　Here；　porter！

take　this　gentleman's　luggage　　Dover　line　twelve　o'clock　train　

that's　it；〃　and　without　waiting　for　another　word　Jerry　wheeled　me　round

to　make　room　for　other　cabs　that　were　dashing　up　at　the　last　minute；

and　drew　up　on　one　side　till　the　crush　was　past。



〃‘So　glad！'　he　said；　‘so　glad！'　　Poor　young　fellow！　　I　wonder　what　it　was

that　made　him　so　anxious！〃



Jerry　often　talked　to　himself　quite　loud　enough　for　me　to　hear

when　we　were　not　moving。



On　Jerry's　return　to　the　rank　there　was　a　good　deal　of　laughing

and　chaffing　at　him　for　driving　hard　to　the　train　for　an　extra　fare；

as　they　said；　all　against　his　principles；　and　they　wanted　to　know

how　much　he　had　pocketed。



〃A　good　deal　more　than　I　generally　get；〃　said　he；　nodding　slyly；

〃what　he　gave　me　will　keep　me　in　little　comforts　for　several　days。〃



〃Gammon！〃　said　one。



〃He's　a　humbug；〃　said　another；　〃preaching　to　us　and　then

doing　the　same　himself。〃



〃Look　here；　mates；〃　said　Jerry；　〃the　gentleman　offered　me　half　a　crown　extra；

but　I　didn't　take　it；　'twas　quite　pay　enough　for　me　to　see　how　glad　he　was

to　catch　that　train；　and　if　Jack　and　I　choose　to　have　a　quick　run

now　and　then　to　please　ourselves；　that's　our　business　and　not　yours。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Larry；　〃you'll　never　be　a　rich　man。〃



〃Most　likely　not；〃　said　Jerry；　〃but　I　don't　know　that　I　shall　be

the　less　happy　for　that。　　I　have　heard　the　commandments　read

a　great　many　times　and　I　never　noticed　that　any　of　them　said；

‘Thou　shalt　be　rich'；　and　there　are　a　good　many　curious　things

said　in　the　New　Testament　about　rich　men　that　I　think　would　make　me

feel　rather　queer　if　I　was　one　of　them。〃



〃If　you　ever　do　get　rich；〃　said　Governor　Gray；　looking　over　his　shoulder

across　the　top　of　his　cab；　〃you'll　deserve　it；　Jerry；　and　you　won't　find

a　curse　come　with　your　wealth。　　As　for　you；　Larry；　you'll　die　poor；

you　spend　too　much　in　whipcord。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Larry；　〃what　is　a　fellow　to　do　if　his　horse　won't　go

without　it？〃



〃You　never　take　the　trouble　to　see　if　he　will　go　without　it；

your　whip　is　always　going　as　if　you　had　the　St。　Vitus'　dance　in　your　arm；

and　if　it　does　not　wear　you　out　it　wears　your　horse　out；

you　know　you　are　always　changing　your　horses；　and　why？

Because　you　never　give　them　any　peace　or　encouragement。〃



〃Well；　I　have　not　had　good　luck；〃　said　Larry；　〃that's　where　it　is。〃



〃And　you　never　will；〃　said　the　governor。　　〃Good　Luck　is　rather　particular

who　she　rides　with；　and　mostly　prefers　those　who　have　got　common　sense

and　a　good　heart；　at　least　that　is　my　experience。〃



Governor　Gray　turned　round　again　to　his　newspaper；　and　the　other　men

went　to　their　cabs。









36　　　　　　The　Sunday　Cab







One　morning；　as　Jerry　had　just　put　me　into　the　shafts　and　was　fastening

the　traces；　a　gentleman　walked　into　the　yard。　　〃Your　servant；　sir；〃

said　Jerry。



〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Barker；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃I　should　be　glad

to　make　some　arrangements　with　you　for　taking　Mrs。　Briggs　regularly　to　church

on　Sunday　mornings。　　We　go　to　the　New　Church　now；　and　that　is　rather　further

than　she　can　walk。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Jerry；　〃but　I　have　only　taken　out

