黑骏马(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)

作者：安娜·塞维尔

出版社：北京理工大学出版社

格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT

黑骏马试读：

第一部分

Chapter 1　My Early Home

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end.Over the hedge on one side we looked into a plowed field, and on the other we looked over a gate at our master’s house, which stood by the roadside；at the top of the meadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the bottom a running brook overhung by a steep bank.

While I was young I lived upon my mother’s milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down close by her.When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove.As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in the day-time, and come back in the evening.

There were six young colts in the meadow besides me；they were older than I was；some were nearly as large as grown-up horses. I used to run with them, and had great fun；we used to gallop all together round and round the field as hard as we could go.Sometimes we had rather rough play, for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.

One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother whin-nied to me to come to her, and then she said：“I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, and of course they have not learned manners.You have been well-bred and well-born；your father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races；your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or bite.I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways；do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.”

I have never forgotten my mother’s advice；I knew she was a wise old horse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he often called her Pet.

Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodg-ing, and kind words；he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children.We were all fond of him, and my mother loved him very much.When she saw him at the gate she would neigh with joy, and trot up to him.He would pat and stroke her and say，“Well, old Pet, and how is your little Darkie？”I was a dull black, so he called me Darkie；then he would give me a piece of bread, which was very good, and sometimes he brought a carrot for my mother.All the horses would come to him, but I think we were his favorites.My mother always took him to the town on a market day in a light gig.

There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pluck blackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted he would have what he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and sticks at them to make them gallop.We did not much mind him, for we could gal-lop off；but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.

One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field；but he was there, watching what was going on；over the hedge he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master we trotted up nearer to see what went on.

“Bad boy！”he said，“bad boy！to chase the colts. This is not the first time, nor the second, but it shall be the last.There-take your money and go home；I shall not want you on my farm again.”So we never saw Dick any more.Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was just as gentle as our master, so we were well off.

第1章　我早先的家

记忆中，我住过的第一个地方是一大片绿油油的草场，一汪清澈的池水镶嵌其中，两岸绿树成荫，池塘的深处长着灯芯草和睡莲。从一头的篱笆望过去是一片耕作过的土地，而从另一头的篱笆望过去就是主人家的大门了，就位于路边。在草场的高处生长着一片冷杉树，下面则是一条潺潺的小溪，河岸陡峭。

小时候，我只吃妈妈的奶，还不会吃草，白天我围绕在妈妈的左右，到了晚上，我就躺在妈妈的身边。天热时，我们就站在池塘边的树荫下乘凉，天冷时，在小树林附近，我们还有一个温暖的小棚子。

等我一长大了，能吃青草了，妈妈就白天出去干活，晚上回来。

在那片草场上，除了我，还有6匹小马驹，它们都比我大，有些都已经接近成年大马了。我总是跟着它们跑来跑去的，玩得非常开心。我们也会一圈圈地绕着草场跑，直到筋疲力尽为止。有时，我们玩得稍有些粗野，它们不只跑，还既咬又踢。

有一天，当大家正踢得尽兴时，妈妈一声嘶鸣，把我叫了过去。然后她说：“我希望你能注意听我将要对你说的话，生活在这里的小马驹都是好马，但它们是运货拉车的马，当然就没有什么教养。你是受到良好教育的且出身高贵。你的父亲在当地很有名气，你的爷爷两次在纽马克特赛马会上赢得冠军，而你的奶奶是我见过的马中脾气最温柔的一个。我想你也从来不曾见我踢人或咬人吧，我希望你长大后能够温和善良，永远都不要学坏；干活时要怀着善意，奔跑时要高高扬起蹄子，即便在玩耍的时候也不要咬人或踢人。”

我从来没有忘记妈妈的叮嘱，我知道她是一匹充满智慧的老马，并且我们的主人也很看重她。妈妈的名字叫做女公爵，但是主人常常叫她宝贝儿。

我们的主人是一个非常善良、温和的男人，他给我们吃上好的草料，住舒适的窝棚，跟我们讲话时语气十分亲切，亲切得就像在跟他自己的小孩子说话一样。我们都特别喜欢他，妈妈更是从心底里爱他，当她一见到主人走到门口时，她就会开心地嘶鸣，并且会快步跑向他。他轻抚着妈妈说：“嘿，老宝贝儿，你的小黑子如何啊？”我全身深黑，所以主人就叫我“黑子”。然后他就给我一片面包，非常好吃。有时他会给我妈妈带一根胡萝卜，所有的马都向他走来，但是我认为他最喜欢我们。妈妈总会拉着一辆轻便的车，带着他们去镇上的集市。

这儿有个伙计，叫迪克，有时会进到我们的场地里从篱笆上摘刺莓浆果，他吃够了浆果后，就会捉弄小马驹，朝它们扔石头，还用木棍捅它们逼它们跑。我们并没有在意他，因为我们很快就跑开了，但是有时石头也会击中并伤到我们。

一天，他又在玩这套把戏，不想主人一直站在旁边的草场上，注视着发生的一切。主人猛地从篱笆上跳过来，将迪克的胳膊揪住，狠狠地给了他一记耳光，迪克又惊又疼，咆哮起来。我们一见到主人来了，就都跑过去看个究竟。“坏孩子！”他说，“坏孩子！追我的马驹。这不是第一次，也不是第二次，但这必须是最后一次。给——拿上你的工钱回家去吧，我不想让你继续在这里干活了。”从此，我们再也没有见过迪克。丹尼尔老人照看着所有的马，他和主人一样和蔼，因此我们是交好运了。

Chapter 2　The Hunt

Before I was two years old a circumstance happened which I have never forgotten. It was early in the spring；there had been a little frost in the night, and a light mist still hung over the woods and meadows.I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we heard, quite in the distance, what sounded like the cry of dogs.The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked his ears, and said，“There are the hounds！”and im-mediately cantered off, followed by the rest of us to the upper part of the field, where we could look over the hedge and see several fields beyond.My mother and an old riding horse of our master’s were also standing near, and seemed to know all about it.

“They have found a hare，”said my mother，“and if they come this way we shall see the hunt.”

And soon the dogs were all tearing down the field of young wheat next to ours. I never heard such a noise as they made.They did not bark, nor howl, nor whine, but kept on a“yo！yo, o，o！yo！yo, o，o！”at the top of their voices.After them came a number of men on horseback, some of them in green coats, all galloping as fast as they could.The old horse snort-ed and looked eagerly after them, and we young colts wanted to be gallop-ing with them, but they were soon away into the fields lower down；here it seemed as if they had come to a stand；the dogs left off barking, and ran about every way with their noses to the ground.

“They have lost the scent，”said the old horse；“perhaps the hare will get off.”

“What hare？”I said.

“Oh！I don’t know what hare；likely enough it may be one of our own hares out of the woods；any hare they can find will do for the dogs and men to run after；”and before long the dogs began their“yo！yo, o，o！”again, and back they came altogether at full speed, making straight for our meadow at the part where the high bank and hedge overhang the brook.

“Now we shall see the hare，”said my mother；and just then a hare wild with fright rushed by and made for the woods. On came the dogs；they burst over the bank, leaped the stream, and came dashing across the field followed by the huntsmen.Six or eight men leaped their horses clean over, close upon the dogs.The hare tried to get through the fence；it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to make for the road, but it was too late；the dogs were upon her with their wild cries；we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her.One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her to pieces.He held her up by the leg torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.

As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at first see what was going on by the brook；but when I did look there was a sad sight；two fine horses were down, one was struggling in the stream, and the other was groaning on the grass. One of the riders was getting out of the water covered with mud, the other lay quite still.

“His neck is broke，”said my mother.

“And serve him right, too，”said one of the colts.

I thought the same, but my mother did not join with us.

“Well, no，”she said，“you must not say that；but though I am an old horse, and have seen and heard a great deal, I never yet could make out why men are so fond of this sport；they often hurt themselves, often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and all for a hare or a fox, or a stag, that they could get more easily some other way；but we are only horses, and don’t know.”

While my mother was saying this we stood and looked on. Many of the riders had gone to the young man；but my master, who had been watching what was going on, was the first to raise him.His head fell back and his arms hung down, and every one looked very serious.There was no noise now；even the dogs were quiet, and seemed to know that something was wrong.They carried him to our master’s house.I heard afterward that it was young George Gordon, the squire’s only son, a fine, tall young man, and the pride of his family.

There was now riding off in all directions to the doctor’s, to the far-rier’s, and no doubt to Squire Gordon’s, to let him know about his son. When Mr.Bond, the farrier, came to look at the black horse that lay groaning on the grass, he felt him all over, and shook his head；one of his legs was broken.Then some one ran to our master’s house and came back with a gun；presently there was a loud bang and a dreadful shriek, and then all was still；the black horse moved no more.

My mother seemed much troubled；she said she had known that horse for years, and that his name was“Rob Roy”；he was a good horse, and there was no vice in him. She never would go to that part of the field af-terward.

Not many days after we heard the church-bell tolling for a long time, and looking over the gate we saw a long, strange black coach that was cov-ered with black cloth and was drawn by black horses；after that came an-other and another and another, and all were black, while the bell kept tolling, tolling. They were carrying young Gordon to the churchyard to bury him.He would never ride again.What they did with Rob Roy I never knew；but’twas all for one little hare.

第2章　狩猎

两岁之前，发生了一件我永远也不会忘记的事情。早春时节，夜里的草场上下了点霜，一层薄雾笼罩在树林和草场上。我和其他的小马驹都在田野的低洼处吃草，听到很远处传来了像狗叫的声音。年纪较大的马驹仰起头，竖起耳朵，说：“那边有猎狗！”并且立即就跑开了，其余的小马驹也跟着它跑到了草场的高处，在那里我们可以越过树篱，看到那边几个不同的草场。妈妈和一批主人骑乘的老马也站在旁边，好像知道所发生的一切。“他们发现了一只野兔，”妈妈说，“如果他们朝着这边来，我们就能看到打猎了。”

很快，猎狗们就分散到了我们旁边的青青麦田中。我从来没有听过它们如此的叫声，不是吠，不是吼，也不是尖叫，而是扯足嗓门不断地发出“哟！哟，噢，噢！哟！哟，噢，噢！”的声音。在狗后面过来了一伙骑马的人，有几个穿着绿外套，都在全力奔跑。那匹老马喷着鼻息，热切地望着它们的背影，我们小马驹很想飞驰过去跟上他们，但是他们很快就离开并到了下面的低洼的田野里。它们好像突然停下了，猎狗也不叫了，鼻子贴着地面在路上跑来跑去。“它们闻不到气味了，”老马说，“说不定兔子已经逃脱了呢。”“什么兔子？”我说。“哦！我不知道是什么兔子，很有可能是从树林中跑出来的我们自己的兔子。不管什么兔子，只要它们发现了，被猎狗和人看到了就要在后面追。”不久，猎狗们再次发出了它们“哟！哟，噢，噢！”的声音，并且它们一起全速向我们的草场直奔过来，奔向小溪边高高堆积起来的树篱。“现在我们可以看到兔子了，”妈妈说。就在这时，一只受惊的兔子仓惶地窜了出来，向树林跑去。猎狗追上来了，它们冲出河岸，越过小溪，猎人们紧跟着猛地穿过了田野。6个或8个男人一跃而过，紧跟着前面的猎狗。兔子试图穿过栅栏，可是栅栏太密了，它猛地回转身冲向大路，但太晚了，猎狗带着它们野蛮的叫声扑了上去。我们听到一声尖叫，而那声尖叫也结束了兔子的性命。一个猎人赶上去赶走了猎狗，那些猎狗会很快将兔子撕成碎片的。猎人拿着兔子被撕裂的正在流血的腿拎起她，那些先生们似乎都很高兴。

而我完全惊呆了，起初还没明白河对岸到底发生了什么，但是当我仔细一看时，那场景简直惨不忍睹。两匹上等的马倒下了，一匹在小溪中努力挣扎着，而另一匹在草地上呻吟。其中一位骑手从河水中爬了上来，满身泥浆，另一个躺在地上一动也不动。“他的脖子断了。”妈妈说。“那是他活该。”一匹小马驹说。

我也是这样想的，但是妈妈不赞同我们。“不是的，”妈妈说，“你们不能那样说。虽然我是一匹老马，曾见过很多也听过很多事情，但是我始终没能明白，为什么那些男人如此喜欢这项运动。他们自己经常受伤，也经常糟蹋好马，还在草地上狂奔，但都是为了一只兔子或者一只狐狸，或者一只鹿，他们本可以用其他更为简单的方法获得。但我们只是马，我们不明白他们的做法。”

就在妈妈说这段话的时候，我们就站在那里看着。许多骑手奔向那个年轻人，而一直注视着所发生的一切的我们的主人第一个过去扶起了他。他的头向后耷拉着，双臂低垂着，看上去每个人都很严肃。没有一点声响，甚至连狗也安静了，就像知道有什么事情要发生了。他们将那个年轻人抬到了我主人的家里。过后我才听说那是年轻的乔治·戈登，乡绅戈登老爷唯一的儿子，一个英俊帅气的高个儿小伙儿，是他们全家的骄傲。

人们分头骑马离开，有找医生的，有找兽医的，也有去通知还不知道情况的戈登老爷，报告他儿子出了意外。兽医邦德先生来了，他过来看了那匹躺在草地上不断呻吟的黑马，将其全身都摸了一遍，摇摇头。那匹马的一条腿断了，然后有人跑去我们主人的家里拿来了一杆枪，很快，一声巨响和一声惨叫之后，一切都恢复了平静：那匹黑马再也不能动了。

妈妈看上去很伤心，她说她认识那匹马很多年了，它的名字叫“罗布·罗伊”，它是一匹好马，从来没有过坏心眼。从那以后，妈妈再也没有去过那个地方。

几天后，我们听到教堂的钟持续敲了很久，还看到大门外一辆长长的、很奇怪的黑色马车，用黑布盖着，几匹黑马拉着，后面跟着一辆又一辆的马车，都是黑色的，而钟声一直敲着，敲着。他们把年轻的戈登拉到墓地埋葬了，他永远也不能骑马了。我不知道他们是怎么处置罗布·罗伊的，但这一切都因为一只小兔子。

Chapter 3　My Breaking In

I was now beginning to grow handsome；my coat had grown fine and soft, and was bright black. I had one white foot and a pretty white star on my forehead.I was thought very handsome；my master would not sell me till I was four years old；he said lads ought not to work like men, and colts ought not to work like horses till they were quite grown up.When I was four years old Squire Gordon came to look at me.He examined my eyes, my mouth, and my legs；he felt them all down；and then I had to walk and trot and gallop before him. He seemed to like me, and said，“When he has been well broken in he will do very well.”My master said he would break me in himself, as he should not like me to be frightened or hurt, and he lost no time about it, for the next day he began.

Every one may not know what breaking in is, therefore I will describe it. It means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle, and to carry on his back a man, woman or child；to go just the way they wish, and to go qui-etly.Besides this he has to learn to wear a collar, a crupper, and a breech-ing, and to stand still while they are put on；then to have a cart or a chaise fixed behind, so that he cannot walk or trot without dragging it after him；and he must go fast or slow, just as his driver wishes.He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own；but always do his master’s will, even though he may be very tired or hungry；but the worst of all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy nor lie down for weariness.So you see this breaking in is a great thing.

I had of course long been used to a halter and a headstall, and to be led about in the fields and lanes quietly, but now I was to have a bit and bridle；my master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good deal of coaxing he got the bit into my mouth, and the bridle fixed, but it was a nasty thing！Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels；a great piece of cold hard steel as thick as a man’s finger to be pushed into one’s mouth, between one’s teeth, and over one’s tongue, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin；so that no way in the world can you get rid of the nasty hard thing；it is very bad！yes, very bad！at least I thought so；but I knew my mother always wore one when she went out, and all horses did when they were grown up；and so, what with the nice oats, and what with my master’s pats, kind words, and gentle ways, I got to wear my bit and bridle.

Next came the saddle, but that was not half so bad；my master put it on my back very gently, while old Daniel held my head；he then made the girths fast under my body, patting and talking to me all the time；then I had a few oats, then a little leading about；and this he did every day till I began to look for the oats and the saddle. At length, one morning, my master got on my back and rode me round the meadow on the soft grass.It certainly did feel queer；but I must say I felt rather proud to carry my master, and as he continued to ride me a little every day I soon became accustomed to it.

The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes；that too was very hard at first. My master went with me to the smith’s forge, to see that I was not hurt or got any fright.The blacksmith took my feet in his hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof.It did not pain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all.Then he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, and drove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly on.My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got used to it.

And now having got so far, my master went on to break me to harness；there were more new things to wear. First, a stiff heavy collar just on my neck, and a bridle with great side-pieces against my eyes called blinkers, and blinkers indeed they were, for I could not see on either side, but only straight in front of me；next, there was a small saddle with a nasty stiff strap that went right under my tail；that was the crupper.I hated the crupper；to have my long tail doubled up and poked through that strap was almost as bad as the bit.I never felt more like kicking, but of course I could not kick such a good master, and so in time I got used to everything, and could do my work as well as my mother.

I must not forget to mention one part of my training, which I have always considered a very great advantage. My master sent me for a fortnight to a neighboring farmer’s, who had a meadow which was skirted on one side by the railway.Here were some sheep and cows, and I was turned in among them.

