black beauty-第9部分

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when　things　come　to　be　turned　inside　out。〃









14　　　　　　James　Howard







Early　one　morning　in　December　John　had　just　led　me　into　my　box

after　my　daily　exercise；　and　was　strapping　my　cloth　on

and　James　was　coming　in　from　the　corn　chamber　with　some　oats；

when　the　master　came　into　the　stable。　　He　looked　rather　serious；

and　held　an　open　letter　in　his　hand。　　John　fastened　the　door　of　my　box；

touched　his　cap；　and　waited　for　orders。



〃Good…morning；　John；〃　said　the　master。　　〃I　want　to　know

if　you　have　any　complaint　to　make　of　James。〃



〃Complaint；　sir？　　No；　sir。〃



〃Is　he　industrious　at　his　work　and　respectful　to　you？〃



〃Yes；　sir；　always。〃



〃You　never　find　he　slights　his　work　when　your　back　is　turned？〃



〃Never；　sir。〃



〃That's　well；　but　I　must　put　another　question。　　Have　you　no　reason

to　suspect；　when　he　goes　out　with　the　horses　to　exercise　them

or　to　take　a　message；　that　he　stops　about　talking　to　his　acquaintances；

or　goes　into　houses　where　he　has　no　business；　leaving　the　horses　outside？〃



〃No；　sir；　certainly　not；　and　if　anybody　has　been　saying　that　about　James；

I　don't　believe　it；　and　I　don't　mean　to　believe　it　unless　I　have　it

fairly　proved　before　witnesses；　it's　not　for　me　to　say　who　has　been　trying

to　take　away　James'　character；　but　I　will　say　this；　sir；　that　a　steadier；

pleasanter；　honester；　smarter　young　fellow　I　never　had　in　this　stable。

I　can　trust　his　word　and　I　can　trust　his　work；　he　is　gentle　and　clever

with　the　horses；　and　I　would　rather　have　them　in　charge　with　him

than　with　half　the　young　fellows　I　know　of　in　laced　hats　and　liveries；

and　whoever　wants　a　character　of　James　Howard；〃　said　John；

with　a　decided　jerk　of　his　head；　〃let　them　come　to　John　Manly。〃



The　master　stood　all　this　time　grave　and　attentive；

but　as　John　finished　his　speech　a　broad　smile　spread　over　his　face；

and　looking　kindly　across　at　James；　who　all　this　time　had　stood　still

at　the　door；　he　said；　〃James；　my　lad；　set　down　the　oats　and　come　here；

I　am　very　glad　to　find　that　John's　opinion　of　your　character

agrees　so　exactly　with　my　own。　　John　is　a　cautious　man；〃　he　said；

with　a　droll　smile；　〃and　it　is　not　always　easy　to　get　his　opinion

about　people；　so　I　thought　if　I　beat　the　bush　on　this　side

the　birds　would　fly　out；　and　I　should　learn　what　I　wanted　to　know　quickly；

so　now　we　will　come　to　business。　　I　have　a　letter　from　my　brother…in…law；

Sir　Clifford　Williams；　of　Clifford　Hall。　　He　wants　me　to　find　him

a　trustworthy　young　groom；　about　twenty　or　twenty…one；

who　knows　his　business。　　His　old　coachman；　who　has　lived　with　him

thirty　years；　is　getting　feeble；　and　he　wants　a　man　to　work　with　him

and　get　into　his　ways；　who　would　be　able；　when　the　old　man　was　pensioned　off；

to　step　into　his　place。　　He　would　have　eighteen　shillings　a　week　at　first；

a　stable　suit；　a　driving　suit；　a　bedroom　over　the　coachhouse；

and　a　boy　under　him。　　Sir　Clifford　is　a　good　master；

and　if　you　could　get　the　place　it　would　be　a　good　start　for　you。

I　don't　want　to　part　with　you；　and　if　you　left　us　I　know　John　would　lose

his　right　hand。〃



〃That　I　should；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃but　I　would　not　stand　in　his　light

