lavengro-第29部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



that　he　could　master　him；　and　hand　him　over　to　the　quarter　

sessions。　　He　says　that　a　hundred　pounds　would　be　no　bad　thing　to　

be　disbanded　upon；　for　he　wishes　to　take　an　inn　at　Swanton　Morley；　

keep　a　cock…pit；　and　live　respectably。



MYSELF。　　He　is　quite　right；　and　now　kiss　me；　my　darling　brother；　

for　I　must　go　back　through　the　bog　to　Templemore。







CHAPTER　XIII







Groom　and　cob　…　Strength　and　symmetry　…　Where's　the　saddle？　…　The　

first　ride　…　No　more　fatigue　…　Love　for　horses　…　Pursuit　of　words　…　

Philologist　and　Pegasus　…　The　smith　…　What　more；　agrah？　…　

Sassannach　tenpence。



AND　it　came　to　pass　that；　as　I　was　standing　by　the　door　of　the　

barrack　stable；　one　of　the　grooms　came　out　to　me；　saying；　'I　say；　

young　gentleman；　I　wish　you　would　give　the　cob　a　breathing　this　

fine　morning。'



'Why　do　you　wish　me　to　mount　him？'　said　I；　'you　know　he　is　

dangerous。　　I　saw　him　fling　you　off　his　back　only　a　few　days　ago。'



'Why；　that's　the　very　thing；　master。　　I'd　rather　see　anybody　on　his　

back　than　myself；　he　does　not　like　me；　but；　to　them　he　does；　he　can　

be　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。'



'But　suppose；'　said　I；　'that　he　should　not　like　me？'



'We　shall　soon　see　that；　master；'　said　the　groom；　'and；　if　so　be　he　

shows　temper；　I　will　be　the　first　to　tell　you　to　get　down。　　But　

there's　no　fear　of　that；　you　have　never　angered　or　insulted　him；　

and　to　such　as　you；　I　say　again；　he'll　be　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。'



'And　how　came　you　to　insult　him；'　said　I；　'knowing　his　temper　as　

you　do？'



'Merely　through　forgetfulness；　master：　　I　was　riding　him　about　a　

month　ago；　and　having　a　stick　in　my　hand；　I　struck　him；　thinking　I　

was　on　another　horse；　or　rather　thinking　of　nothing　at　all。　　He　has　

never　forgiven　me；　though　before　that　time　he　was　the　only　friend　I　

had　in　the　world；　I　should　like　to　see　you　on　him；　master。'



'I　should　soon　be　off　him；　I　can't　ride。'



'Then　you　are　all　right；　master；　there's　no　fear。　　Trust　him　for　

not　hurting　a　young　gentleman；　an　officer's　son；　who　can't　ride。　　

If　you　were　a　blackguard　dragoon；　indeed；　with　long　spurs；　'twere　

another　thing；　as　it　is；　he'll　treat　you　as　if　he　were　the　elder　

brother　that　loves　you。　　Ride！　　He'll　soon　teach　you　to　ride　if　you　

leave　the　matter　with　him。　　He's　the　best　riding…master　in　all　

Ireland；　and　the　gentlest。'



The　cob　was　led　forth；　what　a　tremendous　creature！　　I　had　

frequently　seen　him　before；　and　wondered　at　him；　he　was　barely　

fifteen　hands；　but　he　had　the　girth　of　a　metropolitan　dray…horse；　

his　head　was　small　in　comparison　with　his　immense　neck；　which　

curved　down　nobly　to　his　wide　back：　　his　chest　was　broad　and　fine；　

and　his　shoulders　models　of　symmetry　and　strength；　he　stood　well　

and　powerfully　upon　his　legs；　which　were　somewhat　short。　　In　a　

word；　he　was　a　gallant　specimen　of　the　genuine　Irish　cob；　a　species　

at　one　time　not　uncommon；　but　at　the　present　day　nearly　extinct。



'There！'　said　the　groom；　as　he　looked　at　him；　half　admiringly；　half　

sorrowfully；　'with　sixteen　stone　on　his　back；　he'll　trot　fourteen　

miles　in　one　hour；　with　your　nine　stone；　some　two　and　a　half　more　

ay；　and　clear　a　six…foot　wall　at　the　end　of　it。'



'I'm　half　afraid；'　said　I；　'I　had　rather　you　would　ride　him。'



'I'd　rather　so；　too；　if　he　would　let　me；　but　he　remembers　the　blow。　　

Now；　don't　be　afraid；　young　master；　he's　longing　to　go　out　himself。　　

He's　been　trampling　with　his　feet　these　three　days；　and　I　know　what　

that　means；　he'll　let　anybody　ride　him　but　myself；　and　thank　them；　

but　to　me　he　says；　〃No！　you　struck　me。〃'



