04-02-01-黑骏马 [23]
，'but if I went without a bearing rein all the time，the other cart drivers would laugh at me．It's fashionable，you see．'
'It's better to start a good fashion than to follow a bad one，'said the woman．'Many gentlemen don't use bearing reins now．'
She gave me another pat on the neck and walked on．
After that，Jakes always took off my bearing rein when I was going up a hill，and that made my life easier．But pulling heavy carts day after day slowly began to exhaust me and a younger horse was brought in to do my work．
* * *
I was sold to another cab owner whose name was Nicholas Skinner．He was hard on his drivers，and they were hard on the horses．We worked long hours，had no Sunday rest，and it was a hot summer．
My driver was just as hard as his master，and he had a cruel whip with something sharp at the end which often cut me and made me bleed．It was a terrible life，and sometimes，like poor Ginger，I wished I was dead．
One day I nearly got my wish．
We were at the railway station when a family of four people hired us There was a noisy man with a lady，a little boy，a young girl， and a lot of heavy luggage．
'Father，'said the young girl，'this poor horse can't take us and all our luggage．He's too tired．'
'Oh， he's all right， miss！'said my driver．He put a heavy box on the cab with the other luggage．
'Father，please take a second cab，'said the girl．'I'm sure this is very cruel．'
'Grace，get in at once，and don't be stupid，'said her father．'The driver knows his own business．'
My gentle friend had to obey，and box after box was lifted up and put on the top of the cab，or next to the driver．Then the driver hit me with his whip and we moved out of the sta-tion． The cab was very heavy and I had not eaten or rested since early that morning．I did my best and got along quite well un-til we came to Ludgate Hill．By then I was exhausted，and the heavy cab was too much for me．My feet went from under me and I fell heavily，knocking all the breath out of me．I lay quite still because I could not move．Indeed， I expected to die．
There were angry voices above me and luggage was taken off the cab，but it was all like a dream．I tnought I heard the girl's voice saying，'Oh，that poor horse！It's all our fault！'
Someone loosened my bridle and collar，and another voice said，'He's dead，he'll never get up again．'I heard a police－man giving orders but I did not open my eyes．Cold water was thrown over my head，some medicine was put into my mouth，and I was covered with a cloth．
I don't know how long I was there，but a man with a kind voice persuaded me to try to get up and I managed it．Then I was gently led to some stables close by．
That evening，I was taken back to Skinner's stables，and the next morning the horse-doctor came to see me．
'He's been worked too hard，'said the doctor．'There's no strength left in him．'
'Then he must go for dog food，'said Skinner．'I have no fields for sick horses．It doesn't suit my business．I work them for as long as they'll go，then I sell them for what I can get．'
'There's a horse fair in ten days' time，' said the doctor．'If you rest him and give him food， he may get better，and then you may get more than his skin's worth．'
Luckily for me，Skinner took the doctor's advice and，after rest and food，I began to feel better．Ten days later， I was taken to the horse fair，a few miles outside London．
■ 12 苦日子
我被卖给了杰利认识的一位面包师。这面包师的车夫是个叫贾克的男人。他喜欢把绳套收得紧紧的。这叫我拉重物时很困难。我发现这工作很不好干。
这样过了三四个月。一天，我正拉车上一个很陡的小山。这次车比以往都沉重得多。我不得不几次停下来休息，这让贾克很不高兴。
“走啊，你这懒马！我要抽你了！”他喊着并用鞭子抽我。
拉了几米，我又得停下来。鞭子又落在我的后背上，疼得钻心。我已经尽力了，可车夫还无情地惩罚我，这非常不公平。
贾克第三次抽我的时候，一位妇女跑过来说：“噢，请你别那样抽你的马。我想我能帮忙，如果你愿意的话。”
贾克笑起来。“噢？”
“他的头被绳套向后拉得抬起来，这样他就使不上力气，”妇女接下去说。“如果你卸下绳套，我肯定他能干好。”
“只要能让女士开心，我什么事都可以干！”贾克笑着说。
绳套拆了下来，我上下活动了几次酸疼的脖子。
“可怜的孩子，你就想这样吧？”女人说着拍拍我。她转向贾克：“只要对他说几句好话，并牵着它，我相信他会干得更好。”
贾克拾起缰绳，我低下头拉起来。我把车拉上了山顶，停下来喘着气。
“咦，倒是管用，”贾克说。“可是如果我一直不用绳套，其他车夫会笑我的。这是潮流，你知道吧。”
“开始一个好潮流比追随一个坏潮流强。”妇女说，“现在很多绅士已不再用绳套了。”
她又拍了拍我的脖子，然后走了。
