black beauty-第25部分

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be　there　without　spending　money。　　He　never　went　to　the　Rising　Sun；

there　was　a　coffee…shop　near；　where　he　now　and　then　went；

or　he　bought　of　an　old　man；　who　came　to　our　rank　with　tins

of　hot　coffee　and　pies。　　It　was　his　opinion　that　spirits　and　beer

made　a　man　colder　afterward；　and　that　dry　clothes；　good　food；　cheerfulness；

and　a　comfortable　wife　at　home；　were　the　best　things　to　keep　a　cabman　warm。

Polly　always　supplied　him　with　something　to　eat　when　he　could　not　get　home；

and　sometimes　he　would　see　little　Dolly　peeping　from　the　corner

of　the　street；　to　make　sure　if　〃father〃　was　on　the　stand。

If　she　saw　him　she　would　run　off　at　full　speed　and　soon　come　back

with　something　in　a　tin　or　basket；　some　hot　soup　or　pudding　Polly　had　ready。

It　was　wonderful　how　such　a　little　thing　could　get　safely　across　the　street；

often　thronged　with　horses　and　carriages；　but　she　was　a　brave　little　maid；

and　felt　it　quite　an　honor　to　bring　〃father's　first　course〃；

as　he　used　to　call　it。　　She　was　a　general　favorite　on　the　stand；

and　there　was　not　a　man　who　would　not　have　seen　her　safely　across　the　street；

if　Jerry　had　not　been　able　to　do　it。



One　cold　windy　day　Dolly　had　brought　Jerry　a　basin　of　something　hot；

and　was　standing　by　him　while　he　ate　it。　　He　had　scarcely　begun

when　a　gentleman；　walking　toward　us　very　fast；　held　up　his　umbrella。

Jerry　touched　his　hat　in　return；　gave　the　basin　to　Dolly；

and　was　taking　off　my　cloth；　when　the　gentleman；　hastening　up；　cried　out；

〃No；　no；　finish　your　soup；　my　friend；　I　have　not　much　time　to　spare；

but　I　can　wait　till　you　have　done；　and　set　your　little　girl

safe　on　the　pavement。〃　　So　saying；　he　seated　himself　in　the　cab。

Jerry　thanked　him　kindly；　and　came　back　to　Dolly。



〃There；　Dolly；　that's　a　gentleman；　that's　a　real　gentleman；　Dolly；

he　has　got　time　and　thought　for　the　comfort　of　a　poor　cabman

and　a　little　girl。〃



Jerry　finished　his　soup；　set　the　child　across；　and　then　took　his　orders

to　drive　to　Clapham　Rise。　　Several　times　after　that　the　same　gentleman

took　our　cab。　　I　think　he　was　very　fond　of　dogs　and　horses；

for　whenever　we　took　him　to　his　own　door　two　or　three　dogs

would　come　bounding　out　to　meet　him。　　Sometimes　he　came　round　and　patted　me；

saying　in　his　quiet；　pleasant　way；　〃This　horse　has　got　a　good　master；

and　he　deserves　it。〃　　It　was　a　very　rare　thing　for　any　one　to　notice

the　horse　that　had　been　working　for　him。　　I　have　known　ladies　to　do　it

now　and　then；　and　this　gentleman；　and　one　or　two　others　have　given　me

a　pat　and　a　kind　word；　but　ninety…nine　persons　out　of　a　hundred

would　as　soon　think　of　patting　the　steam　engine　that　drew　the　train。



The　gentleman　was　not　young；　and　there　was　a　forward　stoop　in　his　shoulders

as　if　he　was　always　going　at　something。　　His　lips　were　thin　and　close　shut；

though　they　had　a　very　pleasant　smile；　his　eye　was　keen；

and　there　was　something　in　his　jaw　and　the　motion　of　his　head

that　made　one　think　he　was　very　determined　in　anything　he　set　about。

His　voice　was　pleasant　and　kind；　any　horse　would　trust　that　voice；

though　it　was　just　as　decided　as　everything　else　about　him。



One　day　he　and　another　gentleman　took　our　cab；　they　stopped　at　a　shop

in　R　Street；　and　while　his　friend　went　in　he　stood　at　the　door。

A　little　ahead　of　us　on　the　other　side　of　the　street

a　cart　with　two　very　fine　horses　was　standing　before　some　wine　vaults；

the　carter　was　not　with　them；　and　I　cannot　tell　how　long

they　had　been　standing；　but　they　seemed　to　think　they　had　waited　long　enough；

and　began　to　move　off。　　Before　they　had　gone　many　paces

the　carter　came　running　out　and　caught　them。　　He　seemed　furious

at　their　having　moved；　and　with　whip　and　rein　punished　them　brutally；

even　beating　them　about　the　head。　　Our　gentleman　saw　it　all；

and　stepping　quickly　across　the　street；　said　in　a　decided　voice：



〃If　you　don't　stop　that　directly；　I'll　have　you　arrested

for　leaving　your　horses；　and　for　brutal　conduct。〃



The　man；　who　had　clearly　been　drinking；　poured　forth　some　abusive　language；

but　he　left　off　knocking　the　horses　about；　and　taking　the　reins；

got　into　his　cart；　meantime　our　friend　had　quietly　taken　a　note…book

from　his　pocket；　and　looking　at　the　name　and　address　painted　on　the　cart；

he　wrote　something　down。



〃What　do　you　want　with　that？〃　growled　the　carter；　as　he　cracked　his　whip

and　was　moving　on。　　A　nod　and　a　grim　smile　was　the　only　answer　he　got。



On　returning　to　the　cab　our　friend　was　joined　by　his　companion；

who　said　laughingly；　〃I　should　have　thought；　Wright；

you　had　enough　business　of　your　own　to　look　after；　without　troubling　yourself

about　other　people's　horses　and　servants。〃



Our　friend　stood　still　for　a　moment；　and　throwing　his　head　a　little　back；

〃Do　you　know　why　this　world　is　as　bad　as　it　is？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　other。



