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ThenextmorningafterbreakfastJoeputMerrylegsintothemistress'lowchaisetotakehimtothevicarage;hecamefirstandsaidgood-bytous,andMerrylegsneighedtousfromtheyard.
ThenJohnputthesaddleonGingerandtheleadingreinonme,androdeusacrossthecountryaboutfifteenmilestoEarlshallPark,wheretheEarlofW——lived.
Therewasaveryfinehouseandagreatdealofstabling.
Wewentintotheyardthroughastonegateway,andJohnaskedforMr.York.Itwassometimebeforehecame.
Hewasafine-looking,middle-agedman,andhisvoicesaidatoncethatheexpectedtobeobeyed.
HewasveryfriendlyandpolitetoJohn,andaftergivingusaslightlookhecalledagroomtotakeustoourboxes,andinvitedJohntotakesomerefreshment.
Weweretakentoalight,airystable,andplacedinboxesadjoiningeachother,wherewewererubbeddownandfed.
InabouthalfanhourJohnandMr.York,whowastobeournewcoachman,cameintoseeus.
"Now,Mr.Manly,"hesaid,aftercarefullylookingatusboth,"Icanseenofaultinthesehorses;butweallknowthathorseshavetheirpeculiaritiesaswellasmen,andthatsometimestheyneeddifferenttreatment.
Ishouldliketoknowifthereisanythingparticularineitherofthesethatyouwouldliketomention."
"Well,"saidJohn,"Idon'tbelievethereisabetterpairofhorsesinthecountry,andrightgrievedIamtopartwiththem,buttheyarenotalike.
TheblackoneisthemostperfecttemperIeverknew;Isupposehehasneverknownahardwordorablowsincehewasfoaled,andallhispleasureseemstobetodowhatyouwish;butthechestnut,Ifancy,musthavehadbadtreatment;weheardasmuchfromthedealer.
Shecametoussnappishandsuspicious,butwhenshefoundwhatsortofplaceourswas,itallwentoffbydegrees;forthreeyearsIhaveneverseenthesmallestsignoftemper,andifsheiswelltreatedthereisnotabetter,morewillinganimalthansheis.
Butsheisnaturallyamoreirritableconstitutionthantheblackhorse;fliesteasehermore;anythingwrongintheharnessfretshermore;andifshewereill-usedorunfairlytreatedshewouldnotbeunlikelytogivetitfortat.
Youknowthatmanyhigh-mettledhorseswilldoso."
"Ofcourse,"saidYork,"Iquiteunderstand;butyouknowitisnoteasyinstableslikethesetohaveallthegroomsjustwhattheyshouldbe.
Idomybest,andthereImustleaveit.
I'llrememberwhatyouhavesaidaboutthemare."
Theyweregoingoutofthestable,whenJohnstoppedandsaid,"Ihadbettermentionthatwehaveneverusedthecheck-reinwitheitherofthem;theblackhorseneverhadoneon,andthedealersaiditwasthegag-bitthatspoiledtheother'stemper."
"Well,"saidYork,"iftheycomeheretheymustwearthecheck-rein.
Ipreferaloosereinmyself,andhislordshipisalwaysveryreasonableabouthorses;butmylady—that'sanotherthing;shewillhavestyle,andifhercarriagehorsesarenotreineduptightshewouldn'tlookatthem.
Ialwaysstandoutagainstthegag-bit,andshalldoso,butitmustbetightupwhenmyladyrides!"
"Iamsorryforit,verysorry,"saidJohn;"butImustgonow,orIshalllosethetrain."
Hecameroundtoeachofustopatandspeaktousforthelasttime;hisvoicesoundedverysad.
Iheldmyfaceclosetohim;thatwasallIcoulddotosaygood-by;andthenhewasgone,andIhaveneverseenhimsince.
ThenextdayLordW——cametolookatus;heseemedpleasedwithourappearance.
"Ihavegreatconfidenceinthesehorses,"hesaid,"fromthecharactermyfriendMr.Gordonhasgivenmeofthem.
Ofcoursetheyarenotamatchincolor,butmyideaisthattheywilldoverywellforthecarriagewhileweareinthecountry.
BeforewegotoLondonImusttrytomatchBaron;theblackhorse,Ibelieve,isperfectforriding."
YorkthentoldhimwhatJohnhadsaidaboutus.
"Well,"saidhe,"youmustkeepaneyetothemare,andputthecheck-reineasy;Idaresaytheywilldoverywellwithalittlehumoringatfirst.I'llmentionittoyourlady."
Intheafternoonwewereharnessedandputinthecarriage,andasthestableclockstruckthreewewereledroundtothefrontofthehouse.
Itwasallverygrand,andthreeorfourtimesaslargeastheoldhouseatBirtwick,butnothalfsopleasant,ifahorsemayhaveanopinion.
Twofootmenwerestandingready,dressedindrablivery,withscarletbreechesandwhitestockings.
Presentlyweheardtherustlingsoundofsilkasmyladycamedowntheflightofstonesteps.
Shesteppedroundtolookatus;shewasatall,proud-lookingwoman,anddidnotseempleasedaboutsomething,butshesaidnothing,andgotintothecarriage.
Thiswasthefirsttimeofwearingacheck-rein,andImustsay,thoughitcertainlywasanuisancenottobeabletogetmyheaddownnowandthen,itdidnotpullmyheadhigherthanIwasaccustomedtocarryit.
IfeltanxiousaboutGinger,butsheseemedtobequietandcontent.
Thenextdayatthreeo'clockwewereagainatthedoor,andthefootmenasbefore;weheardthesilkdressrustleandtheladycamedownthesteps,andinanimperiousvoiceshesaid,"York,youmustputthosehorses'headshigher;theyarenotfittobeseen."
Yorkgotdown,andsaidveryrespectfully,"Ibegyourpardon,mylady,butthesehorseshavenotbeenreinedupforthreeyears,andmylordsaiditwouldbesafertobringthemtoitbydegrees;butifyourladyshippleasesIcantakethemupalittlemore."
"Doso,"shesaid.
Yorkcameroundtoourheadsandshortenedthereinhimself—onehole,Ithink;everylittlemakesadifference,beitforbetterorworse,andthatdaywehadasteephilltogoup.
ThenIbegantounderstandwhatIhadheardof.
Ofcourse,Iwantedtoputmyheadforwardandtakethecarriageupwithawill,aswehadbeenusedtodo;butno,Ihadtopullwithmyheadupnow,andthattookallthespiritoutofme,andthestraincameonmybackandlegs.
WhenwecameinGingersaid,"Nowyouseewhatitislike;butthisisnotbad,andifitdoesnotgetmuchworsethanthisIshallsaynothingaboutit,forweareverywelltreatedhere;butiftheystrainmeuptight,why,let'emlookout!Ican'tbearit,andIwon't."
Daybyday,holebyhole,ourbearingreinswereshortened,andinsteadoflookingforwardwithpleasuretohavingmyharnessputon,asIusedtodo,Ibegantodreadit.
Ginger,too,seemedrestless,thoughshesaidverylittle.
AtlastIthoughttheworstwasover;forseveraldaystherewasnomoreshortening,andIdeterminedtomakethebestofitanddomyduty,thoughitwasnowaconstantharassinsteadofapleasure;buttheworstwasnotcome.
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