The first day we travelled about fifty kilometres， but James drove carefully and made sure that Ginger and I were always on the smoothest part of the road． It was evening when we reached the hotel where we were going to stay that night．It was in the Market Place and two stablemen came out to us．
The chief stableman was a pleasant old man， and he led me into a long stable with six or eight stalls in it，and two or three horses．The younger man brought in Ginger，and James watched while we were groomed．
'I thought I was quick，'James told the old stableman，'but you're quicker than anyone．'
'I've worked with horses since I was twelve years old， and I can tell you it's good to be able to work with a well-behaved，well-cared for animal like this，'said the stableman，patting my neck．'Who is your master？'
'Mr Gordon of Birtwick Park，'said James．
'I've heard of him，'said the stableman．'He's a good judge of horses， and the best rider in this part of the country．'
'He doesn't ride very often now，'said James，'not since the poor young master was killed．'
'I read about that in the newspaper，'said the stableman．'A fine horse was killed too，wasn't it？'
'Yes，an excellent horse，'said James．'He was the brother of this one，and just like him．'
'Terrible！'said the old man．'It was a bad place to jump，wasn't it？ A man's life and a horse's life are worth more than a hare—or they should be！'
Later that evening，the younger stableman brought in anoth-er horse， and a young man with a pipe in his mouth came into the stable to talk to him．
'Towler， go up and get some hay and put it down for this horse， will you？'said the stableman．'But put down your pipe first．'
'All right，'said the other man，and went up a ladder and through a little door． I heard him step across the floor over my head and push down some hay through a hole in the roof，into the new horse's feeding place．
James came in to look at us before he went to bed，and then the door was locked．
I don't know how long I slept， or what time it was when I woke up，but the air seemed thick and I heard Ginger and an-other horse moving about worriedly．It was quite dark and I could see nothing．The stable was full of smoke，and it was al-most impossible to breathe．
The smoke seemed to come from the little door above me，and I could hear a strange noise up there． The other horses were now all awake， moving about restlessly．
At last I heard someone outside， and then the younger sta-bleman ran in with a light．He began to untie the horses，and tried to lead then out． The first horse would not go with him，nor the second or third． He tried to pull me out， but he was so frightened himself that he frightened me，and I would not move．
The noise above was louder now and there was a shout of 'Fire！'outside． The old stableman came in quietly and quickly and got one horse out，then another． By now the flames were coming down through the roof and the noise was terrible．
Then I heard James's voice， quiet and friendly as it always was．'Come on，Beauty，'he said，'we'll soon get you out of this smoke．'He took off his scarf and tied it over my eyes，then led me out， patting me all the time．He took the scarf off，then shouted，'Take this horse， somebody， while I go back for the other！'