〃Then　I'll　tell　you。　　It　is　because　people　think　only　about

their　own　business；　and　won't　trouble　themselves　to　stand　up

for　the　oppressed；　nor　bring　the　wrongdoer　to　light。

I　never　see　a　wicked　thing　like　this　without　doing　what　I　can；

and　many　a　master　has　thanked　me　for　letting　him　know

how　his　horses　have　been　used。〃



〃I　wish　there　were　more　gentlemen　like　you；　sir；〃　said　Jerry；

〃for　they　are　wanted　badly　enough　in　this　city。〃



After　this　we　continued　our　journey；　and　as　they　got　out　of　the　cab

our　friend　was　saying；　〃My　doctrine　is　this；　that　if　we　see　cruelty　or　wrong

that　we　have　the　power　to　stop；　and　do　nothing；　we　make　ourselves

sharers　in　the　guilt。〃









39　　　　　　Seedy　Sam







I　should　say　that　for　a　cab…horse　I　was　very　well　off　indeed；

my　driver　was　my　owner；　and　it　was　his　interest　to　treat　me　well

and　not　overwork　me；　even　had　he　not　been　so　good　a　man　as　he　was；

but　there　were　a　great　many　horses　which　belonged　to　the　large　cab…owners；

who　let　them　out　to　their　drivers　for　so　much　money　a　day。

As　the　horses　did　not　belong　to　these　men　the　only　thing　they　thought　of

was　how　to　get　their　money　out　of　them；　first；　to　pay　the　master；

and　then　to　provide　for　their　own　living；　and　a　dreadful　time

some　of　these　horses　had　of　it。　　Of　course；　I　understood　but　little；

but　it　was　often　talked　over　on　the　stand；　and　the　governor；

who　was　a　kind…hearted　man　and　fond　of　horses；　would　sometimes　speak　up

if　one　came　in　very　much　jaded　or　ill…used。



One　day　a　shabby；　miserable…looking　driver；　who　went　by　the　name

of　〃Seedy　Sam〃；　brought　in　his　horse　looking　dreadfully　beat；

and　the　governor　said：



〃You　and　your　horse　look　more　fit　for　the　police　station　than　for　this　rank。〃



The　man　flung　his　tattered　rug　over　the　horse；　turned　full　round

upon　the　Governor　and　said　in　a　voice　that　sounded　almost　desperate：



〃If　the　police　have　any　business　with　the　matter　it　ought　to　be　with

the　masters　who　charge　us　so　much；　or　with　the　fares　that　are　fixed　so　low。

If　a　man　has　to　pay　eighteen　shillings　a　day　for　the　use　of　a　cab

and　two　horses；　as　many　of　us　have　to　do　in　the　season；

and　must　make　that　up　before　we　earn　a　penny　for　ourselves

I　say　'tis　more　than　hard　work；　nine　shillings　a　day　to　get　out　of　each　horse

before　you　begin　to　get　your　own　living。　　You　know　that's　true；

and　if　the　horses　don't　work　we　must　starve；　and　I　and　my　children

have　known　what　that　is　before　now。　　I've　six　of　'em；　and　only　one

earns　anything；　I　am　on　the　stand　fourteen　or　sixteen　hours　a　day；

