English
NowImustsayalittleaboutReubenSmith,whowasleftinchargeofthestableswhenYorkwenttoLondon.
Noonemorethoroughlyunderstoodhisbusinessthanhedid,andwhenhewasallrighttherecouldnotbeamorefaithfulorvaluableman.
Hewasgentleandverycleverinhismanagementofhorses,andcoulddoctorthemalmostaswellasafarrier,forhehadlivedtwoyearswithaveterinarysurgeon.
Hewasafirst-ratedriver;hecouldtakeafour-in-handoratandemaseasilyasapair.
Hewasahandsomeman,agoodscholar,andhadverypleasantmanners.
Ibelieveeverybodylikedhim;certainlythehorsesdid.
TheonlywonderwasthatheshouldbeinanundersituationandnotintheplaceofaheadcoachmanlikeYork;buthehadonegreatfaultandthatwastheloveofdrink.
Hewasnotlikesomemen,alwaysatit;heusedtokeepsteadyforweeksormonthstogether,andthenhewouldbreakoutandhavea"bout"ofit,asYorkcalledit,andbeadisgracetohimself,aterrortohiswife,andanuisancetoallthathadtodowithhim.
Hewas,however,sousefulthattwoorthreetimesYorkhadhushedthematterupandkeptitfromtheearl'sknowledge;butonenight,whenReubenhadtodriveapartyhomefromaballhewassodrunkthathecouldnotholdthereins,andagentlemanofthepartyhadtomounttheboxanddrivetheladieshome.
Ofcourse,thiscouldnotbehidden,andReubenwasatoncedismissed;hispoorwifeandlittlechildrenhadtoturnoutoftheprettycottagebytheparkgateandgowheretheycould.
OldMaxtoldmeallthis,forithappenedagoodwhileago;butshortlybeforeGingerandIcameSmithhadbeentakenbackagain.
Yorkhadintercededforhimwiththeearl,whoisverykind-hearted,andthemanhadpromisedfaithfullythathewouldnevertasteanotherdropaslongashelivedthere.
HehadkepthispromisesowellthatYorkthoughthemightbesafelytrustedtofillhisplacewhilehewasaway,andhewassocleverandhonestthatnooneelseseemedsowellfittedforit.
ItwasnowearlyinApril,andthefamilywasexpectedhomesometimeinMay.
Thelightbroughamwastobefreshdoneup,andasColonelBlantyrewasobligedtoreturntohisregimentitwasarrangedthatSmithshoulddrivehimtothetowninit,andrideback;forthispurposehetookthesaddlewithhim,andIwaschosenforthejourney.
AtthestationthecolonelputsomemoneyintoSmith'shandandbidhimgood-by,saying,"Takecareofyouryoungmistress,Reuben,anddon'tletBlackAusterbehackedaboutbyanyrandomyoungprigthatwantstoridehim—keephimforthelady."
Weleftthecarriageatthemaker's,andSmithrodemetotheWhiteLion,andorderedthehostlertofeedmewell,andhavemereadyforhimatfouro'clock.
AnailinoneofmyfrontshoeshadstartedasIcamealong,butthehostlerdidnotnoticeittilljustaboutfouro'clock.
Smithdidnotcomeintotheyardtillfive,andthenhesaidheshouldnotleavetillsix,ashehadmetwithsomeoldfriends.
Themanthentoldhimofthenail,andaskedifheshouldhavetheshoelookedto.
"No,"saidSmith,"thatwillbeallrighttillwegethome."
Hespokeinaveryloud,offhandway,andIthoughtitveryunlikehimnottoseeabouttheshoe,ashewasgenerallywonderfullyparticularaboutloosenailsinourshoes.
Hedidnotcomeatsixnorseven,noreight,anditwasnearlynineo'clockbeforehecalledforme,andthenitwaswithaloud,roughvoice.
Heseemedinaverybadtemper,andabusedthehostler,thoughIcouldnottellwhatfor.
Thelandlordstoodatthedoorandsaid,"Haveacare,Mr.Smith!"
butheansweredangrilywithanoath;andalmostbeforehewasoutofthetownhebegantogallop,frequentlygivingmeasharpcutwithhiswhip,thoughIwasgoingatfullspeed.
Themoonhadnotyetrisen,anditwasverydark.
Theroadswerestony,havingbeenrecentlymended;goingoverthematthispace,myshoebecamelooser,andaswenearedtheturnpikegateitcameoff.
IfSmithhadbeeninhisrightsenseshewouldhavebeensensibleofsomethingwronginmypace,buthewastoodrunktonotice.
Beyondtheturnpikewasalongpieceofroad,uponwhichfreshstoneshadjustbeenlaid—largesharpstones,overwhichnohorsecouldbedrivenquicklywithoutriskofdanger.
Overthisroad,withoneshoegone,Iwasforcedtogallopatmyutmostspeed,myridermeanwhilecuttingintomewithhiswhip,andwithwildcursesurgingmetogostillfaster.
Ofcoursemyshoelessfootsuffereddreadfully;thehoofwasbrokenandsplitdowntotheveryquick,andtheinsidewasterriblycutbythesharpnessofthestones.
Thiscouldnotgoon;nohorsecouldkeephisfootingundersuchcircumstances;thepainwastoogreat.
Istumbled,andfellwithviolenceonbothmyknees.
Smithwasflungoffbymyfall,and,owingtothespeedIwasgoingat,hemusthavefallenwithgreatforce.
Isoonrecoveredmyfeetandlimpedtothesideoftheroad,whereitwasfreefromstones.
Themoonhadjustrisenabovethehedge,andbyitslightIcouldseeSmithlyingafewyardsbeyondme.
Hedidnotrise;hemadeoneslightefforttodoso,andthentherewasaheavygroan.
Icouldhavegroaned,too,forIwassufferingintensepainbothfrommyfootandknees;buthorsesareusedtobeartheirpaininsilence.
Iutterednosound,butIstoodthereandlistened.
OnemoreheavygroanfromSmith;butthoughhenowlayinthefullmoonlightIcouldseenomotion.
Icoulddonothingforhimnormyself,but,oh!
howIlistenedforthesoundofhorse,orwheels,orfootsteps!
Theroadwasnotmuchfrequented,andatthistimeofthenightwemightstayforhoursbeforehelpcametous.Istoodwatchingandlistening.
Itwasacalm,sweetAprilnight;therewerenosoundsbutafewlownotesofanightingale,andnothingmovedbutthewhitecloudsnearthemoonandabrownowlthatflittedoverthehedge.
Itmademethinkofthesummernightslongago,whenIusedtoliebesidemymotherinthegreenpleasantmeadowatFarmerGrey's.
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