章节正文
"I say, Jerry," said the governor, "you are treading pretty hard on my toes,
you know; I'm not so good as you are, more shame to me; I wish I was."
"Well," said Jerry, "why don't you cut with it, governor?
You are too good a man to be the slave of such a thing."
"I'm a great fool, Jerry, but I tried once for two days,
and I thought I should have died; how did you do?"
"I had hard work at it for several weeks; you see I never did get drunk,
but I found that I was not my own master, and that when the craving came on
it was hard work to say `no'. I saw that one of us must knock under,
the drink devil or Jerry Barker, and I said that it should not be
Jerry Barker, God helping me; but it was a struggle,
and I wanted all the help I could get, for till I tried to break the habit
I did not know how strong it was; but then Polly took such pains
that I should have good food, and when the craving came on I used to get
a cup of coffee, or some peppermint, or read a bit in my book,
and that was a help to me; sometimes I had to say over and over to myself,
`Give up the drink or lose your soul! Give up the drink
or break Polly's heart!' But thanks be to God, and my dear wife,
my chains were broken, and now for ten years I have not tasted a drop,
and never wish for it."
"I've a great mind to try at it," said Grant, "for 'tis a poor thing
not to be one's own master."
"Do, governor, do, you'll never repent it, and what a help it would be
to some of the poor fellows in our rank if they saw you do without it.
I know there's two or three would like to keep out of that tavern
if they could."
At first Captain seemed to do well, but he was a very old horse,
and it was only his wonderful constitution, and Jerry's care,
that had kept him up at the cab work so long; now he broke down very much.
The farrier said he might mend up enough to sell for a few pounds,
but Jerry said, no! a few pounds got by selling a good old servant
into hard work and misery would canker all the rest of his money,
and he thought the kindest thing he could do for the fine old fellow
would be to put a sure bullet through his head, and then he would
never suffer more; for he did not know where to find a kind master
for the rest of his days.
The day after this was decided Harry took me to the forge for some new shoes;
when I returned Captain was gone. I and the family all felt it very much.
Jerry had now to look out for another horse, and he soon heard of one
through an acquaintance who was under-groom in a nobleman's stables.
He was a valuable young horse, but he had run away, smashed into
another carriage, flung his lordship out, and so cut and blemished himself
that he was no longer fit for a gentleman's stables, and the coachman
had orders to look round, and sell him as well as he could.
"I can do with high spirits," said Jerry, "if a horse is not vicious
or hard-mouthed."
"There is not a bit of vice in him," said the man; "his mouth is very tender,
and I think myself that was the cause of the accident;
you see he had just been clipped, and the weather was bad,
and he had not had exercise enough, and when he did go out
he was as full of spring as a balloon. Our governor (the coachman, I mean)
had him harnessed in as tight and strong as he could, with the martingale,
and the check-rein, a very sharp curb, and the reins put in
at the bottom bar. It is my belief that it made the horse mad,
being tender in the mouth and so full of spirit."
"Likely enough; I'll come and see him," said Jerry.
The next day Hotspur, that was his name, came home;
he was a fine brown horse, without a white hair in him, as tall as Captain,
with a very handsome head, and only five years old. I gave him
a friendly greeting by way of good fellowship, but did not ask him
any questions. The first night he was very restless. Instead of lying down,
he kept jerking his halter rope up and down through the ring,
and knocking the block about against the manger till I could not sleep.
However, the next day, after five or six hours in the cab,
he came in quiet and sensible. Jerry patted and talked to him a good deal,
and very soon they understood each other, and Jerry said that
with an easy bit and plenty of work he would be as gentle as a lamb;
and that it was an ill wind that blew nobody good, for if his lordship
had lost a hundred-guinea favorite, the cabman had gained a good horse
with all his strength in him.
Hotspur thought it a great come-down to be a cab-horse,
and was disgusted at standing in the rank, but he confessed to me
at the end of the week that an easy mouth and a free head made up
for a great deal, and after all, the work was not so degrading
as having one's head and tail fastened to each other at the saddle.
