English
Onedaylateintheautumnmymasterhadalongjourneytogoonbusiness.
Iwasputintothedog-cart,andJohnwentwithhismaster.
Ialwayslikedtogointhedog-cart,itwassolightandthehighwheelsranalongsopleasantly.
Therehadbeenagreatdealofrain,andnowthewindwasveryhighandblewthedryleavesacrosstheroadinashower.
Wewentalongmerrilytillwecametothetoll-barandthelowwoodenbridge.
Theriverbankswereratherhigh,andthebridge,insteadofrising,wentacrossjustlevel,sothatinthemiddle,iftheriverwasfull,thewaterwouldbenearlyuptothewoodworkandplanks;butasthereweregoodsubstantialrailsoneachside,peopledidnotmindit.
Themanatthegatesaidtheriverwasrisingfast,andhefeareditwouldbeabadnight.
Manyofthemeadowswereunderwater,andinonelowpartoftheroadthewaterwashalfwayuptomyknees;thebottomwasgood,andmasterdrovegently,soitwasnomatter.
WhenwegottothetownofcourseIhadagoodwait,butasthemaster'sbusinessengagedhimalongtimewedidnotstartforhometillratherlateintheafternoon.
Thewindwasthenmuchhigher,andIheardthemastersaytoJohnthathehadneverbeenoutinsuchastorm;andsoIthought,aswewentalongtheskirtsofawood,wherethegreatbrancheswereswayingaboutliketwigs,andtherushingsoundwasterrible.
"Iwishwewerewelloutofthiswood,"saidmymaster.
"Yes,sir,"saidJohn,"itwouldberatherawkwardifoneofthesebranchescamedownuponus."
Thewordswerescarcelyoutofhismouthwhentherewasagroan,andacrack,andasplittingsound,andtearing,crashingdownamongtheothertreescameanoak,tornupbytheroots,anditfellrightacrosstheroadjustbeforeus.
IwillneversayIwasnotfrightened,forIwas.
Istoppedstill,andIbelieveItrembled;ofcourseIdidnotturnroundorrunaway;Iwasnotbroughtuptothat.
Johnjumpedoutandwasinamomentatmyhead.
"Thatwasaveryneartouch,"saidmymaster."What'stobedonenow?"
"Well,sir,wecan'tdriveoverthattree,noryetgetroundit;therewillbenothingforit,buttogobacktothefourcrossways,andthatwillbeagoodsixmilesbeforewegetroundtothewoodenbridgeagain;itwillmakeuslate,butthehorseisfresh."
Sobackwewentandroundbythecrossroads,butbythetimewegottothebridgeitwasverynearlydark;wecouldjustseethatthewaterwasoverthemiddleofit;butasthathappenedsometimeswhenthefloodswereout,masterdidnotstop.
Weweregoingalongatagoodpace,butthemomentmyfeettouchedthefirstpartofthebridgeIfeltsuretherewassomethingwrong.
Idarenotgoforward,andImadeadeadstop.
"Goon,Beauty,"saidmymaster,andhegavemeatouchwiththewhip,butIdarenotstir;hegavemeasharpcut;Ijumped,butIdarenotgoforward.
"There'ssomethingwrong,sir,"saidJohn,andhesprangoutofthedog-cartandcametomyheadandlookedallabout.Hetriedtoleadmeforward."Comeon,Beauty,what'sthematter?"
OfcourseIcouldnottellhim,butIknewverywellthatthebridgewasnotsafe.
Justthenthemanatthetoll-gateontheothersideranoutofthehouse,tossingatorchaboutlikeonemad.
"Hoy,hoy,hoy!halloo!stop!"hecried.
"What'sthematter?"shoutedmymaster.
"Thebridgeisbrokeninthemiddle,andpartofitiscarriedaway;ifyoucomeonyou'llbeintotheriver."
"ThankGod!"saidmymaster."YouBeauty!"
saidJohn,andtookthebridleandgentlyturnedmeroundtotheright-handroadbytheriverside.
Thesunhadsetsometime;thewindseemedtohavelulledoffafterthatfuriousblastwhichtoreupthetree.
Itgrewdarkeranddarker,stillerandstiller.
Itrottedquietlyalong,thewheelshardlymakingasoundonthesoftroad.
ForagoodwhileneithermasternorJohnspoke,andthenmasterbeganinaseriousvoice.
Icouldnotunderstandmuchofwhattheysaid,butIfoundtheythought,ifIhadgoneonasthemasterwantedme,mostlikelythebridgewouldhavegivenwayunderus,andhorse,chaise,master,andmanwouldhavefallenintotheriver;andasthecurrentwasflowingverystrongly,andtherewasnolightandnohelpathand,itwasmorethanlikelyweshouldallhavebeendrowned.
Mastersaid,Godhadgivenmenreason,bywhichtheycouldfindoutthingsforthemselves;buthehadgivenanimalsknowledgewhichdidnotdependonreason,andwhichwasmuchmorepromptandperfectinitsway,andbywhichtheyhadoftensavedthelivesofmen.
Johnhadmanystoriestotellofdogsandhorses,andthewonderfulthingstheyhaddone;hethoughtpeopledidnotvaluetheiranimalshalfenoughnormakefriendsofthemastheyoughttodo.
Iamsurehemakesfriendsofthemifeveramandid.
Atlastwecametotheparkgatesandfoundthegardenerlookingoutforus.
Hesaidthatmistresshadbeeninadreadfulwayeversincedark,fearingsomeaccidenthadhappened,andthatshehadsentJamesoffonJustice,theroancob,towardthewoodenbridgetomakeinquiryafterus.
Wesawalightatthehall-doorandattheupperwindows,andaswecameupmistressranout,saying,"Areyoureallysafe,mydear?Oh!
Ihavebeensoanxious,fancyingallsortsofthings.Haveyouhadnoaccident?"
"No,mydear;butifyourBlackBeautyhadnotbeenwiserthanwewereweshouldallhavebeencarrieddowntheriveratthewoodenbridge."
Iheardnomore,astheywentintothehouse,andJohntookmetothestable.
Oh,whatagoodsupperhegavemethatnight,agoodbranmashandsomecrushedbeanswithmyoats,andsuchathickbedofstraw!andIwasgladofit,forIwastired.
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