04-02-01-黑骏马 [21]
'I'll be proud to take you，'said Jerry．'Where do you want to go？'
'Paddington Station，'said the woman．
We got to the station and went in under cover．The lady stood beside the cab talking to Jerry for some time，and I dis-covered that she was once Polly's mistress．
'How do you like cab work in the winter？'she asked Jerry．'Polly was worried about your cough last year．'
'She worries because I work all hours and in all kinds of weather，'said Jerry．'But I get on all right，and I would be lost without horses to look after．'
'It would be wrong to harm your health in this work when you have a wife and two children，'said the lady．'There are many places where good drivers or grooms are wanted．If you ever decide to give up cab work，let me know．'She put some-thing into his hand．'There's some money for the children．'
Jerry thanked her and，after leaving the station，we went
* * *
Christmas and the New Year are no holidays for cab drivers and their horses．People go to parties and dances，and th6 work is often late Sometimes driver and horse have to wait for hours，shaking with cold．
We had a lot of late work during Christmas week and Jerry's cough was bad．On New Year's Eve we took two gentlemen to a house in the West End，and were told to come for them at eleven'o clock．'You may have to wait a few minutes，but don't be late，'one of them said．
Jerry arrived at the right time and we waited．The wind was very cold and it was snowing．Jerry pulled one of my cloths higher over my neck， then walked up and down， trying to keep warm．
At half－past twelve，Jerry rang the door－bell and asked if the gentlemen still wanted the cab．The man at the door said，'Oh，yes，you'll be wanted．'
At one o'clock the door opened and two men came out．They got in the cab without a word，and told Jerry where to drive．It was three kilometres away，and when the men got out they didn't say they were sorry for the long wait，but they were angry when Jerry made them pay for the extra waiting time．But it was money hard-earned．
When we got home，Jerry could not speak，and his cough was terrible，but he groomed me and made sure that I was warm and comfortable．
It was late the next morning before anyone came， and then it was only Harry．He cleaned us and gave us our food but was very quiet． Later that morning he came again， and this time Dolly came with him．She was crying，and I discovered from their conversation that Jerry was dangerously ill．
Two days passed， and only Harry and Dolly came to the sta-ble．On the third day，Mr Grant from the cab stand arrived when Harry was in the stable．'I won't go to the house，boy，but how is your father？'he said．
'He's very bad，'said Harry．
'I'm sorry to hear that，'said Mr Grant．'He's the best man I know．'
But when he came the next day，Harry was able to tell him，'Father is better today．Mother hopes he will get over it soon．'
'Thank God！' said Mr Grant． He was a kind man， and did a lot to help the family during this time，because while Jerry was ill，he was earning no money，and we all had to eat．
Jerry got slowly better，but the doctor said he must never do cab work again．The children talked a lot about what their mother and father would do，but a few days later Dolly ran into the stable to find Harry．
'There's a letter from Mrs Fowler，mother's old mistress！'said Dolly．'She wants father to be her carriage driver，and we're going to live in a cottage in the country——with chick-ens，and apple trees，and everything！'
This was bad news for me．I was not young now，and could not hope for a better master than Jerry，although Mr Grant promised to find a comfortable place for me．
I never saw Jerry again and was very sorry to leave．
■ 11 告别老友
一天我们在伦敦的一个公园门外等客，一辆又脏又旧的车从我们身旁经过。那马是棕色的，瘦骨嶙峋。我正在吃草，风把几根草刮到她那边。可怜的家伙伸着她又瘦又长的脖子把草叼了起来，又转过头来找别的草吃。在她黯淡的眼睛中有一股绝望的神情，我寻思自己以前在哪儿见过它。她也定定地看着我。
“黑骏马，是你吗？”她说。
是金儿！可她变化多大呀！她的脸，曾经是那么有生气的一张脸，现在悲惨而痛楚，她的呼吸也非常不好。
我凑近它，这样我们可以小声交谈。她给我讲了一个悲伤的故事。在沙尔伯爵庄园休养了一年后，主人认为她又能干活了，就把她卖给了一位先生。她开始还好，但是有一天经过长时间奔跑后，她又病了。她停止工作，看了医生，又被卖掉了。这样，她被从这个人卖到那个人，一个不如一个。
“最后我被一个有好多辆车和马供出租的人买下了，”金