In fact, he settled in well, and Jerry liked him very much.
45 Jerry's New Year
For some people Christmas and the New Year are very merry times;
but for cabmen and cabmen's horses it is no holiday, though it may be
a harvest. There are so many parties, balls, and places of amusement open
that the work is hard and often late. Sometimes driver and horse
have to wait for hours in the rain or frost, shivering with the cold,
while the merry people within are dancing away to the music. I wonder if
the beautiful ladies ever think of the weary cabman waiting on his box,
and his patient beast standing, till his legs get stiff with cold.
I had now most of the evening work, as I was well accustomed to standing,
and Jerry was also more afraid of Hotspur taking cold. We had a great deal
of late work in the Christmas week, and Jerry's cough was bad;
but however late we were, Polly sat up for him, and came out with a lantern
to meet him, looking anxious and troubled.
On the evening of the New Year we had to take two gentlemen to a house
in one of the West End Squares. We set them down at nine o'clock,
and were told to come again at eleven, "but," said one,
"as it is a card party, you may have to wait a few minutes,
but don't be late."
As the clock struck eleven we were at the door, for Jerry was
always punctual. The clock chimed the quarters, one, two, three,
and then struck twelve, but the door did not open.
The wind had been very changeable, with squalls of rain during the day,
but now it came on sharp, driving sleet, which seemed to come
all the way round; it was very cold, and there was no shelter.
Jerry got off his box and came and pulled one of my cloths a little more
over my neck; then he took a turn or two up and down, stamping his feet;
then he began to beat his arms, but that set him off coughing; so he opened
the cab door and sat at the bottom with his feet on the pavement,
and was a little sheltered. Still the clock chimed the quarters,
and no one came. At half-past twelve he rang the bell and asked the servant
if he would be wanted that night.
"Oh, yes, you'll be wanted safe enough," said the man; "you must not go,
it will soon be over," and again Jerry sat down, but his voice was so hoarse
I could hardly hear him.
At a quarter past one the door opened, and the two gentlemen came out;
they got into the cab without a word, and told Jerry where to drive,
that was nearly two miles. My legs were numb with cold, and I thought
I should have stumbled. When the men got out they never said they were sorry
to have kept us waiting so long, but were angry at the charge; however,
as Jerry never charged more than was his due, so he never took less,
and they had to pay for the two hours and a quarter waiting;
but it was hard-earned money to Jerry.
At last we got home; he could hardly speak, and his cough was dreadful.
Polly asked no questions, but opened the door and held the lantern for him.
"Can't I do something?" she said.
"Yes; get Jack something warm, and then boil me some gruel."
This was said in a hoarsewhisper; he could hardly get his breath,
but he gave me a rub-down as usual, and even went up into the hayloft
for an extra bundle of straw for my bed. Polly brought me a warm mash
that made me comfortable, and then they locked the door.
It was late the next morning before any one came, and then it was only Harry.
He cleaned us and fed us, and swept out the stalls, then he put the straw
back again as if it was Sunday. He was very still, and neither whistled
nor sang. At noon he came again and gave us our food and water;
this time Dolly came with him; she was crying, and I could gather
from what they said that Jerry was dangerously ill, and the doctor said
it was a bad case. So two days passed, and there was great trouble indoors.
We only saw Harry, and sometimes Dolly. I think she came for company,
for Polly was always with Jerry, and he had to be kept very quiet.
On the third day, while Harry was in the stable, a tap came at the door,
and Governor Grant came in.
"I wouldn't go to the house, my boy," he said, "but I want to know
how your father is."
"He is very bad," said Harry, "he can't be much worse;
they call it `bronchitis'; the doctor thinks it will turn
one way or another to-night."
"That's bad, very bad," said Grant, shaking his head;
"I know two men who died of that last week; it takes 'em off in no time;
but while there's life there's hope, so you must keep up your spirits."
