black beauty-第8部分

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The　wind　was　then　much　higher；　and　I　heard　the　master　say　to　John

that　he　had　never　been　out　in　such　a　storm；　and　so　I　thought；

as　we　went　along　the　skirts　of　a　wood；　where　the　great　branches

were　swaying　about　like　twigs；　and　the　rushing　sound　was　terrible。



〃I　wish　we　were　well　out　of　this　wood；〃　said　my　master。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃it　would　be　rather　awkward　if　one　of　these　branches

came　down　upon　us。〃



The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth　when　there　was　a　groan；　and　a　crack；

and　a　splitting　sound；　and　tearing；　crashing　down　among　the　other　trees

came　an　oak；　torn　up　by　the　roots；　and　it　fell　right　across　the　road

just　before　us。　　I　will　never　say　I　was　not　frightened；　for　I　was。

I　stopped　still；　and　I　believe　I　trembled；　of　course　I　did　not　turn　round

or　run　away；　I　was　not　brought　up　to　that。　　John　jumped　out

and　was　in　a　moment　at　my　head。



〃That　was　a　very　near　touch；〃　said　my　master。　　〃What's　to　be　done　now？〃



〃Well；　sir；　we　can't　drive　over　that　tree；　nor　yet　get　round　it；

there　will　be　nothing　for　it；　but　to　go　back　to　the　four　crossways；

and　that　will　be　a　good　six　miles　before　we　get　round

to　the　wooden　bridge　again；　it　will　make　us　late；　but　the　horse　is　fresh。〃



So　back　we　went　and　round　by　the　crossroads；　but　by　the　time　we　got

to　the　bridge　it　was　very　nearly　dark；　we　could　just　see　that　the　water

was　over　the　middle　of　it；　but　as　that　happened　sometimes

when　the　floods　were　out；　master　did　not　stop。　　We　were　going　along

at　a　good　pace；　but　the　moment　my　feet　touched　the　first　part　of　the　bridge

I　felt　sure　there　was　something　wrong。　　I　dare　not　go　forward；

and　I　made　a　dead　stop。　　〃Go　on；　Beauty；〃　said　my　master；

and　he　gave　me　a　touch　with　the　whip；　but　I　dare　not　stir；

he　gave　me　a　sharp　cut；　I　jumped；　but　I　dare　not　go　forward。



〃There's　something　wrong；　sir；〃　said　John；　and　he　sprang　out　of　the　dog…cart

and　came　to　my　head　and　looked　all　about。　　He　tried　to　lead　me　forward。

〃Come　on；　Beauty；　what's　the　matter？〃　　Of　course　I　could　not　tell　him；

but　I　knew　very　well　that　the　bridge　was　not　safe。



Just　then　the　man　at　the　toll…gate　on　the　other　side　ran　out　of　the　house；

tossing　a　torch　about　like　one　mad。



〃Hoy；　hoy；　hoy！　halloo！　stop！〃　he　cried。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　shouted　my　master。



〃The　bridge　is　broken　in　the　middle；　and　part　of　it　is　carried　away；

if　you　come　on　you'll　be　into　the　river。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　said　my　master。　　〃You　Beauty！〃　said　John；　and　took　the　bridle