Windows in the hotel were open and people were shouting．I watched the stable door，where the smoke came out thicker than ever．Then I heard one voice above all the others，and recognized it as my master's．
'James Howard！James Howard！ Are you there？'
There was no answer，only the crash of something falling in the stables—but the next moment I saw James coming through the smoke，leading Ginger with him．
'My brave boy！'said the master．'Are you hurt？'
James shook his head，unable to speak because of the smoke．
Suddenly，I heard the sound of wheels and galloping horses．'It's the fire－engine！'shouted someone．
Two horses ran past me，pulling the heavy fire－engine．The firemen jumped out，and we went quickly into the wide，quiet Market Place，out of their way．
The master led us to a large hotel on the other side where a stableman came to take us in；then the master hurried off to find his wife．
The next morning，he came to see how we were and to speak to James．I did not hear much，but James looked very happy and the master looked proud of him．
How did the fire start？Someone said they saw Dick Towler go into the stable smoking a pipe，but that when Dick came out he didn't have it．The young stableman said that he asked Dick to go up the ladder to put down some hay，but also told him to put down his pipe first．Dick said that he did this，but nobody believed him．
James said the roof and floor had all fallen in and only the black walls were standing；the two poor horses who could not get out were buried under the fallen roof．
6 大火
第一天我们赶了大约五十公里的路，詹姆斯小心翼翼地赶车，一直注意着让我和金儿走在道路较平坦的那一边。晚上我们到了一个饭店，准备在这里过夜。这是在马克特·普雷斯，两个马夫迎了出来。
马夫长是个令人愉快的老人，他把我牵进了一个有六到八栏的长厩，里面有两三匹马。年轻马夫牵进了金儿。当给我们刷洗时，詹姆斯在一旁看着。
“我以为我手快，”詹姆斯对老马夫说，“可是你比谁都快。”
“我12岁起就干这行了！而且我跟你说，能和像这匹马这样教养好，料理得好的动物一起干活儿，是件愉快的事。”老马夫说着，拍拍我的脖子。“你的主人是谁？”
“伯特威克庄园的高顿先生，”约翰说。
“我听说过他，”马夫说，“他是一个相马的行家，而且是这一带最好的骑手。”
“他现在不常骑马了，”詹姆斯说，“自从可怜的小主人死了以后，他就不骑马了。”
“我在报纸上看到这个消息了，”马夫说，“一匹好马也死了，是吗？”
“是啊，一匹出色的马，”詹姆斯说，“他是这匹马的哥哥，和他长得一样。”
“太可怕了！”老人说。“那地方不能跳，是吗？一个人和一匹马的生命比一只野兔贵重多了——本来就是这么回事！”
晚些时，小马夫又牵进了一匹马，一个小伙子嘴里叼着烟斗跟进来和他聊天。
“透勒，上去给这匹马拿些干草来，好吗？”马夫说，“不过先放下你的烟斗。”
“行啊”那人说，爬上一架梯子，穿过了一扇小门。我听见他从我头顶的地板走过，从屋顶上的一个孔把干草塞下来，扔进新来的马的槽里。
詹姆斯进来看了看我们，然后就去睡觉了，马厩的门被锁了起来。
我不知睡了多久，也不知醒来时是几点，只看见空气中烟雾重重，听见金儿和另一匹马在不安地四处走动。天色漆黑，我什么也看不见。马厩里浓烟滚滚，简直透不过气来。
烟雾似乎是从我头顶上的小门涌出来，我听见那上面有奇怪的声音。其他的马现在全醒了，焦虑地走来走去。
最后我听见外面有人，年轻的马夫提着灯跑进来。他开始解开马，想把他们牵出去。第一匹马不肯跟他走，第二匹、第三匹也是这样。他想来拉我，可是他自己已经被吓得要命，也把我吓坏了，我也不肯动。
头顶上的怪响现在更大了，外面有人喊“着火了！”这时老马夫安静但迅速地走进来，带了一匹马出去，然后又带出去一匹。现在火焰已从天花板上烧下来，声音可怕极了。
这时我听到了詹姆斯那和往常一样安静友善的声音。“来，黑骏马，”他说，“我们会很快把你弄出这个烟幕阵的。”他解下围巾，蒙住我的双眼，然后带我出来，一路拍着我。他取下围巾，喊道：“来人，勒住这马，我得回去找另一匹马！”
旅店的窗户开着，人们都在大喊大叫。我看着马厩的大门，那儿烟冒得更浓了。然后我听到了一个压住一切的声音，那是我的主人。
“詹姆斯·霍华德！詹姆斯·霍华德！你在那儿吗？”
没有应答，只有马厩里什么东西倒塌的声音——随后我看见詹姆斯从浓烟中钻出来，牵着金儿。
“我勇敢的孩子！”主人说，“你受伤了吗？”
詹姆斯摇摇头。他被烟呛得说不出话了。
突然间，我听到了车轮声和疾驰的马蹄声。“救火车来了！”有人喊道。
两匹马从我身旁跑过，拖着沉重的救火车。消防员跳下来，我们赶紧跑回宽敞、安静的马克特·普雷斯旅店，以免挡着他们的路。
主人带我们去了另一个大旅店，一个马夫出来带我们进去，然后主人赶回去找他的妻子。
第二天一早，他来看望我们并和詹姆斯谈了几句。我听见得不多，不过詹姆斯看上去很高兴，主人也满怀自豪地看着他。
这场大火是怎么引起的？有人说看见迪克·透勒吸着烟斗走进马厩，而出来时烟斗没带在身边。小马夫说他要迪克上梯子弄些干草下来，但也要他先放下烟斗。迪克说他照办了，不过没人信他。
詹姆斯说房顶和地板都塌了，只有熏黑的墙壁还直立着；两匹可怜的马来不及跑出来，被塌下的屋顶砸死了。
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |