牛津書蟲系列 黑駿馬 9 The accident and new masters

9 The accident and new masters

9 事故和新主人

Aman called Reuben Smith looked after us while York was in London.He was gentle and clever with horses，and an excellent driver.But he had one fault——he sometimes drank too much.For weeks or months he was all right，but then without warning he would begin to drink heavily and be-have badly.But he was a useful man so York had kept quiet about Smith's drinking，saying nothing to Lord Gray.Then one night Smith drove some ladies and gentlemen home from a party and was so drunk that he could not hold the reins.York could not hide this and Lord Gray told Smith to leave.

一個叫魯賓·史密斯的男人在約克去倫敦的時候照料我們。他對馬態(tài)度溫和，為人聰明，是個好車夫?？墒撬幸粋€缺點：有時酒喝得太多。幾個星期或幾個月他都很正常，然而突然間他就會開始酗酒，行為也變得粗魯。但他基本上還是個能干的人，所以約克對他酗酒的事一直保持沉默，沒對格雷勛爵說過什么。一天晚上，史密斯送一些女士和先生們從舞會回家，可他醉得不成樣子，連韁繩都抓不住了。約克這回沒法再幫他隱瞞，于是格雷勛爵把他辭了。

However，some time later，York spoke again to Lord Gray，who was very kind-hearted，and he took，Reuben Smith back.Smith promised never to get drunk again and kept his promise，and because of this he was told to look after the stables while York was away.

可是，沒過多久，約克又對格雷先生說情，好心的格雷先生答應(yīng)讓魯賓·史密斯回來。史密斯答應(yīng)再也不喝醉了。由于他遵守誓言，約克不在時，他就被叫去看守馬廄。

One day the carriage needed some repairs so it was arranged that Smith would take it to town，leave it at the carriage-maker's，and then ride me back again.Mr Blantyre wanted to go to the station，so he went with us.

一天馬車需要進行些修理，史密斯就被叫去趕車進城，把車放到造車廠，再騎我回來。布蘭太爾先生想去車站，所以他和我們一起走。

At the station，Mr Blantyre gave Smith some money and said，'Take care of Lady Anne，Reuben，and don't let anyone else except her ride Black Beauty.'

在車站，布蘭太爾先生給了史密斯一些錢，說：“照顧好安小姐，魯賓，別讓別人騎黑駿馬。”

We left the carriage at the maker's，and Smith rode me to the White Lion hotel.He told the stableman to give me some food and have me ready for four o'clock.One of my front shoes was loose but the stableman did not see it until four o'clock.Smith came back at five and said he would now leave at six be-cause he'd met some old friends.The stableman told him about the loose shoe.

我們把車留在車廠，史密斯騎我到了白獅飯店。他讓馬夫給了我些吃的，吩咐他們4點鐘備好我。我的一只前掌松了，可是馬夫直到4點才發(fā)現(xiàn)。史密斯5點回來了，說他還上了些老朋友，要在6點才能走開q馬夫告訴他我的掌松了。

'It'll be all right until we get home，'said Smith.

“堅持到家沒問題。”史密斯說。

He finally came back at nine o'clock，shouting loudly and in a very bad temper.We left and almost immediately he began to gallop，often giving me sharp cuts with the whip，although I was going at full speed.Before we were out of the town my shoe came off，but Smith was too drunk to notice.

他最后9點才回來，脾氣很壞，還高聲叫嚷著。剛一出飯店他就立刻騎著我飛奔起來，還不時狠狠地抽我一鞭子，也不管我已經(jīng)在全速奔馳了。在我們出城之前，我的掌就脫落了，可是史密斯醉得厲害，根本沒發(fā)現(xiàn)。

It was very dark，and on the rough road at that speed，my foot was soon cut and bleeding from the sharp stones.I could not go on;the pain was too great，and I fell violently on both my knees.Smith was thrown off.He tried to get up but couldn't，then he lay still.

天色很黑了，在那樣高低不平的路上，那樣快地奔跑，我的腳很快就被鋒利的石頭劃傷了，而且流出血來。我沒法兒繼續(xù)走了;腳疼得太厲害了，我重重地跪了下來。史密斯被甩了出去。他試著爬起來，可是沒成功，然后他就一動不動地躺在那里了。

I could do nothing but wait.

