black beauty-第27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！



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

for　he　said　he　would　make　a　king　of　drivers　some　day。



There　was　an　old　man；　too；　who　used　to　come　up　our　street　with

a　little　coal　cart；　he　wore　a　coal…heaver's　hat；　and　looked　rough　and　black。

He　and　his　old　horse　used　to　plod　together　along　the　street；

like　two　good　partners　who　understood　each　other；　the　horse　would　stop

of　his　own　accord　at　the　doors　where　they　took　coal　of　him；　he　used　to　keep

one　ear　bent　toward　his　master。　　The　old　man's　cry　could　be　heard

up　the　street　long　before　he　came　near。　　I　never　knew　what　he　said；

but　the　children　called　him　〃Old　Ba…a…ar　Hoo〃；　for　it　sounded　like　that。

Polly　took　her　coal　of　him；　and　was　very　friendly；　and　Jerry　said

it　was　a　comfort　to　think　how　happy　an　old　horse　might　be　in　a　poor　place。









42　　　　　　The　Election







As　we　came　into　the　yard　one　afternoon　Polly　came　out。　　〃Jerry！

I've　had　Mr。　B　here　asking　about　your　vote；　and　he　wants　to　hire　your　cab

for　the　election；　he　will　call　for　an　answer。〃



〃Well；　Polly；　you　may　say　that　my　cab　will　be　otherwise　engaged。

I　should　not　like　to　have　it　pasted　over　with　their　great　bills；

and　as　to　making　Jack　and　Captain　race　about　to　the　public…houses

to　bring　up　half…drunken　voters；　why；　I　think　'twould　be　an　insult

to　the　horses。　　No；　I　shan't　do　it。〃



〃I　suppose　you'll　vote　for　the　gentleman？　　He　said　he　was　of　your　politics。〃



〃So　he　is　in　some　things；　but　I　shall　not　vote　for　him；　Polly；

you　know　what　his　trade　is？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　a　man　who　gets　rich　by　that　trade　may　be　all　very　well　in　some　ways；

