English
Thenthereisthesteam-enginestyleofdriving;thesedriversweremostlypeoplefromtowns,whoneverhadahorseoftheirownandgenerallytraveledbyrail.
Theyalwaysseemedtothinkthatahorsewassomethinglikeasteam-engine,onlysmaller.
Atanyrate,theythinkthatifonlytheypayforitahorseisboundtogojustasfarandjustasfastandwithjustasheavyaloadastheyplease.
Andbetheroadsheavyandmuddy,ordryandgood;betheystonyorsmooth,uphillordownhill,itisallthesame—on,on,on,onemustgo,atthesamepace,withnoreliefandnoconsideration.
Thesepeopleneverthinkofgettingouttowalkupasteephill.
Oh,no,theyhavepaidtoride,andridetheywill!Thehorse?Oh,he'susedtoit!
Whatwerehorsesmadefor,ifnottodragpeopleuphill?Walk!Agoodjokeindeed!
Andsothewhipispliedandthereinischuckedandoftenarough,scoldingvoicecriesout,"Goalong,youlazybeast!"
Andthenanotherslashofthewhip,whenallthetimewearedoingourverybesttogetalong,uncomplainingandobedient,thoughoftensorelyharassedanddown-hearted.
Thissteam-enginestyleofdrivingwearsusupfasterthananyotherkind.
IwouldfarrathergotwentymileswithagoodconsideratedriverthanIwouldgotenwithsomeofthese;itwouldtakelessoutofme.
Anotherthing,theyscarcelyeverputonthebrake,howeversteepthedownhillmaybe,andthusbadaccidentssometimeshappen;oriftheydoputiton,theyoftenforgettotakeitoffatthebottomofthehill,andmorethanonceIhavehadtopullhalfwayupthenexthill,withoneofthewheelsheldbythebrake,beforemydriverchosetothinkaboutit;andthatisaterriblestrainonahorse.
Thenthesecockneys,insteadofstartingataneasypace,asagentlemanwoulddo,generallysetoffatfullspeedfromtheverystable-yard;andwhentheywanttostop,theyfirstwhipus,andthenpullupsosuddenlythatwearenearlythrownonourhaunches,andourmouthsjaggedwiththebit—theycallthatpullingupwithadash;andwhentheyturnacornertheydoitassharplyasiftherewerenorightsideorwrongsideoftheroad.
IwellrememberonespringeveningIandRoryhadbeenoutfortheday.
(Rorywasthehorsethatmostlywentwithmewhenapairwasordered,andagoodhonestfellowhewas.)
Wehadourowndriver,andashewasalwaysconsiderateandgentlewithus,wehadaverypleasantday.
Wewerecominghomeatagoodsmartpace,abouttwilight.
Ourroadturnedsharptotheleft;butaswewereclosetothehedgeonourownside,andtherewasplentyofroomtopass,ourdriverdidnotpullusin.
AswenearedthecornerIheardahorseandtwowheelscomingrapidlydownthehilltowardus.
Thehedgewashigh,andIcouldseenothing,butthenextmomentwewereuponeachother.
Happilyforme,Iwasonthesidenextthehedge.
Rorywasontheleftsideofthepole,andhadnotevenashafttoprotecthim.
Themanwhowasdrivingwasmakingstraightforthecorner,andwhenhecameinsightofushehadnotimetopullovertohisownside.ThewholeshockcameuponRory.
Thegigshaftranrightintothechest,makinghimstaggerbackwithacrythatIshallneverforget.
Theotherhorsewasthrownuponhishaunchesandoneshaftbroken.
Itturnedoutthatitwasahorsefromourownstables,withthehigh-wheeledgigthattheyoungmenweresofondof.
Thedriverwasoneofthoserandom,ignorantfellows,whodon'tevenknowwhichistheirownsideoftheroad,or,iftheyknow,don'tcare.
AndtherewaspoorRorywithhisfleshtornopenandbleeding,andthebloodstreamingdown.