I shall never forget the first train that ran by. I was feeding quietly near the pales which separated the meadow from the railway, when I heard a strange sound at a distance, and before I knew whence it came-with a rush and a clatter, and a puffing out of smoke-a long black train of some-thing flew by, and was gone almost before I could draw my breath. I turned and galloped to the further side of the meadow as fast as I could go, and there I stood snorting with astonishment and fear.In the course of the day many other trains went by, some more slowly；these drew up at the station close by, and sometimes made an awful shriek and groan before they stopped.I thought it very dreadful, but the cows went on eating very qui-etly, and hardly raised their heads as the black frightful thing came puffing and grinding past.

For the first few days I could not feed in peace；but as I found that this terrible creature never came into the field, or did me any harm, I began to disregard it, and very soon I cared as little about the passing of a train as the cows and sheep did.

Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed and restive at the sight or sound of a steam engine；but thanks to my good master’s care, I am as fearless at railway stations as in my own stable.

Now if any one wants to break in a young horse well, that is the way.

My master often drove me in double harness with my mother, be-cause she was steady and could teach me how to go better than a strange horse. She told me the better I behaved the better I should be treated, and that it was wisest always to do my best to please my master；“but，”said she，“there are a great many kinds of men；there are good thoughtful men like our master, that any horse may be proud to serve；and there are bad, cruel men, who never ought to have a horse or dog to call their own.Besides, there are a great many foolish men, vain, ignorant, and careless, who never trouble themselves to think；these spoil more horses than all, just for want of sense；they don’t mean it, but they do it for all that.I hope you will fall into good hands；but a horse never knows who may buy him, or who may drive him；it is all a chance for us；but still I say, do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name.”

第3章　调教

我长得越来越英俊，毛细密柔软，乌黑发亮，我有一只蹄子是白色的，额头上还有一颗漂亮的白色星斑。人们都认为我很英俊，主人不愿意将我卖掉，想一直把我养到4岁，他说孩子不能像大人一样干活，小马驹在还没有长大时，也不能像成年马那样干活。

当我4岁的时候，戈登老爷来看我了，他仔细检查着我的眼睛，我的嘴巴，和我的四条腿，他整个摸了一遍，然后就让我在他前面走、小跑和快跑，他似乎很喜欢我，说：“等把它调教好了，它肯定是一匹优秀的马。”我的主人说他要亲自调教我，他不会让我受到惊吓或伤害，他没有延迟时间，第二天他就开始调教我了。

可能有人不明白调教是什么意思，因此我就来描述一下。调教就是训练一匹马学会戴马鞍和笼头，能够把一个男人、女人或者是孩子驮回来，去他们想去的地方，安静地听从他们的吩咐。除了这些以外，还要适应戴颈圈、牵鞍兜带和尻带，并且在他们给戴的时候要静静地站在原地不动。然后还要拉上一辆运货的马车或者一辆有两个轮子的轻便马车，不能自己走、小跑或者快跑，快慢必须要听从赶车人的要求。看到什么东西后不能惊慌，也不能跟其他的马讲话，不能咬，不能踢，也不能依照自己的意愿，而是一直遵照主人的意愿，即便在很累、很饿的时候也不例外。但最糟糕的是，一旦被套上马具，高兴了不能跳，疲倦了不能躺下。这样你就明白了，调教是一件很重要的事情。

当然了，我早就习惯了戴缰绳和笼头，也习惯了被人牵着在田里和小路上静静地走，不过现在我要佩戴嚼头和辔头了。主人像往常一样给了我一些燕麦，在进行了一番好言哄劝之后，他把嚼子塞进了我的嘴里，把辔头也固定好了，但这真是一件令人讨厌的事！嘴里没有被塞过嚼子的人，根本无法想象塞着它是如何的难受，那是一大段又凉又硬的钢棍啊，就像男人的手指那么粗，使劲塞进你的嘴里，卡在上下牙之间，压在你的舌头上面，钢棍的两头从你的嘴角伸出来，用带子牢牢地固定，绕过头顶，穿过喉咙处，又横过鼻子，卡在下巴下，因此你无论如何也不可能甩掉那个讨厌的硬东西。太糟糕了，是的，非常糟糕，至少我是这么认为的。但是我知道，妈妈出门的时候都要戴着它，所有的马长大后都要戴着它，而且，因为有好吃的燕麦，有主人轻轻地拍打和亲切的话语，以及温和的动作，我还是戴上了嚼子和辔头。

接着是马鞍，不过倒是不难受，丹尼尔老人拽着我的头，主人则轻轻地将马鞍扣在我的背上，然后一边迅速地将肚带紧紧套在我身体的下面，一边不断轻轻拍打我，和我说话。我吃了些燕麦，被拉出去走了走。主人每天都这样做，直到我开始寻找燕麦和马鞍。

最后，一天早上，主人骑到我背上，在柔软的青草地上走了一圈。这种感觉确实奇怪，但我必须得说，驮着主人让我倍感自豪。主人每天都会骑上我走一会儿，我很快就适应了。

接下来一件很讨厌的事就是钉蹄铁，起初也是非常难受。主人带我到了铁匠铺，留心不让我受到伤害或惊吓。铁匠把我的蹄子托在手上，将蹄掌上面的一层角质削掉。这样做没有让我痛苦，所以我就用三条腿站着，直到他将所有的蹄掌都削了一遍。然后他拿过一块和我的蹄子形状一样的铁，把它急速地安在我的蹄子上，并穿过马蹄铁将几个钉子钉到我的蹄子里，这样马蹄铁就被牢牢地钉上了。我的脚感觉硬邦邦、沉甸甸的，但是过了一段时间，我就习惯了。

这还不算完，我的主人又继续调教我戴马具，这里有更多的新东西要戴。首先是一个僵硬、沉重的颈圈，套在了我的脖子上，又给我戴上了辔头，辔头的两侧，各带着一大块叫做眼罩的东西，挡着我的双眼。眼罩的确发挥了它们的作用，因为我不能看到两边的部分，只能看到我前面的直线部分。接着还有一个带着一根硬皮带的小马鞍，这根皮带正好从我的尾巴下面穿过去。这就是牵鞍兜带，我讨厌牵鞍兜带，我的长尾巴向上对叠着，穿过那根和嚼子一样讨厌的带子。我从来没觉得这么想踢人，当然了，我不可能去踢如此善良的主人，并且过了一段时间，我就都习惯了，而且干起活来和我妈妈一样好。

我必须要讲讲训练中一段难忘的经历，它让我受益匪浅。主人把我送到了附近的农场主那里待了两个星期，那个农场主有一片紧挨着铁路的草场，有一些绵羊和奶牛生活在草场上，我被留在了它们中间。

我怎么也不会忘记我第一次看到火车飞驰而过的情景。我正在静静地吃草，就在隔开铁路和草场的栅栏旁边，这时我听到一种奇怪的声音从远处传来，还没容我弄清楚这声音从什么地方而来，它就来了——它冲过来，发出一种“咔嗒，咔嗒”的声音，喷着烟——一列长长的黑色火车疾驰而过，还没等我喘过气来，它就不见了。我掉头以最快的速度跑到草场的另一边，站在那里，我喘着粗气，又惊又怕。每天都有一些火车经过，有些要慢得多，它们慢慢地驶进附近的火车站，在停车前，有时会发出一种尖叫声和一种“嘎吱，嘎吱”声。我害怕极了，但是奶牛们都安然无恙地静静地吃着草，在那个令人惊悚的黑东西，喷着烟，发着刺耳的摩擦声开过的时候，它们甚至连脑袋都不抬一下。

开始几天，我心神不宁，吃不下草，不过后来我发现这种可怕的家伙不会进到草场来，也不会对我造成任何伤害，我开始不把它放在心上了，而且很快，我就和母牛和绵羊一样，对飞驰而过的火车不在意了。

后来，我看到很多马在看到蒸汽机车或者听到蒸汽机车发出的声音时就惊慌失措，不敢再向前走了，多亏善良的主人对我的悉心培养，我在火车站一点也不害怕了，就像在自己的马厩里一样。

现在如果有谁想要把小马驹调教好的话，就照这个办法去做吧。

主人经常用双马具套上我和妈妈拉车，因为妈妈很稳重，而且与陌生的马相比，妈妈更适合教我如何把车拉好。妈妈告诉我，我做得好，人们对我就好，还告诉我，一直都让主人满意是最明智的做法。“但是，”她说，“人有很多种：有善良的人，就像我们的主人一样，为这样的人卖力，任何马都会感到自豪；也有心肠不好、残酷无情的人，他们不配拥有马或狗去使唤。此外，还有许多人愚蠢、虚荣、无知，还粗心，他们从来不动脑筋，为了满足他们想要的，糟蹋的好马比任何人都多。虽然他们并不是有意的，但他们就是这样做了。我希望你能遇到一个好心肠的人，但是马永远也不知道谁会买走他，或者谁会驾驭他，全要靠运气了。不过我还是要说，无论你在哪儿，都要尽全力做好，以保住你的好名声。”

Chapter 4　Birtwick Park

At this time I used to stand in the stable and my coat was brushed ev-ery day till it shone like a rook’s wing. It was early in May, when there came a man from Squire Gordon’s, who took me away to the hall.My master said，“Good-by, Darkie；be a good horse, and always do your best.”I could not say“good-by”，so I put my nose into his hand；he patted me kindly, and I left my first home.As I lived some years with Squire Gordon, I may as well tell something about the place.

Squire Gordon’s park skirted the village of Birtwick. It was entered by a large iron gate, at which stood the first lodge, and then you trotted a-long on a smooth road between clumps of large old trees；then another lodge and another gate, which brought you to the house and the gardens.Beyond this lay the home paddock, the old orchard, and the stables.There was accommodation for many horses and carriages；but I need only describe the stable into which I was taken；this was very roomy, with four good stalls；a large swinging window opened into the yard, which made it pleas-ant and airy.

The first stall was a large square one, shut in behind with a wooden gate；the others were common stalls, good stalls, but not nearly so large；it had a low rack for hay and a low manger for corn；it was called a loose box, because the horse that was put into it was not tied up, but left loose, to do as he liked. It is a great thing to have a loose box.

Into this fine box the groom put me；it was clean, sweet, and airy. I never was in a better box than that, and the sides were not so high but that I could see all that went on through the iron rails that were at the top.

He gave me some very nice oats, he patted me, spoke kindly, and then went away.

When I had eaten my corn I looked round. In the stall next to mine stood a little fat gray pony, with a thick mane and tail, a very pretty head, and a pert little nose.

I put my head up to the iron rails at the top of my box, and said，“How do you do？What is your name？”

He turned round as far as his halter would allow, held up his head, and said，“My name is Merrylegs. I am very handsome；I carry the young ladies on my back, and sometimes I take our mistress out in the low chair.They think a great deal of me, and so does James.Are you going to live next door to me in the box？”

I said，“Yes.”

“Well, then，”he said，“I hope you are good-tempered；I do not like any one next door who bites.”

Just then a horse’s head looked over from the stall beyond；the ears were laid back, and the eye looked rather ill-tempered. This was a tall chestnut mare, with a long handsome neck.She looked across to me and said：

“So it is you who have turned me out of my box；it is a very strange thing for a colt like you to come and turn a lady out of her own home.”

“I beg your pardon，”I said，“I have turned no one out；the man who brought me put me here, and I had nothing to do with it；and as to my being a colt, I am turned four years old and am a grown-up horse. I never had words yet with horse or mare, and it is my wish to live at peace.”

“Well，”she said，“we shall see. Of course, I do not want to have words with a young thing like you.”I said no more.

In the afternoon, when she went out, Merrylegs told me all about it.

“The thing is this，”said Merrylegs.“Ginger has a bad habit of biting and snapping；that is why they call her Ginger, and when she was in the loose box she used to snap very much. One day she bit James in the arm and made it bleed, and so Miss Flora and Miss Jessie, who are very fond of me, were afraid to come into the stable.They used to bring me nice things to eat, an apple or a carrot, or a piece of bread, but after Ginger stood in that box they dared not come, and I missed them very much. I hope they will now come again, if you do not bite or snap.”

I told him I never bit anything but grass, hay, and corn, and could not think what pleasure Ginger found it.

“Well, I don’t think she does find pleasure，”says Merrylegs；“it is just a bad habit；she says no one was ever kind to her, and why should she not bite？Of course, it is a very bad habit；but I am sure, if all she says be true, she must have been very ill-used before she came here. John does all he can to please her, and James does all he can, and our master never uses a whip if a horse acts right；so I think she might be good-tempered here.You see，”he said, with a wise look，“I am twelve years old；I know a great deal, and I can tell you there is not a better place for a horse all round the country than this.John is the best groom that ever was；he has been here fourteen years；and you never saw such a kind boy as James is；so that it is all Ginger’s own fault that she did not stay in that box.”

第4章　波特维克庄园

我已经习惯了站在马厩里，我的皮毛每天被梳理得如同乌鸦的翅膀一样乌黑发亮。5月初，从戈登老爷家来的一个人带我到大门口。主人说：“再见了，小黑，做匹出色的马，永远要尽全力做好。”我不能说“再见”，因此我将鼻子伸向了他的手，他轻柔地拍拍我，然后我就离开了我的第一个家。由于我在戈登老爷家住了好几年，因此我还是要好好讲讲有关这个地方的情况。

戈登老爷的庄园在波特维克村庄的边上，进入一道大铁门，第一座门房坐落在那里，然后一直沿着一条两侧有古树林的平坦小路慢跑，很快你又过了另一座门房和另一道大门，这扇门通向宅院和花园。再往前就是跑马场、果园和马厩。这里可以容纳许多马和马车。不过我只想描述一下我住的那个马厩。这是一个很宽敞的马厩，里面有4个不错的栏舍，一扇双开的大窗户朝着院子的方向敞开着，让马厩既舒适又通风。

第一间栏舍很大很宽敞，方方正正。其他几间是普通的栏舍，不过也很好，只是没有那么大。在我的栏舍中有个放干草的矮饲料架，还有一个拌谷料的马槽。这种栏舍叫散放圈，住在里面的马不用被拴着，可以自由地做它想做的事。住在散放圈中真是很了不起的一件事。

马夫把我拉进了这间舒适的散放圈，干净、温馨，还通风。我从来不曾住过这么好的圈，而且墙也不高，透过最高的铁栏杆，我可以看到所发生的一切事情。

马夫给我吃了一些非常好吃的燕麦，拍拍我，并亲切地说了说话，就离开了。

吃完谷料，我环顾了四周。隔壁的栏舍里住着一匹胖胖的小灰马，长着浓密的鬃毛和尾巴，还长了一个非常漂亮的脑袋和一个灵巧的小鼻子。

我将脑袋放在散放圈顶部的铁栏杆上，说：“你好！你叫什么名字？”

它想一下子转过身来，但笼头牵制了它的头，它说：“我叫乐腿儿。我很英俊。负责驮年轻的小姐们，有时我会用轻便的马车拉女主人外出。她们都很喜欢我，詹姆斯也喜欢我。你以后就要在我隔壁这间散放圈住下来了吗？”“是的。”我回答。“嗯，那么，”他说，“我希望你脾气温顺，我可不喜欢咬人的马住在我隔壁。”

就在这时，一个马脑袋从那边的栏舍里探出来，耳朵向后背着，目光看上去还很凶狠。这是一匹高大的栗色的母马，有着美丽修长的脖子。它朝我看过来，说：“原来是你将我赶出了散放圈。像你这样的一匹小马驹，来了就把一位女士赶出它自己的家，难道不让人觉得很奇怪吗？”“请您原谅，”我说，“我没有把谁赶出去，马夫领我来让我住在了这里，我什么也没做。对于你说我是一匹小马驹，我已经4岁了，是一匹成年马了。我还从来不曾和成年的公马、母马吵过架，我希望能和和气气地生活。”“好吧，”它说，“咱们走着瞧！当然，我压根儿也没想和你这样一个小马驹吵架。”

我没再说什么。

下午它出去的时候，乐腿儿跟我讲了所有关于它的故事。“事情是这样的，”乐腿儿说，“生姜有咬人、啃人的坏习惯，这也是为什么人们叫它生姜的原因。它住在散放圈里时，就会乱咬。一天，它把詹姆斯的胳膊咬出了血，害得非常喜欢我的弗洛拉小姐和杰西小姐都不敢进我的马厩了，她们经常带好吃的东西给我——一个苹果、一根胡萝卜，或者是一片面包。但是自从生姜住进散放圈后，她们就不敢来了，我很想念她们。如果你不咬人、啃人的话，我想她们现在就能来。”

我告诉它，除了青草、干草和谷物外，其他的我什么都不咬，而且我也想不明白，生姜能从咬人中获得什么乐趣。“嗨，我认为它并不是要从中寻找什么乐趣，”乐腿儿说，“只是一个坏习惯而已。它说，没有人对它好过，它为什么不能去咬人？当然这是一个不好的习惯，不过我可以肯定，如果它说的都是实话，那它来这里之前一定受过虐待。约翰和詹姆斯想方设法让它高兴，而且对于规规矩矩的马，主人也从来不用鞭子。所以我想它在这里，脾气应该能变好。你瞧，”它带着很明事理的神情说，“我已经12岁了，我知道很多事情，我可以告诉你，在全国范围内再也找不到比这里更好的地方了。约翰是个非常出色的马夫，在这里已经有14年了，詹姆斯也是十分难得的和善的小伙子。所以，生姜不能待在那间散放圈中，完全要怪它自己了。”

Chapter 5　A Fair Start

The name of the coachman was John Manly；he had a wife and one little child, and they lived in the coachman’s cottage, very near the stables.

The next morning he took me into the yard and gave me a good grooming, and just as I was going into my box, with my coat soft and bright, the squire came in to look at me, and seemed pleased.“John，”he said，“I meant to have tried the new horse this morning, but I have other business. You may as well take him around after breakfast；go by the com-mon and the Highwood, and back by the watermill and the river；that will show his paces.”