and　gently　turned　me　round　to　the　right…hand　road　by　the　river　side。

The　sun　had　set　some　time；　the　wind　seemed　to　have　lulled　off

after　that　furious　blast　which　tore　up　the　tree。　　It　grew　darker　and　darker；

stiller　and　stiller。　　I　trotted　quietly　along；　the　wheels　hardly　making

a　sound　on　the　soft　road。　　For　a　good　while　neither　master　nor　John　spoke；

and　then　master　began　in　a　serious　voice。　　I　could　not　understand　much

of　what　they　said；　but　I　found　they　thought；　if　I　had　gone　on　as　the　master

wanted　me；　most　likely　the　bridge　would　have　given　way　under　us；

and　horse；　chaise；　master；　and　man　would　have　fallen　into　the　river；

and　as　the　current　was　flowing　very　strongly；　and　there　was　no　light

and　no　help　at　hand；　it　was　more　than　likely　we　should　all　have　been　drowned。

Master　said；　God　had　given　men　reason；　by　which　they　could　find　out　things

for　themselves；　but　he　had　given　animals　knowledge　which　did　not

depend　on　reason；　and　which　was　much　more　prompt　and　perfect　in　its　way；

and　by　which　they　had　often　saved　the　lives　of　men。　　John　had　many

stories　to　tell　of　dogs　and　horses；　and　the　wonderful　things　they　had　done；

he　thought　people　did　not　value　their　animals　half　enough

nor　make　friends　of　them　as　they　ought　to　do。　　I　am　sure

he　makes　friends　of　them　if　ever　a　man　did。



At　last　we　came　to　the　park　gates　and　found　the　gardener　looking　out　for　us。

He　said　that　mistress　had　been　in　a　dreadful　way　ever　since　dark；

fearing　some　accident　had　happened；　and　that　she　had　sent　James　off

on　Justice；　the　roan　cob；　toward　the　wooden　bridge　to　make　inquiry　after　us。



We　saw　a　light　at　the　hall…door　and　at　the　upper　windows；

and　as　we　came　up　mistress　ran　out；　saying；　〃Are　you　really　safe；　my　dear？

Oh！　I　have　been　so　anxious；　fancying　all　sorts　of　things。

Have　you　had　no　accident？〃



〃No；　my　dear；　but　if　your　Black　Beauty　had　not　been　wiser　than　we　were

we　should　all　have　been　carried　down　the　river　at　the　wooden　bridge。〃

I　heard　no　more；　as　they　went　into　the　house；　and　John　took　me　to　the　stable。

Oh；　what　a　good　supper　he　gave　me　that　night；　a　good　bran　mash

and　some　crushed　beans　with　my　oats；　and　such　a　thick　bed　of　straw！

and　I　was　glad　of　it；　for　I　was　tired。









13　　　　　　The　Devil's　Trade　Mark







One　day　when　John　and　I　had　been　out　on　some　business　of　our　master's；

and　were　returning　gently　on　a　long；　straight　road；　at　some　distance　we　saw

a　boy　trying　to　leap　a　pony　over　a　gate；　the　pony　would　not　take　the　leap；

and　the　boy　cut　him　with　the　whip；　but　he　only　turned　off　on　one　side。

He　whipped　him　again；　but　the　pony　turned　off　on　the　other　side。

Then　the　boy　got　off　and　gave　him　a　hard　thrashing；　and　knocked　him

about　the　head；　then　he　got　up　again　and　tried　to　make　him　leap　the　gate；

kicking　him　all　the　time　shamefully；　but　still　the　pony　refused。

When　we　were　nearly　at　the　spot　the　pony　put　down　his　head　and　threw　up

his　heels；　and　sent　the　boy　neatly　over　into　a　broad　quickset　hedge；

and　with　the　rein　dangling　from　his　head　he　set　off　home　at　a　full　gallop。

John　laughed　out　quite　loud。　　〃Served　him　right；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　oh；　oh！〃　cried　the　boy　as　he　struggled　about　among　the　thorns；

〃I　say；　come　and　help　me　out。〃



〃Thank　ye；〃　said　John；　〃I　think　you　are　quite　in　the　right　place；

and　maybe　a　little　scratching　will　teach　you　not　to　leap　a　pony　over　a　gate

that　is　too　high　for　him；〃　and　so　with　that　John　rode　off。　　〃It　may　be；〃

said　he　to　himself；　〃that　young　fellow　is　a　liar　as　well　as　a　cruel　one；

we'll　just　go　home　by　Farmer　Bushby's；　Beauty；　and　then

if　anybody　wants　to　know　you　and　I　can　tell　'em；　ye　see。〃

So　we　turned　off　to　the　right；　and　soon　came　up　to　the　stack…yard；

and　within　sight　of　the　house。　　The　farmer　was　hurrying　out　into　the　road；

and　his　wife　was　standing　at　the　gate；　looking　very　frightened。



〃Have　you　seen　my　boy？〃　said　Mr。　Bushby　as　we　came　up；

〃he　went　out　an　hour　ago　on　my　black　pony；　and　the　creature　is　just　come　back

without　a　rider。〃



〃I　should　think；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃he　had　better　be　without　a　rider；

unless　he　can　be　ridden　properly。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　farmer。



