black beauty-第26部分

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

or　else　we　could　not　live；　but　you　can't　depend　upon　that。〃



The　men　who　stood　round　much　approved　this　speech；　and　one　of　them　said；

〃It　is　desperate　hard；　and　if　a　man　sometimes　does　what　is　wrong

it　is　no　wonder；　and　if　he　gets　a　dram　too　much　who's　to　blow　him　up？〃



Jerry　had　taken　no　part　in　this　conversation；　but　I　never　saw　his　face

look　so　sad　before。　　The　governor　had　stood　with　both　his　hands

in　his　pockets；　now　he　took　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　hat

and　wiped　his　forehead。



〃You've　beaten　me；　Sam；〃　he　said；　〃for　it's　all　true；

and　I　won't　cast　it　up　to　you　any　more　about　the　police；

it　was　the　look　in　that　horse's　eye　that　came　over　me。

It　is　hard　lines　for　man　and　it　is　hard　lines　for　beast；

and　who's　to　mend　it　I　don't　know：　　but　anyway　you　might　tell　the　poor　beast

that　you　were　sorry　to　take　it　out　of　him　in　that　way。

Sometimes　a　kind　word　is　all　we　can　give　'em；　poor　brutes；

and　'tis　wonderful　what　they　do　understand。〃



A　few　mornings　after　this　talk　a　new　man　came　on　the　stand　with　Sam's　cab。



〃Halloo！〃　said　one；　〃what's　up　with　Seedy　Sam？〃



〃He's　ill　in　bed；〃　said　the　man；　〃he　was　taken　last　night　in　the　yard；

and　could　scarcely　crawl　home。　　His　wife　sent　a　boy　this　morning

to　say　his　father　was　in　a　high　fever　and　could　not　get　out；

so　I'm　here　instead。〃



The　next　morning　the　same　man　came　again。



〃How　is　Sam？〃　inquired　the　governor。



〃He's　gone；〃　said　the　man。



〃What；　gone？　　You　don't　mean　to　say　he's　dead？〃



〃Just　snuffed　out；〃　said　the　other；　〃he　died　at　four　o'clock　this　morning；

all　yesterday　he　was　raving　　raving　about　Skinner；　and　having　no　Sundays。

‘I　never　had　a　Sunday's　rest；'　these　were　his　last　words。〃



No　one　spoke　for　a　while；　and　then　the　governor　said；　〃I'll　tell　you　what；

mates；　this　is　a　warning　for　us。〃









40　　　　　　Poor　Ginger







One　day；　while　our　cab　and　many　others　were　waiting　outside　one　of　the　parks

where　music　was　playing；　a　shabby　old　cab　drove　up　beside　ours。

The　horse　was　an　old　worn…out　chestnut；　with　an　ill…kept　coat；

and　bones　that　showed　plainly　through　it；　the　knees　knuckled　over；

and　the　fore…legs　were　very　unsteady。　　I　had　been　eating　some　hay；

and　the　wind　rolled　a　little　lock　of　it　that　way；　and　the　poor　creature

put　out　her　long　thin　neck　and　picked　it　up；　and　then　turned

and　looked　about　for　more。　　There　was　a　hopeless　look　in　the　dull　eye

that　I　could　not　help　noticing；　and　then；　as　I　was　thinking

where　I　had　seen　that　horse　before；　she　looked　full　at　me　and　said；

〃Black　Beauty；　is　that　you？〃



It　was　Ginger！　but　how　changed！　　The　beautifully　arched　and　glossy　neck

was　now　straight；　and　lank；　and　fallen　in；　the　clean　straight　legs

and　delicate　fetlocks　were　swelled；　the　joints　were　grown　out　of　shape

with　hard　work；　the　face；　that　was　once　so　full　of　spirit　and　life；

was　now　full　of　suffering；　and　I　could　tell　by　the　heaving　of　her　sides；

and　her　frequent　cough；　how　bad　her　breath　was。



Our　drivers　were　standing　together　a　little　way　off；　so　I　sidled　up　to　her

a　step　or　two；　that　we　might　have　a　little　quiet　talk。　　It　was　a　sad　tale

that　she　had　to　tell。



After　a　twelvemonth's　run　off　at　Earlshall；　she　was　considered　to　be　fit

for　work　again；　and　was　sold　to　a　gentleman。　　For　a　little　while

she　got　on　very　well；　but　after　a　longer　gallop　than　usual

the　old　strain　returned；　and　after　being　rested　and　doctored

she　was　again　sold。　　In　this　way　she　changed　hands　several　times；

but　always　getting　lower　down。



〃And　so　at　last；〃　said　she；　〃I　was　bought　by　a　man　who　keeps

a　number　of　cabs　and　horses；　and　lets　them　out。　　You　look　well　off；

and　I　am　glad　of　it；　but　I　could　not　tell　you　what　my　life　has　been。

When　they　found　out　my　weakness　they　said　I　was　not　worth

what　they　gave　for　me；　and　that　I　must　go　into　one　of　the　low　cabs；

and　just　be　used　up；　that　is　what　they　are　doing；　whipping　and　working

with　never　one　thought　of　what　I　suffer　　they　paid　for　me；

and　must　get　it　out　of　me；　they　say。　　The　man　who　hires　me　now

pays　a　deal　of　money　to　the　owner　every　day；　and　so　he　has　to

get　it　out　of　me　too；　and　so　it's　all　the　week　round　and　round；

with　never　a　Sunday　rest。〃



I　said；　〃You　used　to　stand　up　for　yourself　if　you　were　ill…used。〃



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃I　did　once；　but　it's　no　use；　men　are　strongest；

