NowIhadlivedinthishappyplacethreeyears,butsadchangeswereabouttocomeoverus. Weheardfromtimetotimethatourmistresswasill. Thedoctorwasoftenatthehouse,andthemasterlookedgraveandanxious. Thenweheardthatshemustleaveherhomeatonce,andgotoawarmcountryfortwoorthreeyears. Thenewsfelluponthehouseholdlikethetollingofadeathbell. Everybodywassorry;butthemasterbegandirectlytomakearrangementsforbreakinguphisestablishmentandleavingEngland. Weusedtohearittalkedaboutinourstable;indeed,nothingelsewastalkedabout. Johnwentabouthisworksilentandsad,andJoescarcelywhistled.Therewasagreatdealofcomingandgoing;GingerandIhadfullwork. ThefirstofthepartywhowentwereMissJessieandFlora,withtheirgoverness.Theycametobidusgood-by. TheyhuggedpoorMerrylegslikeanoldfriend,andsoindeedhewas. Thenweheardwhathadbeenarrangedforus. MasterhadsoldGingerandmetohisoldfriend,theEarlofW——,forhethoughtweshouldhaveagoodplacethere. Merrylegshehadgiventothevicar,whowaswantingaponyforMrs.Blomefield,butitwasontheconditionthatheshouldneverbesold,andthatwhenhewaspastworkheshouldbeshotandburied. Joewasengagedtotakecareofhimandtohelpinthehouse,soIthoughtthatMerrylegswaswelloff.Johnhadtheofferofseveralgoodplaces,buthesaidheshouldwaitalittleandlookround. Theeveningbeforetheyleftthemastercameintothestabletogivesomedirections,andtogivehishorsesthelastpat. Heseemedverylow-spirited;Iknewthatbyhisvoice. Ibelievewehorsescantellmorebythevoicethanmanymencan. "Haveyoudecidedwhattodo,John?"hesaid."Ifindyouhavenotacceptedeitherofthoseoffers." "No,sir;IhavemadeupmymindthatifIcouldgetasituationwithsomefirst-ratecolt-breakerandhorse-trainer,itwouldbetherightthingforme. Manyyounganimalsarefrightenedandspoiledbywrongtreatment,whichneednotbeiftherightmantooktheminhand. Ialwaysgetonwellwithhorses,andifIcouldhelpsomeofthemtoafairstartIshouldfeelasifIwasdoingsomegood.Whatdoyouthinkofit,sir?" "Idon'tknowamananywhere,"saidmaster,"thatIshouldthinksosuitableforitasyourself. Youunderstandhorses,andsomehowtheyunderstandyou,andintimeyoumightsetupforyourself;Ithinkyoucouldnotdobetter. IfinanywayIcanhelpyou,writetome. IshallspeaktomyagentinLondon,andleaveyourcharacterwithhim." MastergaveJohnthenameandaddress,andthenhethankedhimforhislongandfaithfulservice;butthatwastoomuchforJohn. "Pray,don't,sir,Ican'tbearit;youandmydearmistresshavedonesomuchformethatIcouldneverrepayit. Butweshallneverforgetyou,sir,andpleaseGod,wemaysomedayseemistressbackagainlikeherself;wemustkeepuphope,sir." MastergaveJohnhishand,buthedidnotspeak,andtheybothleftthestable. Thelastsaddayhadcome;thefootmanandtheheavyluggagehadgoneoffthedaybefore,andtherewereonlymasterandmistressandhermaid. GingerandIbroughtthecarriageuptothehalldoorforthelasttime. Theservantsbroughtoutcushionsandrugsandmanyotherthings;andwhenallwerearrangedmastercamedownthestepscarryingthemistressinhisarms(Iwasonthesidenexttothehouse,andcouldseeallthatwenton);heplacedhercarefullyinthecarriage,whilethehouseservantsstoodroundcrying. "Good-by,again,"hesaid;"weshallnotforgetanyofyou,"andhegotin."Driveon,John." Joejumpedup,andwetrottedslowlythroughtheparkandthroughthevillage,wherethepeoplewerestandingattheirdoorstohavealastlookandtosay,"Godblessthem." WhenwereachedtherailwaystationIthinkmistresswalkedfromthecarriagetothewaiting-room. Iheardhersayinherownsweetvoice,"Good-by,John.Godblessyou." Ifeltthereintwitch,butJohnmadenoanswer;perhapshecouldnotspeak. AssoonasJoehadtakenthethingsoutofthecarriageJohncalledhimtostandbythehorses,whilehewentontheplatform.PoorJoe! hestoodcloseuptoourheadstohidehistears. Verysoonthetraincamepuffingupintothestation;thentwoorthreeminutes,andthedoorswereslammedto,theguardwhistled,andthetrainglidedaway,leavingbehinditonlycloudsofwhitesmokeandsomeveryheavyhearts. WhenitwasquiteoutofsightJohncameback. "Weshallneverseeheragain,"hesaid—"never."Hetookthereins,mountedthebox,andwithJoedroveslowlyhome;butitwasnotourhomenow. 
