Chapter 2 Birtwick Park

　　I was beginning to grow handsome．My coat was fine and soft， and was a shiny black． I had one white foot，and a pretty white star on my forehead． When I was four years old，Mr Gordon came to look at me．He looked closely at my eyes，my mouth， and my legs， and then I had to walk and trot and gallop for him．

　　'When he has been trained，'Mr Gordon said to my master，'he will do very well．'

　　My master liked to train his horses himself before selling them，and the next day my training began．

　　To train a horse is to teach him to wear a saddle，and to carry a man，woman or child on his back．The horse must also learn to wear a collar， and to stand still when it is put on；then to have a carriage fixed behind him， and to go fast or slow，whichever his driver wishes． He must never bite or kick or talk to other horses， and must always do what his master tells him，however tired or hungry he feels．

　　Like all horses that have grown up，I had to wear a bit and bridle．A bit is a great piece of cold hard metal， as thick as a man's finger，which is pushed into a horse's mouth between his teeth and over his tongue， with the ends coming out at the corners． It is held there by straps which go over the horse's head，under his neck，round his nose and under his chin．Reins，which the rider holds，are fastened to each end of the bit．Slowly， with my master's kind words and gentle ways， I learned to wear my bit and bridle．

　　Next there was the saddle．My master put it on my back very gently， then fixed the straps under my body， speaking qui-etly to me all the time．Then one morning， he got on my back and rode me round the field on the soft grass．He did this every day until I was used to it． Then he took me to the village where a man fixed metal shoes on to each hoof．My feet felt heavy and strange，but I got used to this，too．

　　There were more new things to wear．First，a heavy collar on my neck，and a bridle with great side pieces against my eyes，called blinkers．With these on，I could only see in front of me．But in time I got used to everything，and could do my work as well as my mother．

　　For a fortnight， my master sent me to a neighbour's farm for another kind of training， which was very useful to me．One field was next to the railway and had sheep and cows in it， and I was put in among them．I shall never forget the first train that thundered by， and how I galloped to the far side of the field，trembling with fear at this terrible noise．But after a few days I cared as little as the sheep and cows when a train passed by．

　　It was early in May when a man came to take me away to Mr Gordon's house．My master said，'Goodbye，Darkie．Be a good horse，and always do your best．'I put my nose into his hand and he patted me kindly，and then I left my first home．

* * *

　　Mr Gordon's house，which was called the Hall，stood in Birtwick Park，near the village．We went into the Park through a large gate，then trotted along a smooth road between some trees to the house and gardens．Beyond this were the stables．

　　There was room for many horses and carriages．My stable had four good stalls and a large window．It was very pleasant．The first stall was called a loose box，where a horse is not tied up all the time but is free to move around as he likes．It is a great thing to have a loose box．The groom put me into it and gave me some oats．Then he patted me，spoke kindly，and went away．In the stall next to mine stood a little fat grey pony．

　　'Hello，'I said．'What is your name？'

　　'Merrylegs，'he said，turning round．'I'm very handsome．I carry the young ladies on my back， and sometimes I take Mrs Gordon out in one of the carriages．Are you going to live next to me in the box？'

　　'Yes，'I said．

　　'Then I hope you are well-behaved，'he said．'I don't like anyone who bites．'

　　A horse's head looked over from the stall beyond．It was a tall brown mare， and she did not look pleased．'So it's you who has turned me out of my bx，'she said．

　　'I'm sorry，'I said，'but the man put me in here，so it is not my fault．I don't want to argue with anyone；I just wish to live in peace．

　　Later，Merrylegs told me about the tall brown mare．

　　'Ginger has a bad habit of biting people，'he explained．'One day，she bit James in the arm，and Miss Flora and Miss Jessie， the children， were afraid to come into the stable after that．If you don't bite， I hope they'll start to come again．'

　　I told him I never bit anything except grass and could not understand why Ginger bit people．

　　'No one was ever kind to her before she came here，'said Merrylegs．'John and James do all they can to please her，and our master is never unkind．I'm twelve years old， and I know that there isn't a better place for a horse all round the country than this．John has been here fourteen years and is the best groom there ever was．And you never saw a kinder stableboy than James．There was no reason for Ginger to bite anyone．It's her own fault that she did not stay in the box．'

　　The name of the groom was John Manly．The next morning， he got out his brushes and gave me a good grooming，then put a saddle on me．He rode me slowly at first，then at a trot， then at a gallop．As we came back through the Park， we met Mr and Mrs Gordon．They stopped and John jumped off．