and　I　haven't　had　a　Sunday　these　ten　or　twelve　weeks；　you　know　Skinner

never　gives　a　day　if　he　can　help　it；　and　if　I　don't　work　hard；

tell　me　who　does！　　I　want　a　warm　coat　and　a　mackintosh；

but　with　so　many　to　feed　how　can　a　man　get　it？　　I　had　to　pledge　my　clock

a　week　ago　to　pay　Skinner；　and　I　shall　never　see　it　again。〃



Some　of　the　other　drivers　stood　round　nodding　their　heads

and　saying　he　was　right。　　The　man　went　on：



〃You　that　have　your　own　horses　and　cabs；　or　drive　for　good　masters；

have　a　chance　of　getting　on　and　a　chance　of　doing　right；　I　haven't。

We　can't　charge　more　than　sixpence　a　mile　after　the　first；

within　the　four…mile　radius。　　This　very　morning　I　had　to　go　a　clear　six　miles

and　only　took　three　shillings。　　I　could　not　get　a　return　fare；

and　had　to　come　all　the　way　back；　there's　twelve　miles　for　the　horse

and　three　shillings　for　me。　　After　that　I　had　a　three…mile　fare；

and　there　were　bags　and　boxes　enough　to　have　brought　in　a　good　many　twopences

if　they　had　been　put　outside；　but　you　know　how　people　do；

all　that　could　be　piled　up　inside　on　the　front　seat　were　put　in

and　three　heavy　boxes　went　on　the　top。　　That　was　sixpence；

and　the　fare　one　and　sixpence；　then　I　got　a　return　for　a　shilling。

Now　that　makes　eighteen　miles　for　the　horse　and　six　shillings　for　me；

there's　three　shillings　still　for　that　horse　to　earn　and　nine　shillings

for　the　afternoon　horse　before　I　touch　a　penny。　　Of　course；

it　is　not　always　so　bad　as　that；　but　you　know　it　often　is；

and　I　say　'tis　a　mockery　to　tell　a　man　that　he　must　not　overwork　his　horse；

for　when　a　beast　is　downright　tired　there's　nothing　but　the　whip

that　will　keep　his　legs　a…going；　you　can't　help　yourself　

you　must　put　your　wife　and　children　before　the　horse；　the　masters　must

look　to　that；　we　can't。　　I　don't　ill…use　my　horse　for　the　sake　of　it；

none　of　you　can　say　I　do。　　There's　wrong　lays　somewhere　

never　a　day's　rest；　never　a　quiet　hour　with　the　wife　and　children。

I　often　feel　like　an　old　man；　though　I'm　only　forty…five。

You　know　how　quick　some　of　the　gentry　are　to　suspect　us　of　cheating

and　overcharging；　why；　they　stand　with　their　purses　in　their　hands

counting　it　over　to　a　penny　and　looking　at　us　as　if　we　were　pickpockets。

I　wish　some　of　'em　had　got　to　sit　on　my　box　sixteen　hours　a　day

and　get　a　living　out　of　it　and　eighteen　shillings　beside；

and　that　in　all　weathers；　they　would　not　be　so　uncommon　particular

never　to　give　us　a　sixpence　over　or　to　cram　all　the　luggage　inside。

Of　course；　some　of　'em　tip　us　pretty　handsome　now　and　then；

or　else　we　coul