Theysaidifithadbeenalittlemoretoonesideitwouldhavekilledhim;andagoodthingforhim,poorfellow,ifithad.
Asitwas,itwasalongtimebeforethewoundhealed,andthenhewassoldforcoal-carting;andwhatthatis,upanddownthosesteephills,onlyhorsesknow.
SomeofthesightsIsawthere,whereahorsehadtocomedownhillwithaheavilyloadedtwo-wheelcartbehindhim,onwhichnobrakecouldbeplaced,makemesadevennowtothinkof.
AfterRorywasdisabledIoftenwentinthecarriagewithamarenamedPeggy,whostoodinthenextstalltomine.
Shewasastrong,well-madeanimal,ofabrightduncolor,beautifullydappled,andwithadark-brownmaneandtail.
Therewasnohighbreedingabouther,butshewasveryprettyandremarkablysweet-temperedandwilling.
Still,therewasananxiouslookabouthereye,bywhichIknewthatshehadsometrouble.
ThefirsttimewewentouttogetherIthoughtshehadaveryoddpace;sheseemedtogopartlyatrot,partlyacanter,threeorfourpaces,andthenalittlejumpforward.
Itwasveryunpleasantforanyhorsewhopulledwithher,andmademequitefidgety.WhenwegothomeIaskedherwhatmadehergointhatodd,awkwardway.
"Ah,"shesaidinatroubledmanner,"Iknowmypacesareverybad,butwhatcanIdo?
Itreallyisnotmyfault;itisjustbecausemylegsaresoshort.
Istandnearlyashighasyou,butyourlegsareagoodthreeincheslongeraboveyourkneethanmine,andofcourseyoucantakeamuchlongerstepandgomuchfaster.YouseeIdidnotmakemyself.
IwishIcouldhavedoneso;Iwouldhavehadlonglegsthen.
Allmytroublescomefrommyshortlegs,"saidPeggy,inadespondingtone.
"Buthowisit,"Isaid,"whenyouaresostrongandgood-temperedandwilling?"
"Why,yousee,"saidshe,"menwillgosofast,andifonecan'tkeepuptootherhorsesitisnothingbutwhip,whip,whip,allthetime.
AndsoIhavehadtokeepupasIcould,andhavegotintothisuglyshufflingpace.
Itwasnotalwaysso;whenIlivedwithmyfirstmasterIalwayswentagoodregulartrot,butthenhewasnotinsuchahurry.
Hewasayoungclergymaninthecountry,andagood,kindmasterhewas.
Hehadtwochurchesagoodwayapart,andagreatdealofwork,butheneverscoldedorwhippedmefornotgoingfaster.Hewasveryfondofme.
IonlywishIwaswithhimnow;buthehadtoleaveandgotoalargetown,andthenIwassoldtoafarmer.
"Somefarmers,youknow,arecapitalmasters;butIthinkthisonewasalowsortofman.
Hecarednothingaboutgoodhorsesorgooddriving;heonlycaredforgoingfast.
IwentasfastasIcould,butthatwouldnotdo,andhewasalwayswhipping;soIgotintothiswayofmakingaspringforwardtokeepup.
Onmarketnightsheusedtostayverylateattheinn,andthendrivehomeatagallop.
"Onedarknighthewasgallopinghomeasusual,whenallofasuddenthewheelcameagainstsomegreatheavythingintheroad,andturnedthegigoverinaminute.
Hewasthrownoutandhisarmbroken,andsomeofhisribs,Ithink.
Atanyrate,itwastheendofmylivingwithhim,andIwasnotsorry.
Butyouseeitwillbethesameeverywhereforme,ifmenmustgosofast.Iwishmylegswerelonger!"
PoorPeggy!Iwasverysorryforher,andIcouldnotcomforther,forIknewhowharditwasuponslow-pacedhorsestobeputwithfastones;allthewhippingcomestotheirshare,andtheycan'thelpit.