我只好等著。

It was nearly midnight when I heard a horse's feet and the wheels of a carriage.I neighed loudly，and was very happy to hear an answering neigh from Ginger，and men's voices.Then the carriage came out of the darkness and stopped.

當我聽到馬蹄聲和馬車的輪鍵聲時已近午夜了。我長嘶了一聲，然后驚喜地聽到了金兒的應(yīng)答，還有男人的聲音。馬車從夜色中駛來并停了下來。

Two men jumped down beside Smith.'It's Reuben，'said one，'and he's not moving，Robert.'

兩個男人跳下車站在史密斯身旁。“是魯賓，”一個說，“他一動也不動，羅伯特。”

'He's dead，'said Robert，touching Smith.'His hands are cold and his head is covered with blood.'

“他死了，”羅伯特摸了摸史密斯說，“他的手冰涼，頭上滿是鮮血。”

They looked at me and saw my cut knees.

他們看了看我，發(fā)現(xiàn)了我受傷的膝蓋。

'The horse has been down and thrown him!'said Robert.He tried to lead me forward but I almost fell again.'He's bad in the foot，too.No wonder he went down，riding over these stones without a shoe!Reuben was drunk，Ned.He would nev-er ride a horse without a shoe unless he was drunk.'

“這馬摔倒了，把他甩了出去!”羅伯特說，他想牽著我向前走，可我差點兒又摔倒。“他的蹄子也不對勁。怪不得他摔倒呢，沒有掌還在這片石頭地上跑!魯賓醉了，耐德。除非他醉了，不然他不會騎一匹沒戴掌的馬。”

Ned took Smith's body back in the carriage，and Robert tied his handkerchief round my foot and led me slowly home.No one blamed me for the accident.The owner of the White Lion hotel said that Reuben Smith was drunk when he left.

耐德把史密斯的尸體扛進車里，羅伯特用他的手帕把我的腳包了起來，牽著我慢慢地走回家，誰也沒為這場事故責怪我。白獅飯店的主人證實魯賓·史密斯在離開飯店時就已經(jīng)醉了。

But I had to leave Earlshall，and so did Ginger.

但是我得離開沙爾伯爵莊園了，金兒也是。

For a month or two I was allowed to live out in a field，and one day Ginger was brought in to join me.She had been ruined by the hard riding of Lord Gray's son，and aher twelve months'rest she was going to be sold.And although my knees got better，they looked very ugly and so I was no longer suit-able for a fashionable family.It was very pleasant being in the field with Ginger，but one day Robert came in and took me away.We were both very sad to say goodbye to each other， Ginger and I.

有一兩個月人們讓我生活在田野里，一天金兒也被牽來和我一道。她被格雷勛爵的兒子的一通狠騎給累傷了。經(jīng)過12個月的休整以后，她將被賣掉。至于我，雖然我膝蓋的傷好多了，可它們看上去丑陋不堪，所以我不再適合于留在一個時髦的家庭里。和金兒一塊兒在田野真好，可是，一天羅伯特來把我?guī)ё吡?。我和金兒兩個互道了再見，心里都很難過。

I was sold to a man in Bath who kept many horses and dif-ferent kinds of carriages for hire.I was a'job horse'and all kinds of people hired me.Some were good drivers，others were very bad.Then one man persuaded my master to sell me to a friend of his who wanted a safe，pleasant horse for riding.

我被賣給貝思的一個擁有很多馬和各種馬車并把它們出租的人。我現(xiàn)在成了一匹“工作馬”，有各種各樣的人來租我。有的是好騎手，其他的則糟透了。后來有一個人說服我的主人把我賣給他的一個朋友，這個人想要一匹安全的、舒服的馬來騎。

And so that summer I was sold to Mr Barry.

于是，那個夏天我被賣給了白利先生。

Mr Barry knew very little about horses but he hired a com-fortable stable for me，and a man called Filcher to look after me.He ordered the best oats，and plenty of other good food for me to eat，too.