"Yes," said Harry quickly, "and the doctor said that father had
a better chance than most men, because he didn't drink. He said yesterday
the fever was so high that if father had been a drinking man it would have
burned him up like a piece of paper; but I believe he thinks
he will get over it; don't you think he will, Mr. Grant?"
The governor looked puzzled.
"If there's any rule that good men should get over these things,
I'm sure he will, my boy; he's the best man I know.
I'll look in early to-morrow."
Early next morning he was there.
"Well?" said he.
"Father is better," said Harry. "Mother hopes he will get over it."
"Thank God!" said the governor, "and now you must keep him warm,
and keep his mind easy, and that brings me to the horses;
you see Jack will be all the better for the rest of a week or two
in a warm stable, and you can easily take him a turn up and down the street
to stretch his legs; but this young one, if he does not get work,
he will soon be all up on end, as you may say, and will be rather too much
for you; and when he does go out there'll be an accident."
"It is like that now," said Harry. "I have kept him short of corn,
but he's so full of spirit I don't know what to do with him."
"Just so," said Grant. "Now look here, will you tell your mother
that if she is agreeable I will come for him every day till something
is arranged, and take him for a good spell of work, and whatever he earns,
I'll bring your mother half of it, and that will help with the horses' feed.
Your father is in a good club, I know, but that won't keep the horses,
and they'll be eating their heads off all this time; I'll come at noon
and hear what she says," and without waiting for Harry's thanks he was gone.
At noon I think he went and saw Polly, for he and Harry
came to the stable together, harnessed Hotspur, and took him out.
For a week or more he came for Hotspur, and when Harry thanked him
or said anything about his kindness, he laughed it off, saying it was all
good luck for him, for his horses were wanting a little rest
which they would not otherwise have had.
Jerry grew better steadily, but the doctor said that he must never go back
to the cab work again if he wished to be an old man. The children had
many consultations together about what father and mother would do,
and how they could help to earn money.
One afternoon Hotspur was brought in very wet and dirty.
"The streets are nothing but slush," said the governor;
"it will give you a good warming, my boy, to get him clean and dry."
"All right, governor," said Harry, "I shall not leave him till he is;
you know I have been trained by my father."
"I wish all the boys had been trained like you," said the governor.
While Harry was sponging off the mud from Hotspur's body and legs
Dolly came in, looking very full of something.
"Who lives at Fairstowe, Harry? Mother has got a letter from Fairstowe;
she seemed so glad, and ran upstairs to father with it."
"Don't you know? Why, it is the name of Mrs. Fowler's place --
mother's old mistress, you know -- the lady that father met last summer,
who sent you and me five shillings each."
"Oh! Mrs. Fowler. Of course, I know all about her. I wonder what
she is writing to mother about."
"Mother wrote to her last week," said Harry; "you know she told father
if ever he gave up the cab work she would like to know.
you know; I'm not so good as you are, more shame to me; I wish I was."
"Well," said Jerry, "why don't you cut with it, governor?
You are too good a man to be the slave of such a thing."
"I'm a great fool, Jerry, but I tried once for two days,
and I thought I should have died; how did you do?"
"I had hard work at it for several weeks; you see I never did get drunk,
but I found that I was not my own master, and that when the craving came on
it was hard work to say `no'. I saw that one of us must knock under,
the drink devil or Jerry Barker, and I said that it should not be
Jerry Barker, God helping me; but it was a struggle,
and I wanted all the help I could get, for till I tried to break the habit
I did not know how strong it was; but then Polly took such pains
that I should have good food, and when the craving came on I used to get
a cup of coffee, or some peppermint, or read a bit in my book,
and that was a help to me; sometimes I had to say over and over to myself,
`Give up the drink or lose your soul! Give up the drink
or break Polly's heart!' But thanks be to God, and my dear wife,
my chains were broken, and now for ten years I have not tasted a drop,
and never wish for it."
"I've a great mind to try at it," said Grant, "for 'tis a poor thing
not to be one's own master."
"Do, governor, do, you'll never repent it, and what a help it would be
to some of the poor fellows in our rank if they saw you do without it.
I know there's two or three would like to keep out of that tavern
if they could."