“I will, sir，”said John. After breakfast he came and fitted me with a bridle. He was very particular in letting out and taking in the straps, to fit my head comfortably；then he brought a saddle, but it was not broad e-nough for my back；he saw it in a minute and went for another, which fit-ted nicely.He rode me first slowly, then a trot, then a canter, and when we were on the common he gave me a light touch with his whip, and we had a splendid gallop.

“Ho, ho！my boy，”he said, as he pulled me up，“you would like to follow the hounds, I think.”

As we came back through the park we met the Squire and Mrs. Gor-don walking；they stopped, and John jumped off.

“Well, John, how does he go？”

“First-rate, sir，”answered John；“he is as fleet as a deer, and has a fine spirit too；but the lightest touch of the rein will guide him. Down at the end of the common we met one of those traveling carts hung all over with baskets, rugs, and such like；you know, sir, many horses will not pass those carts quietly；he just took a good look at it, and then went on as quiet and pleasant as could be.They were shooting rabbits near the Highwood, and a gun went off close by；he pulled up a little and looked, but did not stir a step to right or left.I just held the rein steady and did not hurry him, and it’s my opinion he has not been frightened or ill-used while he was young.”

“That’s well，”said the squire，“I will try him myself to-morrow.”

The next day I was brought up for my master. I remembered my mother’s counsel and my good old master’s, and I tried to do exactly what he wanted me to do.I found he was a very good rider, and thoughtful for his horse too.When he came home the lady was at the hall door as he rode up.

“Well, my dear，”she said，“how do you like him？”

“He is exactly what John said，”he replied；“a pleasanter creature I never wish to mount. What shall we call him？”

“Would you like Ebony？”said she；“he is as black as ebony.”

“No, not Ebony.”

“Will you call him Blackbird, like your uncle’s old horse？”

“No, he is far handsomer than old Blackbird ever was.”

“Yes，”she said，“he is really quite a beauty, and he has such a sweet, good-tempered face, and such a fine, intelligent eye-what do you say to calling him Black Beauty？”

“Black Beauty-why, yes, I think that is a very good name. If you like it shall be his name；”and so it was.

When John went into the stable he told James that master and mistress had chosen a good, sensible English name for me, that meant something；not like Marengo, or Pegasus, or Abdallah. They both laughed, and James said，“If it was not for bringing back the past, I should have named him Rob Roy, for I never saw two horses more alike.”

“That’s no wonder，”said John；“didn’t you know that Farmer Grey’s old Duchess was the mother of them both？”

I had never heard that before；and so poor Rob Roy who was killed at that hunt was my brother！I did not wonder that my mother was so trou-bled. It seems that horses have no relations；at least they never know each other after they are sold.

John seemed very proud of me；he used to make my mane and tail al-most as smooth as a lady’s hair, and he would talk to me a great deal；of course I did not understand all he said, but I learned more and more to know what he meant, and what he wanted me to do. I grew very fond of him, he was so gentle and kind；he seemed to know just how a horse feels, and when he cleaned me he knew the tender places and the ticklish places；when he brushed my head he went as carefully over my eyes as if they were his own, and never stirred up any ill-temper.

James Howard, the stable boy, was just as gentle and pleasant in his way, so I thought myself well off. There was another man who helped in the yard, but he had very little to do with Ginger and me.

A few days after this I had to go out with Ginger in the carriage. I wondered how we should get on together；but except laying her ears back when I was led up to her, she behaved very well. She did her work hon-estly, and did her full share, and I never wish to have a better partner in double harness.When we came to a hill, instead of slackening her pace, she would throw her weight right into the collar, and pull away straight up.We had both the same sort of courage at our work, and John had oftener to hold us in than to urge us forward；he never had to use the whip with ei-ther of us；then our paces were much the same, and I found it very easy to keep step with her when trotting, which made it pleasant, and master al-ways liked it when we kept step well, and so did John.After we had been out two or three times together we grew quite friendly and sociable, which made me feel very much at home.

As for Merrylegs, he and I soon became great friends；he was such a cheerful, plucky, good-tempered little fellow that he was a favorite with every one, and especially with Miss Jessie and Flora, who used to ride him about in the orchard, and have fine games with him and their little dog Frisky.

Our master had two other horses that stood in another stable. One was Justice, a roan cob, used for riding or for the luggage cart；the other was an old brown hunter, named Sir Oliver；he was past work now, but was a great favorite with the master, who gave him the run of the park；he sometimes did a little light carting on the estate, or carried one of the young ladies when they rode out with their father, for he was very gentle and could be trusted with a child as well as Merrylegs.The cob was a strong, well-made, good-tempered horse, and we sometimes had a little chat in the paddock, but of course I could not be so intimate with him as with Ginger, who stood in the same stable.

第5章　美好的开端

马夫名叫约翰·曼利，他和妻子，还有一个孩子住在马夫的小屋中，距离马厩非常近。

第二天早上，约翰把我带到院子里，将我好好梳理了一番，将我的皮毛梳理得柔软光亮，就在我要回散放圈的时候，戈登老爷来看我了，看上去他很满意。“约翰，”他说，“我本打算上午试试这匹新马，可我还有别的事情要做。吃过早饭后，你带它出去转一转吧。出去的时候，沿着公路和乔木林走，回来的时候经过水磨坊，沿着小河走，这样就能看看它的速度了。”“我会照办的，先生。”约翰说。吃过早饭后，他来给我戴上了辔头，他很仔细地调整那些皮带，辔头戴在我的头上又合适又舒服。然后他拿来一副马鞍，但马鞍有些窄，他看了一下马鞍，又去拿另一副，这回正好合适。他先是慢慢地骑着我走，然后就小跑起来，接着又慢跑起来，到了公路上，他用鞭子轻轻碰了碰我，我们就飞奔了起来。“吁，吁！好小子，”他一边说着一边勒住我停了下来，“我想，你肯定喜欢追猎狗。”

我们穿过庄园往回走的时候，遇到了正在散步的戈登老爷和夫人。他们停住脚步，约翰从我身上跳下来。“嘿，约翰，它跑得怎么样？”“棒极了，先生。”约翰回答说，“它就像小鹿一样敏捷，也很有悟性，只用缰绳轻轻地带一带他，就能引导他。我们走到公路尽头时，遇到了一辆旅行货车，车上载满了篮子、毛毯之类的货物。你知道的，先生，从那种大车旁边过时，很多马都安静不下来，而它只不过看了看旅行货车，然后就很安静、轻松地接着往前走了。有人正在乔木林附近打兔子，有一枪就是在很近的地方打响的。它停了一会儿，看了看，但它没受影响，脚步一点也没偏移。我稳住缰绳，没有催赶它，我觉得它小时候不曾受过惊吓或虐待。”“很好，”戈登老爷说，“明天我要亲自试试它。”

第二天，我被带到了主人跟前，我记起了妈妈与温和的老主人的叮嘱，努力按照主人的意思全力去做。我发现主人是一个很棒的骑手，并且很懂得为他的马着想。我们回到家的时候，夫人正站在门口，看着主人骑着我走了过去。“嗨，亲爱的。”她说，“你觉得它怎么样？”“约翰说的一点儿没错，亲爱的，”主人回答说，“我从来没想到还有这样令人愉快的坐骑呢。我们该叫它什么呢？”“你觉得黑檀木怎么样？”她说，“它就像黑檀木一样黑。”“不，不叫黑檀木。”“那叫它黑鸟，和你叔叔那匹老马叫一个名字？”“不，从哪方面比，它都要比黑鸟英俊帅气得多。”“是啊，”她说，“它真的很漂亮，面孔温顺恬静，眼睛明亮又充满灵气——你觉得叫它黑骏马如何？”“黑骏马——嗯，好，我觉得这名字好。要是你喜欢，就这么叫它吧。”这就是我名字的由来。

约翰走进马厩告诉詹姆斯，主人和女主人已经给我起了一个大方好听还很有意思的名字，不像马伦戈、帕加索斯或阿卜达拉这样的名字。

他们俩都大笑起来，詹姆斯说：“要不是不愿意提起往事，我真的很想叫它罗布·罗伊呢，因为我从来没见过如此像的两匹马。”“这没什么可奇怪的，”约翰说，“你不知道格雷农场主那匹叫女公爵的老马是它们俩的妈妈吗？”

我以前从没听说过这件事，原来那匹被杀死的可怜的罗布·罗伊是我的哥哥！怪不得妈妈那么难受。马似乎不讲亲情，至少被卖了之后就再也不认识了。

约翰看上去很为我自豪：他习惯将我的鬃毛、尾巴梳理得非常平滑，几乎都和女士们的头发一样平滑了，他还常常跟我说话。当然，我不能完全听懂他说的话，不过我越来越懂他话的意思，也越来越清楚他想要我做什么。

我越来越喜欢他，因为他是如此的和蔼可亲，他很清楚马的感受，在为我清洁的时候，他知道我的敏感部位和怕痒的地方。在给我梳理头部的时候，他很小心地拂过我的眼睛，就像那是他自己的眼睛一样，而且他从来不发脾气。

詹姆斯·霍华德，马厩的小伙计，也同样温和、可爱，所以我觉得自己过得很幸福。还有一个男人在院子里帮忙，不过他很少与我和生姜打交道。

过了几天，我不得不和生姜一起拉着四轮车外出，我真不知道该怎么与它和睦相处。但是我被拉到它跟前时，除了将耳朵向后贴了贴，它表现得都很好。

它干活很实在，竭尽全力地干，而戴上双马具后，我觉得它就是我最好的搭档了。上坡时，它丝毫没有懈怠，而是将全力都放在了颈圈上，使劲往坡上拉。我们有着同样的干劲，约翰经常不得不勒住我们，而不是催促我们前进，他从来不对我们用鞭子。我们的步伐一致，我还发现小跑的时候很容易跟上生姜，这让拉车变得很有趣，主人一直都很喜欢我们齐整的步伐，约翰也是。当我们一起出去了两三次之后，就变得很友好、很融洽了，这让我觉得像在家一样自在。

而乐腿儿，我们很快就成了好朋友，它快乐、勇敢、脾气也好，大家都很喜欢它，特别是杰西小姐和弗洛拉小姐，她们经常骑着乐腿儿去果园，与乐腿儿和她们的活泼的小狗欢欢一起玩。

主人还有两匹马，住在另一间马厩里。其中一匹叫加斯蒂，是一匹用来骑乘或拉行李车的灰色短腿马。另一匹是狩猎用的褐色老马，叫奥利弗爵士。它已经不用再干活了，主人最喜欢它，让它在庄园里自由地活动。

有时候，它也在庄园内做一点运送轻巧东西的活，或者驮上一位年轻的小姐跟戈登老爷一起外出。它也很温顺，可以像对待乐腿儿那样将孩子们托付给它。

那匹矮腿马结实、强壮，脾气也很温和，有时候我们会在小牧场上聊会儿天，不过跟生姜相比，我和它没有那么亲近，毕竟生姜和我同住在一间马厩里。

Chapter 6　Liberty

I was quite happy in my new place, and if there was one thing that I missed it must not be thought I was discontented；all who had to do with me were good and I had a light airy stable and the best of food. What more could I want？Why, liberty！For three years and a half of my life I had had all the liberty I could wish for；but now, week after week, month after month, and no doubt year after year, I must stand up in a stable night and day except when I am wanted, and then I must be just as steady and quiet as any old horse who has worked twenty years.Straps here and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and blinkers over my eyes.Now, I am not complaining, for I know it must be so.I only mean to say that for a young horse full of strength and spirits, who has been used to some large field or plain where he can fling up his head and toss up his tail and gallop away at full speed, then round and back again with a snort to his companions-I say it is hard never to have a bit more liberty to do as you like.Sometimes, when I have had less exercise than usual, I have felt so full of life and spring that when John has taken me out to exercise I really could not keep quiet；do what I would, it seemed as if I must jump, or dance, or prance, and many a good shake I know I must have given him, especially at the first；but he was al-ways good and patient.

“Steady, steady, my boy，”he would say；“wait a bit, and we will have a good swing, and soon get the tickle out of your feet.”Then as soon as we were out of the village, he would give me a few miles at a spanking trot, and then bring me back as fresh as before, only clear of the fidgets, as he called them. Spirited horses, when not enough exercised, are often called skittish, when it is only play；and some grooms will punish them, but our John did not；he knew it was only high spirits.Still, he had his own ways of making me understand by the tone of his voice or the touch of the rein. If he was very serious and quite determined, I always knew it by his voice, and that had more power with me than anything else, for I was very fond of him.

I ought to say that sometimes we had our liberty for a few hours；this used to be on fine Sundays in the summer-time. The carriage never went out on Sundays, because the church was not far off.

It was a great treat to us to be turned out into the home paddock or the old orchard；the grass was so cool and soft to our feet, the air so sweet, and the freedom to do as we liked was so pleasant-to gallop, to lie down, and roll over on our backs, or to nibble the sweet grass. Then it was a very good time for talking, as we stood together under the shade of the large chestnut tree.

第6章　自由

我在这个新家生活得非常快乐，要说还缺点什么的话，绝对不是对现在的生活不满足。与我接触过的所有人都很和善，我住在明亮通风的马厩中，还吃着最好的食物。我还有什么可想的呢？唉，自由！三年半时间里，我一直生活得自由自在。如今，我不得不一周又一周，一个月又一个月，不用说，以后还要一年又一年地待在马厩里，除非有人要我去干活，而干活的时候，我必须要像一匹干了20年的老马一样稳当、安静。这里是带子，那里也是带子，嘴里还有一个马嚼子，双眼上蒙着眼罩。现在我并不是在抱怨什么，我知道事情必须就是这样的。我只是想说，一匹充满活力、年轻力壮的马，习惯于在旷野中晃着脑袋，摆着尾巴，在旷野上来回飞奔着，对着自己的同伴喷喷鼻息——我的意思是，没有一丁点儿的自由去做自己想做的事，实在是太难受了。有时，当活动量比平常少的时候，我觉得自己充满了活力。约翰带我出去活动的时候，我实在没办法安静下来。我实在想做我想做的事，觉得好像非得蹦跳、腾跃才行。我知道约翰在我身上被颠得很厉害，但他一直保持和善、耐心。“稳住，稳住，我的孩子，”他会这么说，“等一小会儿，我们就可以痛快地跑了，很快就可以给你的蹄子解解痒了。”然后，我们很快出了村子，他让我爽快地跑了好几英里，带我回来的时候，我又像以前一样神清气爽了，将我的急躁都跑掉了，约翰是这么说的。一些精力旺盛的马，活动量不够的话，经常被认为是不安分的马，实际上那只是在玩，有些马夫则会惩罚他们，但是我们的约翰不这样做，他清楚那不过是精力旺盛的表现。然而，他会用他自己的方法，通过语气或拽一拽缰绳，让我明白他的意思。当他态度坚决、严肃认真的时候，我能从他的声音里听出来，这比任何方法都管用，因为我非常喜欢他。

必须承认，有的时候，我们也是有几个小时的自由的，一般是在夏天晴朗的礼拜天。马车从来不会在礼拜天出门，因为教堂就在不远处。对我们来说，待在庄园的马场和果园里真是件惬意的事。青草在我们脚下是如此的清凉、柔软，空气是如此的清新，我们自由地去做我们想做的事——飞奔、躺下、打几个滚，还可以吃几口嫩青草——太好吃了。然后，我们一起站在大栗子树下面乘凉，利用这段非常愉快的时间聊聊天。

Chapter 7　Ginger

One day when Ginger and I were standing alone in the shade, we had a great deal of talk；she wanted to know all about my bringing up and breaking in, and I told her.

“Well，”said she，“if I had had your bringing up I might have had as good a temper as you, but now I don’t believe I ever shall.”

“Why not？”I said.

“Because it has been all so different with me，”she replied.“I never had any one, horse or man, that was kind to me, or that I cared to please, for in the first place I was taken from my mother as soon as I was weaned, and put with a lot of other young colts；none of them cared for me, and I cared for none of them. There was no kind master like yours to look after me, and talk to me, and bring me nice things to eat.The man that had the care of us never gave me a kind word in my life.I do not mean that he ill-used me, but he did not care for us one bit further than to see that we had plenty to eat, and shelter in the winter. A footpath ran through our field, and very often the great boys passing through would fling stones to make us gallop.I was never hit, but one fine young colt was badly cut in the face, and I should think it would be a scar for life.We did not care for them, but of course it made us more wild, and we settled it in our minds that boys were our enemies.We had very good fun in the free meadows, galloping up and down and chasing each other round and round the field；then standing still under the shade of the trees.But when it came to break-ing in, that was a bad time for me；several men came to catch me, and when at last they closed me in at one corner of the field, one caught me by the forelock, another caught me by the nose and held it so tight I could hardly draw my breath；then another took my under jaw in his hard hand and wrenched my mouth open, and so by force they got on the halter and the bar into my mouth；then one dragged me along by the halter, another flogging behind, and this was the first experience I had of men’s kindness；it was all force.They did not give me a chance to know what they wanted.I was high bred and had a great deal of spirit, and was very wild, no doubt, and gave them, I dare say, plenty of trouble, but then it was dreadful to be shut up in a stall day after day instead of having my liberty, and I fretted and pined and wanted to get loose.You know yourself it’s bad enough when you have a kind master and plenty of coaxing, but there was nothing of that sort for me.