白利先生不懂馬，但他為我租了一個很舒適的馬廄，還雇了一個叫費舍爾的馬夫照料我。他還買最好的燕麥及其他好東西給我吃。

For a while all went well，but then there seemed to be fewer oats and more grass in my meals.The grass food，though very good，was not enough to keep me strong and healthy.However，I could not say anything and it went on for about two months.

開始時一切順利，但是接下來，似乎飯里的燕麥少了，而草多了。就算很好的草料也不足以使我保持強壯和健康。但是我不會說話。這種狀況持續(xù)了大約兩個月。

Then one afternoon my master rode into the country to see a friend——a gentleman farmer who knew about horses，and who looked very closely at me.

一天下午我的主人騎我下鄉(xiāng)去看一個朋友——一個懂馬的農(nóng)場主，他仔細地看了看我。

'Your horse doesn't look as well as he did when you first had him，Barry，'he said，feeling my neck and shoulders.'See how wet and warm he is——after just a gentle ride!'

“你的馬看上去可不如剛買的時候了，白利，”他摸摸我的脖子和肩膀說。“看它累得又濕又熱——只不過稍微騎了這么一會兒!”

'My groom says that horses are never in good condition in the autumn，'said my master.

“我的馬夫說，馬匹在秋天時狀態(tài)都不好，”我的主人說。

'But this is only August!'said the farmer.'With your light work and the good food，he shouldn't be like this.I don't know who eats your oats，my friend，'he went on，'but I doubt that your horse gets any of them.I advise you to watch your groom more closely.'

“可是這只是8月份呀!”農(nóng)夫說，“你的活兒又輕，料又好，他不該是這副樣子。我不知是誰在吃你的燕麥，朋友。”他繼續(xù)道，“但我懷疑你的馬到底吃到?jīng)]有。我建議你對你的馬夫多留意一點兒。”

Oh，how I wanted to speak!I wanted to tell my master where his oats went to.My groom came every morning at six o'clock，bringing his little by with him.The boy carried a basket and went into the room where the oats were kept.I would see them filling a bag with oats and putting the bag into the basket.

噢，我多想說話啊!我想告訴我的主人他的燕麥到哪里去了。每天早上6點我的馬夫帶著他的小兒子來馬廄。那孩子帶著一個籃子走進放燕麥的屋子。我可以看見他們裝滿一袋燕麥，再把袋子放進籃子里。

Five or six mornings after the visit to the farmer，the boy left the stable with his basket of oats，but came back soon after，looking frightened，with two policemen holding his arms.

訪問過農(nóng)場主五六天后的一天早上，那孩子帶著他的燕麥籃子離開馬廄，可很快又回來了，他神情驚恐，兩個警察抓著他的胳膊。

'Show me where your father keeps the food for his chickens，'one policemen said to the boy.

“告訴我你爸爸把他的雞飼料藏到哪兒了，”一個警察對孩子說。

The boy began to cry but there was no escape.Moments later，the policemen found another empty bag like the one in the boy's basket，and they took Filcher away with them.That was the last I ever saw of him.

男孩哭了起來，可是逃脫不得。片刻之后，警察又發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個和籃子里的袋子一樣的空口袋。他們把費舍爾帶走了，我再也沒看見過他。

Another groom was employed，but he was very lazy about cleaning and I became thin and unhealthy from standing in a wet，dirty stable.After all this trouble with grooms，Mr Barry decided to stop keeping a horse and I was sent to a horse fair —a place where hundreds of horses were bought and sold，and more lies were told，I think，than in any other place in the country.

又雇了另一個馬夫，可是他非常懶于打掃馬廄，我整天站在潮濕、骯臟的馬廄中，變得又瘦又玻被馬夫惹出這些麻煩之后，白利先生決定不再養(yǎng)馬了。我被送到一個馬市上，那兒有幾百匹馬被買賣。我認為那兒充滿著比全國任何一個地方都要多的謊言。

That day I was lucky.I was bought for twenty-five pounds by a man called Jeremiah Barker，but everyone called him Jerry and I shall do the same.

那天我還算幸運。我以25鎊被一個叫杰利米亞·巴克爾的人買走了，大家叫他杰利，我也這么叫吧。