black beauty-第32部分

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with　such　extraordinary　care　that　I　thought　some　new　change　must　be　at　hand；

he　trimmed　my　fetlocks　and　legs；　passed　the　tarbrush　over　my　hoofs；

and　even　parted　my　forelock。　　I　think　the　harness　had　an　extra　polish。

Willie　seemed　half…anxious；　half…merry；　as　he　got　into　the　chaise

with　his　grandfather。



〃If　the　ladies　take　to　him；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃they'll　be　suited

and　he'll　be　suited。　　We　can　but　try。〃



At　the　distance　of　a　mile　or　two　from　the　village　we　came　to　a　pretty；

low　house；　with　a　lawn　and　shrubbery　at　the　front　and　a　drive　up　to　the　door。

Willie　rang　the　bell；　and　asked　if　Miss　Blomefield　or　Miss　Ellen　was　at　home。

Yes；　they　were。　　So；　while　Willie　stayed　with　me；　Mr。　Thoroughgood　went

into　the　house。　　In　about　ten　minutes　he　returned；　followed　by　three　ladies；

one　tall；　pale　lady；　wrapped　in　a　white　shawl；　leaned　on　a　younger　lady；

with　dark　eyes　and　a　merry　face；　the　other；　a　very　stately…looking　person；

was　Miss　Blomefield。　　They　all　came　and　looked　at　me　and　asked　questions。

The　younger　lady　　that　was　Miss　Ellen　　took　to　me　very　much；

she　said　she　was　sure　she　should　like　me；　I　had　such　a　good　face。

The　tall；　pale　lady　said　that　she　should　always　be　nervous

in　riding　behind　a　horse　that　had　once　been　down；　as　I　might　come　down　again；

and　if　I　did　she　should　never　get　over　the　fright。



〃You　see；　ladies；〃　said　Mr。　Thoroughgood；　〃many　first…rate　horses

have　had　their　knees　broken　through　the　carelessness　of　their　drivers

without　any　fault　of　their　own；　and　from　what　I　see　of　this　horse

I　should　say　that　is　his　case；　but　of　course　I　do　not　wish　to　influence　you。

If　you　incline　you　can　have　him　on　trial；　and　then　your　coachman　will　see

what　he　thinks　of　him。〃



〃You　have　always　been　such　a　good　adviser　to　us　about　our　horses；〃

said　the　stately　lady；　〃that　your　recommendation　would　go　a　long　way　with　me；

and　if　my　sister　Lavinia　sees　no　objection　we　will　accept　your　offer

of　a　trial；　with　thanks。〃



It　was　then　arranged　that　I　should　be　sent　for　the　next　day。



In　the　morning　a　smart…looking　young　man　came　for　me。　　At　first

he　looked　pleased；　but　when　he　saw　my　knees　he　said　in　a　disappointed　voice：



〃I　didn't　think；　sir；　you　would　have　recommended　my　ladies

a　blemished　horse　like　that。〃



〃‘Handsome　is　that　handsome　does'；〃　said　my　master；　〃you　are　only　taking　him

on　trial；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　do　fairly　by　him；　young　man。

If　he　is　not　as　safe　as　any　horse　you　ever　drove　send　him　back。〃



I　was　led　to　my　new　home；　placed　in　a　comfortable　stable；　fed；

and　left　to　myself。　　The　next　day；　when　the　groom　was　cleaning　my　face；

he　said：



〃That　is　just　like　the　star　that　‘Black　Beauty'　had；

he　is　much　the　same　height；　too。　　I　wonder　where　he　is　now。〃



A　little　further　on　he　came　to　the　place　in　my　neck　where　I　was　bled

and　where　a　little　knot　was　left　in　the　skin。　　He　almost　started；

and　began　to　look　me　over　carefully；　talking　to　himself。



〃White　star　in　the　forehead；　one　white　foot　on　the　off　side；　this　little　knot

just　in　that　place；〃　then　looking　at　the　middle　of　my　back　　〃and；

as　I　am　alive；　there　is　that　little　patch　of　white　hair　that

John　used　to　call　‘Beauty's　three…penny　bit'。　　It　must　be　‘Black　Beauty'！

Why；　Beauty！　Beauty！　do　you　know　me？　　little　Joe　Green；

that　almost　killed　you？〃　　And　he　began　patting　and　patting　me

as　if　he　was　quite　overjoyed。



I　could　not　say　that　I　remembered　him；　for　now　he　was　a　fine　grown

young　fellow；　with　black　whiskers　and　a　man's　voice；　but　I　was　sure

he　knew　me；　and　that　he　was　Joe　Green；　and　I　was　very　glad。

I　put　my　nose　up　to　him；　and　tried　to　say　that　we　were　friends。

I　never　saw　a　man　so　pleased。



〃Give　you　a　fair　trial！　　I　should　think　so　indeed！　　I　wonder　who

the　rascal　was　that　broke　your　knees；　my　old　Beauty！　you　must　have　been

badly　served　out　somewhere；　well；　well；　it　won't　be　my　fault

if　you　haven't　good　times　of　it　now。　　I　wish　John　Manly　was　here　to　see　you。〃



In　the　afternoon　I　was　put　into　a　low　park　chair　and　brought　to　the　door。

Miss　Ellen　was　going　to　try　me；　and　Green　went　with　her。　　I　soon　found

that　she　was　a　good　driver；　and　she　seemed　pleased　with　my　paces。

I　heard　Joe　telling　her　about　me；　and　that　he　was　sure　I　was　Squire　Gordon's

old　〃Black　Beauty〃。



When　we　returned　the　other　sisters　came　out　to　hear　how　I　had　behaved　myself。

She　told　them　what　she　had　just　heard；　and　said：



〃I　shall　certainly　write　to　Mrs。　Gordon；　and　tell　her　that　her　favorite　horse

has　come　to　us。　　How　pleased　she　will　be！〃



After　this　I　was　driven　every　day　for　a　week　or　so；　and　as　I　appeared　to　be

quite　safe；　Miss　Lavinia　at　last　ventured　out　in　the　small　close　carriage。

After　this　it　was　quite　decided　to　keep　me　and　call　me　by　my　old　name

of　〃Black　Beauty〃。



I　have　now　lived　in　this　happy　place　a　whole　year。　　Joe　is　the　best

and　kindest　of　grooms。　　My　work　is　easy　and　pleasant；　and　I　feel

my　strength　and　spirits　all　coming　back　again。　　Mr。　Thoroughgood　said　to　Joe

the　other　day：



〃In　your　place　he　will　last　till　he　is　twenty　years　old　　perhaps　more。〃



Willie　always　speaks　to　me　when　he　can；　and　treats　me　as　his　special　friend。

My　ladies　have　promised　that　I　shall　never　be　sold；　and　so　I　have

nothing　to　fear；　and　here　my　story　ends。　　My　troubles　are　all　over；

and　I　am　at　home；　and　often　before　I　am　quite　awake；

I　fancy　I　am　still　in　the　orchard　at　Birtwick；　standing　with　my　old　friends

under　the　apple…trees。









End