“There was one-the old master, Mr. Ryder-who, I think, could soon have brought me round, and could have done anything with me；but he had given up all the hard part of the trade to his son and to another ex-perienced man, and he only came at times to oversee.His son was a strong, tall, bold man；they called him Samson, and he used to boast that he had never found a horse that could throw him.There was no gentleness in him, as there was in his father, but only hardness, a hard voice, a hard eye, a hard hand；and I felt from the first that what he wanted was to wear all the spirit out of me, and just make me into a quiet, humble, obedient piece of horseflesh.‘Horseflesh！’Yes, that is all that he thought about，”and Ginger stamped her foot as if the very thought of him made her angry. Then she went on：“If I did not do exactly what he wanted he would get put out, and make me run round with that long rein in the training field till he had tired me out.I think he drank a good deal, and I am quite sure that the oftener he drank the worse it was for me.One day he had worked me hard in ev-ery way he could, and when I lay down I was tired, and miserable, and an-gry；it all seemed so hard.The next morning he came for me early, and ran me round again for a long time.I had scarcely had an hour’s rest, when he came again for me with a saddle and bridle and a new kind of bit.I could never quite tell how it came about；he had only just mounted me on the training ground, when something I did put him out of temper, and he chucked me hard with the rein.The new bit was very painful, and I reared up suddenly, which angered him still more, and he began to flog me.I felt my whole spirit set against him, and I began to kick, and plunge, and rear as I had never done before, and we had a regular fight；for a long time he stuck to the saddle and punished me cruelly with his whip and spurs, but my blood was thoroughly up, and I cared for nothing he could do if only I could get him off.At last after a terrible struggle I threw him off backward.I heard him fall heavily on the turf, and without looking behind me, I gal-loped off to the other end of the field；there I turned round and saw my persecutor slowly rising from the ground and going into the stable.I stood under an oak tree and watched, but no one came to catch me.The time went on, and the sun was very hot；the flies swarmed round me and settled on my bleeding flanks where the spurs had dug in.I felt hungry, for I had not eaten since the early morning, but there was not enough grass in that meadow for a goose to live on.I wanted to lie down and rest, but with the saddle strapped tightly on there was no comfort, and there was not a drop of water to drink.The afternoon wore on, and the sun got low.I saw the other colts led in, and I knew they were having a good feed.

“At last, just as the sun went down, I saw the old master come out with a sieve in his hand. He was a very fine old gentleman with quite white hair, but his voice was what I should know him by among a thousand. It was not high, nor yet low, but full, and clear, and kind, and when he gave orders it was so steady and decided that every one knew, both horses and men, that he expected to be obeyed.He came quietly along, now and then shaking the oats about that he had in the sieve, and speaking cheerfully and gently to me：‘Come along, lassie, come along, lassie；come along, come along.’I stood still and let him come up；he held the oats to me, and I be-gan to eat without fear；his voice took all my fear away.He stood by, pat-ting and stroking me while I was eating, and seeing the clots of blood on my side he seemed very vexed.‘Poor lassie！it was a bad business, a bad business；’then he quietly took the rein and led me to the stable；just at the door stood Samson.I laid my ears back and snapped at him.‘Stand back，’said the master，‘and keep out of her way；you’ve done a bad day’s work for this filly.’He growled out something about a vicious brute.‘Hark ye，’said the father，‘a bad-tempered man will never make a good-tempered horse.You’ve not learned your trade yet, Samson.’Then he led me into my box, took off the saddle and bridle with his own hands, and tied me up；then he called for a pail of warm water and a sponge, took off his coat, and while the stable-man held the pail, he sponged my sides a good while, so tenderly that I was sure he knew how sore and bruised they were.‘Whoa！my pretty one，’he said，‘stand still, stand still.’His very voice did me good, and the bathing was very comfortable.The skin was so broken at the corners of my mouth that I could not eat the hay, the stalks hurt me.He looked closely at it, shook his head, and told the man to fetch a good bran mash and put some meal into it.How good that mash was！and so soft and healing to my mouth.He stood by all the time I was eating, stroking me and talking to the man.‘If a high-mettled creature like this，’said he，‘can’t be broken by fair means, she will never be good for anything.’

“After that he often came to see me, and when my mouth was healed the other breaker, Job, they called him, went on training me；he was steady and thoughtful, and I soon learned what he wanted.”

第7章　生姜

一天，只有生姜和我单独站在树荫下，我们聊了很长时间。它想听听我的成长经历和被调教的情况，我就告诉了它。“唉，”它说，“如果我和你有一样的成长经历，我可能会有一个跟你一样的好脾气，但是现在我认为永远都不会有好脾气了。”“为什么不会有呢？”我说。“因为我的成长经历与你完全不同，”它回答说，“马或人，从来没有谁对我好过，我也不去讨好谁。在我第一个家里，刚一断奶我就跟妈妈分开了，和一群年轻的小马驹待在一起。它们谁也不关心我，我也从来不关心它们。那里没有像你的主人那样和善的人照顾我，跟我说话，给我带好吃的东西吃。照管我们的那个人从来没有跟我说过一句和善的话。我不是说他虐待我，而是他只看看我们的食物充不充足，冬天有没有住的地方，再没有任何的关心。“有条小路从牧场上穿过，经常有大男孩从那里经过，他们用石头朝我们打，打得我们飞跑。我一次也没被打中过，但是有一匹不错的小马驹，脸被伤得很重，我想这辈子会留下伤疤了。我们并不介意那些男孩子，但是当然了，他们让我们的性子变得更野，而且我们牢牢记住了，男孩子们就是我们的敌人。“在牧场上日子非常快活，除了不停地围着牧场跑，相互追逐，我们就是静静地站在树荫下。但是调教一开始，我的日子就不好过了。有几个人过来抓我，最后他们把我堵在了牧场的一个角落里，一个人抓着我的额发，另一个人揪着我的鼻子，揪得那么紧，我都透不过气来了。后来又一个人用粗硬的手抓住了我的下颌，猛地掰开我的嘴巴，他们如此暴力地给我戴上了笼头，还在我嘴里塞进了铁条。然后一个人拽着我的笼头往前走，另一个人则在后面用鞭子抽打我，这是我第一次见识人类的‘善良’：那全都是暴力。他们不给我机会让我知道他们想做什么。我是一匹良种马，精力充沛，性子当然也很野，我敢说，我让他们也吃了不少苦头。但另一方面，我失去了自由，被关在马厩里，一天接一天地关着，简直太可怕了。我烦躁不安，日渐消瘦，真想出去。你有亲身经历的，你和善的主人耐心地哄劝你，你都觉得糟糕透了，但对于我来说，没有一件柔和的事情。“有一个人——我从前的主人，赖德先生——他，我认为可以很快把我调教好，让我给他做任何事，但是他把所有的事情都交给了他的儿子和一个有经验的人，他自己只是偶尔过来看一下。他儿子是一个强壮、高大、鲁莽的人，人们叫他参孙。这个人经常夸海口说没有哪匹马能把他甩下去。他身上没有一点儿像他爸爸那样和善的样子，有的只是冷酷无情：冷酷的声音，冷酷的眼神，还有冷酷的手。从一开始我就感觉到，他想将我的活力都消耗掉，仅仅将我打造成一块安静的、卑微的、顺从的行尸走肉。‘行尸走肉’！没错，这就是他全部的想法。”生姜跺了跺脚，一想到那个人就让她愤怒不已。

然后它接着说：“要是我完全没有照他的要求去做，他就会把我赶出来，让我带着那根长长的缰绳围着牧场跑圈，直到我筋疲力尽。我知道他会酗酒，而且我也很确定，他喝得越多，我就越倒霉。有一天，他想尽了办法折腾我，当我累极了躺下时，又是难过，又是生气。那一切太残酷了。第二天一大早他就来了，又让我跑圈跑了很长时间。我休息了还不到一个小时，他就拿着马鞍、笼头和一种新的马嚼子来了。我也说不清那件事是怎么发生的。他在训练场上骑到我的背上，我不知做了什么，把他惹火了，他把拉缰猛地使劲一勒，那个新嚼子卡得我疼痛难忍，我用后腿突然站了起来，这下子他更生气了，开始用鞭子抽打我。我用全部的力量冲他来了，开始又是踢，又是跳，又是向后仰，以前我从来没这么做过。我们之间进行了一场较量。有好一阵子，他牢牢地坐在马鞍上，用鞭子和马刺狠狠地对付我，我被彻底激怒了，只要能把他甩下去，我已经不在意他做什么了。最后，在一番搏斗之后，我从后面把他掀了下去。我听到他重重摔落在地上的声音，我看也没看一眼，就飞奔到了牧场的另一头。到了那儿，我转过身，看见那个欺负我的人慢慢从地上爬起来，朝马厩走去。我站在一棵橡树下观望，但是没人来抓我。时间一点点过去，太阳火辣辣的，成群的苍蝇围着我，停在我正在流血的伤口上，那是被马刺扎出来的。我很饿，因为我从清早开始就没有吃东西，但是草地上的草还喂不饱一只鹅。我想躺下来休息，但是马鞍紧紧地绑在后背上，让我觉得很不舒服，而且那里没有一滴水。下午慢慢过去了，太阳要落山了。我看到其他的小马驹都被拉进马厩，我知道他们要美餐一顿了。“最后，就在太阳西下的时候，我看到老主人手里拿着筛子朝我走来，他是一位和蔼的老人，头发已经花白，我能从众人中分辨出他的声音，那声音不高，也不低，沉稳，清晰，还很温和，他发出的命令坚决、果断，不管是马还是人都明白，要按照他的命令去做。他静静地走过来，不时晃晃筛子里盛的燕麦，愉快、温和地跟我说着话：‘过来，小姑娘，过来，小姑娘，过来，过来。’我依然站在原地，让他走过来。他把燕麦端给我，我一点儿也不害怕地吃起来，他的声音将我的恐惧赶走了。我吃东西的时候，他就站在旁边，他拍着我，抚摸我。他看着我身体两侧的已经凝固的血块，似乎非常生气。‘可怜的小姑娘，真是糟透了，糟透了！’然后他轻轻地拿起缰绳，拉我走向马厩。“参孙就站在门口，我把耳朵贴向脑后，咬向他。‘往后退，’主人说，‘别挡她的路，这一天你已经把这匹小雌马折腾得太狠了。’参孙咆哮着，说了一些邪恶的畜生之类的话。‘听着，’他的父亲说，‘一个坏脾气的人永远调教不出好脾气的马。你还没学会该怎样做好自己的活，参孙。’主人将我拉进栏舍，亲自卸下马鞍和笼头，把我拴好。他叫人取来了一桶温水和一块海绵，脱掉外套，马夫在一旁端着水，他用海绵轻柔地给我擦拭了好一阵，我敢肯定的是，他知道我的那些伤口有多痛、多肿。“‘噢，我的美人儿！’他说，‘别动。’他的声音让我感到愉快，他给我擦拭得也非常舒服。我嘴角处的皮肤伤得很厉害，没法吃干草，因为草秆扎得我很疼，主人仔细看了看伤口，摇了摇头，叫人去拿来了一些上等的混合粉碎的饲料，里面还掺入了一些谷物粗粉。太好吃的混合粉料了！如此的柔软爽口。主人站在一旁，在我吃东西的时候一直抚摸我，跟马夫说话。‘这么勇敢的一匹马，’他说，‘如果不能用正确的方法调教的话，她以后什么也做不好了。’“从那以后，主人经常来看我，当我的嘴巴好了以后，另一个驯马人，约伯，继续训练我。因为他稳重、体贴，我很快就能明白他想要我做什么了。”

Chapter 8　Ginger’s Story Continued

The next time that Ginger and I were together in the paddock she told me about her first place.

“After my breaking in，”she said，“I was bought by a dealer to match another chestnut horse. For some weeks he drove us together, and then we were sold to a fashionable gentleman, and were sent up to London.I had been driven with a check-rein by the dealer, and I hated it worse than anything else；but in this place we were reined far tighter, the coachman and his master thinking we looked more stylish so.We were often driven about in the park and other fashionable places.You who never had a check-rein on don’t know what it is, but I can tell you it is dreadful.

“I like to toss my head about and hold it as high as any horse；but fan-cy now yourself, if you tossed your head up high and were obliged to hold it there, and that for hours together, not able to move it at all, except with a jerk still higher, your neck aching till you did not know how to bear it. Besides that, to have two bits instead of one-and mine was a sharp one, it hurt my tongue and my jaw, and the blood from my tongue colored the froth that kept flying from my lips as I chafed and fretted at the bits and rein.It was worst when we had to stand by the hour waiting for our mis-tress at some grand party or entertainment, and if I fretted or stamped with impatience the whip was laid on.It was enough to drive one mad.”

“Did not your master take any thought for you？”I said.

“No，”said she，“he only cared to have a stylish turnout, as they call it；I think he knew very little about horses；he left that to his coachman, who told him I had an irritable temper！that I had not been well broken to the check-rein, but I should soon get used to it；but he was not the man to do it, for when I was in the stable, miserable and angry, instead of being smoothed and quieted by kindness, I got only a surly word or a blow. If he had been civil I would have tried to bear it. I was willing to work, and ready to work hard too；but to be tormented for nothing but their fancies angered me.What right had they to make me suffer like that？Besides the soreness in my mouth, and the pain in my neck, it always made my wind-pipe feel bad, and if I had stopped there long I know it would have spoiled my breathing；but I grew more and more restless and irritable, I could not help it；and I began to snap and kick when any one came to harness me；for this the groom beat me, and one day, as they had just buckled us into the carriage, and were straining my head up with that rein, I began to plunge and kick with all my might.I soon broke a lot of harness, and kicked myself clear；so that was an end of that place.”

“After this I was sent to Tattersall’s to be sold；of course I could not be warranted free from vice, so nothing was said about that. My handsome appearance and good paces soon brought a gentleman to bid for me, and I was bought by another dealer；he tried me in all kinds of ways and with different bits, and he soon found out what I could not bear.At last he drove me quite without a check-rein, and then sold me as a perfectly quiet horse to a gentleman in the country；he was a good master, and I was get-ting on very well, but his old groom left him and a new one came.This man was as hard-tempered and hard-handed as Samson；he always spoke in a rough, impatient voice, and if I did not move in the stall the moment he wanted me, he would hit me above the hocks with his stable broom or the fork, whichever he might have in his hand.Everything he did was rough, and I began to hate him；he wanted to make me afraid of him, but I was too high-mettled for that, and one day when he had aggravated me more than usual I bit him, which of course put him in a great rage, and he began to hit me about the head with a riding whip.After that he never dared to come into my stall again；either my heels or my teeth were ready for him, and he knew it.I was quite quiet with my master, but of course he listened to what the man said, and so I was sold again.”

“The same dealer heard of me, and said he thought he knew one place where I should do well.‘’Twas a pity，’he said，‘that such a fine horse should go to the bad, for want of a real good chance，’and the end of it was that I came here not long before you did；but I had then made up my mind that men were my natural enemies and that I must defend myself. Of course it is very different here, but who knows how long it will last？I wish I could think about things as you do；but I can’t, after all I have gone through.”

“Well，”I said，“I think it would be a real shame if you were to bite or kick John or James.”

“I don’t mean to，”she said，“while they are good to me. I did bite James once pretty sharp, but John said，‘Try her with kindness，’and in-stead of punishing me as I expected, James came to me with his arm bound up, and brought me a bran mash and stroked me；and I have never snapped at him since, and I won’t either.”

I was sorry for Ginger, but of course I knew very little then, and I thought most likely she made the worst of it；however, I found that as the weeks went on she grew much more gentle and cheerful, and had lost the watchful, defiant look that she used to turn on any strange person who came near her；and one day James said，“I do believe that mare is getting fond of me, she quite whinnied after me this morning when I had been rubbing her forehead.”

“Ay, ay, Jim，’tis‘the Birtwick balls，’”said John，“she’ll be as good as Black Beauty by and by；kindness is all the physic she wants, poor thing！”Master noticed the change, too, and one day when he got out of the car-riage and came to speak to us, as he often did, he stroked her beautiful neck.“Well, my pretty one, well, how do things go with you now？You are a good bit happier than when you came to us, I think.”

She put her nose up to him in a friendly, trustful way, while he rubbed it gently.

“We shall make a cure of her, John，”he said.

“Yes, sir, she’s wonderfully improved；she’s not the same creature that she was；it’s‘the Birtwick balls，’sir，”said John, laughing.

This was a little joke of John’s；he used to say that a regular course of“the Birtwick horseballs”would cure almost any vicious horse；these balls, he said, were made up of patience and gentleness, firmness and petting, one pound of each to be mixed up with half a pint of common sense, and given to the horse every day.