but　he　is　blind　as　to　what　workingmen　want；　I　could　not　in　my　conscience

send　him　up　to　make　the　laws。　　I　dare　say　they'll　be　angry；

but　every　man　must　do　what　he　thinks　to　be　the　best　for　his　country。〃



On　the　morning　before　the　election；　Jerry　was　putting　me　into　the　shafts；

when　Dolly　came　into　the　yard　sobbing　and　crying；　with　her　little　blue　frock

and　white　pinafore　spattered　all　over　with　mud。



〃Why；　Dolly；　what　is　the　matter？〃



〃Those　naughty　boys；〃　she　sobbed；　〃have　thrown　the　dirt　all　over　me；

and　called　me　a　little　raga　raga〃



〃They　called　her　a　little　‘blue'　ragamuffin；　father；〃　said　Harry；

who　ran　in　looking　very　angry；　〃but　I　have　given　it　to　them；

they　won't　insult　my　sister　again。　　I　have　given　them　a　thrashing

they　will　remember；　a　set　of　cowardly；　rascally　‘orange'　blackguards。〃



Jerry　kissed　the　child　and　said；　〃Run　in　to　mother；　my　pet；

and　tell　her　I　think　you　had　better　stay　at　home　to…day　and　help　her。〃



Then　turning　gravely　to　Harry：



〃My　boy；　I　hope　you　will　always　defend　your　sister；　and　give　anybody

who　insults　her　a　good　thrashing　　that　is　as　it　should　be；

but　mind；　I　won't　have　any　election　blackguarding　on　my　premises。

There　are　as　many　‘blue'　blackguards　as　there　are　‘orange'；

and　as　many　white　as　there　are　purple；　or　any　other　color；

and　I　won't　have　any　of　my　family　mixed　up　with　it。　　Even　women　and　children

are　ready　to　quarrel　for　the　sake　of　a　color；　and　not　one　in　ten　of　them

knows　what　it　is　about。〃



〃Why；　father；　I　thought　blue　was　for　Liberty。〃



〃My　boy；　Liberty　does　not　come　from　colors；　they　only　show　party；

and　all　the　liberty　you　can　get　out　of　them　is；　liberty　to　get　drunk

at　other　people's　expense；　liberty　to　ride　to　the　poll　in　a　dirty　old　cab；

liberty　to　abuse　any　one　that　does　not　wear　your　color；

and　to　shout　yourself　hoarse　at　what　you　only　half…understand　

that's　your　liberty！〃



〃Oh；　father；　you　are　laughing。〃



〃No；　Harry；　I　am　serious；　and　I　am　ashamed　to　see　how　men　go　on

who　ought　to　know　better。　　An　election　is　a　very　serious　thing；

at　least　it　ought　to　be；　and　every　man　ought　to　vote　according　to

his　conscience；　and　let　his　neighbor　do　the　same。〃









43　　　　　　A　Friend　in　Need







The　election　day　came　at　last；　there　was　no　lack　of　work　for　Jerry　and　me。

First　came　a　stout　puffy　gentleman　with　a　carpet　bag；　he　wanted　to　go

to　the　Bishopsgate　station；　then　we　were　called　by　a　party

who　wished　to　be　taken　to　the　Regent's　Park；　and　next　we　were　wanted

in　a　side　street　where　a　timid；　anxious　old　lady　was　waiting　to　be　taken

to　the　bank；　there　we　had　to　stop　to　take　her　back　again；

and　just　as　we　had　set　her　down　a　red…faced　gentleman；

with　a　handful　of　papers；　came　running　up　out　of　breath；

and　before　Jerry　could　get　down　he　had　opened　the　door；　popped　himself　in；

and　called　out；　〃Bow　Street　Police　Station；　quick！〃　so　off　we　went　with　him；

and　when　after　another　turn　or　two　we　came　back；　there　was　no　other　cab

on　the　stand。　　Jerry　put　on　my　nose…bag；　for　as　he　said；

〃We　must　eat　when　we　can　on　such　days　as　these；　so　munch　away；　Jack；

and　make　the　best　of　your　time；　old　boy。〃



I　found　I　had　a　good　feed　of　crushed　oats　wetted　up　with　a　little　bran；

this　would　be　a　treat　any　day；　but　very　refreshing　then。

Jerry　was　so　thoughtful　and　kind　　what　horse　would　not　do　his　best

for　such　a　master？　　Then　he　took　out　one　of　Polly's　meat　pies；

and　standing　near　me；　he　began　to　eat　it。　　The　streets　were　very　full；

and　the　cabs；　with　the　candidates'　colors　on　them；　were　dashing　about

through　the　crowd　as　if　life　and　limb　were　of　no　consequence；

we　saw　two　people　knocked　down　that　day；　and　one　was　a　woman。

The　horses　were　having　a　bad　time　of　it；　poor　things！

but　the　voters　inside　thought　nothing　of　that；　many　of　them　were　half…drunk；

hurrahing　out　of　the　cab　windows　if　their　own　party　came　by。

It　was　the　first　election　I　had　seen；　and　I　don't　want　to　be　in　another；

though　I　have　heard　things　are　better　now。



Jerry　and　I　had　not　eaten　many　mouthfuls　before　a　poor　young　woman；

carrying　a　heavy　child；　came　along　the　street。　　She　was　looking

this　way　and　that　way；　and　seemed　quite　bewildered。　　Presently　she　made

