章节正文
and a horse's life are worth more than a fox's tail; at least,
I should say they ought to be."
During this time the other man had finished Ginger and had brought our corn,
and James and the old man left the stable together.
16 The Fire
Later on in the evening a traveler's horse was brought in
by the second hostler, and while he was cleaning him
a young man with a pipe in his mouth lounged into the stable to gossip.
"I say, Towler," said the hostler, "just run up the ladder into the loft and
put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay down your pipe."
"All right," said the other, and went up through the trapdoor;
and I heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay.
James came in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked.
I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was,
but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;
the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing
and one of the other horses seemed very restless; it was quite dark,
and I could see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke,
and I hardly knew how to breathe.
The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place
it came through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise
and a low crackling and snapping. I did not know what it was, but there was
something in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over.
The other horses were all awake; some were pulling at their halters,
others stamping.
At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up
the traveler's horse burst into the stable with a lantern,
and began to untie the horses, and try to lead them out;
but he seemed in such a hurry and so frightened himself
that he frightened me still more. The first horse would not go with him;
he tried the second and third, and they too would not stir.
He came to me next and tried to drag me out of the stall by force;
of course that was no use. He tried us all by turns
and then left the stable.
No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to be all round,
and there was nobody we knew to trust in, and all was strange and uncertain.
The fresh air that had come in through the open door made it
easier to breathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder,
and as I looked upward through the bars of my empty rack I saw a red light
flickering on the wall. Then I heard a cry of "Fire!" outside,
and the old hostler quietly and quickly came in; he got one horse out,
and went to another, but the flames were playing round the trapdoor,
and the roaring overhead was dreadful.
The next thing I heard was James' voice, quiet and cheery, as it always was.
"Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so wake up and come along."
I stood nearest the door, so he came to me first, patting me as he came in.
"Come, Beauty, on with your bridle, my boy, we'll soon be
out of this smother." It was on in no time; then he took the scarf
off his neck, and tied it lightly over my eyes, and patting and coaxing
he led me out of the stable. Safe in the yard, he slipped the scarf
off my eyes, and shouted, "Here somebody! take this horse while I go back
for the other."
A tall, broad man stepped forward and took me, and James darted back
into the stable. I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go.
Ginger told me afterward that whinny was the best thing I could have done
for her, for had she not heard me outside she would never have had courage
to come out.
There was much confusion in the yard; the horses being got out
of other stables, and the carriages and gigs being pulled out
of houses and sheds, lest the flames should spread further.
On the other side the yard windows were thrown up, and people were shouting
all sorts of things; but I kept my eye fixed on the stable door,
where the smoke poured out thicker than ever, and I could see flashes
of red light; presently I heard above all the stir and din a loud,
clear voice, which I knew was master's:
"James Howard! James Howard! Are you there?" There was no answer,
but I heard a crash of something falling in the stable,
and the next moment I gave a loud, joyful neigh, for I saw James
coming through the smoke leading Ginger with him; she was coughing violently,
and he was not able to speak.
"My brave lad!" said master, laying his hand on his shoulder,
"are you hurt?"
James shook his head, for he could not yet speak.
"Ay," said the big man who held me; "he is a brave lad, and no mistake."
"And now," said master, "when you have got your breath, James,
we'll get out of this place as quickly as we can," and we were moving
toward the entry, when from the market-place there came a sound
of galloping feet and loud rumbling wheels.
"'Tis the fire-engine! the fire-engine!" shouted two or three voices,
"stand back, make way!" and clattering and thundering over the stones
two horses dashed into the yard with a heavy engine behind them. The firemen
leaped to the ground; there was no need to ask where the fire was --
it was rolling up in a great blaze from the roof.
We got out as fast as we could into the broad quiet market-place;
the stars were shining, and except the noise behind us, all was still.
Master led the way to a large hotel on the other side,
and as soon as the hostler came, he said, "James, I must now hasten
to your mistress; I trust the horses entirely to you,
order whatever you think is needed," and with that he was gone.
The master did not run, but I never saw mortal man walk so fast
as he did that night.
There was a dreadful sound before we got into our stalls --
the shrieks of those poor horses that were left burning to death
in the stable -- it was very terrible! and made both Ginger and me
feel very bad. We, however, were taken in and well done by.