从那以后，贾克在我上山时就摘下绳套，这让我的日子好过了一些。但是日复一日地拉重车慢慢耗尽了我的体力，一匹年轻的马被带来接替我。
* * *
我被卖给了另一个叫尼古拉斯·斯基耐尔的出租马车
'It's better to start a good fashion than to follow a bad one，'said the woman．'Many gentlemen don't use bearing reins now．'
She gave me another pat on the neck and walked on．
After that，Jakes always took off my bearing rein when I was going up a hill，and that made my life easier．But pulling heavy carts day after day slowly began to exhaust me and a younger horse was brought in to do my work．
* * *
I was sold to another cab owner whose name was Nicholas Skinner．He was hard on his drivers，and they were hard on the horses．We worked long hours，had no Sunday rest，and it was a hot summer．
My driver was just as hard as his master，and he had a cruel whip with something sharp at the end which often cut me and made me bleed．It was a terrible life，and sometimes，like poor Ginger，I wished I was dead．
One day I nearly got my wish．
We were at the railway station when a family of four people hired us There was a noisy man with a lady，a little boy，a young girl， and a lot of heavy luggage．
'Father，'said the young girl，'this poor horse can't take us and all our luggage．He's too tired．'
'Oh， he's all right， miss！'said my driver．He put a heavy box on the cab with the other luggage．
'Father，please take a second cab，'said the girl．'I'm sure this is very cruel．'
'Grace，get in at once，and don't be stupid，'said her father．'The driver knows his own business．'
My gentle friend had to obey，and box after box was lifted up and put on the top of the cab，or next to the driver．Then the driver hit me with his whip and we moved out of the sta-tion． The cab was very heavy and I had not eaten or rested since early that morning．I did my best and got along quite well un-til we came to Ludgate Hill．By then I was exhausted，and the heavy cab was too much for me．My feet went from under me and I fell heavily，knocking all the breath out of me．I lay quite still because I could not move．Indeed， I expected to die．
There were angry voices above me and luggage was taken off the cab，but it was all like a dream．I tnought I heard the girl's voice saying，'Oh，that poor horse！It's all our fault！'
Someone loosened my bridle and collar，and another voice said，'He's dead，he'll never get up again．'I heard a police－man giving orders but I did not open my eyes．Cold water was thrown over my head，some medicine was put into my mouth，and I was covered with a cloth．
I don't know how long I was there，but a man with a kind voice persuaded me to try to get up and I managed it．Then I was gently led to some stables close by．
That evening，I was taken back to Skinner's stables，and the next morning the horse-doctor came to see me．
'He's been worked too hard，'said the doctor．'There's no strength left in him．'
'Then he must go for dog food，'said Skinner．'I have no fields for sick horses．It doesn't suit my business．I work them for as long as they'll go，then I sell them for what I can get．'
'There's a horse fair in ten days' time，' said the doctor．'If you rest him and give him food， he may get better，and then you may get more than his skin's worth．'
Luckily for me，Skinner took the doctor's advice and，after rest and food，I began to feel better．Ten days later， I was taken to the horse fair，a few miles outside London．
■ 12 苦日子
我被卖给了杰利认识的一位面包师。这面包师的车夫是个叫贾克的男人。他喜欢把绳套收得紧紧的。这叫我拉重物时很困难。我发现这工作很不好干。
这样过了三四个月。一天，我正拉车上一个很陡的小山。这次车比以往都沉重得多。我不得不几次停下来休息，这让贾克很不高兴。
“走啊，你这懒马！我要抽你了！”他喊着并用鞭子抽我。
拉了几米，我又得停下来。鞭子又落在我的后背上，疼得钻心。我已经尽力了，可车夫还无情地惩罚我，这非常不公平。
贾克第三次抽我的时候，一位妇女跑过来说：“噢，请你别那样抽你的马。我想我能帮忙，如果你愿意的话。”
贾克笑起来。“噢？”
“他的头被绳套向后拉得抬起来，这样他就使不上力气，”妇女接下去说。“如果你卸下绳套，我肯定他能干好。”
“只要能让女士开心，我什么事都可以干！”贾克笑着说。
绳套拆了下来，我上下活动了几次酸疼的脖子。
“可怜的孩子，你就想这样吧？”女人说着拍拍我。她转向贾克：“只要对他说几句好话，并牵着它，我相信他会干得更好。”
贾克拾起缰绳，我低下头拉起来。我把车拉上了山顶，停下来喘着气。
“咦，倒是管用，”贾克说。“可是如果我一直不用绳套，其他车夫会笑我的。这是潮流，你知道吧。”
“开始一个好潮流比追随一个坏潮流强。”妇女说，“现在很多绅士已不再用绳套了。”
她又拍了拍我的脖子，然后走了。
从那以后，贾克在我上山时就摘下绳套，这让我的日子好过了一些。但是日复一日地拉重车慢慢耗尽了我的体力，一匹年轻的马被带来接替我。
* * *
我被卖给了另一个叫尼古拉斯·斯基耐尔的出租马车