and　if　they　are　cruel　and　have　no　feeling；　there　is　nothing　that　we　can　do；

but　just　bear　it　　bear　it　on　and　on　to　the　end。　　I　wish　the　end　was　come；

I　wish　I　was　dead。　　I　have　seen　dead　horses；　and　I　am　sure　they　do　not

suffer　pain；　I　wish　I　may　drop　down　dead　at　my　work；　and　not　be　sent　off

to　the　knackers。〃



I　was　very　much　troubled；　and　I　put　my　nose　up　to　hers；

but　I　could　say　nothing　to　comfort　her。　　I　think　she　was　pleased　to　see　me；

for　she　said；　〃You　are　the　only　friend　I　ever　had。〃



Just　then　her　driver　came　up；　and　with　a　tug　at　her　mouth　backed　her

out　of　the　line　and　drove　off；　leaving　me　very　sad　indeed。



A　short　time　after　this　a　cart　with　a　dead　horse　in　it　passed　our　cab…stand。

The　head　hung　out　of　the　cart…tail；　the　lifeless　tongue　was　slowly

dropping　with　blood；　and　the　sunken　eyes！　but　I　can't　speak　of　them；

the　sight　was　too　dreadful。　　It　was　a　chestnut　horse　with　a　long；　thin　neck。

I　saw　a　white　streak　down　the　forehead。　　I　believe　it　was　Ginger；

I　hoped　it　was；　for　then　her　troubles　would　be　over。　　Oh！　if　men　were

more　merciful　they　would　shoot　us　before　we　came　to　such　misery。









41　　　　　　The　Butcher







I　saw　a　great　deal　of　trouble　among　the　horses　in　London；

and　much　of　it　might　have　been　prevented　by　a　little　common　sense。

We　horses　do　not　mind　hard　work　if　we　are　treated　reasonably；

and　I　am　sure　there　are　many　driven　by　quite　poor　men　who　have　a　happier　life

than　I　had　when　I　used　to　go　in　the　Countess　of　W's　carriage；

with　my　silver…mounted　harness　and　high　feeding。



It　often　went　to　my　heart　to　see　how　the　little　ponies　were　used；

straining　along　with　heavy　loads　or　staggering　under　heavy　blows

from　some　low；　cruel　boy。　　Once　I　saw　a　little　gray　pony

with　a　thick　mane　and　a　pretty　head；　and　so　much　like　Merrylegs

that　if　I　had　not　been　in　harness　I　should　have　neighed　to　him。

He　was　doing　his　best　to　pull　a　heavy　cart；　while　a　strong　rough　boy

was　cutting　him　under　the　belly　with　his　whip　and　chucking　cruelly

at　his　little　mouth。　　Could　it　be　Merrylegs？　　It　was　just　like　him；

but　then　Mr。　Blomefield　was　never　to　sell　him；　and　I　think

he　would　not　do　it；　but　this　might　have　been　quite　as　good　a　little　fellow；

and　had　as　happy　a　place　when　he　was　young。



I　often　noticed　the　great　speed　at　which　butchers'　horses　were　made　to　go；

though　I　did　not　know　why　it　was　so　till　one　day　when　we　had　to

wait　some　time　in　St。　John's　Wood。　　There　was　a　butcher's　shop　next　door；

and　as　we　were　standing　a　butcher's　cart　came　dashing　up　at　a　great　pace。

The　horse　was　hot　and　much　exhausted；　he　hung　his　head　down；　while　his

heaving　sides　and　trembling　legs　showed　how　hard　he　had　been　driven。

The　lad　jumped　out　of　the　cart　and　was　getting　the　basket

when　the　master　came　out　of　the　shop　much　displeased。