her　way　up　to　Jerry　and　asked　if　he　could　tell　her　the　way

to　St。　Thomas'　Hospital；　and　how　far　it　was　to　get　there。

She　had　come　from　the　country　that　morning；　she　said；　in　a　market　cart；

she　did　not　know　about　the　election；　and　was　quite　a　stranger　in　London。

She　had　got　an　order　for　the　hospital　for　her　little　boy。

The　child　was　crying　with　a　feeble；　pining　cry。



〃Poor　little　fellow！〃　she　said；　〃he　suffers　a　deal　of　pain；

he　is　four　years　old　and　can't　walk　any　more　than　a　baby；

but　the　doctor　said　if　I　could　get　him　into　the　hospital

he　might　get　well；　pray；　sir；　how　far　is　it；　and　which　way　is　it？〃



〃Why；　missis；〃　said　Jerry；　〃you　can't　get　there　walking　through　crowds

like　this！　why；　it　is　three　miles　away；　and　that　child　is　heavy。〃



〃Yes；　bless　him；　he　is；　but　I　am　strong；　thank　God；　and　if　I　knew　the　way

I　think　I　should　get　on　somehow；　please　tell　me　the　way。〃



〃You　can't　do　it；〃　said　Jerry；　〃you　might　be　knocked　down

and　the　child　be　run　over。　　Now　look　here；　just　get　into　this　cab；

and　I'll　drive　you　safe　to　the　hospital。　　Don't　you　see

the　rain　is　coming　on？〃



〃No；　sir；　no；　I　can't　do　that；　thank　you；　I　have　only　just　money　enough

to　get　back　with。　　Please　tell　me　the　way。〃



〃Look　you　here；　missis；〃　said　Jerry；　〃I've　got　a　wife　and　dear　children

at　home；　and　I　know　a　father's　feelings；　now　get　you　into　that　cab；

and　I'll　take　you　there　for　nothing。　　I'd　be　ashamed　of　myself

to　let　a　woman　and　a　sick　child　run　a　risk　like　that。〃



〃Heaven　bless　you！〃　said　the　woman；　and　burst　into　tears。



〃There；　there；　cheer　up；　my　dear；　I'll　soon　take　you　there；

come；　let　me　put　you　inside。〃



As　Jerry　went　to　open　the　door　two　men；　with　colors　in　their　hats

and　buttonholes；　ran　up　calling　out；　〃Cab！〃



〃Engaged；〃　cried　Jerry；　but　one　of　the　men；　pushing　past　the　woman；

sprang　into　the　cab；　followed　by　the　other。　　Jerry　looked　as　stern

as　a　policeman。　　〃This　cab　is　already　engaged；　gentlemen；　by　that　lady。〃



〃Lady！〃　said　one　of　them；　〃oh！　she　can　wait；　our　business　is　very　important；

besides　we　were　in　first；　it　is　our　right；　and　we　shall　stay　in。〃



A　droll　smile　came　over　Jerry's　face　as　he　shut　the　door　upon　them。

〃All　right；　gentlemen；　pray　stay　in　as　long　as　it　suits　you；

I　can　wait　while　you　rest　yourselves。〃　　And　turning　his　back　upon　them

he　walked　up　to　the　young　woman；　who　was　standing　near　me。

〃They'll　soon　be　gone；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃don't　trouble　yourself；　my　dear。〃



And　they　soon　were　gone；　for　when　they　understood　Jerry's　dodge　they　got　out；

calling　him　all　sorts　of　bad　names　and　blustering　about　his　number

and　getting　a　summons。　　After　this　little　stoppage　we　were　soon　on　our　way

to　the　hospital；　going　as　much　as　possible　through　by…streets。

Jerry　rung　the　great　bell　and　helped　the　young　woman　out。



〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times；〃　she　said；　〃I　could　never　have　got　here　alone。〃



〃You're　kindly　welcome；　and　I　hope　the　dear　child　will　soon　be　better。〃



He　watched　her　go　in　at　the　door；　and　gently　he　said　to　himself；

〃Inasmuch　as　ye　have　done　it　to　one　of　the　least　of　these。〃

Then　he　patted　my　neck；　which　was　always　his　way　when　anything　pleased　him。



The　rain　was　now　coming　down　fast；　and　just　as　we　were　leaving　the　hospital

the　door　opened　again；　and　the　porter　called　out；　〃Cab！〃　　We　stopped；

and　a　lady　came　down　the　steps。　　Jerry　seemed　to　know　her　at　once；

she　put　back　her　veil　and　said；　〃Barker！　　Jeremiah　Barker；　is　it　you？

I　am　very　glad　to　find　you　here；　you　are　just　the　friend　I　want；

for　it　is　very　difficult　to　get　a　cab　in　this　part　of　London　to…day。〃



〃I　shall　be　proud　to　serve　you；　ma'am；　I　am　right　glad　I　happened　to　be　here。

Where　may　I　take　you　to；　ma'am？〃



〃To　the　Paddington　Station；　and　then　if　we　are　in　good　time；

as　I　think　we　shall　be；　you　shall　tell　me　all　about　Mary　and　the　children。〃



We　got　to　the　station　in　good　time；　and　being　under　shelter　the　lady　stood

a　good　while　talking　to　Jerry。　　I　found　she　had　been　Polly's　mistress；

and　after　many　inquiries　about　her　she　said：



〃How　do　you　find　the　cab