第8章　生姜的故事续

第二次，我和生姜来到马场上，它继续给我讲了它在以前的家的故事。“调教结束以后，”它说，“我被一个马贩子买下来，去和另一匹红棕色的马配对，他让我们连续拉了几个星期的车。然后我们俩被卖给了上流社会的绅士，送往伦敦。那个马贩子让我佩戴勒马缰绳，没有比它更令我讨厌的东西了。在那个绅士家，我们的缰绳被勒得更紧了，马车夫和他的主人都认为这样更时髦，我们经常被赶着去公园或其他时髦的地方。你，从来没戴过勒马缰绳，不知道它是什么，我可以告诉你，那东西可恶极了。“我喜欢甩头，和其他马一样高昂着头，但你可以想象，如果你将头高高扬起，并且被迫保持这个姿势数个小时之久，那是怎样的一种感受，根本就不能动弹，除非被猛拉让头抬得更高，你的脖子一直疼，没法忍受的疼。此外，要戴两个马嚼子，而不是一个。那个东西有尖锐的棱角，它弄伤了我的舌头和下巴，嘴唇上一直飞溅着被舌头流出的血染红的泡沫，我烦透了马嚼子和缰绳。女主人出席盛大晚会或宴会的时候更糟糕，我们必须站着等几个小时，如果我烦躁不安地跺跺脚，鞭子猛地就抽过来了。简直都让我发疯了。”“你们的主人也不为你们想想吗？”我说。“不会，”它说，“他只关心他所谓的时髦马车。我想他对马一窍不通，他把事情都交给了马车夫，马车夫告诉他我是一匹急性子的马，没怎么戴过勒马缰绳，不过我很快会适应的。但他就不是一个能给我适应勒马缰绳机会的人，我在马厩里又痛苦又生气，没有人友善地安慰我，让我平静下来，我所得到的只是一些粗暴的言语和殴打。假如他文明一些，我还是能尽力忍受勒马缰绳的。我愿意干活，也准备努力干活，但是为了满足他们的怪想法，就让我饱受折磨，让我很生气。他们有什么权力让我那么痛苦？除了让我的嘴巴疼、脖子疼，让我的气管也感觉很难受，我清楚，如果在那里待久了，我的气管就报废了。我的脾气越来越坏，越来越烦躁，我实在没办法控制，当有人来给我带马具的时候，我开始又咬又踢，为了这个，马夫打了我。有一天，当他们刚刚给我套上马车，扯紧缰绳拉高我的脑袋时，我就开始使尽浑身力气又跳又踢，我很快就扯断了不少马具，踢蹬着挣脱出来，从此，我在那里的生活就结束了。“很快，我就被送到了塔特索尔卖掉。当然，我不敢被保证不发狂，因此他们什么也没说。我外表漂亮，步伐优美，很快，一位绅士就为我出了价，我被另一个马贩子买了下来。他利用各种方法试探我，给我戴不同的马嚼子，并且很快就发现了我讨厌的东西。后来，他就没有给我用勒马缰绳。很快，他就把我当做一匹很温顺的马卖给了一位乡下的绅士。他是个不错的主人，我过得很好，但是他的老马夫离开了他，来了一个新马夫。“新马夫脾气粗暴，和参孙一样冷酷无情，说话总是粗声粗气，显得很不耐烦。在马厩里，如果他想让我让开，而我不马上让开的话，他就会用手里的扫把或者耙子打我的跗关节。不管做什么事情，他都很粗暴，我开始恨他了。他想让我怕他，但我才不怕他呢。有一天，他把我惹恼了，比平时更厉害，我咬了他。当然，这件事让他火冒三丈，他开始用鞭子抽打我的脑袋。从那以后，他再也不敢进我的栏舍了，他很清楚，不管是我的蹄子，还是我的牙齿，都等着他呢。我跟着主人的时候非常温顺，可是主人肯定听那个新马夫说了什么，所以我再次被卖掉了。“原来那个马贩子听说后，他说他知道一个地方，那里更适合我。‘真可惜，’他说，‘像这么好的一匹马，没有一个好机会的话就毁掉了。’结果就是我来到了这里，比你早不了多少。现在，我已经认定人类就是我的敌人了。我必须自卫。当然，这里的情况大不一样，但是谁知道这种情况会延续多久呢？我希望我能像你一样思考问题，但是在经历了这些事情以后，我实在不能做到。”“嗯，”我说，“我认为如果你对约翰或詹姆斯又咬又踢的话，那就真的不应该了。”“我不是有意的，”她说，“他们对我很好，我曾经确实狠狠地咬了詹姆斯，但约翰却说：‘试着和善地对待它。’詹姆斯没有像我想的那样惩罚我，而是包扎好胳膊后来看我，带给我混合粉料，还抚摸我。从那以后，我再也没咬过他，以后也再不会了。”

我为生姜感到难过，当然，那时候我阅历浅，觉得生姜很喜欢把事情往坏处想。不管怎样，过了几个星期，我发现生姜变得温顺、开朗了，当陌生人走近它时，它没有了警惕戒备、挑衅的目光。有一天，詹姆斯说：“我觉得这匹母马已经开始喜欢我了，今天早上我抚摸了它的前额，后来它在后面柔和地冲我叫了起来。”“是的，是的，吉姆，这都是波特维克灵丹妙药的功劳，”约翰说，“不久以后，它会像黑骏马一样可爱，可怜的家伙，它要的全部就是‘友好’这种药。”主人也注意到了变化，有一天，他下了马车，像往常一样过来跟我们说话，他抚摸着生姜漂亮的脖子。“哦，我漂亮的家伙，你现在过得怎么样？我感觉你比刚来的时候快活多了。”

当主人轻轻抚摸生姜的时候，生姜也友好、信任地将鼻子贴向了主人。“我们肯定能把它治好，约翰。”他说。“是的，先生，它有了很大的变化，一点儿也不像从前那样了。全依赖波特维克药丸了，先生。”约翰笑着说。

这是约翰的一个小玩笑，他经常说，吃上波特维克药丸一个疗程，几乎可以将所有有缺陷的马治好。他说，这种药丸是由耐心、温柔、坚定和爱抚构成的：每种各一磅，再加上一品脱常识混合而成的，每天坚持给马服用。

Chapter 9　Merrylegs

Mr. Blomefield, the vicar, had a large family of boys and girls；some-times they used to come and play with Miss Jessie and Flora.One of the girls was as old as Miss Jessie；two of the boys were older, and there were several little ones.When they came there was plenty of work for Mer-rylegs, for nothing pleased them so much as getting on him by turns and riding him all about the orchard and the home paddock, and this they would do by the hour together.

One afternoon he had been out with them a long time, and when James brought him in and put on his halter he said：“There, you rogue, mind how you behave yourself, or we shall get into trouble.”

“What have you been doing, Merrylegs？”I asked.

“Oh！”said he, tossing his little head，“I have only been giving those young people a lesson；they did not know when they had had enough, nor when I had had enough, so I just pitched them off backward；that was the only thing they could understand.”

“What！”said I，“you threw the children off？I thought you did know better than that！Did you throw Miss Jessie or Miss Flora？”

He looked very much offended, and said：“Of course not；I would not do such a thing for the best oats that ever came into the stable；why, I am as careful of our young ladies as the master could be, and as for the little ones it is I who teach them to ride. When they seem frightened or a little un-steady on my back I go as smooth and as quiet as old pussy when she is af-ter a bird；and when they are all right I go on again faster, you see, just to use them to it；so don’t you trouble yourself preaching to me；I am the best friend and the best riding-master those children have.It is not them, it is the boys；boys，”said he, shaking his mane，“are quite different；they must be broken in as we were broken in when we were colts, and just be taught what’s what. The other children had ridden me about for nearly two hours, and then the boys thought it was their turn, and so it was, and I was quite agreeable.They rode me by turns, and I galloped them about, up and down the fields and all about the orchard, for a good hour.They had each cut a great hazel stick for a riding-whip, and laid it on a little too hard；but I took it in good part, till at last I thought we had had enough, so I stopped two or three times by way of a hint.Boys, you see, think a horse or pony is like a steam-engine or a thrashing-machine, and can go on as long and as fast as they please；they never think that a pony can get tired, or have any feelings；so as the one who was whipping me could not understand I just rose up on my hind legs and let him slip off behind-that was all.He mounted me again, and I did the same.Then the other boy got up, and as soon as he began to use his stick I laid him on the grass, and so on, till they were able to understand-that was all.They are not bad boys；they don’t wish to be cruel.I like them very well；but you see I had to give them a lesson.When they brought me to James and told him I think he was very angry to see such big sticks.He said they were only fit for drovers or gyp-sies, and not for young gentlemen.”

“If I had been you，”said Ginger，“I would have given those boys a good kick, and that would have given them a lesson.”

“No doubt you would，”said Merrylegs；“but then I am not quite such a fool（begging your pardon）as to anger our master or make James ashamed of me. Besides, those children are under my charge when they are riding；I tell you they are entrusted to me.Why, only the other day I heard our master say to Mrs.Blomefield，‘My dear madam, you need not be anxious about the children；my old Merrylegs will take as much care of them as you or I could；I assure you I would not sell that pony for any money, he is so perfectly good-tempered and trustworthy；’and do you think I am such an ungrateful brute as to forget all the kind treatment I have had here for five years, and all the trust they place in me, and turn vi-cious because a couple of ignorant boys used me badly？No, no！you never had a good place where they were kind to you, and so you don’t know, and I’m sorry for you；but I can tell you good places make good horses. I wouldn’t vex our people for anything；I love them, I do，”said Merrylegs, and he gave a low“ho, ho, ho！”through his nose, as he used to do in the morning when he heard James’footstep at the door.

“Besides，”he went on，“if I took to kicking where should I be？Why, sold off in a jiffy, and no character, and I might find myself slaved about under a butcher’s boy, or worked to death at some seaside place where no one cared for me, except to find out how fast I could go, or be flogged a-long in some cart with three or four great men in it going out for a Sunday spree, as I have often seen in the place I lived in before I came here；no，”said he, shaking his head，“I hope I shall never come to that.”

第9章　乐腿儿

牧师布卢姆菲尔德有很多子女，他们经常过来与杰西小姐和弗洛拉小姐一起玩。其中一位小姐和杰西小姐一样大，两个男孩子年龄更大一些，另外还有几个年纪小一些。当他们过来时，乐腿儿就有很多活要干了，没有比轮流骑乐腿儿更让他们高兴的事了，他们一块儿在果园和马场里转来转去，一玩就是个把小时。

有一天下午，乐腿儿和那些孩子一起出去了很长时间，等詹姆斯把他牵回来，给他戴好笼头，说：“好了，小淘气，你得规矩点儿，要不然我们会有麻烦的。”“乐腿儿，你干了什么？”我问道。“哦，”它猛地仰起头说，“我只不过给那些小孩子上了一课。他们不知道自己什么时候做得太过分，也不知道我什么时候已经受够了，我就把他们从后面甩下去了。那是唯一能让他们明白的事情。”“什么？”我说，“你把孩子们都甩下去了？我想你知道有比将孩子甩下去更好的办法！你把杰西小姐和弗洛拉小姐也甩下去了？”

它看上去非常气愤，说：“当然没有，就算为了马厩里最好吃的燕麦，我也不会那样做的。之所以我会像主人照顾小姐们那样小心翼翼地照顾她们，对那些小家伙们，我在教他们怎么骑马。当他们骑在我背上感觉有些害怕或有些不稳当的时候，我走路稳稳当当，轻的就像一只正在小鸟后面准备扑鸟的老猫。当他们都坐好了的时候，我就走得快一点儿，都是为了让他们习惯骑马。因此，不用劳烦你来教训我，我是那些孩子们最好的朋友和骑马教练。我甩的不是她们，而是那些男孩子们，男孩子。”它抖着鬃毛说，“太不一样了，他们必须要受到调教，就像我们还是小马驹的时候那样受调教，必须教他们什么是该做的。“其他的孩子们已经骑了我差不多两个小时了，然后男孩子们就认为该轮到他们骑了，的确该他们骑了，我也很高兴。他们轮流骑我，我驮着他们在草地和果园里到处飞驰了足足有一个小时。他们每人都折了一根榛树枝当做马鞭，抽打得还有点儿狠，这我也觉得还可以接受，但最后，我认为我们玩得已经足够了，所以我就暗示性地停了两三次。可男孩子们，你知道的，认为一匹马或者一匹矮马，就像一台蒸汽机或者脱粒机一样，想跑多远就跑多远，想跑多快就跑多快。他们从来不认为一匹矮马会累，会有感觉，抽打我的那个男孩就不明白，我就后腿撑地站了起来，让他从后面滑了下去——就是这样。他又骑上来，我又用了同样的方法。然后另一个男孩子骑到我的背上了，他刚用枝条抽打我，我就把他甩到了草地上，就这样，直到他们最终都明白了。他们不是坏孩子，他们也不是有意那么残忍的。我非常喜欢他们，但是你知道，我不得不给他们上一课。当他们把我带到詹姆斯面前并且和他说这件事时，我想詹姆斯看到那么大的树枝时非常生气。他说那些树枝只有马贩子和吉普赛人用，而年轻的绅士们不会用。”“如果我是你，”生姜说，“我会狠狠地踢那些男孩子们一顿，那才能给他们一次教训。”“你能做得出来，”乐腿儿说，“不过我还没有愚蠢到（请你原谅）让我们的主人生气，让詹姆斯脸上无光。另外，那些孩子们骑我，我就负责照管他们。我跟你说，是他们将孩子们托付给我的。为什么呢？就在前几天，我听到主人对布卢姆菲尔德太太说，‘我亲爱的夫人，你不必为孩子们担心，我的老乐腿儿会像你或我照顾孩子一样照顾他们的：我向你保证，不管多少钱，我都不会卖掉我那匹矮马的，他是那么温和，那么值得我们信赖。’你以为我会像忘恩负义的畜生一样，忘记我在这里5年来受到的优待和他们对我的信任，仅仅因为几个无知的男孩子对我很差劲，就会变得野蛮起来吗？不，不！你从来没在一个好地方待过，他们能善待你，因此你不明白。我为你感到难过，但是我要告诉你好地方可以出好马。我不会为了任何事情使我们自己人恼怒，我爱他们，我爱他们。”乐腿儿说着，鼻子里发出一种低沉的“唔、唔、唔”的声音，早上，每当从门口传来詹姆斯的脚步声时，他就会发出这样的声音。“另外，”它继续说道，“如果我踢人，我会在哪里呢？哎呀，立刻就被低价卖掉，还没有任何的评价，也许我发现自己在一个屠夫的手下被役使，或者也许会在海边的一个地方干活一直干到死，除了让我能跑多快就跑多快以外，没人关心我；或者在星期天，被鞭打着拉一辆坐着三四个很高大的男人的车出去寻欢作乐，在来这里之前，我生活的地方经常会看到这样的事。不，”它摇着头又说道：“我希望我永远也不要到那种地步。”

Chapter 10　A Talk in the Orchard

Ginger and I were not of the regular tall carriage horse breed, we had more of the racing blood in us. We stood about fifteen and a half hands high；we were therefore just as good for riding as we were for driving, and our master used to say that he disliked either horse or man that could do but one thing；and as he did not want to show off in London parks, he preferred a more active and useful kind of horse.As for us, our greatest pleasure was when we were saddled for a riding party；the master on Gin-ger, the mistress on me, and the young ladies on Sir Oliver and Merrylegs.It was so cheerful to be trotting and cantering all together that it always put us in high spirits.I had the best of it, for I always carried the mistress；her weight was little, her voice was sweet, and her hand was so light on the rein that I was guided almost without feeling it.

Oh！if people knew what a comfort to horses a light hand is, and how it keeps a good mouth and a good temper, they surely would not chuck, and drag, and pull at the rein as they often do. Our mouths are so tender that where they have not been spoiled or hardened with bad or ignorant treatment, they feel the slightest movement of the driver’s hand, and we know in an instant what is required of us. My mouth has never been spoiled, and I believe that was why the mistress preferred me to Ginger, al-though her paces were certainly quite as good.She used often to envy me, and said it was all the fault of breaking in, and the gag bit in London, that her mouth was not so perfect as mine；and then old Sir Oliver would say，“There, there！don’t vex yourself；you have the greatest honor；a mare that can carry a tall man of our master’s weight, with all your spring and sprightly action, does not need to hold her head down because she does not carry the lady；we horses must take things as they come, and always be contented and willing so long as we are kindly used.”

I had often wondered how it was that Sir Oliver had such a very short tail；it really was only six or seven inches long, with a tassel of hair hanging from it；and on one of our holidays in the orchard I ventured to ask him by what accident it was that he had lost his tail.“Accident！”he snorted with a fierce look，“it was no accident！it was a cruel, shameful, cold-blooded act！When I was young I was taken to a place where these cruel things were done；I was tied up, and made fast so that I could not stir, and then they came and cut off my long and beautiful tail, through the flesh and through the bone, and took it away.

“How dreadful！”I exclaimed.

“Dreadful, ah！it was dreadful；but it was not only the pain, though that was terrible and lasted a long time；it was not only the indignity of having my best ornament taken from me, though that was bad；but it was this, how could I ever brush the flies off my sides and my hind legs any more？You who have tails just whisk the flies off without thinking about it, and you can’t tell what a torment it is to have them settle upon you and sting and sting, and have nothing in the world to lash them off with. I tell you it is a lifelong wrong, and a lifelong loss；but thank heaven, they don’t do it now.”

“What did they do it for then？”said Ginger.

“For fashion！”said the old horse with a stamp of his foot；“for fashion！

if you know what that means；there was not a well-bred young horse in my time that had not his tail docked in that shameful way, just as if the good God that made us did not know what we wanted and what looked best.”

“I suppose it is fashion that makes them strap our heads up with those horrid bits that I was tortured with in London，”said Ginger.

“Of course it is，”said he；“to my mind, fashion is one of the wickedest things in the world. Now look, for instance, at the way they serve dogs, cutting off their tails to make them look plucky, and shearing up their pretty little ears to a point to make them both look sharp, forsooth.I had a dear friend once, a brown terrier；‘Skye’they called her.She was so fond of me that she never would sleep out of my stall；she made her bed under the manger, and there she had a litter of five as pretty little puppies as need be；none were drowned, for they were a valuable kind, and how pleased she was with them！and when they got their eyes open and crawled about, it was a real pretty sight；but one day the man came and took them all away；I thought he might be afraid I should tread upon them.But it was not so；in the evening poor Skye brought them back again, one by one in her mouth；not the happy little things that they were, but bleeding and crying pitifully；they had all had a piece of their tails cut off, and the soft flap of their pretty little ears was cut quite off.How their mother licked them, and how troubled she was, poor thing！I never forgot it.They healed in time, and they forgot the pain, but the nice soft flap, that of course was intended to protect the delicate part of their ears from dust and injury, was gone forever.Why don’t they cut their own children’s ears into points to make them look sharp？Why don’t they cut the end off their noses to make them look plucky？One would be just as sensible as the other.What right have they to torment and disfigure God’s creatures？”

Sir Oliver, though he was so gentle, was a fiery old fellow, and what he said was all so new to me, and so dreadful, that I found a bitter feeling toward men rise up in my mind that I never had before. Of course Ginger was very much excited；she flung up her head with flashing eyes and dis-tended nostrils, declaring that men were both brutes and blockheads.