The next morning the master came to see how we were and to speak to James.
I did not hear much, for the hostler was rubbing me down,
but I could see that James looked very happy, and I thought the master
was proud of him. Our mistress had been so much alarmed in the night
that the journey was put off till the afternoon, so James had the morning
on hand, and went first to the inn to see about our harness and the carriage,
and then to hear more about the fire. When he came back we heard him tell
the hostler about it. At first no one could guess how the fire
had been caused, but at last a man said he saw Dick Towler go into the stable
with a pipe in his mouth, and when he came out he had not one,
and went to the tap for another. Then the under hostler said
he had asked Dick to go up the ladder to put down some hay, but told him
to lay down his pipe first. Dick denied taking the pipe with him,
but no one believed him. I remember our John Manly's rule, never to allow
a pipe in the stable, and thought it ought to be the rule everywhere.
James said the roof and floor had all fallen in, and that only
the black walls were standing; the two poor horses that could not be got out
were buried under the burnt rafters and tiles.
17 John Manly's Talk
The rest of our journey was very easy, and a little after sunset
we reached the house of my master's friend. We were taken into a clean,
snug stable; there was a kind coachman, who made us very comfortable,
and who seemed to think a good deal of James when he heard about the fire.
"There is one thing quite clear, young man," he said, "your horses know
who they can trust; it is one of the hardest things in the world
to get horses out of a stable when there is either fire or flood.
I don't know why they won't come out, but they won't -- not one in twenty."
We stopped two or three days at this place and then returned home.
All went well on the journey; we were glad to be in our own stable again,
and John was equally glad to see us.
Before he and James left us for the night James said,
"I wonder who is coming in my place."
"Little Joe Green at the lodge," said John.
"Little Joe Green! why, he's a child!"
"He is fourteen and a half," said John.
"But he is such a little chap!"
"Yes, he is small, but he is quick and willing, and kind-hearted, too,
and then he wishes very much to come, and his father would like it;
and I know the master would like to give him the chance.
He said if I thought he would not do he would look out for a bigger boy;
but I said I was quite agreeable to try him for six weeks."
"Six weeks!" said James; "why, it will be six months before he can be
of much use! It will make you a deal of work, John."
"Well," said John with a laugh, "work and I are very good friends;
I never was afraid of work yet."
"You are a very good man," said James. "I wish I may ever be like you."
"I don't often speak of myself," said John, "but as you are going
away from us out into the world to shift for yourself I'll just tell you
how I look on these things. I was just as old as Joseph
when my father and mother died of the fever within ten days of each other,
and left me and my cripple sister Nelly alone in the world,
without a relation that we could look to for help. I was a farmer's boy,
not earning enough to keep myself, much less both of us,
and she must have gone to the workhouse but for our mistress
(Nelly calls her her angel, and she has good right to do so).
She went and hired a room for her with old Widow Mallet,
and she gave her knitting and needlework when she was able to do it;
and when she was ill she sent her dinners and many nice, comfortable things,
and was like a mother to her. Then the master he took me into the stable
under old Norman, the coachman that was then. I had my food at the house
and my bed in the loft, and a suit of clothes, and three shillings a week,
so that I could help Nelly. Then there was Norman;
he might have turned round and said at his age he could not be troubled
with a raw boy from the plow-tail, but he was like a father to me,
and took no end of pains with me. When the old man died some years after
I stepped into his place, and now of course I have top wages,
and can lay by for a rainy day or a sunny day, as it may happen,
and Nelly is as happy as a bird. So you see, James, I am not the man
that should turn up his nose at a little boy and vex a good, kind master.
No, no! I shall miss you very much, James, but we shall pull through,
and there's nothing like doing a kindness when 'tis put in your way,
and I am glad I can do it."
"Then," said James, "you don't hold with that saying,
`Everybody look after himself, and take care of number one'?"
"No, indeed," said John, "where should I and Nelly have been
if master and mistress and old Norman had only taken care of number one?
Why, she in the workhouse and I hoeing turnips! Where would Black Beauty
and Ginger have been if you had only thought of number one? why,
roasted to death! No, Jim, no! that is a selfish, heathenish saying,
whoever uses it; and any man who thinks he has nothing to do
but take care of number one, why, it's a pity but what he had been drowned
like a puppy or a kitten, before he got his eyes open; that's what I think,"
said John, with a very decided jerk of his head.
James laughed at this; but there was a thickness in his voice when he said,
"You have been my best friend except my mother; I hope you won't forget me."
"No, lad, no!" said John, "and if ever I can do you a good turn
I hope you won't forget me."
The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all he could before James left.
He learned to sweep the stable, to bring in the straw and hay;
he began to clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage.
As he was quite too short to do anything in the way of grooming
Ginger and me, James taught him upon Merrylegs, for he was to have
full charge of him, under John. He was a nice little bright fellow,
and always came whistling to his work.
Merrylegs was a good deal put out at being "mauled about," as he said,
"by a boy who knew nothing;" but toward the end of the second week
he told me confidentially that he thought the boy would turn out well.
At last the day came when James had to leave us; cheerful as he always was,
he looked quite down-hearted that morning.
"You see," he said to John, "I am leaving a great deal behind;
my mother and Betsy, and you, and a good master and mistress,
and then the horses, and my old Merrylegs. At the new place
there will not be a soul that I shall know. If it were not that
I shall get a higher place, and be able to help my mother better,
I don't think I should have made up my mind to it; it is a real pinch, John."
"Ay, James, lad, so it is; but I should not think much of you
I should say they ought to be."
During this time the other man had finished Ginger and had brought our corn,
and James and the old man left the stable together.
16 The Fire
Later on in the evening a traveler's horse was brought in
by the second hostler, and while he was cleaning him
a young man with a pipe in his mouth lounged into the stable to gossip.
"I say, Towler," said the hostler, "just run up the ladder into the loft and
put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay down your pipe."
"All right," said the other, and went up through the trapdoor;
and I heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay.
James came in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked.
I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was,
but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;
the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing
and one of the other horses seemed very restless; it was quite dark,
and I could see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke,
and I hardly knew how to breathe.
The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place
it came through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise
and a low crackling and snapping. I did not know what it was, but there was
something in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over.
The other horses were all awake; some were pulling at their halters,
others stamping.
At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up
the traveler's horse burst into the stable with a lantern,
and began to untie the horses, and try to lead them out;
but he seemed in such a hurry and so frightened himself
that he frightened me still more. The first horse would not go with him;
he tried the second and third, and they too would not stir.
He came to me next and tried to drag me out of the stall by force;
of course that was no use. He tried us all by turns
and then left the stable.
No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to be all round,
and there was nobody we knew to trust in, and all was strange and uncertain.
The fresh air that had come in through the open door made it
easier to breathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder,
and as I looked upward through the bars of my empty rack I saw a red light
flickering on the wall. Then I heard a cry of "Fire!" outside,
and the old hostler quietly and quickly came in; he got one horse out,
and went to another, but the flames were playing round the trapdoor,
and the roaring overhead was dreadful.
The next thing I heard was James' voice, quiet and cheery, as it always was.
"Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so wake up and come along."
I stood nearest the door, so he came to me first, patting me as he came in.
"Come, Beauty, on with your bridle, my boy, we'll soon be
out of this smother." It was on in no time; then he took the scarf
off his neck, and tied it lightly over my eyes, and patting and coaxing
he led me out of the stable. Safe in the yard, he slipped the scarf
off my eyes, and shouted, "Here somebody! take this horse while I go back
for the other."
A tall, broad man stepped forward and took me, and James darted back
into the stable. I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go.
Ginger told me afterward that whinny was the best thing I could have done
for her, for had she not heard me outside she would never have had courage
to come out.
There was much confusion in the yard; the horses being got out
of other stables, and the carriages and gigs being pulled out
of houses and sheds, lest the flames should spread further.
On the other side the yard windows were thrown up, and people were shouting
all sorts of things; but I kept my eye fixed on the stable door,
where the smoke poured out thicker than ever, and I could see flashes
of red light; presently I heard above all the stir and din a loud,
clear voice, which I knew was master's:
"James Howard! James Howard! Are you there?" There was no answer,
but I heard a crash of something falling in the stable,
and the next moment I gave a loud, joyful neigh, for I saw James
coming through the smoke leading Ginger with him; she was coughing violently,
and he was not able to speak.
"My brave lad!" said master, laying his hand on his shoulder,
"are you hurt?"
James shook his head, for he could not yet speak.