a　six…days'　license；*　and　therefore　I　could　not　take　a　fare　on　a　Sunday；

it　would　not　be　legal。〃





*　A　few　years　since　the　annual　charge　for　a　cab　license　was

very　much　reduced；　and　the　difference　between　the　six　and　seven　days'　cabs

was　abolished。





〃Oh！〃　said　the　other；　〃I　did　not　know　yours　was　a　six…days'　cab；

but　of　course　it　would　be　very　easy　to　alter　your　license。

I　would　see　that　you　did　not　lose　by　it；　the　fact　is；

Mrs。　Briggs　very　much　prefers　you　to　drive　her。〃



〃I　should　be　glad　to　oblige　the　lady；　sir；　but　I　had

a　seven…days'　license　once；　and　the　work　was　too　hard　for　me；

and　too　hard　for　my　horses。　　Year　in　and　year　out；　not　a　day's　rest；

and　never　a　Sunday　with　my　wife　and　children；　and　never　able　to　go

to　a　place　of　worship；　which　I　had　always　been　used　to　do　before　I　took

to　the　driving　box。　　So　for　the　last　five　years　I　have　only　taken

a　six…days'　license；　and　I　find　it　better　all　the　way　round。〃



〃Well；　of　course；〃　replied　Mr。　Briggs；　〃it　is　very　proper　that　every　person

should　have　rest；　and　be　able　to　go　to　church　on　Sundays；

but　I　should　have　thought　you　would　not　have　minded　such　a　short　distance

for　the　horse；　and　only　once　a　day；　you　would　have　all　the　afternoon

and　evening　for　yourself；　and　we　are　very　good　customers；　you　know。〃



〃Yes；　sir；　that　is　true；　and　I　am　grateful　for　all　favors；　I　am　sure；

and　anything　that　I　could　do　to　oblige　you；　or　the　lady；

I　should　be　proud　and　happy　to　do；　but　I　can't　give　up　my　Sundays；　sir；

indeed　I　can't。　　I　read　that　God　made　man；　and　he　made　horses　and　all

the　other　beasts；　and　as　soon　as　He　had　made　them　He　made　a　day　of　rest；

and　bade　that　all　should　rest　one　day　in　seven；　and　I　think；　sir；

He　must　have　known　what　was　good　for　them；　and　I　am　sure　it　is　good　for　me；

I　am　stronger　and　healthier　altogether；　now　that　I　have　a　day　of　rest；

the　horses　are　fresh　too；　and　do　not　wear　up　nearly　so　fast。

The　six…day　drivers　all　tell　me　the　same；　and　I　have　laid　by

more　money　in　the　savings　bank　than　ever　I　did　before；

and　as　for　the　wife　and　children；　sir；　why；　heart　alive！

they　would　not　go　back　to　the　seven　days　for　all　they　could　see。〃



〃Oh；　very　well；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃Don't　trouble　yourself；　Mr。　Barker；

any　further。　　I　will　inquire　somewhere　else；〃　and　he　walked　away。



〃Well；〃　says　Jerry　to　me；　〃we　can't　help　it；　Jack；　old　boy；

we　must　have　our　Sundays。〃



〃Polly！〃　he　shouted；　〃Polly！　come　here。〃



She　was　there　in　a　minute。



〃What　is　it　all　about；　Jerry？〃



〃Why；　my　dear；　Mr。　Briggs　wants　me　to　take　Mrs。　Briggs　to　church

every　Sunday　morning。　　I　say　I　have　only　a　six…days'　license。　　He　says；

‘Get　a　seven…days'　license；　and　I'll　make　it　worth　your　while；'

and　you　know；　Polly；　they　are　very　good　customers　to　us。

Mrs。　Briggs　often　goes　out　shopping　for　hours；　or　making　calls；

and　then　she　pays　down　fair　and　honorable　like　a　lady；

there's　no　beating　down　or　making　three　hours　into　two　hours　and　a　half；

as　some　folks　do；　and　it　is　easy　work　for　the　horses；　not　like　tearing　along

to　catch　trains　for　people　that　are　always　a　quarter　of　an　hour　too　late；

and　if　I　don't　oblige　her　in　this　matter　it　is　very　likely

we　shall　lose　them　altogether。　　What　do　you　say；　little　woman？〃



〃I　say；　Jerry；〃　says　she；　speaking　very　slowly；　〃I　say；　if　Mrs。　Briggs

would　give　you　a　sovereign　every　Sunday　morning；　I　would　not　have　you

a　seven…days'　cabman　again。　　We　have　known　what　it　was　to　have　no　Sundays；

and　now　we　know　what　it　is　to　call　them　our　own。　　Thank　God；

you　earn　enough　to　keep　us；　though　it　is　sometimes　close　work

to　pay　for　all　the　oats　and　hay；　the　license；　and　the　rent　besides；

but　Harry　will　soon　be　earning　something；　and　I　would　rather　struggle　on

harder　than　we　do　than　go　back　to　those　horrid　times　when　you　hardly　had

a　minute　to　look　at　your　own　children；　and　we　never　could　go

to　a　place　of　worship　together；　or　have　a　happy；　quiet　day。

God　forbid　that　we　should　ever　turn　back　to　those　times；

that's　what　I　say；　Jerry。〃



〃And　that　is　just　what　I　told　Mr。　Briggs；　my　dear；〃　said　Jerry；

〃and　what　I　mean　to　stick　to。　　So　don't　go　and　fret　yourself；　Polly〃

（for　she　had　begun　to　cry）；　〃I　would　not　go　back　to　the　old　times

if　I　earned　twice　as　much；　so　that　is　settled；　little　woman。

Now；　cheer　up；　and　I'll　be　off　to　the　stand。〃



Three　weeks　had　passed　away　after　this　conversation；　and　no　order　had　come

from　Mrs。　Briggs；　so　there　was　nothing　but　taking　jobs　from　the　stand。

Jerry　took　it　to　heart　a　good　deal；　for　of　course　the　work　was　harder

for　horse　and　man。　　But　Polly　would　always　cheer　him　up；　and　say；

〃Never　mind；　father；　never；　mind。



　　　〃‘Do　your　best；

　　　　　And　leave　the　rest；

　　　　　'Twill　all　come　right

　　　　　Some　day　or　night。'〃



It　soon　became　known　that　Jerry　had　lost　his　best　customer；

and　for　what　reason。　　Most　of　the　men　said　he　was　a　fool；

but　two　or　three　took　his　part。



〃If　workingmen　don't　stick　to　their　Sunday；〃　said　Truman；　〃they'll　soon　have

none　left；　it　is　every　man's　right　and　every　beast's　right。　　By　God's　law

we　have　a　day　of　rest；　and　by　the　law　of　England　we　have　a　day　of　rest；

and　I　say　we　ought　to　hold　to　the　rights　these　laws　give　us

and　keep　them　for　our　children。〃



〃All　very　well　for　you　religious　chaps　to　talk　so；〃　said　Larry；

〃but　I'll　turn　a　shilling　when　I　can。　　I　don't　believe　in　religion；

for　I　don't　see　that　your　religious　people　are　any