At first Captain seemed to do well, but he was a very old horse,
and it was only his wonderful constitution, and Jerry's care,
that had kept him up at the cab work so long; now he broke down very much.
The farrier said he might mend up enough to sell for a few pounds,
but Jerry said, no! a few pounds got by selling a good old servant
into hard work and misery would canker all the rest of his money,
and he thought the kindest thing he could do for the fine old fellow
would be to put a sure bullet through his head, and then he would
never suffer more; for he did not know where to find a kind master
for the rest of his days.
The day after this was decided Harry took me to the forge for some new shoes;
when I returned Captain was gone. I and the family all felt it very much.
Jerry had now to look out for another horse, and he soon heard of one
through an acquaintance who was under-groom in a nobleman's stables.
He was a valuable young horse, but he had run away, smashed into
another carriage, flung his lordship out, and so cut and blemished himself
that he was no longer fit for a gentleman's stables, and the coachman
had orders to look round, and sell him as well as he could.
"I can do with high spirits," said Jerry, "if a horse is not vicious
or hard-mouthed."
"There is not a bit of vice in him," said the man; "his mouth is very tender,
and I think myself that was the cause of the accident;
you see he had just been clipped, and the weather was bad,
and he had not had exercise enough, and when he did go out
he was as full of spring as a balloon. Our governor (the coachman, I mean)
had him harnessed in as tight and strong as he could, with the martingale,
and the check-rein, a very sharp curb, and the reins put in
at the bottom bar. It is my belief that it made the horse mad,
being tender in the mouth and so full of spirit."
"Likely enough; I'll come and see him," said Jerry.
The next day Hotspur, that was his name, came home;
he was a fine brown horse, without a white hair in him, as tall as Captain,
with a very handsome head, and only five years old. I gave him
a friendly greeting by way of good fellowship, but did not ask him
any questions. The first night he was very restless. Instead of lying down,
he kept jerking his halter rope up and down through the ring,
and knocking the block about against the manger till I could not sleep.
However, the next day, after five or six hours in the cab,
he came in quiet and sensible. Jerry patted and talked to him a good deal,
and very soon they understood each other, and Jerry said that
with an easy bit and plenty of work he would be as gentle as a lamb;
and that it was an ill wind that blew nobody good, for if his lordship
had lost a hundred-guinea favorite, the cabman had gained a good horse
with all his strength in him.
Hotspur thought it a great come-down to be a cab-horse,
and was disgusted at standing in the rank, but he confessed to me
at the end of the week that an easy mouth and a free head made up
for a great deal, and after all, the work was not so degrading
as having one's head and tail fastened to each other at the saddle.
In fact, he settled in well, and Jerry liked him very much.
45 Jerry's New Year
For some people Christmas and the New Year are very merry times;
but for cabmen and cabmen's horses it is no holiday, though it may be
a harvest. There are so many parties, balls, and places of amusement open
that the work is hard and often late. Sometimes driver and horse
have to wait for hours in the rain or frost, shivering with the cold,
while the merry people within are dancing away to the music. I wonder if
the beautiful ladies ever think of the weary cabman waiting on his box,
and his patient beast standing, till his legs get stiff with cold.
I had now most of the evening work, as I was well accustomed to standing,
and Jerry was also more afraid of Hotspur taking cold. We had a great deal
of late work in the Christmas week, and Jerry's cough was bad;
but however late we were, Polly sat up for him, and came out with a lantern
to meet him, looking anxious and troubled.
On the evening of the New Year we had to take two gentlemen to a house
in one of the West End Squares. We set them down at nine o'clock,
and were told to come again at eleven, "but," said one,
"as it is a card party, you may have to wait a few minutes,
but don't be late."
As the clock struck eleven we were at the door, for Jerry was
always punctual. The clock chimed the quarters, one, two, three,
and then struck twelve, but the door did not open.
The wind had been very changeable, with squalls of rain during the day,
but now it came on sharp, driving sleet, which seemed to come
all the way round; it was very cold, and there was no shelter.