for　the　world。〃



〃How　old　are　you；　James？〃　said　master。



〃Nineteen　next　May；　sir。〃



〃That's　young；　what　do　you　think；　John？〃



〃Well；　sir；　it　is　young；　but　he　is　as　steady　as　a　man；　and　is　strong；

and　well　grown；　and　though　he　has　not　had　much　experience　in　driving；

he　has　a　light　firm　hand　and　a　quick　eye；　and　he　is　very　careful；

and　I　am　quite　sure　no　horse　of　his　will　be　ruined　for　want　of　having

his　feet　and　shoes　looked　after。〃



〃Your　word　will　go　the　furthest；　John；〃　said　the　master；

〃for　Sir　Clifford　adds　in　a　postscript；　‘If　I　could　find　a　man

trained　by　your　John　I　should　like　him　better　than　any　other；'

so；　James；　lad；　think　it　over；　talk　to　your　mother　at　dinner…time；

and　then　let　me　know　what　you　wish。〃



In　a　few　days　after　this　conversation　it　was　fully　settled

that　James　should　go　to　Clifford　Hall；　in　a　month　or　six　weeks；

as　it　suited　his　master；　and　in　the　meantime　he　was　to　get

all　the　practice　in　driving　that　could　be　given　to　him。　　I　never　knew

the　carriage　to　go　out　so　often　before；　when　the　mistress　did　not　go　out

the　master　drove　himself　in　the　two…wheeled　chaise；　but　now；

whether　it　was　master　or　the　young　ladies；　or　only　an　errand；

Ginger　and　I　were　put　in　the　carriage　and　James　drove　us。

At　the　first　John　rode　with　him　on　the　box；　telling　him　this　and　that；

and　after　that　James　drove　alone。



Then　it　was　wonderful　what　a　number　of　places　the　master　would　go　to

in　the　city　on　Saturday；　and　what　queer　streets　we　were　driven　through。

He　was　sure　to　go　to　the　railway　station　just　as　the　train　was　coming　in；

and　cabs　and　carriages；　carts　and　omnibuses　were　all　trying　to　get　over

the　bridge　together；　that　bridge　wanted　good　horses　and　good　drivers

when　the　railway　bell　was　ringing；　for　it　was　narrow；　and　there　was

a　very　sharp　turn　up　to　the　station；　where　it　would　not　have　been

at　all　difficult　for　people　to　run　into　each　other；　if　they　did　not

look　sharp　and　keep　their　wits　about　them。









15　　　　　　The　Old　Hostler







After　this　it　was　decided　by　my　master　and　mistress　to　pay　a　visit

to　some　friends　who　lived　about　forty…six　miles　from　our　home；

and　James　was　to　drive　them。　　The　first　day　we　traveled　thirty…two　miles。

There　were　some　long；　heavy　hills；　but　James　drove　so　carefully

and　thoughtfully　that　we　were　not　at　all　harassed。　　He　never　forgot　to

put　on　the　brake　as　we　went　downhill；　nor　to　take　it　off　at　the　right　place。

He　kept　our　feet　on　the　smoothest　part　of　the　road；　and　if　the　uphill

was　very　long；　he　set　the　carriage　wheels　a　little　across　the　road；

so　as　not　to　run　back；　and　gave　us　a　breathing。　　All　these　little　things

help　a　horse　very　much；　particularly　if　he　gets　kind　words　into　the　bargain。



We　stopped　once　or　twice　on　the　road；　and　just　as　the　sun　was　going　down

we　reached　the　town　where　we　were　to　spend　the　night。　　We　stopped　at

the　principal　hotel；　which　was　in　the　market…place；　it　was　a　very　large　one；

we　drove　under　an　archway　into　a　long　yard；　at　the　further　end　of　which

were　the　stables　and　coachhouses。　　Two　hostlers　came　to　take　us　out。

The　head　hostler　was　a　pleasant；　active　little　man；　with　a　crooked　leg；

and　a　yellow　striped　waistcoat。　　I　never　saw　a　man　unbuckle　harness

so　quickly　as　he　did；　and　with　a　pat　and　a　good　word　he　led　me

to　a　long　stable；　with　six　or　eight　stalls　in　it；　and　two　or　three　horses。

The　other　man　brought　Ginger；　James　stood　by　while　we　were

rubbed　down　and　cleaned。



I　never　was　cleaned　so　lightly　and　quickly　as　by　that　little　old　man。

When　he　had　done　James　stepped　up　and　felt　me　over；　as　if　he　thought

I　could　not　be　thoroughly　done；　but　he　found　my　coat　as　clean　and　smooth

as　silk。



〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　I　was　pretty　quick；　and　our　John　quicker　still；