'But；'　said　I；　'where's　the　saddle？'



'Never　mind　the　saddle；　if　you　are　ever　to　be　a　frank　rider；　you　

must　begin　without　a　saddle；　besides；　if　he　felt　a　saddle；　he　would　

think　you　don't　trust　him；　and　leave　you　to　yourself。　　Now；　before　

you　mount；　make　his　acquaintance　…　see　there；　how　he　kisses　you　and　

licks　your　face；　and　see　how　he　lifts　his　foot；　that's　to　shake　

hands。　　You　may　trust　him　…　now　you　are　on　his　back　at　last；　mind　

how　you　hold　the　bridle　…　gently；　gently！　　It's　not　four　pair　of　

hands　like　yours　can　hold　him　if　he　wishes　to　be　off。　　Mind　what　I　

tell　you　…　leave　it　all　to　him。'



Off　went　the　cob　at　a　slow　and　gentle　trot；　too　fast　and　rough；　

however；　for　so　inexperienced　a　rider。　　I　soon　felt　myself　sliding　

off；　the　animal　perceived　it　too；　and　instantly　stood　stone　still　

till　I　had　righted　myself；　and　now　the　groom　came　up：　　'When　you　

feel　yourself　going；'　said　he；　'don't　lay　hold　of　the　mane；　that's　

no　use；　mane　never　yet　saved　man　from　falling；　no　more　than　straw　

from　drowning；　it's　his　sides　you　must　cling　to　with　your　calves　

and　feet；　till　you　learn　to　balance　yourself。　　That's　it；　now　

abroad　with　you；　I'll　bet　my　comrade　a　pot　of　beer　that　you'll　be　a　

regular　rough…rider　by　the　time　you　come　back。'



And　so　it　proved；　I　followed　the　directions　of　the　groom；　and　the　

cob　gave　me　every　assistance。　　How　easy　is　riding；　after　the　first　

timidity　is　got　over；　to　supple　and　youthful　limbs；　and　there　is　no　

second　fear。　　The　creature　soon　found　that　the　nerves　of　his　rider　

were　in　proper　tone。　　Turning　his　head　half　round；　he　made　a　kind　

of　whining　noise；　flung　out　a　little　foam；　and　set　off。



In　less　than　two　hours　I　had　made　the　circuit　of　the　Devil's　

Mountain；　and　was　returning　along　the　road；　bathed　with　

perspiration；　but　screaming　with　delight；　the　cob　laughing　in　his　

equine　way；　scattering　foam　and　pebbles　to　the　left　and　right；　and　

trotting　at　the　rate　of　sixteen　miles　an　hour。



Oh；　that　ride！　that　first　ride！　…　most　truly　it　was　an　epoch　in　my　

existence；　and　I　still　look　back　to　it　with　feelings　of　longing　and　

regret。　　People　may　talk　of　first　love　…　it　is　a　very　agreeable　

event；　I　daresay　…　but　give　me　the　flush；　and　triumph；　and　glorious　

sweat　of　a　first　ride；　like　mine　on　the　mighty　cob！　　My　whole　frame　

was　shaken；　it　is　true；　and　during　one　long　week　I　could　hardly　

move　foot　or　hand；　but　what　of　that？　　By　that　one　trial　I　had　

become　free；　as　I　may　say；　of　the　whole　equine　species。　　No　more　

fatigue；　no　more　stiffness　of　joints；　after　that　first　ride　round　

the　Devil's　Hill　on　the　cob。



Oh；　that　cob！　that　Irish　cob！　…　may　the　sod　lie　lightly　over　the　

bones　of　the　strongest；　speediest；　and　most　gallant　of　its　kind！　　

Oh！　the　days　when；　issuing　from　the　barrack…gate　of　Templemore；　we　

commenced　our　hurry…skurry　just　as　inclination　led　…　now　across　the　

fields　…　direct　over　stone　walls　and　running　brooks　…　mere　pastime　

for　the　cob！　…　sometimes　along　the　road　to　Thurles　and　Holy　Cross；　

even　to　distant　Cahir！　…　what　was　distance　to　the　cob？



It　was　thus　that　the　passion　for　the　equine　race　was　first　awakened　

within　me　…　a　passion　which；　up　to　the　present　time；　has　been　

rather　on　the　increase　than　diminishing。　　It　is　no　blind　passion；　

the　horse　being　a　noble　and　generous　creature；　intended　by　the　All…

Wise　to　be　the　helper