Jerry got off his box and came and pulled one of my cloths a little more
over my neck; then he took a turn or two up and down, stamping his feet;
then he began to beat his arms, but that set him off coughing; so he opened
the cab door and sat at the bottom with his feet on the pavement,
and was a little sheltered. Still the clock chimed the quarters,
and no one came. At half-past twelve he rang the bell and asked the servant
if he would be wanted that night.
"Oh, yes, you'll be wanted safe enough," said the man; "you must not go,
it will soon be over," and again Jerry sat down, but his voice was so hoarse
I could hardly hear him.
At a quarter past one the door opened, and the two gentlemen came out;
they got into the cab without a word, and told Jerry where to drive,
that was nearly two miles. My legs were numb with cold, and I thought
I should have stumbled. When the men got out they never said they were sorry
to have kept us waiting so long, but were angry at the charge; however,
as Jerry never charged more than was his due, so he never took less,
and they had to pay for the two hours and a quarter waiting;
but it was hard-earned money to Jerry.
At last we got home; he could hardly speak, and his cough was dreadful.
Polly asked no questions, but opened the door and held the lantern for him.
"Can't I do something?" she said.
"Yes; get Jack something warm, and then boil me some gruel."
This was said in a hoarsewhisper; he could hardly get his breath,
but he gave me a rub-down as usual, and even went up into the hayloft
for an extra bundle of straw for my bed. Polly brought me a warm mash
that made me comfortable, and then they locked the door.
It was late the next morning before any one came, and then it was only Harry.
He cleaned us and fed us, and swept out the stalls, then he put the straw
back again as if it was Sunday. He was very still, and neither whistled
nor sang. At noon he came again and gave us our food and water;
this time Dolly came with him; she was crying, and I could gather
from what they said that Jerry was dangerously ill, and the doctor said
it was a bad case. So two days passed, and there was great trouble indoors.
We only saw Harry, and sometimes Dolly. I think she came for company,
for Polly was always with Jerry, and he had to be kept very quiet.
On the third day, while Harry was in the stable, a tap came at the door,
and Governor Grant came in.
"I wouldn't go to the house, my boy," he said, "but I want to know
how your father is."
"He is very bad," said Harry, "he can't be much worse;
they call it `bronchitis'; the doctor thinks it will turn
one way or another to-night."
"That's bad, very bad," said Grant, shaking his head;
"I know two men who died of that last week; it takes 'em off in no time;
but while there's life there's hope, so you must keep up your spirits."
"Yes," said Harry quickly, "and the doctor said that father had
a better chance than most men, because he didn't drink. He said yesterday
the fever was so high that if father had been a drinking man it would have
burned him up like a piece of paper; but I believe he thinks
he will get over it; don't you think he will, Mr. Grant?"
The governor looked puzzled.
"If there's any rule that good men should get over these things,
I'm sure he will, my boy; he's the best man I know.
I'll look in early to-morrow."
Early next morning he was there.
"Well?" said he.
"Father is better," said Harry. "Mother hopes he will get over it."
"Thank God!" said the governor, "and now you must keep him warm,
and keep his mind easy, and that brings me to the horses;
you see Jack will be all the better for the rest of a week or two
in a warm stable, and you can easily take him a turn up and down the street
to stretch his legs; but this young one, if he does not get work,
he will soon be all up on end, as you may say, and will be rather too much
for you; and when he does go out there'll be an accident."
"It is like that now," said Harry. "I have kept him short of corn,
but he's so full of spirit I don't know what to do with him."
"Just so," said Grant. "Now look here, will you tell your mother
that if she is agreeable I will come for him every day till something
is arranged, and take him for a good spell of work, and whatever he earns,
I'll bring your mother half of it, and that will help with the horses' feed.
Your father is in a good club, I know, but that won't keep the horses,
and they'll be eating their heads off all this time; I'll come at noon
and hear what she says," and without waiting for Harry's thanks he was gone.
At noon I think he went and saw Polly, for he and Harry
came to the stable together, harnessed Hotspur, and took him out.