　　'Well，John， how does he go？'said Mr Gordon．

　　'He's a fine horse，sir，'said John．'He's fast，but the light-est touch of the rein will guide him．They were shooting birds near Highwood，and a gun went off closeby． He pulled up a lit-tle，but I just held the rein and he wasn't frightened at all． It's my opinion he was never frightened or beaten when he was young．'

　　'Good，'said Mr Gordon．'I'll ride him tomorrow．'

　　I remembered my mother's advice， and the next day I tried to do exactly what my master wanted me to do．He was a very good rider，and when he came home his wife was waiting for him at the door．

　　'How do you like him， my dear？'she asked．

　　'I have never ridden a more pleasant horse，'answered Mr Gordon．'What shall we call him？'

　　'What about Blackbird，like your uncle's old horse？'said his wife．

　　'He's far handsomer than Blackbird，'said Mr Gordon．

　　'Yes，'she said，'he's quite a beauty， and he has a kind， in-telligent face．Shall we call him Black Beauty？'

　　'Black Beauty—why，yes，I think that's a very good name，'said Mr Gordon．

　　John went into the stable and told James．

　　'I'd call him Rob Roy，'said James，'if it did not remind ev-eryone of the past．I never saw two horses more alike．'

　　'That's not surprising，'said John．'Didn't you know that Farmer Grey's old Duchess was the mother of them both？'

　　So poor Rob Roy who was killed at the hunt was my brother！ Now I understood why my mother was so unhappy when he died．

　　John was very proud of me，and seemed to know just how a horse feels．And James was kind，too．

　　A day or two later，I went out in the carriage with Ginger．I wondered how we would get on together， but I found it easy to trot along beside her．

　　Merrylegs was a happy little pony and was everyone's favourite．We were soon great friends and I became quite happy in my new home．

　

2 伯特威克庄园

　

　　我开始长得英俊了。我的毛细腻柔软，油黑油黑的，有一只脚是白色的，前额上还有一颗漂亮的白星。在我4岁时，高顿先生来看我。他仔细地看了我的眼睛、嘴巴和腿，然后我为他表演了走步、小跑和奔驰。

　　“把他训练一下，”高顿先生对我的主人说，“他会做得很好。”

　　我的主人喜欢在卖马前亲自驯马，于是第二天我的训练开始了。

　　训练一匹马，要教他学会配戴马鞍，驮男人、女人和小孩。这匹马还得学会戴轭具，在套轭具时，得站稳了不能移动；然后还得学会在身后套上一辆马车，按赶车人的意思快走或慢走。他永远不得踢、咬或者和其他马闲聊，而且不管多累多饿，都必须永远服从主人。

　　和所有成年的马一样，我得戴上嚼口和笼头。马嚼口是一大片又冷又硬的金属，像人的手指那么厚，塞进马嘴，卡在上下两排牙齿之间，舌头之上，末端从嘴角伸出来。勒住嚼口的绳子绕着马头，经过脖子下面，围着鼻子和下巴颏儿。马夫手里的缰绳紧紧系住嚼口的两端。慢慢地，在我主人的好言好语和温柔的动作引导下，我学会了戴嚼口和笼头。

　　下一步是戴马鞍。主人非常轻柔地把它放到我的背上，把绳子在我的肚皮下系住。他一直轻轻地跟我说着话。然后一天早上，他骑上我在软软的草上绕着田野走了走。他每天都这样，直到我习惯了为止。然后他带我到村里的一个人那儿，给我的每只脚都钉上了掌。我的脚觉得又沉又怪，不过后来我连这个也习惯了。

　　还有好多新东西要戴。首先，是脖子上重重的轭具，还有笼头，带着一大块挡住我的眼睛的叫作马眼罩的东西。戴上它们，我只能看见我前方的东西。但渐渐地我适应了这一切，而且能把活干得和妈妈一样好了。

　　有两周的时间，主人把我送到邻居的农场里进行另一项训练，这对我非常有用。这是一片靠近铁路的田野，有羊，有牛，我被放到他们中间。我永远忘不了当第一辆火车轰鸣而过的时候，我是如何害怕得浑身颤抖，如何飞也似地逃得远远的。不过几天以后，再有火车过时，我已和那些牛羊一样若无其事了。