"Ay," said the big man who held me; "he is a brave lad, and no mistake."
"And now," said master, "when you have got your breath, James,
we'll get out of this place as quickly as we can," and we were moving
toward the entry, when from the market-place there came a sound
of galloping feet and loud rumbling wheels.
"'Tis the fire-engine! the fire-engine!" shouted two or three voices,
"stand back, make way!" and clattering and thundering over the stones
two horses dashed into the yard with a heavy engine behind them. The firemen
leaped to the ground; there was no need to ask where the fire was --
it was rolling up in a great blaze from the roof.
We got out as fast as we could into the broad quiet market-place;
the stars were shining, and except the noise behind us, all was still.
Master led the way to a large hotel on the other side,
and as soon as the hostler came, he said, "James, I must now hasten
to your mistress; I trust the horses entirely to you,
order whatever you think is needed," and with that he was gone.
The master did not run, but I never saw mortal man walk so fast
as he did that night.
There was a dreadful sound before we got into our stalls --
the shrieks of those poor horses that were left burning to death
in the stable -- it was very terrible! and made both Ginger and me
feel very bad. We, however, were taken in and well done by.
The next morning the master came to see how we were and to speak to James.
I did not hear much, for the hostler was rubbing me down,
but I could see that James looked very happy, and I thought the master
was proud of him. Our mistress had been so much alarmed in the night
that the journey was put off till the afternoon, so James had the morning
on hand, and went first to the inn to see about our harness and the carriage,
and then to hear more about the fire. When he came back we heard him tell
the hostler about it. At first no one could guess how the fire
had been caused, but at last a man said he saw Dick Towler go into the stable
with a pipe in his mouth, and when he came out he had not one,
and went to the tap for another. Then the under hostler said
he had asked Dick to go up the ladder to put down some hay, but told him
to lay down his pipe first. Dick denied taking the pipe with him,
but no one believed him. I remember our John Manly's rule, never to allow
a pipe in the stable, and thought it ought to be the rule everywhere.
James said the roof and floor had all fallen in, and that only
the black walls were standing; the two poor horses that could not be got out
were buried under the burnt rafters and tiles.
17 John Manly's Talk
The rest of our journey was very easy, and a little after sunset
we reached the house of my master's friend. We were taken into a clean,
snug stable; there was a kind coachman, who made us very comfortable,
and who seemed to think a good deal of James when he heard about the fire.
"There is one thing quite clear, young man," he said, "your horses know
who they can trust; it is one of the hardest things in the world
to get horses out of a stable when there is either fire or flood.
I don't know why they won't come out, but they won't -- not one in twenty."
We stopped two or three days at this place and then returned home.
All went well on the journey; we were glad to be in our own stable again,
and John was equally glad to see us.
Before he and James left us for the night James said,
"I wonder who is coming in my place."
"Little Joe Green at the lodge," said John.
"Little Joe Green! why, he's a child!"
"He is fourteen and a half," said John.
"But he is such a little chap!"
"Yes, he is small, but he is quick and willing, and kind-hearted, too,
and then he wishes very much to come, and his father would like it;
and I know the master would like to give him the chance.
He said if I thought he would not do he would look out for a bigger boy;
but I said I was quite agreeable to try him for six weeks."
"Six weeks!" said James; "why, it will be six months before he can be
of much use! It will make you a deal of work, John."
"Well," said John with a laugh, "work and I are very good friends;
I never was afraid of work yet."
"You are a very good man," said James. "I wish I may ever be like you."
"I don't often speak of myself," said John, "but as you are going
away from us out into the world to shift for yourself I'll just tell you
how I look on these things. I was just as old as Joseph
when my father and mother died of the fever within ten days of each other,
and left me and my cripple sister Nelly alone in the world,
without a relation that we could look to for help. I was a farmer's boy,
not earning enough to keep myself, much less both of us,
and she must have gone to the workhouse but for our mistress
(Nelly calls her her angel, and she has good right to do so).