“Who talks about blockheads？”said Merrylegs, who just came up from the old apple-tree, where he had been rubbing himself against the low branch.“Who talks about blockheads？I believe that is a bad word.”

“Bad words were made for bad things，”said Ginger, and she told him what Sir Oliver had said.

“It is all true，”said Merrylegs sadly，“and I’ve seen that about the dogs over and over again where I lived first；but we won’t talk about it here. You know that master, and John and James are always good to us, and talking against men in such a place as this doesn’t seem fair or grateful, and you know there are good masters and good grooms beside ours, though of course ours are the best.”

This wise speech of good little Merrylegs, which we knew was quite true, cooled us all down, especially Sir Oliver, who was dearly fond of his master；and to turn the subject I said，“Can any one tell me the use of blinkers？”

“No！”said Sir Oliver shortly，“because they are no use.”

“They are supposed，”said Justice, the roan cob, in his calm way，“to prevent horses from shying and starting, and getting so frightened as to cause accidents.”

“Then what is the reason they do not put them on riding horses；es-pecially on ladies’horses？”said I.

“There is no reason at all，”said he quietly，“except the fashion；they say that a horse would be so frightened to see the wheels of his own cart or carriage coming behind him that he would be sure to run away, although of course when he is ridden he sees them all about him if the streets are crowded. I admit they do sometimes come too close to be pleasant, but we don’t run away；we are used to it, and understand it, and if we never had blinkers put on we should never want them；we should see what was there, and know what was what, and be much less frightened than by only seeing bits of things that we can’t understand.Of course there may be some ner-vous horses who have been hurt or frightened when they were young, who may be the better for them；but as I never was nervous, I can’t judge.”

“I consider，”said Sir Oliver，“that blinkers are dangerous things in the night；we horses can see much better in the dark than men can, and many an accident would never have happened if horses might have had the full use of their eyes. Some years ago, I remember, there was a hearse with two horses returning one dark night, and just by Farmer Sparrow’s house, where the pond is close to the road, the wheels went too near the edge, and the hearse was overturned into the water；both the horses were drowned, and the driver hardly escaped.Of course after this accident a stout white rail was put up that might be easily seen, but if those horses had not been partly blinded, they would of themselves have kept further from the edge, and no accident would have happened.When our master’s car-riage was overturned, before you came here, it was said that if the lamp on the left side had not gone out, John would have seen the great hole that the road-makers had left；and so he might, but if old Colin had not had blink-ers on he would have seen it, lamp or no lamp, for he was far too knowing an old horse to run into danger.As it was, he was very much hurt, the car-riage was broken, and how John escaped nobody knew.”

“I should say，”said Ginger, curling her nostril，“that these men, who are so wise, had better give orders that in the future all foals should be born with their eyes set just in the middle of their foreheads, instead of on the side；they always think they can improve upon nature and mend what God has made.”

Things were getting rather sore again, when Merrylegs held up his knowing little face and said，“I’ll tell you a secret：I believe John does not approve of blinkers；I heard him talking with master about it one day. The master said that‘if horses had been used to them, it might be dangerous in some cases to leave them off；’and John said he thought it would be a good thing if all colts were broken in without blinkers, as was the case in some foreign countries.So let us cheer up, and have a run to the other end of the orchard；I believe the wind has blown down some apples, and we might just as well eat them as the slugs.”

Merrylegs could not be resisted, so we broke off our long conversa-tion, and got up our spirits by munching some very sweet apples which lay scattered on the grass.

第10章　果园里的谈话

生姜和我都不是正统的高大四轮马车用马，我们身上流淌的更多的是赛马的血液。我们站立时有十五个半手掌高，所以既适合骑乘又适合驾驭。我们的主人常说，他不喜欢只能做一种工作的马或人，因为他不想到伦敦公园去炫耀，所以他更喜欢有活力、实用的马。对我们来说，被戴上马鞍参加骑马晚会是我们最大的快乐，主人骑着生姜，女主人骑着我，小姐们骑着奥利弗爵士和乐腿儿。大家一起小跑、慢跑，真是太开心了，我们总是兴高采烈的。我是最幸福的一个，因为我通常都是驮着女主人。她身体轻盈，声音甜美，并且她拉缰绳的手如此轻柔，以至于我几乎都感觉不到缰绳的存在了。

哦，如果人们知道一只轻柔的手会带给马舒适，还可以保持一副好牙口和一个好脾气，他们肯定就不会生拉硬拽了，也不会总像平时那样要拉缰绳了。我的嘴巴很娇嫩，要是没有被粗暴无知地弄伤变硬，就能感觉到骑手手上最轻微的动作，我们立刻会清楚该做什么。我的嘴从来没被粗暴地对待过，我相信女主人就是为了这点才更喜欢我的，虽然生姜的步伐和我一样好。生姜常常嫉妒我，说都怪当初调教和在伦敦戴的嚼子，让她的嘴不像我的一样完好。

这时，老马奥利弗爵士就说了：“得了，得了！别自寻烦恼了。你有最高的荣誉，一匹母马能驮动高大而沉重的我们的主人，还能动作轻盈地跳跃，就算没驮着女主人，也不用垂头丧气。我们马要顺其自然，要心满意足，温顺听话。”

我时常感到奇怪，奥利弗爵士怎么会有那么短的一条尾巴，它真的也就六七英寸长，上面垂下来一根流苏。假日的一天，我们在果园中休息，我壮起胆子问他，出了什么意外让他丢掉了自己的尾巴。“意外！”他带着愤怒的表情哼着鼻子，“不是意外！是残忍、可耻、冷酷无情的行为！当我还小的时候，我被带到了一个地方，残忍的事情就发生了。我被拴了起来，拴得紧紧的，没有办法动弹，然后他们过来，透过我的肉，透过我的骨头，切掉了我又长又漂亮的尾巴，把它带走了。”“太可怕了！”我惊叫了起来。“可怕！啊，是挺可怕的，但不是只有疼痛，在很长一段时间里，我都疼得厉害。我最好的装饰从我身上被带走了，那不仅仅是耻辱，尽管它很难让人忍受，但更让我忍受不了的是：我怎么才能将我身体两侧以及后腿上的苍蝇赶走。你们有尾巴，想都不用想就用它把苍蝇赶走了，你们无法想象那种痛苦——苍蝇落在你身上，叮了又叮，然而却没有任何办法将它们赶走。我告诉你们，那是一辈子的错误，一辈子的损失。但是谢天谢地，人们现在已经不切马尾巴了。”“他们那么做又是为了什么呢？”生姜说。“为了赶时髦！”这匹老马跺着蹄子说，“为了赶时髦！你们知道那是什么意思吧。在我还小的那个时代里，所有的良种小马驹都被用这种可耻的办法切短了尾巴，就像我们仁慈的上帝，不知道我们想要的是什么，不知道我们什么样子才最好看。”“我猜，在伦敦的时候，他们给我戴极其讨厌的马嚼子，强制性地拉高我的脑袋，也是为了赶时髦。”生姜说道。“当然是了，”奥利弗爵士说，“依我看，赶时髦是世界上最可恶的东西。现在我们举个例子来说，看他们对待狗的方式，为了让狗看起来更勇猛，就切掉狗的尾巴，还把他们漂亮的小耳朵修剪得尖尖的，为了让狗看上去更敏锐，是真的。以前有只褐色的小猎狗，是我的好朋友，他们叫它‘匐犬’。它那么喜欢我，只愿意在我的栏舍里睡觉。它在我的饲料槽下面做了个窝，它在窝里一下子生了5只小狗，非常漂亮。因为它们是很值钱的品种，所以没有一只小狗被溺死，它跟小狗们在一起的时候真高兴！小狗们睁开眼睛到处爬，那情景真是太美妙了。“但是有一天，一个男人过来把小狗们都带走了。我以为他害怕我可能会踩到它们呢，但根本不是那么回事。晚上，可怜的匐犬用嘴把他们一只一只地叼了回来，它们已经不像原来那些快乐的小家伙了，流着血，可怜地哭着。它们被切掉了一截尾巴，漂亮耳朵上柔软的垂耳也被切掉了。它们的妈妈使劲地舔着它们，饱受折磨，可怜的家伙！我永远也忘不了那件事，时间治愈了小狗们的创伤，它们也忘记了疼痛的感觉，但是它们漂亮柔软的垂耳永远地失去了，本来垂耳是用来保护耳朵最娇弱的部分，以免受灰尘污染、受到创伤的。“他们为什么不将自己孩子的耳朵也削得尖尖的，显得机灵呢？他们为什么不将自己的鼻子尖削掉，让自己显得更勇猛呢？大家都是一样有感觉的。他们有什么权力折磨、改变上帝的孩子呢？”

奥利弗爵士虽然性情非常温和，但也是一匹刚烈的老马，它讲的话对我来说又新鲜又可怕，我发现我心中涌起了一股对人类的仇恨感，这种感觉以前从来没有过。生姜自然就更激动了，忽闪着眼睛，膨胀着鼻翼，猛地仰起头，宣称人类既残忍又愚蠢。“谁在说愚蠢呢？”乐腿儿说，它刚从一棵老苹果树那里走来，它在老苹果树的低矮树枝上一直蹭痒痒来着。“谁在说愚蠢呢？我觉得那是一个坏的词语。”“坏的词语被用来说坏的事情。”生姜说，它将奥利弗爵士的话都说给了乐腿儿听。“那全都是真的，”乐腿儿难过地说，“在我生活的第一个地方，我一次又一次地看见那样的狗，但在这里我们不谈这些。你们知道，主人、约翰和詹姆斯都对我们一直很好，在这样的地方谈论反对人类的话，似乎有些不公平，令人不愉快。你们知道的，除了我们的主人和马夫以外，还有一些好的主人和好的马夫，当然，我们的是最好的。”

善良的小乐腿儿的一番话充满了睿智，我们都明白，它说得很对，我们也渐渐冷静了下来，特别是奥利弗爵士，它深爱着主人。为了转变话题，我说道：“谁能告诉我眼罩是做什么用的？”“不能！”奥利弗爵士简短地说，“因为它们没有一点儿用处。”“听说，”那匹名叫加斯蒂的马平静地说，“眼罩可以防止马害怕、受惊，免得我们被惊吓得引起事故。”“那为什么他们不给骑乘的马，尤其是女士们骑的马戴眼罩呢？”我问。“根本没有什么理由，”加斯蒂平静地说道，“除了赶时髦以外。他们说，一匹马看到自己身后的大车轮子或马车轮子正往前走，就会受到惊吓而跑开。当然，当马被骑着走在拥挤的大街上时，它一样能看到周围的车轮。我承认，那些轮子有时候离我们太近，确实让我们很不舒服，但我们并不会乱跑，我们已经习惯了，知道这是怎么回事。如果我们不曾戴过眼罩，我们就永远都用不着戴它了。我们应该看清周围是什么，弄清楚那到底是什么，就能减少恐惧感了，要是弄不清，不知道那到底是什么，更容易惊吓到我们。”

当然，有些马小时候可能受过伤害和惊吓，长大后变得容易紧张，戴上眼罩也许对它们更好一些。但我从来不紧张，无法做出判断。“我认为，”奥利弗爵士说，“在夜里戴眼罩是危险的事情。在黑暗中，我们马的视力要比人好，要是那些马能够充分利用视线，很多事故就不会发生了。我记得几年前，在一个漆黑的夜晚，两匹马拉着一辆灵车经过农场主斯帕罗家，紧挨着大路有一个池塘，轮子离池塘的边缘太近了，灵车翻进了水里。两匹马都被淹死了，车夫死里逃生。当然，出了这次事故以后，人们在池塘边围上了粗壮、白色的围栏，让人们更容易看到。但要是那两匹马没有被遮住部分视线，它们自己会离池塘边缘远一些的，事故也就不会发生了。“你来这儿之前，我们主人的马车也翻过。据说要是挂在车左面的灯没有熄灭，约翰就能看到修路工人挖的大坑了。它可能会看到吧。但如果老科林没有戴着眼罩的话，不管有灯没灯，它都能看见那个坑，它会停下来远离危险。但结果，它受了非常严重的伤，马车也摔坏了，没人知道约翰是怎么活下来的。”“我想说，”生姜翕动着鼻孔说，“那些自以为聪明的人，最好下道命令，让将来刚出生的小马驹的眼睛都长在额头的中间位置，而不是长在两侧。人类总认为他们能够改变自然，修正上帝的造物。”

话题又变得让人难过了，这时乐腿儿扬起它懂事的小脸说：“告诉你们一个秘密——我相信约翰不赞同用眼罩，有一天我听到他和主人谈论眼罩的问题了。主人说，要是马已经习惯了戴眼罩，不戴的话可能会在一些场合中发生危险。而约翰说，他认为小马驹在被调教的时候不戴眼罩就是一件好事，外国有些地方就不给马戴眼罩。所以，让我们振作起来，跑到果园的那头去吧。我相信大风一定吹落了一些苹果，我们去吃吧，就当做鼻涕虫美餐一顿吧。”

乐腿儿的建议，没人反对，因此我们停止了长谈，嚼着散落在草地上非常甜的苹果，心情又好起来了。

Chapter 11　Plain Speaking

The longer I lived at Birtwick the more proud and happy I felt at having such a place. Our master and mistress were respected and beloved by all who knew them；they were good and kind to everybody and every-thing；not only men and women, but horses and donkeys, dogs and cats, cattle and birds；there was no oppressed or ill-used creature that had not a friend in them, and their servants took the same tone.If any of the village children were known to treat any creature cruelly they soon heard about it from the Hall.

The squire and Farmer Grey had worked together, as they said, for more than twenty years to get check-reins on the cart-horses done away with, and in our parts you seldom saw them；and sometimes, if mistress met a heavily laden horse with his head strained up she would stop the carriage and get out, and reason with the driver in her sweet serious voice, and try to show him how foolish and cruel it was.

I don’t think any man could withstand our mistress. I wish all ladies were like her.Our master, too, used to come down very heavy sometimes.I remember he was riding me toward home one morning when we saw a powerful man driving toward us in a light pony chaise, with a beautiful lit-tle bay pony, with slender legs and a high-bred sensitive head and face.Just as he came to the park gates the little thing turned toward them；the man, without word or warning, wrenched the creature’s head round with such a force and suddenness that he nearly threw it on its haunches.Recovering itself it was going on, when he began to lash it furiously.The pony plunged forward, but the strong, heavy hand held the pretty creature back with force almost enough to break its jaw, while the whip still cut into him.It was a dreadful sight to me, for I knew what fearful pain it gave that delicate little mouth；but master gave me the word, and we were up with him in a second.

“Sawyer，”he cried in a stern voice，“is that pony made of flesh and blood？”

“Flesh and blood and temper，”he said；“he’s too fond of his own will, and that won’t suit me.”He spoke as if he was in a strong passion. He was a builder who had often been to the park on business.

“And do you think，”said master sternly，“that treatment like this will make him fond of your will？”

“He had no business to make that turn；his road was straight on！”said the man roughly.

“You have often driven that pony up to my place，”said master；“it only shows the creature’s memory and intelligence；how did he know that you were not going there again？But that has little to do with it. I must say, Mr.Sawyer, that a more unmanly, brutal treatment of a little pony it was never my painful lot to witness, and by giving way to such passion you in-jure your own character as much, nay more, than you injure your horse；and remember, we shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be toward man or toward beast.”

Master rode me home slowly, and I could tell by his voice how the thing had grieved him. He was just as free to speak to gentlemen of his own rank as to those below him；for another day, when we were out, we met a Captain Langley, a friend of our master’s；he was driving a splendid pair of grays in a kind of break.After a little conversation the captain said：“What do you think of my new team, Mr.Douglas？You know, you are the judge of horses in these parts, and I should like your opinion.”

The master backed me a little, so as to get a good view of them.“They are an uncommonly handsome pair，”he said，“and if they are as good as they look I am sure you need not wish for anything better；but I see you still hold that pet scheme of yours for worrying your horses and lessening their power.”

“What do you mean，”said the other，“the check-reins？Oh, ah！I know that’s a hobby of yours；well, the fact is, I like to see my horses hold their heads up.”

“So do I，”said master，“as well as any man, but I don’t like to see them held up；that takes all the shine out of it. Now, you are a military man, Langley, and no doubt like to see your regiment look well on parade，‘heads up’，and all that；but you would not take much credit for your drill if all your men had their heads tied to a backboard！It might not be much harm on parade, except to worry and fatigue them；but how would it be in a bayonet charge against the enemy, when they want the free use of every muscle, and all their strength thrown forward？I would not give much for their chance of victory. And it is just the same with horses：you fret and worry their tempers, and decrease their power；you will not let them throw their weight against their work, and so they have to do too much with their joints and muscles, and of course it wears them up faster.You may depend upon it, horses were intended to have their heads free, as free as men’s are；and if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we should find many things work easier；besides, you know as well as I that if a horse makes a false step, he has much less chance of recovering himself if his head and neck are fastened back.And now，”said the master, laughing，“I have given my hobby a good trot out, can’t you make up your mind to mount him, too, captain？Your example would go a long way.”

