English
ThenameofthecoachmanwasJohnManly;hehadawifeandonelittlechild,andtheylivedinthecoachman'scottage,verynearthestables.
Thenextmorninghetookmeintotheyardandgavemeagoodgrooming,andjustasIwasgoingintomybox,withmycoatsoftandbright,thesquirecameintolookatme,andseemedpleased.
"John,"hesaid,"Imeanttohavetriedthenewhorsethismorning,butIhaveotherbusiness.
Youmayaswelltakehimaroundafterbreakfast;gobythecommonandtheHighwood,andbackbythewatermillandtheriver;thatwillshowhispaces."
"Iwill,sir,"saidJohn.Afterbreakfasthecameandfittedmewithabridle.
Hewasveryparticularinlettingoutandtakinginthestraps,tofitmyheadcomfortably;thenhebroughtasaddle,butitwasnotbroadenoughformyback;hesawitinaminuteandwentforanother,whichfittednicely.
Herodemefirstslowly,thenatrot,thenacanter,andwhenwewereonthecommonhegavemealighttouchwithhiswhip,andwehadasplendidgallop.
"Ho,ho!myboy,"hesaid,ashepulledmeup,"youwouldliketofollowthehounds,Ithink."
AswecamebackthroughtheparkwemettheSquireandMrs.Gordonwalking;theystopped,andJohnjumpedoff.
"Well,John,howdoeshego?"
"First-rate,sir,"answeredJohn;"heisasfleetasadeer,andhasafinespirittoo;butthelightesttouchofthereinwillguidehim.
Downattheendofthecommonwemetoneofthosetravelingcartshungalloverwithbaskets,rugs,andsuchlike;youknow,sir,manyhorseswillnotpassthosecartsquietly;hejusttookagoodlookatit,andthenwentonasquietandpleasantascouldbe.
TheywereshootingrabbitsneartheHighwood,andagunwentoffcloseby;hepulledupalittleandlooked,butdidnotstirasteptorightorleft.
Ijustheldthereinsteadyanddidnothurryhim,andit'smyopinionhehasnotbeenfrightenedorill-usedwhilehewasyoung."
"That'swell,"saidthesquire,"Iwilltryhimmyselfto-morrow."
ThenextdayIwasbroughtupformymaster.
Irememberedmymother'scounselandmygoodoldmaster's,andItriedtodoexactlywhathewantedmetodo.
Ifoundhewasaverygoodrider,andthoughtfulforhishorsetoo.
Whenhecamehometheladywasatthehalldoorasherodeup.
"Well,mydear,"shesaid,"howdoyoulikehim?"
"HeisexactlywhatJohnsaid,"hereplied;"apleasantercreatureIneverwishtomount.Whatshallwecallhim?"
"WouldyoulikeEbony?"saidshe;"heisasblackasebony."
"No,notEbony."
"WillyoucallhimBlackbird,likeyouruncle'soldhorse?"
"No,heisfarhandsomerthanoldBlackbirdeverwas."
"Yes,"shesaid,"heisreallyquiteabeauty,andhehassuchasweet,good-temperedface,andsuchafine,intelligenteye—whatdoyousaytocallinghimBlackBeauty?"
"BlackBeauty—why,yes,Ithinkthatisaverygoodname.Ifyoulikeitshallbehisname;"andsoitwas.
WhenJohnwentintothestablehetoldJamesthatmasterandmistresshadchosenagood,sensibleEnglishnameforme,thatmeantsomething;notlikeMarengo,orPegasus,orAbdallah.
Theybothlaughed,andJamessaid,"Ifitwasnotforbringingbackthepast,IshouldhavenamedhimRobRoy,forIneversawtwohorsesmorealike."
"That'snowonder,"saidJohn;"didn'tyouknowthatFarmerGrey'soldDuchesswasthemotherofthemboth?"
Ihadneverheardthatbefore;andsopoorRobRoywhowaskilledatthathuntwasmybrother!
Ididnotwonderthatmymotherwassotroubled.
Itseemsthathorseshavenorelations;atleasttheyneverknoweachotheraftertheyaresold.
Johnseemedveryproudofme;heusedtomakemymaneandtailalmostassmoothasalady'shair,andhewouldtalktomeagreatdeal;ofcourseIdidnotunderstandallhesaid,butIlearnedmoreandmoretoknowwhathemeant,andwhathewantedmetodo.
Igrewveryfondofhim,hewassogentleandkind;heseemedtoknowjusthowahorsefeels,andwhenhecleanedmeheknewthetenderplacesandtheticklishplaces;whenhebrushedmyheadhewentascarefullyovermyeyesasiftheywerehisown,andneverstirredupanyill-temper.
JamesHoward,thestableboy,wasjustasgentleandpleasantinhisway,soIthoughtmyselfwelloff.Therewasanothermanwhohelpedintheyard,buthehadverylittletodowithGingerandme.
AfewdaysafterthisIhadtogooutwithGingerinthecarriage.
Iwonderedhowweshouldgetontogether;butexceptlayingherearsbackwhenIwasleduptoher,shebehavedverywell.
Shedidherworkhonestly,anddidherfullshare,andIneverwishtohaveabetterpartnerindoubleharness.
Whenwecametoahill,insteadofslackeningherpace,shewouldthrowherweightrightintothecollar,andpullawaystraightup.
Wehadboththesamesortofcourageatourwork,andJohnhadoftenertoholdusinthantourgeusforward;heneverhadtousethewhipwitheitherofus;thenourpacesweremuchthesame,andIfounditveryeasytokeepstepwithherwhentrotting,whichmadeitpleasant,andmasteralwayslikeditwhenwekeptstepwell,andsodidJohn.
Afterwehadbeenouttwoorthreetimestogetherwegrewquitefriendlyandsociable,whichmademefeelverymuchathome.
AsforMerrylegs,heandIsoonbecamegreatfriends;hewassuchacheerful,plucky,good-temperedlittlefellowthathewasafavoritewitheveryone,andespeciallywithMissJessieandFlora,whousedtoridehimaboutintheorchard,andhavefinegameswithhimandtheirlittledogFrisky.
Ourmasterhadtwootherhorsesthatstoodinanotherstable.
OnewasJustice,aroancob,usedforridingorfortheluggagecart;theotherwasanoldbrownhunter,namedSirOliver;hewaspastworknow,butwasagreatfavoritewiththemaster,whogavehimtherunofthepark;hesometimesdidalittlelightcartingontheestate,orcarriedoneoftheyoungladieswhentheyrodeoutwiththeirfather,forhewasverygentleandcouldbetrustedwithachildaswellasMerrylegs.
Thecobwasastrong,well-made,good-temperedhorse,andwesometimeshadalittlechatinthepaddock,butofcourseIcouldnotbesointimatewithhimaswithGinger,whostoodinthesamestable.
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