but　you　do　beat　all　I　ever　saw　for　being　quick　and　thorough

at　the　same　time。〃



〃Practice　makes　perfect；〃　said　the　crooked　little　hostler；

〃and　'twould　be　a　pity　if　it　didn't；　forty　years'　practice；　and　not　perfect！

ha；　ha！　that　would　be　a　pity；　and　as　to　being　quick；　why；　bless　you！

that　is　only　a　matter　of　habit；　if　you　get　into　the　habit　of　being　quick

it　is　just　as　easy　as　being　slow；　easier；　I　should　say；

in　fact　it　don't　agree　with　my　health　to　be　hulking　about　over　a　job

twice　as　long　as　it　need　take。　　Bless　you！　I　couldn't　whistle

if　I　crawled　over　my　work　as　some　folks　do！　　You　see；

I　have　been　about　horses　ever　since　I　was　twelve　years　old；

in　hunting　stables；　and　racing　stables；　and　being　small；　ye　see；

I　was　jockey　for　several　years；　but　at　the　Goodwood；　ye　see；

the　turf　was　very　slippery　and　my　poor　Larkspur　got　a　fall；

and　I　broke　my　knee；　and　so　of　course　I　was　of　no　more　use　there。

But　I　could　not　live　without　horses；　of　course　I　couldn't；

so　I　took　to　the　hotels。　　And　I　can　tell　ye　it　is　a　downright　pleasure

to　handle　an　animal　like　this；　well…bred；　well…mannered；　well…cared…for；

bless　ye！　I　can　tell　how　a　horse　is　treated。　　Give　me　the　handling　of　a　horse

for　twenty　minutes；　and　I'll　tell　you　what　sort　of　a　groom　he　has　had。

Look　at　this　one；　pleasant；　quiet；　turns　about　just　as　you　want　him；

holds　up　his　feet　to　be　cleaned　out；　or　anything　else　you　please　to　wish；

then　you'll　find　another　fidgety；　fretty；　won't　move　the　right　way；

or　starts　across　the　stall；　tosses　up　his　head　as　soon　as　you　come　near　him；

lays　his　ears；　and　seems　afraid　of　you；　or　else　squares　about　at　you

with　his　heels。　　Poor　things！　　I　know　what　sort　of　treatment　they　have　had。

If　they　are　timid　it　makes　them　start　or　shy；　if　they　are　high…mettled

it　makes　them　vicious　or　dangerous；　their　tempers　are　mostly　made

when　they　are　young。　　Bless　you！　they　are　like　children；

train　'em　up　in　the　way　they　should　go；　as　the　good　book　says；

and　when　they　are　old　they　will　not　depart　from　it；　if　they　have　a　chance。〃



〃I　like　to　hear　you　talk；〃　said　James；　〃that's　the　way

we　lay　it　down　at　home；　at　our　master's。〃



〃Who　is　your　master；　young　man？　if　it　be　a　proper　question。

I　should　judge　he　is　a　good　one；　from　what　I　see。〃



〃He　is　Squire　Gordon；　of　Birtwick　Park；　the　other　side　the　Beacon　Hills；〃

said　James。



〃Ah！　so；　so；　I　have　heard　tell　of　him；　fine　judge　of　horses；　ain't　he？

the　best　rider　in　the　county。〃



〃I　believe　he　is；〃　said　James；　〃but　he　rides　very　little　now；

since　the　poor　young　master　was　killed。〃



〃Ah！　poor　gentleman；　I　read　all　about　it　in　the　paper　at　the　time。

A　fine　horse　killed；　too；　wasn't　there？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　James；　〃he　was　a　splendid　creature；　brother　to　this　one；

and　just　like　him。〃



〃Pity！　pity！〃　said　the　old　man；　〃'twas　a　bad　place　to　leap；　if　I　remember；

a　thin　fence　at　top；　a　steep　bank　down　to　the　stream；　wasn't　it？

No　chance　for　a　horse　to　see　where　he　is　going。　　Now；　I　am　for　bold　ri