“I believe you are right in theory，”said the other，“and that’s rather a hard hit about the soldiers；but-well-I’ll think about it，”and so they parted.

第11章　坦诚相告

在波特维克住的时间越长，我就越为自己能在这个地方而感到自豪、幸福。认识我们主人和女主人的人都很尊敬、喜欢他们，他们对每个人、每件事都表现得仁慈善良，不光是对人，对马和驴子、狗和猫，以及牛和小鸟都很好。这里每一只动物都受到善待，没有人欺负虐待它们。他们的仆人也一样。如果村子里哪个孩子虐待动物，很快主人就会从门厅那里听到。

据说，戈登老爷和格雷农场主一起努力了二十多年，才阻止了人们给拉车的马戴勒马缰绳，在我们这一片你很难看到戴勒马缰绳的。有时候，如果女主人遇到一匹重载的马，头被拉得高高的，她就会停下来走下马车，用她甜美、严肃的声音劝说马车夫，尽力让他明白这样做是多么愚蠢、残忍的。

我觉得所有的男人都无法反驳我们的女主人，我希望所有的女士都能像她一样。有时候我们的主人也会毫无顾忌地说出他的想法。我们的女主人记得一天早上，主人骑着我正往家赶，这时候他看到一个很强壮的男人正在驾着一辆轻便马车朝我们过来，一匹漂亮的栗色矮种马拉着车，双腿细长，个子高高的，脑袋和脸长得很高贵、敏锐。刚好经过庄园门口，小家伙就朝着大门拐了过去。那个男人没有说一句话，也没有任何提示，猛地将矮种马的脑袋扭拽了过去，力量那么大，动作那么突然，矮种马的头几乎都贴到腰腿上了。矮种马稳住了身子，继续往前走，此时那个男人开始狂暴地鞭打他。矮种马拼命向前窜，但那只强壮有力的手又使劲把漂亮的矮种马往后拉，他的劲大得足以将马的下巴折断了，同时鞭子狠狠地抽在了马的身上。这个场景让我心惊肉跳，我知道那张柔嫩的小嘴巴一定疼极了，主人给我命令了，一眨眼的工夫我们就到了那个男人面前。“索亚，”主人严厉地喊道，“那匹矮种马难道不是有血有肉吗？”“有血有肉，还有脾气。”那个男人说，“他太喜欢自作主张，真让我受不了。”他的语气中充满了忿恨的情绪，他是个建筑师，经常为了生意到庄园来。“难道你觉得，”主人很严厉地说，“这么对待他，就能让他听你的话了吗？”“他就不该转那个弯，他应该照直走！”那个男人粗鲁地说。“你经常驾着这匹小马到我的庄园来，”主人说，“这说明他记性好，很有灵性。他怎么知道你不要再去那里呢？关键不在他。我必须要讲，索亚先生，你对待小矮种马不人道，残忍，这是我最不愿意看到的，你如此感情用事，不仅伤害了你的马，更损害了你自己的人格。记住，人们是根据我们的所作所为来评价我们的，不管是对人，还是对牲畜。”

主人骑着我慢慢回家了，从他的语气中，我能听出他为这件事感到痛心。他对与自己相当的绅士和对比自己地位低的人一样，都是有话直说。还有一天，我们遇到了兰利上尉，他是我主人的一个朋友。他坐在一辆四轮马车上，拉车的是两匹光彩照人的灰色马。他们聊了一阵儿，上尉说：“戈登先生，你看我这两匹新马怎么样？你知道的，在这一带你对马最在行了，我很想听听你的看法。”

主人让我往后退了退，以便更好地看看那两匹马。“难得见到这么英俊的两匹马，”主人说，“如果他们干活也很出色的话，那我确信你再也找不到比他们更好的马了。但我看你依然用玩赏动物的方法，让他们难受，削减他们的力量。”“你指的是，”上尉说，“勒马缰绳吗？哦，哈！我知道那是你的一个癖好。嗯，实际上，我喜欢看到我的马高昂着头。”“我也喜欢，”主人说，“人人都喜欢，但是我不愿意看到他们的头被强行拉高，那样让马失去了光彩。兰利，你是个军人，毫无疑问，你肯定愿意看到自己的部队在阅兵时精神抖擞，‘昂首挺胸’，类似这样的事。但是假如把你所有士兵的头都绑在一个靠背板上进行操练，你就不会有荣誉感了。在阅兵时，士兵们除了难受、疲劳以外，不会有太多的损伤。但是在上好刺刀冲向敌人的时候，士兵们需要自由地运用每一块肌肉，需要全力以赴地向前冲时又会怎样呢？我想他们获胜的机会很小。马也是一样的，你弄得他们烦躁不安，难受，削减了他们的体力，他们就不能全身心地干活，他们的关节和肌肉承受着太大的压力，就会加速身体的耗损。你要知道，马和人一样，想让自己的脑袋无拘无束。要是我们多按常识办事，少追求时髦，我们就能发现，很多事情其实很容易办到。还有，你和我一样清楚，如果马的脖子和脑袋被紧紧地勒向后面，那他走错了步子，调整就不容易了。”“好了，”主人大笑着说，“我已经将我的癖好全暴露出来了，你是不是也考虑一下养成这种癖好呢，上尉？你的影响力可是很大的。”“理论上讲，你说的没错。”上尉说，“对士兵来说是一种很大的讽刺，但是——好吧，我会考虑一下。”然后他们就分手了。

Chapter 12　A Stormy Day

One day late in the autumn my master had a long journey to go on business. I was put into the dog-cart, and John went with his master.I al-ways liked to go in the dog-cart, it was so light and the high wheels ran a-long so pleasantly.There had been a great deal of rain, and now the wind was very high and blew the dry leaves across the road in a shower.We went along merrily till we came to the toll-bar and the low wooden bridge. The river banks were rather high, and the bridge, instead of rising, went across just level, so that in the middle, if the river was full, the water would be nearly up to the woodwork and planks；but as there were good substantial rails on each side, people did not mind it.

The man at the gate said the river was rising fast, and he feared it would be a bad night. Many of the meadows were under water, and in one low part of the road the water was halfway up to my knees；the bottom was good, and master drove gently, so it was no matter.

When we got to the town of course I had a good bait, but as the master’s business engaged him a long time we did not start for home till rather late in the afternoon. 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 be-gan 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.

第12章　暴风雨的一天

深秋的一天，我的主人为了生意上的事要出远门。我被套上双轮轻便马车，约翰和主人一起去。我一直喜欢拉双轮轻便马车，它分量轻，高高的轮子跑起来非常轻快。那段时间雨水很多，我们出发时，狂风大作，席卷着路面上干枯的落叶。我们一路上都很高兴，直到到了收费站和低矮的木桥前。河堤很高，木桥浮在水面上，与水面平行，不是拱形的，河水涨满的时候，就将桥的木板淹没了，好在桥的两侧有结实的栏杆，人们并不在意涨水。

收费站的人说，河水涨得很快，他还担心晚上天气会很糟，很多地方的草场都成了一片汪洋，在一段地势低的路上，水都能没到小腿上了。路面还好，主人赶车时也小心翼翼，所以没有什么事。

到了镇上，我当然好好地美餐了一顿，主人为生意的事忙了好一阵儿，我们下午很晚才动身回家。那时风刮得更厉害了，我听到主人对约翰说，他从来没有在这样的暴风雨天出过门，我也这样想。我们沿着树林边缘走着时，粗大的树枝就像嫩枝条一样猛烈地摇摆，狂风从树林中呼啸而过，那声音听起来真是吓人。“我们若能平安地穿过这片树林就好了。”我的主人说。“是啊，先生，”约翰说，“要是有树枝掉下来砸着我们，就麻烦了。”

话音未落，就听见“嘎吱”一声，一声断裂的声音，一棵橡树被连根拔起，从树木间猛地横倒在了我们脚下。我不能不说我害怕了，因为我确实被吓坏了。站着一动不动，觉得自己在打哆嗦。当然，我没有掉头跑走，曾经受过的调教让我不会那么做。约翰跳下来，立刻拉住了我的脑袋。“差点儿砸到我们，”我的主人说，“现在该怎么办呢？”“嗯，先生，我们不能把马车从这棵树上赶过去，也没有办法从旁边绕过去，只能退回去到第4个十字路口那里了，我们再绕到那座木桥足足有6英里远。我们回家就很晚了，好在马还有力气。”

于是我们往回走绕道去十字路口，但到木桥时天几乎全黑了。我们只看见河水淹没了木桥的中间部分，发洪水的时候经常会出现这种情况，所以主人没有停下来。我们平稳地往前走，但当我的蹄子刚一踏上木桥第一块木板时，我就觉得有什么地方不对劲儿。我不敢再往前走了，因此死死地停在原地。“往前走啊，黑骏马。”我的主人用鞭子碰碰我说。但我不敢动弹，他用力抽了我一下，我跳了起来，但还是不敢往前走。“有问题，先生。”约翰跳下二轮轻便马车，走到我脑袋旁边，四下里看了看，他试着带我往前走。“来吧，黑骏马，出什么事了？”我当然没有办法告诉他出了什么事，但我很清楚地知道，木桥不安全。

就在这时，收费站的那个人从木桥另一头的房子里跑出来，像疯了一样挥舞着火把。“哎，哎，哎，喂，停下来！”他大声喊叫着。“出什么事了？”我的主人喊道。“桥中间被冲断了，有一部分被冲走了。要是你们再往前走，会被冲进河里的。”“谢天谢地！”我的主人说。“幸亏有你，黑骏马！”约翰说，他拉住笼头很小心地拉着我转过身，转到河堤右侧的道路上。太阳落山已经好久了，将大树连根拔起的狂风好像也小一些了。天越来越黑，四周越来越静。我静静地慢跑着，车轮压过柔软的路面，几乎没有一丝声响。主人和约翰很长时间没有说话，然后主人语气很严肃地开始说话了。他们说的话我并不是很懂，但我知道，他们认为假如我按照主人的命令往前走的话，我们脚下的桥很可能就会塌掉，马、马车、主人，还有约翰都会掉进水里。当时奔腾的河水那么湍急，没有灯光，也没有任何帮我们的东西，我们很可能都会被淹死。

主人说，上帝赐予了人类推理能力，人类可以靠它去了解事物的本质。但是上帝赐予了动物直觉，这种直觉更快捷、更有效，动物们经常靠这种直觉挽救人类的性命。约翰讲了很多有关狗和马做好事的故事。他认为人类对动物的重视还远远不够，他们应该与动物交朋友。我敢肯定，如果有谁能够永远跟动物交朋友的话，那一定是约翰。

最后，我们终于到了庄园门口，发现园丁正在找我们。他说，天刚黑，女主人就坐立不安，担心出了什么意外，她已经派詹姆斯骑上灰色矮脚马加斯蒂，去木桥那边打听我们的消息了。

我们看到门厅和楼上的窗户都透着灯光，我们刚走近，女主人就一边奔过来一边说：“亲爱的，你没事吧？哦，我真是担心死了，一直想着你们是不是出了什么意外。你们没出什么意外吧？”“没有，亲爱的。不过，如果不是你的黑骏马比我们更睿智，我们在木桥那儿就会被河水冲走了。”说着他们就进了房内，约翰牵着我往马厩走，后面的话我没有听到。哦，那天晚上约翰给我准备的晚餐可真好吃，有喷香的混合粉料，燕麦里还拌了一些碎豆子。栏舍里的稻草铺得那么厚实！我真是太开心了，我也真的累坏了。

Chapter 13　The Devil’s Trade Mark

One day when John and I had been out on some business of our mas-ter’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, un-less 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.”

第13章　恶魔的标记

一天，约翰和我出门为主人办事，我们沿着一条又长又直的路慢慢走着回家时，远远看到有个男孩骑着一匹矮种马，想让马跳过一扇门。那匹矮种马不愿意跳，男孩就用鞭子抽他，马往一边儿躲了躲，男孩又用鞭子抽打他，矮种马又朝另一边躲闪。这时男孩跳下来，使劲鞭打了他一阵儿，还猛地敲他的脑袋，接着又骑上去，粗野地用脚不断地踢着他，试图迫使他跳过门，可矮种马还是不肯跳。我们快到他们跟前时，矮种马低下脑袋尥起蹶子，把那个男孩摔进了宽宽的树篱里，然后它拖着从脑袋上垂下来的缰绳，全速朝家的方向飞奔去了。约翰放声大笑起来。“活该！”他说。“哎哟，哎哟，哎哟！”男孩一边在荆棘丛中挣扎，一边喊着。“我说，过来帮我一把吧，把我拉出来。”“不好意思了，”约翰说，“我觉得你挺适合待在那儿的，受点儿皮肉之苦没准能让你长点儿教训呢，不再让矮种马跳对它来说太高的门。”约翰骑着我就离开了。“也许，”他自言自语道，“那残忍的小子还会撒谎。我们回家时正好要路过农场主布什比的家，骏马，如果有人问起这事，我们俩可以跟他们说说此事，你明白的。”

于是我们向右转，很快就来到村口，看到了农场主布什比的家。农场主正急急忙忙地赶路，他的妻子站在门口，显得非常焦急。“你看见我的孩子了吗？”我们走近时，布什比先生问道，“他骑着我的黑色矮种马出去一个多小时了，那匹马刚刚自己回来了，但没有孩子。”“我认为，先生，”约翰说，“骑手不能按照正确的方法骑马的话，没有骑手对这匹马反倒更好。”“你这话是什么意思？”农场主说。“噢，先生，我看见你儿子在粗野地抽打它、踢它、敲它，就因为那匹漂亮的小矮种马不愿意跳过一扇对它来说太高的门。矮种马做得很好，先生，它没有不好的表现，但最后它尥起蹶子，把那位小绅士摔进了荆棘密布的树篱里。他想让我帮忙，把他拉出来。但是，请你原谅，先生，我不想那样做。他没有骨折，先生，只不过有几处擦伤。我爱马，看到马被人虐待就让我心疼。把马逼得尥蹶子可不是件好事情，有第一次，定会有第二次。”

就在这会儿，那位母亲开始哭了起来，“哦，我可怜的比尔，我必须去接他，他一定受伤了。”“你最好还是回屋去，老婆，”农场主说，“对于这件事，比尔应该受受教训，我必须要让他记住。他虐待那匹矮种马已经不是一次两次了，我原本就该阻止这种事发生。多谢你了，曼利。晚安。”

我们继续往前走，一路上约翰都在咯咯地笑。他把这件事告诉了詹姆斯，詹姆斯大笑着说：“他活该。在学校我就认识那小子，他是农场主的儿子，所以他总是神气十足，趾高气扬，威吓小男孩。我们年龄大些的当然不愿意有人胡闹，就让他明白，在学校里，在操场上，农场主的儿子和雇工的儿子都是一样的。我记得非常清楚，有一天下午快上课的时候，我发现他正在大窗户那儿逮苍蝇，还把苍蝇的翅膀都扯下来。他没有看见我，我就照准他的耳朵给了他一拳，把他打翻在地上。嗯，虽然我很生气，也被吓了一大跳，他又喊又叫，嗓门很大。男生们都从操场上冲了过来，校长也从大路上跑过来，看看有谁被谋杀了。当然，我立即老老实实地讲了自己干了什么，为什么那么干。然后我给校长看了那些可怜的苍蝇，它们有的被压扁了，有的在到处可怜地爬着，我还让他看了窗台上苍蝇的翅膀。以前我从来没见过校长生那么大的气。比尔看上去就是个胆小鬼，还在嚎叫、啼哭。校长没有再惩罚他，只是让他在一张凳子上站了一下午，还说那个星期不许他出去玩。然后校长就很严肃地跟所有男生讲起了残忍的问题，说残害弱者和无助的人是冷酷无情、懦弱的表现。但我印象最深的是：他说残忍是恶魔的标记，如果我们看到有谁以残忍为乐，就能清楚他是什么人了，因为恶魔先成为谋杀犯，最后就会变成虐待狂。另一方面，我们看到有人对邻居友善，善待人和动物，我们就会知道那是上帝的标记，因为‘上帝就是爱’。”“你们的校长还不曾教你们最真切的东西，”约翰说，“不存在没有爱的宗教。人们都热衷于谈论他们的宗教，但是如果不能教诲人们善待人和动物，那一切都是耻辱——全都是耻辱。詹姆斯，如果对他们谈论的要刨根问底的话，那宗教就站不住脚了。”

Chapter 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 com-ing 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 fel-lows 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 opin-ion 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 opin-ion 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 willbe ruined for want of having his feet and shoes looked after.”

“Your word will go the furthest, John，”said the master，“for Sir Clif-ford 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 er-rand, 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 toether；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.