〃Well；　sir；　I　saw　your　son　whipping；　and　kicking；　and　knocking

that　good　little　pony　about　shamefully　because　he　would　not　leap　a　gate

that　was　too　high　for　him。　　The　pony　behaved　well；　sir；　and　showed　no　vice；

but　at　last　he　just　threw　up　his　heels　and　tipped　the　young　gentleman

into　the　thorn　hedge。　　He　wanted　me　to　help　him　out；　but　I　hope　you　will

excuse　me；　sir；　I　did　not　feel　inclined　to　do　so。　　There's　no　bones　broken；

sir；　he'll　only　get　a　few　scratches。　　I　love　horses；　and　it　riles　me

to　see　them　badly　used；　it　is　a　bad　plan　to　aggravate　an　animal

till　he　uses　his　heels；　the　first　time　is　not　always　the　last。〃



During　this　time　the　mother　began　to　cry；　〃Oh；　my　poor　Bill；

I　must　go　and　meet　him；　he　must　be　hurt。〃



〃You　had　better　go　into　the　house；　wife；〃　said　the　farmer；

〃Bill　wants　a　lesson　about　this；　and　I　must　see　that　he　gets　it；

this　is　not　the　first　time；　nor　the　second；　that　he　has　ill…used　that　pony；

and　I　shall　stop　it。　　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　Manly。　　Good…evening。〃



So　we　went　on；　John　chuckling　all　the　way　home；　then　he　told　James　about　it；

who　laughed　and　said；　〃Serve　him　right。　　I　knew　that　boy　at　school；

he　took　great　airs　on　himself　because　he　was　a　farmer's　son；

he　used　to　swagger　about　and　bully　the　little　boys。　　Of　course；

we　elder　ones　would　not　have　any　of　that　nonsense；　and　let　him　know

that　in　the　school　and　the　playground　farmers'　sons　and　laborers'　sons

were　all　alike。　　I　well　remember　one　day；　just　before　afternoon　school；

I　found　him　at　the　large　window　catching　flies　and　pulling　off　their　wings。

He　did　not　see　me　and　I　gave　him　a　box　on　the　ears　that　laid　him　sprawling

on　the　floor。　　Well；　angry　as　I　was；　I　was　almost　frightened；

he　roared　and　bellowed　in　such　a　style。　　The　boys　rushed　in

from　the　playground；　and　the　master　ran　in　from　the　road　to　see

who　was　being　murdered。　　Of　course　I　said　fair　and　square　at　once

what　I　had　done；　and　why；　then　I　showed　the　master　the　flies；

some　crushed　and　some　crawling　about　helpless；　and　I　showed　him　the　wings

on　the　window　sill。　　I　never　saw　him　so　angry　before；

but　as　Bill　was　still　howling　and　whining；　like　the　coward　that　he　was；

he　did　not　give　him　any　more　punishment　of　that　kind；

but　set　him　up　on　a　stool　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；

and　said　that　he　should　not　go　out　to　play　for　that　week。

Then　he　talked　to　all　the　boys　very　seriously　about　cruelty；　and　said

how　hard…hearted　and　cowardly　it　was　to　hurt　the　weak　and　the　helpless；

but　what　stuck　in　my　mind　was　this；　he　said　that　cruelty　was　the　devil's

own　trade…mark；　and　if　we　saw　any　one　who　took　pleasure　in　cruelty

we　might　know　who　he　belonged　to；　for　the　devil　was　a　murderer

from　the　beginning；　and　a　tormentor　to　the　end。　　On　the　other　hand；

where　we　saw　people　who　loved　their　neighbors；　and　were　kind

to　man　and　beast；　we　might　know　that　was　God's　mark。〃



〃Your　master　never　taught　you　a　truer　thing；〃　said　John；

〃there　is　no　religion　without　love；　and　people　may　talk　as　much　as　they　like

about　their　religion；　but　if　it　does　not　teach　them　to　be　good　and　kind

to　man　and　beast　it　is　all　a　sham　　all　a　sham；　James；　and　it　won't　stand

when　things　come　to　be　turned　inside　out。〃









14　　　　　　James　Howard







Early　one　morning　in　December　John　had　just　led　me