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黑骏马
Black Beauty

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8 Earlshall Park

I lived at Birtwick Park for three happy years，but then changes came．Our mistress was often ill and the doctor advised her to go and live in a warm country for two or three years．Everyone was very sorry，but the master immediately started making arrangements to leave England．

John did his work silently and sadly，and Joe didn't sing any more．Then we heard that the master had sold Ginger and me to an old friend of his，Lord Gray．Merrylegs was given to the neighbour，Mr Blomefield，and Joe was employed to look after him．John was offered several good jobs but he wanted to wait and look around．

'I want to train young horses，'he told the master．

'I cannot think of anyone more suitable for that work than you，John，'said the master．'If I can help you in any way，write to me．'

The next morning，John took Ginger and me to Earlshall Park where Lord Gray lived．There was a very fine house and lots of stables．John asked for Mr York，who was going to be our new driver．

Mr York was a good－looking man of about forty，with a voice that expected to be obeyed．He called a groom to take us to our boxes，then invited John to have a drink with him．We were taken to a pleasant stable and put in boxes next to one another，then we were groomed and fed．Half an hour later，John and Mr York came to see us．

Mr York looked at us carefully．'Is there anything you want to mention about them，Mr Manly？'he said．

'I don't believe there's a better pair of horses in the coun－try，'said John，'but they're not alike．The black one has the most perfect temper I've ever known．The other was badly treated before she came to us，but has grown better－tempered in the last three years．We've never used a bearing rein with either of them．'

'They'll wear one here，'said York．'Lady Gray follows the fashion，and if her horses are not reined up tight，she doesn't like it．'

'I'm sorry to hear that，'said John．He came to pat each of us for the last time．I held my face close to him，which was all I could do to say goodbye．And then he was gone，and I have never seen him since．

Lord Gray came to look at us the next day and seemed pleased．He heard what John had said about us．'Keep an eye on the mare，'he said to York．'Don't make the bearing rein too tight at first，and I'll mention it to my wife．'

In the afternoon，we were harnessed to the carriage and La－dy Gray came out and looked at us．She was a tall，proud-look-ing woman and did not look pleased，but she said nothing and got into the carriage．

The bearing rein annoyed me but did not pull my head any higher than I was used to carrying it．I was worried about Gin－ ger，but she seemed quite happy．

But the next afternoon when Lady Gray came down the steps，she said，'York，you must put those horses'heads higher；they don't look nice．'

'I'm sorry，my Lady，'said York，'but they have not been reined up for three years．But if it pleases you，I can take them up a little more．'

'Do that，'she said．

That day we had to pull the carriage up a steep hill．I want－ed to put my head forward to make the work easier，but I couldn't．

'Now you can see what it's like，'said Ginger，when we came back．'If it doesn't get any worse，I shall say nothing．But I won't have the rein pulled up tight！'

Each day the bearing reins were shortened a little more；then one day Lady Gray came out later than usual and said，'York，when will you get those horses'heads up？Pull them up at once，and let's have no arguing．'

York came to me first and made the rein very tight．Then he went to Ginger．But the moment he took off the rein in order to shorten it，she stood up on her back legs．York and the groom could not control her．She kicked herself out of the car－riage and fell down，kicking me on the leg as she went．York sat on her head to keep her still and shouted，'Let the black horse out！Undo the carriage！Cut the harness！ '

The groom cut me out of the harness and hurried me back to my box，then ran back to York．I was angry and my leg hurt，and I felt that I wanted to kick the first person who came near me．

Soon after，Ginger was led in by two grooms．York was with her and came to look at me．

'I knew those bearing reins would cause trouble，'he said to himself．He saw where I had been kicked and washed the place gently with hot water to help the pain．

Lord Gray was angry when he heard what had happened．He blamed York for taking orders from the mistress，and York said that he would take orders only from Lord Gray himself from now on．But things went on the same as before，except that Ginger was never put into the carriage again．I pulled it with a horse called Max who was used to the tight rein．But those four months pulling Lady Gray's carriage were terrible．The sharp bit cut into my tongue and mouth，the rein hurt my neck and made it difficult to breathe，and I felt tired and very miserable．

In the spring，Lord Gray and some of his family went up to London and took York with them．Two daughters remained at the Hall．Lady Harriet never went out in the carriage，and Lady Anne preferred riding on horseback with her brother or cousins．She chose me for her horse and I enjoyed these rides，sometimes with Ginger，sometimes with Lizzie，a horse liked by the young gentlemen．

There was a gentleman called Blantyre staying at the Hall，who always rode Lizzie and was so pleased with her that Lady Anne wanted to try her．

'I don't advise it，'said Blantyre．'She's too easily fright－ened for a lady to ride．'

'My dear cousin，'said Lady Anne，laughing，'I've been rid-ing horses since I was a baby and have followed the hounds many times．Now，help me up．'

So Blantyre helped her into the saddle，then climbed on me．Just as we were moving off，Lady Harriet asked for a message to be taken to Dr Ashley in the village．

The village was about two kilometres away，and the doctor's house was the last one in it．Blantyre got off to open the gate for Lady Anne but she said，'I'll wait here for you．'

He went off and we waited．

There was a field with an open gate on the opposite side of the road，and at that moment some young horses came trotting out．They were wild and excited，and there was a boy behind them，waving a large whip．Suddenly，one of the young horses ran across the road，and banged into Lizzie's back legs．She gave a violent kick，nearly unseating Lady Anne，and immedi－ately galloped away at full speed．

I gave a loud neigh for help and made a noise with my feet until Mr Blantyre came running out of the doctor's house．He saw Lizzie and Lady Anne，now far away down the road，and quickly jumped into the saddle，and we raced after them．

For about two kilometres the road was straight，then it turned to the right before becoming two roads．Long before we came to the bend，Lady Anne was out of sight．Which way had she gone？A woman was in her garden，looking up the road．'Which way？'shouted Blantyre．

'To the right！'cried the woman．

Away we went，up the right－hand road．We saw her for a moment，then she was gone again round another bend．Several times we saw her，but lost her again．Then we came to some rough land，very uneven and full of holes in the ground-the worst possible place for galloping．

On this open ground we could now see Lady Anne clearly，her long hair flying out behind her in the wind，and slowly we began to catch up．There was a wide ditch ahead and I was sure it would stop them，but without a pause Lizzie jumped it—and fell．

I cleared the ditch and landed safely．Lady Anne was lying on the ground，not moving．Blantyre jumped down beside her and called her name，but there was no reply．Her face was white and her eyes were closed．

'Annie，dear Annie，do speak！'he cried．

There were two men cutting grass close by and they saw Lizzie galloping away without a rider and came across．

'Can you ride？'Blantyre asked one of them．

'I'm not a good horseman，sir，'he said．'But I'll do my best．'

'Ride this horse to the doctor's and ask him to come imme－diately，then go on to the Hall，'said Blantyre．'Tell them all you know and ask them to send a carriage．'

The man climbed into my saddle and we galloped off．I tried not to shake him about too much，and he soon discovered that he needed no whip．

There was a lot of excitement at the Hall when they heard what happened．I was put into my box，the saddle and bridle were taken off and a cloth was thrown over me．

Two days later，Blantyre came and patted me．

'You did well，'he said．'I'm sure you knew Annie was in danger．She must ride only you from now on．'

From this I knew that my young mistress was out of danger and would soon be able to ride again．