English
MynewmasterIshallneverforget;hehadblackeyesandahookednose,hismouthwasasfullofteethasabull-dog's,andhisvoicewasasharshasthegrindingofcartwheelsovergraveledstones.
HisnamewasNicholasSkinner,andIbelievehewasthemanthatpoorSeedySamdrovefor.
Ihaveheardmensaythatseeingisbelieving;butIshouldsaythatfeelingisbelieving;formuchasIhadseenbefore,Ineverknewtillnowtheuttermiseryofacab-horse'slife.
Skinnerhadalowsetofcabsandalowsetofdrivers;hewashardonthemen,andthemenwerehardonthehorses.InthisplacewehadnoSundayrest,anditwasintheheatofsummer.
SometimesonaSundaymorningapartyoffastmenwouldhirethecabfortheday;fouroftheminsideandanotherwiththedriver,andIhadtotakethemtenorfifteenmilesoutintothecountry,andbackagain;neverwouldanyofthemgetdowntowalkupahill,letitbeeversosteep,orthedayeversohot—unless,indeed,whenthedriverwasafraidIshouldnotmanageit,andsometimesIwassofeveredandwornthatIcouldhardlytouchmyfood.
HowIusedtolongforthenicebranmashwithniterinitthatJerryusedtogiveusonSaturdaynightsinhotweather,thatusedtocoolusdownandmakeussocomfortable.
Thenwehadtwonightsandawholedayforunbrokenrest,andonMondaymorningwewereasfreshasyounghorsesagain;butheretherewasnorest,andmydriverwasjustashardashismaster.
Hehadacruelwhipwithsomethingsosharpattheendthatitsometimesdrewblood,andhewouldevenwhipmeunderthebelly,andflipthelashoutatmyhead.
Indignitieslikethesetooktheheartoutofmeterribly,butstillIdidmybestandneverhungback;for,aspoorGingersaid,itwasnouse;menarethestrongest.
MylifewasnowsoutterlywretchedthatIwishedImight,likeGinger,dropdowndeadatmyworkandbeoutofmymisery,andonedaymywishverynearlycametopass.
Iwentonthestandateightinthemorning,andhaddoneagoodshareofwork,whenwehadtotakeafaretotherailway.
Alongtrainwasjustexpectedin,somydriverpulledupatthebackofsomeoftheoutsidecabstotakethechanceofareturnfare.
Itwasaveryheavytrain,andasallthecabsweresoonengagedourswascalledfor.
Therewasapartyoffour;anoisy,blusteringmanwithalady,alittleboyandayounggirl,andagreatdealofluggage.
Theladyandtheboygotintothecab,andwhilethemanorderedabouttheluggagetheyounggirlcameandlookedatme.
"Papa,"shesaid,"Iamsurethispoorhorsecannottakeusandallourluggagesofar,heissoveryweakandwornup.Dolookathim."
"Oh!he'sallright,miss,"saidmydriver,"he'sstrongenough."
Theporter,whowaspullingaboutsomeheavyboxes,suggestedtothegentleman,astherewassomuchluggage,whetherhewouldnottakeasecondcab.
"Canyourhorsedoit,orcan'the?"saidtheblusteringman.
"Oh!hecandoitallright,sir;senduptheboxes,porter;hecouldtakemorethanthat;"andhehelpedtohaulupaboxsoheavythatIcouldfeelthespringsgodown.
"Papa,papa,dotakeasecondcab,"saidtheyounggirlinabeseechingtone."Iamsurewearewrong,Iamsureitisverycruel."
"Nonsense,Grace,getinatonce,anddon'tmakeallthisfuss;aprettythingitwouldbeifamanofbusinesshadtoexamineeverycab-horsebeforehehiredit—themanknowshisownbusinessofcourse;there,getinandholdyourtongue!"
Mygentlefriendhadtoobey,andboxafterboxwasdraggedupandlodgedonthetopofthecaborsettledbythesideofthedriver.
Atlastallwasready,andwithhisusualjerkatthereinandslashofthewhiphedroveoutofthestation.
TheloadwasveryheavyandIhadhadneitherfoodnorrestsincemorning;butIdidmybest,asIalwayshaddone,inspiteofcrueltyandinjustice.
IgotalongfairlytillwecametoLudgateHill;buttheretheheavyloadandmyownexhaustionweretoomuch.
Iwasstrugglingtokeepon,goadedbyconstantchucksofthereinanduseofthewhip,wheninasinglemoment—Icannottellhow—myfeetslippedfromunderme,andIfellheavilytothegroundonmyside;thesuddennessandtheforcewithwhichIfellseemedtobeatallthebreathoutofmybody.
Ilayperfectlystill;indeed,Ihadnopowertomove,andIthoughtnowIwasgoingtodie.
Iheardasortofconfusionroundme,loud,angryvoices,andthegettingdownoftheluggage,butitwasalllikeadream.
IthoughtIheardthatsweet,pitifulvoicesaying,"Oh!thatpoorhorse!itisallourfault."
Someonecameandloosenedthethroatstrapofmybridle,andundidthetraceswhichkeptthecollarsotightuponme.
Someonesaid,"He'sdead,he'llnevergetupagain."
ThenIcouldhearapolicemangivingorders,butIdidnotevenopenmyeyes;Icouldonlydrawagaspingbreathnowandthen.
Somecoldwaterwasthrownovermyhead,andsomecordialwaspouredintomymouth,andsomethingwascoveredoverme.
IcannottellhowlongIlaythere,butIfoundmylifecomingback,andakind-voicedmanwaspattingmeandencouragingmetorise.
Aftersomemorecordialhadbeengivenme,andafteroneortwoattempts,Istaggeredtomyfeet,andwasgentlyledtosomestableswhichwerecloseby.
HereIwasputintoawell-litteredstall,andsomewarmgruelwasbroughttome,whichIdrankthankfully.
IntheeveningIwassufficientlyrecoveredtobeledbacktoSkinner'sstables,whereIthinktheydidthebestformetheycould.
InthemorningSkinnercamewithafarriertolookatme.Heexaminedmeverycloselyandsaid:
"Thisisacaseofoverworkmorethandisease,andifyoucouldgivehimarunoffforsixmonthshewouldbeabletoworkagain;butnowthereisnotanounceofstrengthleftinhim."
"Thenhemustjustgotothedogs,"saidSkinner.
"Ihavenomeadowstonursesickhorsesin—hemightgetwellorhemightnot;thatsortofthingdon'tsuitmybusiness;myplanistowork'emaslongasthey'llgo,andthensell'emforwhatthey'llfetch,attheknacker'sorelsewhere."
"Ifhewasbroken-winded,"saidthefarrier,"youhadbetterhavehimkilledoutofhand,butheisnot;thereisasaleofhorsescomingoffinabouttendays;ifyouresthimandfeedhimuphemaypickup,andyoumaygetmorethanhisskinisworth,atanyrate."
UponthisadviceSkinner,ratherunwillingly,Ithink,gaveordersthatIshouldbewellfedandcaredfor,andthestableman,happilyforme,carriedouttheorderswithamuchbetterwillthanhismasterhadingivingthem.
Tendaysofperfectrest,plentyofgoodoats,hay,branmashes,withboiledlinseedmixedinthem,didmoretogetupmyconditionthananythingelsecouldhavedone;thoselinseedmashesweredelicious,andIbegantothink,afterall,itmightbebettertolivethangotothedogs.
Whenthetwelfthdayaftertheaccidentcame,Iwastakentothesale,afewmilesoutofLondon.
Ifeltthatanychangefrommypresentplacemustbeanimprovement,soIheldupmyhead,andhopedforthebest.
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