介绍:
Chapter 5
One day late in the autumn, my master had to make a long journey for his business.
I was put into the dog-cart(双轮马车), and John went with his master.
I always liked to go in the dog-cart(双轮马车), because it was so light and the high wheels ran along so pleasantly.
It was raining hard, and now a strong wind blew the dry leaves across the road in the rain.
We went along happily till we came to a toll-gate and a low wooden bridge.
The man at the gate said the river was rising fast, and he feared it would be a bad night.
When we went across the bridge, in one low part of the road, the water was halfway up to my knees.
But as master drove gently, it was not a problem.
When we got to the town, of course, I had a good meal.
However, as the master spent a long time on his business, we did not start for home till rather late in the afternoon.
The wind was then much higher, and I heard the master say to John that he had never been out in such a storm.
As we went along the edge of a wood, the great branches were moving from side to side and the rushing sound was terrible.
“I wish we were well out of this wood,” said my master.
“Yes, sir,” said John, “it would be rather hard to manage if one of these branches came down upon us.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth when there was suddenly a groan(嘎吱声), and a crack(折断声), and a splitting(断裂的) sound.
An oak(橡树), torn up by the roots, fell down across the road just before us.
I stopped still.
I would never say I was not frightened, because I was.
Of course, I did not turn round or run away.
I was not brought up to that. John jumped out and was in a moment at my head.
“That was a very narrow escape,” said my master. “What’s to be done now?”
“Well, sir, we can’t drive over that tree, nor get round it. There’s nothing we can do but go back to the crossroads.
That will be six miles before we get round to the wooden bridge again. It will make us late, but the horse is fresh.”
So we went back to the crossroads.
By the time we got to the bridge, it was dark, and we could just see that the water was over the middle of it.
The master did not stop.
We were going along at a good pace, but the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge, I felt sure there was something wrong.
I dare not go forward, and I made a dead stop.
“Go on, Beauty,” said my master, and he gave me a touch with the whip(鞭子), but I dare not move.
He gave me another sharp whip(鞭打).
I jumped, but I dared not go forward.
“There’s something wrong, sir,” said John, and he sprang out of the dog-cart(双轮马车) and came to my head and looked all round.
He tried to lead me forward. “Come on, Beauty, what’s the matter?” Of course I could not tell him, but I knew very well that the bridge was not safe.
Just then the man at the toll-gate on the other side ran out of the house, crazily moving a torch(火把) side to side.
“Stop! Stop!” he cried.
“What’s the matter?” shouted my master.
“The bridge is broken in the middle, and part of it is carried away. If you go on, you’ll fall into the river.”
“Thank God!” said my master.
“You Beauty!” said John.
He took the bridle(马笼头) and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the river side.
It grew darker and darker, and the wind died down.
I walked quietly along, the wheels hardly making a sound on the soft road.
For a while, neither master nor John spoke, and then master began in a serious voice.
I could not understand much of what they said, but I understood what they thought.
If I had gone on as the master wanted me, most likely the bridge would have given way under us.
If that had happened, horse, carriage, master, and man would have fallen into the river.
As the current was flowing very strongly, and there was no light and no help, it was more than likely we should all have died in the water.
At last we came to the park gates, and John took me to the stable(马厩).
Oh, what a good supper he gave me that night, good bran(米糠) and some beans with my oats, and such a thick bed of straws!
And I was glad of it, for I was tired.
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