For a week or more he came for Hotspur, and when Harry thanked him
or said anything about his kindness, he laughed it off, saying it was all
good luck for him, for his horses were wanting a little rest
which they would not otherwise have had.
Jerry grew better steadily, but the doctor said that he must never go back
to the cab work again if he wished to be an old man. The children had
many consultations together about what father and mother would do,
and how they could help to earn money.
One afternoon Hotspur was brought in very wet and dirty.
"The streets are nothing but slush," said the governor;
"it will give you a good warming, my boy, to get him clean and dry."
"All right, governor," said Harry, "I shall not leave him till he is;
you know I have been trained by my father."
"I wish all the boys had been trained like you," said the governor.
While Harry was sponging off the mud from Hotspur's body and legs
Dolly came in, looking very full of something.
"Who lives at Fairstowe, Harry? Mother has got a letter from Fairstowe;
she seemed so glad, and ran upstairs to father with it."
"Don't you know? Why, it is the name of Mrs. Fowler's place --
mother's old mistress, you know -- the lady that father met last summer,
who sent you and me five shillings each."
"Oh! Mrs. Fowler. Of course, I know all about her. I wonder what
she is writing to mother about."
"Mother wrote to her last week," said Harry; "you know she told father
if ever he gave up the cab work she would like to know.
- governor [´gʌvənə]
n.总督；州长 (初中英语单词) - constitution [,kɔnsti´tju:ʃən] n.宪法；体格；体质 (初中英语单词)
- misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)
- bullet [´bulit] n.子弹 (初中英语单词)
- acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)
- valuable [´væljuəbəl, -jubəl] a.有价值的，贵重的 (初中英语单词)
- carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)
- belief [bi´li:f] n.相信；信仰，信条 (初中英语单词)
- restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)
- sensible [´sensəbəl] a.感觉得到的 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- holiday [´hɔlidi] n.假日，假期，节日 (初中英语单词)
- harvest [´hɑ:vist] n.&v.收获；收割 (初中英语单词)
- amusement [ə´mju:zmənt] n.娱乐；文娱设施 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)
- punctual [´pʌŋktjuəl] a.准时的；精确的 (初中英语单词)
- changeable [´tʃeindʒəbəl] a.易变的；可换的 (初中英语单词)
- charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
- whisper [´wispə] v.耳语 n.低语；沙沙声 (初中英语单词)
- bundle [´bʌndl] n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词)
- stable [´steibəl] n.马棚 a.稳固的 (初中英语单词)
- agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- otherwise [´ʌðəwaiz] ad.另外 conj.否则 (初中英语单词)
- steadily [´stedili] ad.坚定地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
- mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)
- writing [´raitiŋ] n.书写；写作；书法 (初中英语单词)
- repent [ri´pent] v.后悔；悔改；悔悟 (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- lordship [´lɔ:dʃip] n.贵族权力；阁下 (高中英语单词)
- balloon [bə´lu:n] n.气球 (高中英语单词)
- lantern [´læntən] n.灯笼；提灯 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- coachman [´kəutʃmən] n.赶马车人 (英语四级单词)
- fellowship [´feləuʃip] n.团体；伙伴关系；友谊 (英语四级单词)
- manger [´meindʒə] n.槽；牛槽 (英语四级单词)
- hoarse [hɔ:s] a.嘶哑的；嗓门粗哑的 (英语四级单词)
- warming [´wɔ:miŋ] n.暖和；加温 (英语四级单词)
- upstairs [,ʌp´steəz] ad.在楼上 a.楼上的 (英语四级单词)
- craving [´kreiviŋ] n.渴望，热望 (英语六级单词)
- canker [´kæŋkə] n.癌肿病；毒害 (英语六级单词)
- halter [´hɔ:ltə] n.缰绳，绞索 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- dangerously [´deindʒrəsli] ad.危险 (英语六级单词)
- wanting [´wɔntiŋ, wɑ:n-] a.短缺的；不足的 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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