第14章　詹姆斯·霍华德

12月初的一个早晨，约翰带我进行完每日的锻炼后，把我牵进了栏舍里，并披上了马衣，詹姆斯从粮仓里拿了些燕麦正往里走，这时候，主人走进了马厩。他看上去表情严肃，手里拿着一封已经开封的信。约翰关好栏舍的门，碰碰帽子，等候着主人的吩咐。“早上好，约翰，”主人说，“我想知道，你对詹姆斯有什么不满意的地方吗？”“不满意，先生？没有，先生。”“他工作刻苦吗，对你尊重吗？”“是的，先生，他一直都这样。”“你从来没发现过他在你背后怠慢偷懒吗？”“从来没有，先生。”“那就好，但是我还得问一个问题。你有没有推测过，他在遛马和送信的时候停下来和熟人聊天，或者进入与他无关的地方，只留马自己在外面？”“没有，先生，当然没有，如果有人那样说詹姆斯，我也不会相信，除非有目击者有清楚明显的证明，不然我是不会相信的。我不是说有谁想诋毁詹姆斯的人格，但我要说，先生，在这个马厩里，我还从来没见过这样一个稳重、聪明、乐观、诚实的年轻男子。我对他的话信得过，对他的工作也信得过，他对马温和，也很机灵，我宁可让他来管理马，也不愿意让那些我认识的戴着系缎带的帽子、穿着制服的人管理。无论是谁，想要了解詹姆斯·霍华德的为人，”约翰坚定地点了一下头说，“那就让他们来找我约翰·曼利吧。”

主人一直严肃、专注地站在那里，但是当约翰讲完以后，主人脸上展露出了愉悦的笑容，亲切地望着对面的詹姆斯，在整个过程中，詹姆斯一直都静静地站在门边。

主人说：“詹姆斯，我的小伙子，放下燕麦，过来吧。我真高兴，约翰对你为人的看法和我完全一致。约翰是个小心谨慎的人，”主人带着俏皮的笑说，“从他那里得到对别人的看法可不容易，因此我认为只有这样才能很快了解想知道的事。现在我们进入正题吧。我接到一封我妹夫克利福德·威廉姆斯爵士从克利福德府邸寄来的信。他想让我给他找一个可靠的年轻马夫，二十一二岁，熟悉自己的工作。他的老车夫跟了他30年了，体力渐渐衰退了，他想找一个和老车夫一块儿工作的人，在老车夫退休后就可以接替其工作了。一开始每个星期可以挣到18先令工钱，还有一套马服，一套骑士服，一间马车房里的卧室，还有一个归你管的马童。克利福德爵士是一个好主人，如果你能得到这个职位，对你来说是一个开创未来的美好开始。我不想让你走，如果你离开我们，我知道约翰就会失去一个好帮手的。”“没错，先生，”约翰说，“但我不想耽误他的光明前程。”“你多大了，詹姆斯？”主人问。“明年5月满19岁，先生。”“年轻了点儿。你怎么看，约翰？”“嗯，先生，是年轻了点儿，但他和成年人一样稳重、强壮，身体发育也好。虽然他赶车没多少经验，但是手法又轻又稳，眼神也好，非常细心，我能保证，经他照管的马绝对不会因为蹄子和马掌而被毁掉。”“你的话最有说服力，约翰，”主人说，“因为克利福德爵士外加了一段附言：‘如果能找到被你的约翰训练出来的人，我会优先选择的。’因此，詹姆斯，小伙子，你认真考虑一下，吃晚饭的时候，和你妈妈商量一下，然后把你的想法告诉我。”

这次谈话结束后的几天，事情就全定下来了。詹姆斯按照新主人的意思，一个月或者6个星期后，就要去克利福德府邸了。在这段时间里，他尽可能地多练习赶车。我从来不曾见过马车外出的次数如此多。以前，女主人不出门时，主人自己驾驭双轮轻便马车。现在，不管是主人，还是年轻的小姐们，或者仅有一个送信的出门，我和生姜都会被套上马车，由詹姆斯驾驭我们。一开始，约翰和詹姆斯一起坐在车上，告诉他这个告诉他那个，后来，就只有詹姆斯自己驾车了。

星期六，主人去了城里很多地方，我们经过的街道稀奇古怪。主人总是在火车进站的时候去火车站，那时候，出租马车、马车、大车和公共马车都拥挤着想过桥。铁路上的铃声敲响时，好马和出色的马车夫才能顺利过桥，因为桥很窄，到火车站还得拐一个很急的弯儿，如果目光不够敏锐，头脑不够清醒，就很容易撞到别人。

Chapter 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 car-riage 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 sta-ble, 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 hulk-ing 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 rac-ing 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 ho-tels.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 treat-ment 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 remem-ber；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 riding as much as any man, but still there are some leaps that only a very knowing old huntsman has any right to take.A man’s life and a horse’s life are worth more than a fox’s tail；at least, I should say they ought to be.”

During this time the other man had finished Ginger and had brought our corn, and James and the old man left the stable together.

第15章　老马夫

从那以后，我的主人和女主人决定去拜访一些朋友，离家有46英里远，让詹姆斯为他们赶车。第一天，我们走了32英里。路上有些又长又难走的山路，但是詹姆斯赶车非常小心谨慎，还处处为我们着想，我们一点儿也没觉得烦躁。在我们下坡的时候，他从来不会忘记拉刹车闸，在该松闸的地方，他也从不会忘记把闸松开。他总是让我们走最平坦的路，如果有很长的上坡路，他会给我们一个喘息的时间，把马车轮横过来，以免再滑下去。所有这些小事对马都非常有好处，特别是我们还可以听到詹姆斯亲切的话语。

我们在途中停过一两次，就在太阳快要落山时到了一座城镇上，我们要在这里过夜。我们在最大的旅店前停了下来，这家旅店在市场里，确实不小。我们穿过一道拱形门，进到一个狭长的院子里，院子尽头是马厩和马车房。两个马夫过来给我们卸了马车。领头的马夫是个乐观、活跃的小个子男人，他有条腿瘸了，穿了件黄色带条纹的背心。我从没见过有谁和他一样，能如此快地把马具解下来。他轻轻拍了拍我，说了句夸赞我的话，便把我牵进一座有6～8个栏舍的长马厩里了，里面已经有两三匹马了。另一个人把生姜也牵了进来。詹姆斯一直站在一旁，看我们被马夫梳理和清洗。

我从来没被人像这个小个子老马夫一样，如此轻柔、迅速地清理过。刷洗结束后，詹姆斯走上前抚摸了一遍我，好像觉得我肯定没被刷洗干净，不过他发现我的毛皮像丝绸一样干净、顺滑。“嘿，”詹姆斯说，“我以为我自己动作就够快了，我们的约翰速度更快，但是在同样的时间里，你是我见过的干活最快、刷洗得最干净的人。”“熟能生巧，”瘸腿的小个子马夫说，“如果做不好就麻烦了，已经有40年的经验了，再不掌握技巧，哈，哈！那可就糟了。说起速度快，上帝保佑，那就是个习惯。如果你养成干活快的习惯，那跟慢点儿干一样容易，我还觉得快点儿更容易些。实际上，如果花上两倍的时间笨拙地干活，我的身体是不允许我这么干的。上帝保佑！如果像有些人那样磨磨蹭蹭地干活，那我就不能自在地吹口哨了。”“你看，从我12岁起，我就在猎马马厩和赛马马厩里跟马打交道了。我个子很矮，你看到了，我做了几年赛马骑师。但是古德伍德赛马场的地面太滑了，我可怜的飞燕草滑倒了，摔坏了我的膝盖，当然，在那儿我就没用处了。但没有马我就没法活，真的没法活，于是我就到旅店来了。我跟你说，能跟这种有纯种血统、行为得体、被照顾得很好的马打交道，真是一种享受。上帝保佑！我一眼就能看出一匹马过得怎么样。给我20分钟照管一匹马，我就能告诉你照管他的马夫是个什么样的人。看看这匹，愉快、安静，按照你的要求转来转去，提起蹄子让你刷洗，你想怎么着都行。然后你会发现另一匹马不安、焦躁，不愿意向正确的方向移动，或者只要你一靠近他，他就在栏舍里乱蹦，扬起脑袋，向后背耳朵，好像很害怕你，或者就冲你尥蹶子，可怜的东西！我知道他曾经受过什么样的对待。如果他们胆小，就会使他们变得易惊、畏缩，如果他们有很大的勇气，就会使他们变得凶猛、危险。他们的脾气很大程度上是小时候造成的。上帝保佑！他们就像孩子一样接受训练，就像《圣经》上说的，训练马走正道，如果他们有这个机会，他们长大的时候就不会偏离正道，就这么回事。”“我喜欢听你讲话，”詹姆斯说，“在主人家里，我们就是按照这种正道引导的。”“你的主人是谁，年轻人？或许我不该这么问，不过依我看，你的主人可是个好主人。”“他是波特维克庄园的戈登老爷。”詹姆斯说。“啊，对，对，我听说过他，对马很在行，对吧？乡下最好的骑手？”“我认为是的，”詹姆斯说，“不过自从可怜的小少爷死了以后，他就很少骑马了。”“唉，可怜的绅士！当时我在报纸上看到这件事了。一匹好马也死了，是吗？”“是的，”詹姆斯说，“那是一匹很出色的牲口，与这匹马是兄弟，长得也很像。”“可惜啊，可惜！”老人说，“那不是个跳马的好地方，如果我没记错的话，顶端有一道稀疏的篱笆，陡峭的河岸延伸到河边，是不是？根本没有机会让马看到前面是什么。你看，我骑马和一些人一样勇敢，但是有些地方，只有经验非常丰富的老猎人才能跳过去。一条人的性命与一匹马的性命可要比一只狐狸的尾巴珍贵多了，至少，我是这么认为的。”

在这段时间里，另一个马夫刷洗好了生姜，还给我们带来了谷物，接着詹姆斯和老人就一起离开了马厩。

Chapter 16　The Fire

Later on in the evening a traveler’s horse was brought in by the sec-ond hostler, and while he was cleaning him a young man with a pipe in his mouth lounged into the stable to gossip.

“I say, Towler，”said the hostler，“just run up the ladder into the loft and put some hay down into this horse’s rack, will you？only lay down your pipe.”

“All right，”said the other, and went up through the trapdoor；and I heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay. James came in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked.

I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was, but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up；the air seemed all thick and choking.I heard Ginger coughing and one of the other horses seemed very restless；it was quite dark, and I could see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke, and I hardly knew how to breathe.

The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place it came through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise and a low crackling and snapping.I did not know what it was, but there was some-thing in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over.The other horses were all awake；some were pulling at their halters, others stamping.

At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up the trav-eler’s horse burst into the stable with a lantern, and began to untie the horses, and try to lead them out；but he seemed in such a hurry and so frightened himself that he frightened me still more. The first horse would not go with him；he tried the second and third, and they too would not stir.He came to me next and tried to drag me out of the stall by force；of course that was no use.He tried us all by turns and then left the stable.

No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to be all round, and there was nobody we knew to trust in, and all was strange and uncer-tain. The fresh air that had come in through the open door made it easier to breathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder, and as I looked upward through the bars of my empty rack I saw a red light flickering on the wall.Then I heard a cry of“Fire！”outside, and the old hostler quietly and quickly came in；he got one horse out, and went to another, but the flames were playing round the trapdoor, and the roaring overhead was dreadful.

The next thing I heard was James’voice, quiet and cheery, as it al-ways was.

“Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so wake up and come along.”I stood nearest the door, so he came to me first, patting me as he came in.

“Come, Beauty, on with your bridle, my boy, we’ll soon be out of this smother.”It was on in no time；then he took the scarf off his neck, and tied it lightly over my eyes, and patting and coaxing he led me out of the stable. Safe in the yard, he slipped the scarf off my eyes, and shouted，“Here somebody！take this horse while I go back for the other.”

A tall, broad man stepped forward and took me, and James darted back into the stable. I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go.Ginger told me af-terward that whinny was the best thing I could have done for her, for had she not heard me outside she would never have had courage to come out.

There was much confusion in the yard；the horses being got out of other stables, and the carriages and gigs being pulled out of houses and sheds, lest the flames should spread further. On the other side the yard windows were thrown up, and people were shouting all sorts of things；but I kept my eye fixed on the stable door, where the smoke poured out thicker than ever, and I could see flashes of red light；presently I heard above all the stir and din a loud, clear voice, which I knew was master’s：

“James Howard！James Howard！Are you there？”There was no an-swer, but I heard a crash of something falling in the stable, and the next moment I gave a loud, joyful neigh, for I saw James coming through the smoke leading Ginger with him；she was coughing violently, and he was not able to speak.

“My brave lad！”said master, laying his hand on his shoulder，“are you hurt？”

James shook his head, for he could not yet speak.

“Ay，”said the big man who held me；“he is a brave lad, and no mis-take.”

“And now，”said master，“when you have got your breath, James, we’ll get out of this place as quickly as we can，”and we were moving to-ward the entry, when from the market-place there came a sound of gal-loping feet and loud rumbling wheels.

“’Tis the fire-engine！the fire-engine！”shouted two or three voices，“stand back, make way！”and clattering and thundering over the stones two horses dashed into the yard with a heavy engine behind them. The firemen leaped to the ground；there was no need to ask where the fire was-it was rolling up in a great blaze from the roof.

We got out as fast as we could into the broad quiet market-place；the stars were shining, and except the noise behind us, all was still. Master led the way to a large hotel on the other side, and as soon as the hostler came, he said，“James, I must now hasten to your mistress；I trust the horses en-tirely to you, order whatever you think is needed，”and with that he was gone.The master did not run, but I never saw mortal man walk so fast as he did that night.

There was a dreadful sound before we got into our stalls-the shrieks of those poor horses that were left burning to death in the stable-it was very terrible！and made both Ginger and me feel very bad. We, however, were taken in and well done by.

The next morning the master came to see how we were and to speak to James. I did not hear much, for the hostler was rubbing me down, but I could see that James looked very happy, and I thought the master was proud of him.Our mistress had been so much alarmed in the night that the journey was put off till the afternoon, so James had the morning on hand, and went first to the inn to see about our harness and the carriage, and then to hear more about the fire.When he came back we heard him tell the hostler about it.At first no one could guess how the fire had been caused, but at last a man said he saw Dick Towler go into the stable with a pipe in his mouth, and when he came out he had not one, and went to the tap for another.Then the under hostler said he had asked Dick to go up the ladder to put down some hay, but told him to lay down his pipe first.Dick denied taking the pipe with him, but no one believed him.I remember our John Manly’s rule, never to allow a pipe in the stable, and thought it ought to be the rule everywhere.

James said the roof and floor had all fallen in, and that only the black walls were standing；the two poor horses that could not be got out were buried under the burnt rafters and tiles.

第16章　火灾

夜深了，另一个马夫牵进了一位旅客的马，当他给马刷洗的时候，一个嘴里叼着烟斗的年轻人懒洋洋地到马厩里来闲聊天。“我说，托勒，”马夫说，“你能不能顺着梯子爬到阁楼上去，往这匹马的饲料槽里扔些干草？不过要放下你的烟斗。”“好嘞，”另一个人说着就爬上了活板门，我听到他穿过头顶地板的脚步声，扔下了干草。最后詹姆斯进来看了看我们，门就被锁上了。

我说不清睡了多长时间，也不知道那是夜里几点，但是我感觉非常不舒服，就醒了，但不知道为什么。我站起来，空气好像非常浓重，很呛。我听到生姜在咳嗽，有一匹马在不安地踱步。太黑了，我什么也看不见，马厩里充满了烟，我几乎都无法呼吸了。

活板门还开着，我想烟是从那个地方过来的。我听了听，听到一种轻柔，但又很急迫的“噼噼啪啪”的爆裂声。我不知道那是什么，不过声音里有种很奇怪的东西，让我浑身震颤。现在其他的马都醒了，有些马正在拉扯拴着他们的缰绳，有些在跺着蹄子。

最后，我听到外面有脚步声，那个把旅客的马牵进来的马夫提着灯笼冲了进来，他开始解开了一些马，试图带着他们出去，但是他看上去惊慌失措，他自己很害怕，那情景让我更害怕了。第一匹马不愿意跟他走，他试着牵第二匹、第三匹，但是它们也不愿意动弹。他接着走向我，试着用蛮力把我拽出马厩，当然那没有用。他试着都将我们挨个拽了一遍，最后出了马厩。

我们当然非常愚蠢，但是看上去到处都是危险，这里没有我们信赖的人，所有的一切都那么陌生，难以捉摸。从敞开的大门涌进来的新鲜空气让呼吸变得容易些了，但是头顶上传来的那种“噼噼啪啪”的声音更大了，我抬头向上看，透过空的饲料槽上的栏杆，我看到一道红光正在墙上闪烁。然后我听到外面大叫了一声“着火了”，老马夫平静而迅速地进来了。他牵着一匹马出去了，又来牵第二匹，但是火苗已经烧到活板门周围了，头顶的呼啸声可怕极了。

接下来我听到了詹姆斯的声音，从容、愉快，就跟平时一样。“来吧，我的骏马们，我们得出去了，醒醒，跟我来。”我挨着门站着，所以他第一个走向我，一进来就拍了拍我。“来吧，骏马，戴上你的缰绳，我的小伙子，我们马上就离开这令人窒息的地方。”没时间了，然后他解下脖子上的围巾，轻轻地蒙住了我的眼睛，拍着我，哄着我，把我牵出了马厩。到了院子里安全的地方，他摘掉蒙在我眼睛上的围巾，大声喊道：“过来个人，带这匹马，我要回去牵另一匹。”

一个高大魁梧的男人上前拉住我，詹姆斯转身又冲进了马厩。

看见他走了，我尖声嘶叫起来。后来生姜告诉我，那声嘶叫是我为她做得最好的事情，如果不是听到我在外面，她绝不会有勇气出来。

院子里混乱不堪，马们从其他的马厩里被牵了出来，怕火势越来越大，人们把四轮马车、双轮轻便马车都从房子和棚屋里拉出来了。院子另一头的窗户全都打开了，人们喊什么的都有，我目不转睛地盯着马厩门口，从那里冒出的烟更浓了，我能看到闪烁的红光。这时，

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