Had the dude left the horse alone all might have gone well. But he deemed it necessary to pull on first one line and then the other, which kept the carriage in a meandering1 course.
“I don't think, Mr. Gussing, that you can be much used to driving,” said one of the young ladies, presently.
“That's a fact,” answered the dude.
“Why don't you keep to the right of the road?”
“Well,—er—the fact is, this horse is a very difficult one to drive. I don't believe I ever drove one which was more so.”
As this was the first horse Mr. Gussing had ever driven, this assertion was true in every particular.
“Oh, I can't travel so slow!” cried one of the young ladies, and seized the whip, and before Felix could stop her, used it on the steed.
The effect was magical. The horse started up like a racer, and tore through the street as if trying to win a race for a thousand dollars.
The dude clung to the reins3 in the wildest terror. To his frenzied4 imagination it seemed that his final hour was approaching.
“Whoa!” he screamed, jerking on the lines. “Stop, you crazy beast! Stop, before we all get killed!”
But the horse only went the faster. And now, to increase his alarm, he saw a buggy approaching from the opposite direction. It contained one of the town lawyers, Silas Simms by name.
A moment later the two turnouts came together with a crash, and one wheel was torn from the buggy and the town lawyer pitched out headlong to the ground. Then on went the carriage with the dude and the two young ladies, at a faster pace than ever.
“Let me jump out!” screamed one of the ladies.
“No, not yet! You'll be killed, Grace,” answered Belle.
“Then stop the carriage!”
Alas6, the poor Felix was already doing his best to stop the horse. But his jerkings on the reins only added to the horse's wildness.
Not far along the road was a good sized brook7, spanned by a neat wooden bridge. As the carriage neared the bridge, Felix pulled on the wrong rein2 once again. The horse turned from the road proper, and descended8 full speed into the stream itself.
But she was mistaken. The stream was easily fordable, so there was no danger on that score. But the rate at which they were impelled10 through the water naturally created no inconsiderable splashing, so that on emerging on the other side the dude, as well as the young ladies, were well drenched11.
To the great joy of Felix the contact with the water cooled the ardor12 of the steed, so that he resumed the journey at a far more moderate rate of speed.
“Wasn't it just glorious!” cried Belle, who, after the danger seemed past, grew enthusiastic. “What a noble animal!”
“Glorious?” echoed the dude. “I don't care much about such glory. As for the noble animal—I—er—I wish he was hung! That's the best he deserves.”
The dude spoke13 bitterly, for the spell of terror was still on him. Had he consulted his own wishes he would have leaped from the carriage and left the ladies to their fate.
But the thought of the bewitching Belle made him keep his seat, and he resolved that if he must die he would do it like a martyr14.
The horse went on, and at last they neared the end of the short journey. But here a new obstacle presented itself. There was a big fence and a gate, and the gate was tight shut.
As they could not enter the grounds without opening the gate, the dude got down out of the carriage. He did not hand the reins to either of the ladies but laid them over the dashboard.
The instant the gate was swung open the steed darted15 forward, and brought up with a jerk against a post that happened to be in the way. Here he reared and plunged16, causing the young ladies to scream “murder” at the top of their voices.
“Oh, my! Oh, dear me!” bawled17 Felix, and took refuge behind a neighboring hedge. “The horse has gone crazy! He'll bite somebody next!”
The cries reached some men who were not far off, and they came running to the assistance of the party. One caught the steed by the bridle18 and soon had him quieted down.
“I'll never drive that horse again!” said the dude. “Not for a million dollars!”
“I'll drive you,” said one of the men. “I know this horse. He used to belong to Bill Perkins. I know how to handle him.”
“Then do so,” answered Felix, “and I'll pay you two dollars.”
The man was as good as his word, and to Felix's astonishment20 he made the horse go back to the hotel without the slightest mishap21. Then the horse was put in the stable, the dude paid the bill, and the party separated.
“I shall never drive again, never!” declared the dude to himself, and it may be added that he kept his word.
“I hope you had a nice drive,” said Joe, when he met Felix that evening.
“It was beastly, don't you know,” was the answer. “That horse was a terribly vicious creature.”
“He looked to be gentle enough when he started off.”
“I think he is a crazy horse.”
“By the way, Mr. Gussing, Mr. Silas Simms was looking for you.”
“Yes.”
“He says he wants damages.”
“It wasn't my fault that the horse ran into him.”
“Well, he is very angry about it, anyway,” said our hero.
Early the next morning Felix Gussing received a communication from the lawyer. It was in the following terms:—
“MR. GUSSING. Sir:—In consequence of your reckless driving yesterday, I was thrown from my carriage, receiving a contusion on my shoulder and other injuries. My carriage was also nearly ruined. If you choose to make a race-course of the public highways you must abide24 the consequences. The damage I have sustained I cannot estimate at less than one hundred and fifty dollars. Indemnify me for that and I will go no further. Otherwise, I shall be compelled to resort to legal action.
“SILAS SIMMS, Atty.”
Felix read the letter several times and his knees shook visibly. He did not want to pay over such an amount, yet it struck him with terror when he thought he might possibly be arrested for fast driving. He went to see Mr. Silas Simms.
“I am very sorry,” he began.
“Well—er—the fact is—don't you think you are asking rather a stiff price, Mr. Simms?”
“Not at all! Not at all, sir! I ought to have placed the damages at three hundred!”
“I'll give you fifty dollars and call it square.”
“No, sir, a hundred and fifty! Not a penny less, not one penny! Look at my nose, sir—all scratched! And my ear! Not a penny less than one hundred and fifty dollars!” And the lawyer pounded on his desk with his fist.
“All right then, I'll pay you, but you must give me a receipt in full,” answered the dude.
He had to wait until the bank opened, that he might cash a check, and then he paid over the amount demanded. The lawyer drew up a legal paper discharging him from all further obligations. Felix read it with care and stowed it in his pocket.
“And now let me give you some advice, Mr. Gussing,” said the lawyer, after the transaction was concluded. “Don't drive such a wild horse again.”
“Depend upon it, I never shall,” answered the dude. “It costs too much!” he added, with a faint smile.
“Are you well acquainted with horses?”
“No.”
“Then you had better leave them alone altogether.”
“I have already made up my mind to do so.”
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1
meandering
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| 蜿蜒的河流，漫步，聊天 | |
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2
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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7
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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8
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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9
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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12
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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13
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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14
martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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15
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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17
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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19
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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21
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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22
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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24
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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