She went and hired a room for her with old Widow Mallet,
and she gave her knitting and needlework when she was able to do it;
and when she was ill she sent her dinners and many nice, comfortable things,
and was like a mother to her. Then the master he took me into the stable
under old Norman, the coachman that was then. I had my food at the house
and my bed in the loft, and a suit of clothes, and three shillings a week,
so that I could help Nelly. Then there was Norman;
he might have turned round and said at his age he could not be troubled
with a raw boy from the plow-tail, but he was like a father to me,
and took no end of pains with me. When the old man died some years after
I stepped into his place, and now of course I have top wages,
and can lay by for a rainy day or a sunny day, as it may happen,
and Nelly is as happy as a bird. So you see, James, I am not the man
that should turn up his nose at a little boy and vex a good, kind master.
No, no! I shall miss you very much, James, but we shall pull through,
and there's nothing like doing a kindness when 'tis put in your way,
and I am glad I can do it."
"Then," said James, "you don't hold with that saying,
`Everybody look after himself, and take care of number one'?"
"No, indeed," said John, "where should I and Nelly have been
if master and mistress and old Norman had only taken care of number one?
Why, she in the workhouse and I hoeing turnips! Where would Black Beauty
and Ginger have been if you had only thought of number one? why,
roasted to death! No, Jim, no! that is a selfish, heathenish saying,
whoever uses it; and any man who thinks he has nothing to do
but take care of number one, why, it's a pity but what he had been drowned
like a puppy or a kitten, before he got his eyes open; that's what I think,"
said John, with a very decided jerk of his head.
James laughed at this; but there was a thickness in his voice when he said,
"You have been my best friend except my mother; I hope you won't forget me."
"No, lad, no!" said John, "and if ever I can do you a good turn
I hope you won't forget me."
The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all he could before James left.
He learned to sweep the stable, to bring in the straw and hay;
he began to clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage.
As he was quite too short to do anything in the way of grooming
Ginger and me, James taught him upon Merrylegs, for he was to have
full charge of him, under John. He was a nice little bright fellow,
and always came whistling to his work.
Merrylegs was a good deal put out at being "mauled about," as he said,
"by a boy who knew nothing;" but toward the end of the second week
he told me confidentially that he thought the boy would turn out well.
At last the day came when James had to leave us; cheerful as he always was,
he looked quite down-hearted that morning.
"You see," he said to John, "I am leaving a great deal behind;
my mother and Betsy, and you, and a good master and mistress,
and then the horses, and my old Merrylegs. At the new place
there will not be a soul that I shall know. If it were not that
I shall get a higher place, and be able to help my mother better,
I don't think I should have made up my mind to it; it is a real pinch, John."
"Ay, James, lad, so it is; but I should not think much of you
- stable [´steibəl]
n.马棚 a.稳固的 (初中英语单词) - overhead [´əuvə,hed] ad.当头 a.在头上的 (初中英语单词)
- restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)
- upward [´ʌpwəd] a.&ad.向上(的)；以上 (初中英语单词)
- lightly [´laitli] ad.轻微地，稍微 (初中英语单词)
- confusion [kən´fju:ʒən] n.混乱(状态)；骚乱 (初中英语单词)
- presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
- breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)
- mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- dreadful [´dredful] a.可怕的；讨厌的 (初中英语单词)
- harness [´hɑ:nis] vt.上马具 n.马具 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- equally [´i:kwəli] ad.相等地；平等地 (初中英语单词)
- willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)
- agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)
- knitting [´nitiŋ] n.编织(物)；接合；联合 (初中英语单词)
- selfish [´selfiʃ] a.自私的，利己的 (初中英语单词)
- kitten [´kitn] n.小猫 (初中英语单词)
- charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
- cheerful [´tʃiəful] a.快乐的；高兴的 (初中英语单词)
- ginger [´dʒindʒə] n.姜；精神，元气 (高中英语单词)
- ladder [´lædə] n.梯子；阶梯 (高中英语单词)
- uncomfortable [ʌn´kʌmftəbəl] a.不舒服的，不自在的 (高中英语单词)
- bridle [´braidl] n.(马)笼头；束缚 (高中英语单词)
- shrill [ʃril] a.(声音)尖锐的 (高中英语单词)
- joyful [´dʒɔifəl] a.高兴的，充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)
- mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)
- cripple [´kripəl] n.跛子 vt.使残疾 (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- thickness [´θiknis] n.厚；浓；粗；稠密 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- cheery [´tʃiəri] a.愉快的；活泼的 (英语四级单词)
- coachman [´kəutʃmən] n.赶马车人 (英语四级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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