English
Onedaymyladycamedownlaterthanusual,andthesilkrustledmorethanever.
"DrivetotheDuchessofB——'s,"shesaid,andthenafterapause,"Areyounevergoingtogetthosehorses'headsup,York?Raisethematonceandletushavenomoreofthishumoringandnonsense."
Yorkcametomefirst,whilethegroomstoodatGinger'shead.
Hedrewmyheadbackandfixedthereinsotightthatitwasalmostintolerable;thenhewenttoGinger,whowasimpatientlyjerkingherheadupanddownagainstthebit,aswasherwaynow.
Shehadagoodideaofwhatwascoming,andthemomentYorktookthereinofftheterretinordertoshortenitshetookheropportunityandrearedupsosuddenlythatYorkhadhisnoseroughlyhitandhishatknockedoff;thegroomwasnearlythrownoffhislegs.
Atoncetheybothflewtoherhead;butshewasamatchforthem,andwentonplunging,rearing,andkickinginamostdesperatemanner.
Atlastshekickedrightoverthecarriagepoleandfelldown,aftergivingmeasevereblowonmynearquarter.
ThereisnoknowingwhatfurthermischiefshemighthavedonehadnotYorkpromptlysathimselfdownflatonherheadtopreventherstruggling,atthesametimecallingout,"Unbuckletheblackhorse!
Runforthewinchandunscrewthecarriagepole!
Cutthetracehere,somebody,ifyoucan'tunhitchit!"
Oneofthefootmenranforthewinch,andanotherbroughtaknifefromthehouse.
ThegroomsoonsetmefreefromGingerandthecarriage,andledmetomybox.
HejustturnedmeinasIwasandranbacktoYork.
Iwasmuchexcitedbywhathadhappened,andifIhadeverbeenusedtokickorrearIamsureIshouldhavedoneitthen;butIneverhad,andthereIstood,angry,soreinmyleg,myheadstillstraineduptotheterretonthesaddle,andnopowertogetitdown.
Iwasverymiserableandfeltmuchinclinedtokickthefirstpersonwhocamenearme.
Beforelong,however,Gingerwasledinbytwogrooms,agooddealknockedaboutandbruised.Yorkcamewithherandgavehisorders,andthencametolookatme.Inamomentheletdownmyhead.
"Confoundthesecheck-reins!"hesaidtohimself;"Ithoughtweshouldhavesomemischiefsoon.Masterwillbesorelyvexed.
Butthere,ifawoman'shusbandcan'truleherofcourseaservantcan't;soIwashmyhandsofit,andifshecan'tgettotheduchess'gardenpartyIcan'thelpit."
Yorkdidnotsaythisbeforethemen;healwaysspokerespectfullywhentheywereby.
Nowhefeltmeallover,andsoonfoundtheplaceabovemyhockwhereIhadbeenkicked.
Itwasswelledandpainful;heorderedittobespongedwithhotwater,andthensomelotionwasputon.
LordW——wasmuchputoutwhenhelearnedwhathadhappened;heblamedYorkforgivingwaytohismistress,towhichherepliedthatinfuturehewouldmuchprefertoreceivehisordersonlyfromhislordship;butIthinknothingcameofit,forthingswentonthesameasbefore.
IthoughtYorkmighthavestoodupbetterforhishorses,butperhapsIamnojudge.
Gingerwasneverputintothecarriageagain,butwhenshewaswellofherbruisesoneoftheLordW——'syoungersonssaidheshouldliketohaveher;hewassureshewouldmakeagoodhunter.
Asforme,Iwasobligedstilltogointhecarriage,andhadafreshpartnercalledMax;hehadalwaysbeenusedtothetightrein.Iaskedhimhowitwasheboreit.
"Well,"hesaid,"IbearitbecauseImust;butitisshorteningmylife,anditwillshortenyourstooifyouhavetosticktoit."
"Doyouthink,"Isaid,"thatourmastersknowhowbaditisforus?"
"Ican'tsay,"hereplied,"butthedealersandthehorse-doctorsknowitverywell.
Iwasatadealer'sonce,whowastrainingmeandanotherhorsetogoasapair;hewasgettingourheadsup,ashesaid,alittlehigherandalittlehighereveryday.
Agentlemanwhowasthereaskedhimwhyhedidso.
'Because,'saidhe,'peoplewon'tbuythemunlesswedo.
TheLondonpeoplealwayswanttheirhorsestocarrytheirheadshighandtostephigh.
Ofcourseitisverybadforthehorses,butthenitisgoodfortrade.
Thehorsessoonwearup,orgetdiseased,andtheycomeforanotherpair.'
That,"saidMax,"iswhathesaidinmyhearing,andyoucanjudgeforyourself."
WhatIsufferedwiththatreinforfourlongmonthsinmylady'scarriageitwouldbehardtodescribe;butIamquitesurethat,haditlastedmuchlonger,eithermyhealthormytemperwouldhavegivenway.
Beforethat,Ineverknewwhatitwastofoamatthemouth,butnowtheactionofthesharpbitonmytongueandjaw,andtheconstrainedpositionofmyheadandthroat,alwayscausedmetofrothatthemouthmoreorless.
Somepeoplethinkitveryfinetoseethis,andsay,"Whatfinespiritedcreatures!"
Butitisjustasunnaturalforhorsesasformentofoamatthemouth;itisasuresignofsomediscomfort,andshouldbeattendedto.
Besidesthis,therewasapressureonmywindpipe,whichoftenmademybreathingveryuncomfortable;whenIreturnedfrommyworkmyneckandchestwerestrainedandpainful,mymouthandtonguetender,andIfeltwornanddepressed.
InmyoldhomeIalwaysknewthatJohnandmymasterweremyfriends;buthere,althoughinmanywaysIwaswelltreated,Ihadnofriend.
Yorkmighthaveknown,andverylikelydidknow,howthatreinharassedme;butIsupposehetookitasamatterofcoursethatitcouldnotbehelped;atanyrate,nothingwasdonetorelieveme.
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