Shewasoftenusedinthephaeton,andwasverymuchlikedbysomeoftheladies,becauseshewassogentle;andsometimeafterthisshewassoldtotwoladieswhodrovethemselves,andwantedasafe,goodhorse.
Imetherseveraltimesoutinthecountry,goingagoodsteadypace,andlookingasgayandcontentedasahorsecouldbe.Iwasverygladtoseeher,forshedeservedagoodplace.
Aftersheleftusanotherhorsecameinherstead.Hewasyoung,andhadabadnameforshyingandstarting,bywhichhehadlostagoodplace.Iaskedhimwhatmadehimshy.
"Well,Ihardlyknow,"hesaid."IwastimidwhenIwasyoung,andwasagooddealfrightenedseveraltimes,andifIsawanythingstrangeIusedtoturnandlookatit—yousee,withourblinkersonecan'tseeorunderstandwhatathingisunlessonelooksround—andthenmymasteralwaysgavemeawhipping,whichofcoursemademestarton,anddidnotmakemelessafraid.
Ithinkifhewouldhaveletmejustlookatthingsquietly,andseethattherewasnothingtohurtme,itwouldhavebeenallright,andIshouldhavegotusedtothem.
Onedayanoldgentlemanwasridingwithhim,andalargepieceofwhitepaperorragblewacrossjustononesideofme.Ishiedandstartedforward.
Mymasterasusualwhippedmesmartly,buttheoldmancriedout,'You'rewrong!you'rewrong!
Youshouldneverwhipahorseforshying;heshiesbecauseheisfrightened,andyouonlyfrightenhimmoreandmakethehabitworse.'SoIsupposeallmendon'tdoso.
IamsureIdon'twanttoshyforthesakeofit;buthowshouldoneknowwhatisdangerousandwhatisnot,ifoneisneverallowedtogetusedtoanything?IamneverafraidofwhatIknow.
NowIwasbroughtupinaparkwherethereweredeer;ofcourseIknewthemaswellasIdidasheeporacow,buttheyarenotcommon,andIknowmanysensiblehorseswhoarefrightenedatthem,andwhokickupquiteashindybeforetheywillpassapaddockwheretherearedeer."
Iknewwhatmycompanionsaidwastrue,andIwishedthateveryyounghorsehadasgoodmastersasFarmerGreyandSquireGordon.
Ofcoursewesometimescameinforgooddrivinghere.
IrememberonemorningIwasputintothelightgig,andtakentoahouseinPulteneyStreet.
Twogentlemencameout;thetallerofthemcameroundtomyhead;helookedatthebitandbridle,andjustshiftedthecollarwithhishand,toseeifitfittedcomfortably.
"Doyouconsiderthishorsewantsacurb?"hesaidtothehostler.
"Well,"saidtheman,"Ishouldsayhewouldgojustaswellwithout;hehasanuncommongoodmouth,andthoughhehasafinespirithehasnovice;butwegenerallyfindpeoplelikethecurb."
"Idon'tlikeit,"saidthegentleman;"besogoodastotakeitoff,andputthereininatthecheek.
Aneasymouthisagreatthingonalongjourney,isitnot,oldfellow?"hesaid,pattingmyneck.
Thenhetookthereins,andtheybothgotup.Icanremembernowhowquietlyheturnedmeround,andthenwithalightfeeloftherein,anddrawingthewhipgentlyacrossmyback,wewereoff.
Iarchedmyneckandsetoffatmybestpace.IfoundIhadsomeonebehindmewhoknewhowagoodhorseoughttobedriven.Itseemedlikeoldtimesagain,andmademefeelquitegay.
Thisgentlemantookagreatlikingtome,andaftertryingmeseveraltimeswiththesaddleheprevaileduponmymastertosellmetoafriendofhis,whowantedasafe,pleasanthorseforriding.
AndsoitcametopassthatinthesummerIwassoldtoMr.Barry.
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