　　5月初，一个男人来带我去高顿先生家。我主人说：“再见了，小黑，做一匹好马，永远全力而为。”我把鼻子放在他手里，他亲切地拍了拍我，然后我就离开了我的第一个家。

* * *

　　高顿先生的房子叫作大宅，就在村子附近的伯特威克庄园。我们穿过一个大门走进去，小跑着经过一条平坦的通向房子和花园的林间路，尽头是一排马厩。

　　这里很大，能容得下很多马匹和马车。我的马厩分成挺像样的4个栏，还有一扇大窗。真体面。第一栏叫作“放饲马房”，在这儿马不拴着，想怎么走动都可以。有这么一个自由的空间真是太好了。马夫牵我进屋，喂了我一些燕麦。然后他拍拍我，温和地说了几句就走了。在我隔壁是一匹胖乎乎的小灰马。

　　“你好，”我说，“你叫什么名字？”

　　“乐腿儿，”他说着转过身来。“我很漂亮。我驮着小姐们，有时还拉车带高顿夫人出去。你要住在我隔壁吗？”

　　“是的，”我说。

　　“那我希望你举止得体，”他说，“我不喜欢爱咬人的马。”

　　一匹马的头从那边的栏里探出来，那是一匹高高的棕色母马。她看上去不太高兴。“这么说就是你把我从我的栏里赶出来的了，”她说。

　　“对不起，”我说，“但是是那个人把我放在这儿的，这可不是我的错。我不想和谁吵架，只想平平安安地过日子。”

　　后来，乐腿儿给我讲了高个儿棕色母马的事情。

　　“金儿有个坏毛病，就是爱咬人，”他说。“一天，她咬了詹姆斯的胳膊，后来弗劳拉小姐、洁茜小姐和其他孩子就不敢到马厩来了。如果你不咬，我希望他们会再来。”

　　我告诉他我除了青草以外，什么都不咬，也想不透金儿为什么咬人。

　　“她来这儿之前没人对她好过。”乐腿儿说。“约翰和詹姆斯想尽办法逗她乐，我们主人也从没有对她不好。我12岁了，我可知道对一匹马来说，附近再没一个地方比这儿更好了。约翰在这儿14年了，是有史以来最棒的马夫。詹姆斯呢，你也找不到比他更好的马童了。金儿没有理由咬任何人。她不能呆在马厩里，这是她的错。”

　　马夫叫约翰·曼利。第二天早上，他用刷子把我好好刷洗了一通，然后给我备上了鞍。他起先骑上我慢慢地走，然后是小跑，再后是飞奔。我们穿过庄园回来时，碰上了高顿先生和太太。他们停住脚，约翰跳了下来。

　　“啊，约翰，他怎么样？”高顿先生说。

　　“先生，他是匹好马。”约翰说。“他速度很快，轻轻地一碰缰绳就知道往哪儿走。有人在树林附近打鸟，有一枪就响在旁边，他吓了一小跳，可是我只管抓着缰绳，他就一点儿也不怕了。我觉得他小时候可能从没受过惊吓，也没挨过打。”

　　“好啊，”高顿先生说，“我明天骑骑他。”

　　我还记着妈妈的话，第二天我努力按主人的意思做。他是个非常好的骑手。他回家时，他的太太在门口等着他。

　　“亲爱的，你觉得他怎么样？”她问。

　　“我还从没骑过这么让人喜欢的马呢，”高顿先生说。“我们叫他什么名字呢？”

　　“就跟你叔叔以前的那匹一样，叫黑鸟怎么样？”他太太问。

　　“他可比黑鸟漂亮多了，”高顿先生说。

　　“是啊，”她说，“他真美，他有一张善良、聪明的脸。我们叫他黑骏马怎么样？”

　　“黑骏马——咦，对呀，我觉得这是个非常好的名字。”高顿先生说。

　　约翰走进马厩把这一切告诉了詹姆斯。

　　“我愿意叫他罗伯·罗伊，”詹姆斯说，“要是这不会让人想起过去那段事的话。我从没见过两匹马这么相像过。”

　　“那不奇怪，”约翰说，“你不知道这两匹马的妈妈都是农夫格雷的老杜琪丝吗？”

　　原来，在那场狩猎中死去的可怜的罗伯·罗伊是我哥哥！现在我明白了为什么他死时我妈妈那么不高兴了。

　　约翰十分以我为荣，而且好像知道马的心思。詹姆斯也很好。

　　一两天后，我和金儿一起拉车出去。我开始还担心我们能不能相处得好，后来发现和她一起小跑还是挺自在的。

　　乐腿儿是一匹乐呵呵的小马驹，也是大家的宝贝。我们很快成了好朋友，我在新家里逐渐开心起来。