After　looking　at　the　horse　he　turned　angrily　to　the　lad。



〃How　many　times　shall　I　tell　you　not　to　drive　in　this　way？

You　ruined　the　last　horse　and　broke　his　wind；　and　you　are　going

to　ruin　this　in　the　same　way。　　If　you　were　not　my　own　son　I　would　dismiss　you

on　the　spot；　it　is　a　disgrace　to　have　a　horse　brought　to　the　shop

in　a　condition　like　that；　you　are　liable　to　be　taken　up　by　the　police

for　such　driving；　and　if　you　are　you　need　not　look　to　me　for　bail；

for　I　have　spoken　to　you　till　I'm　tired；　you　must　look　out　for　yourself。〃



During　this　speech　the　boy　had　stood　by；　sullen　and　dogged；

but　when　his　father　ceased　he　broke　out　angrily。　　It　wasn't　his　fault；

and　he　wouldn't　take　the　blame；　he　was　only　going　by　orders　all　the　time。



〃You　always　say；　‘Now　be　quick；　now　look　sharp！'　and　when　I　go　to　the　houses

one　wants　a　leg　of　mutton　for　an　early　dinner　and　I　must　be　back　with　it

in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　another　cook　has　forgotten　to　order　the　beef；

I　must　go　and　fetch　it　and　be　back　in　no　time；　or　the　mistress　will　scold；

and　the　housekeeper　says　they　have　company　coming　unexpectedly

and　must　have　some　chops　sent　up　directly；　and　the　lady　at　No。　4；

in　the　Crescent；　never　orders　her　dinner　till　the　meat　comes　in　for　lunch；

and　it's　nothing　but　hurry；　hurry；　all　the　time。　　If　the　gentry　would　think

of　what　they　want；　and　order　their　meat　the　day　before；

there　need　not　be　this　blow　up！〃



〃I　wish　to　goodness　they　would；〃　said　the　butcher；　〃'twould　save　me

a　wonderful　deal　of　harass；　and　I　could　suit　my　customers　much　better

if　I　knew　beforehand　　　But　there！　what's　the　use　of　talking　

who　ever　thinks　of　a　butcher's　convenience　or　a　butcher's　horse！　　Now；　then；

take　him　in　and　look　to　him　well；　mind；　he　does　not　go　out　again　to…day；

and　if　anything　else　is　wanted　you　must　carry　it　yourself　in　the　basket。〃

With　that　he　went　in；　and　the　horse　was　led　away。



But　all　boys　are　not　cruel。　　I　have　seen　some　as　fond　of　their　pony　or　donkey

as　if　it　had　been　a　favorite　dog；　and　the　little　creatures　have　worked　away

as　cheerfully　and　willingly　for　their　young　drivers　as　I　work　for　Jerry。

It　may　be　hard　work　sometimes；　but　a　friend's　hand　and　voice　make　it　easy。



There　was　a　young　coster…boy　who　came　up　our　street　with　greens　and　potatoes；

he　had　an　old　pony；　not　very　handsome；　but　the　cheerfullest

and　pluckiest　little　thing　I　ever　saw；　and　to　see　how　fond　those　two　were

of　each　other　was　a　treat。　　The　pony　followed　his　master　like　a　dog；

and　when　he　got　into　his　cart　would　trot　off　without　a　whip　or　a　word；

and　rattle　down　the　street　as　merrily　as　if　he　had　come　out　of

the　queen's　stables。　　Jerry　liked　the　boy；　and　called　him　〃Prince　Charlie〃；

for　he　said　he　would