📝 您未登录，登录后完成练习可保存成绩、查看最佳记录。
总字符
0
正确字符
0
错误字符
0
错误率
0.00%
耗时(秒)
0
速度 WPM
0
0 / 65
1The master stood all this time grave and attentive, but as John finished his speech a broad smile spread over his face,
2and looking kindly across at James, who all this time had stood still at the door, he said, "James, my lad, set down the
3oats and come here; I am very glad to find that John's opinion of your character agrees so exactly with my own. John is
4a cautious man," he said, with a droll smile, "and it is not always easy to get his opinion about people, so I thought
5if I beat the bush on this side the birds would fly out, and I should learn what I wanted to know quickly; so now we
6will come to business. I have a letter from my brother-in-law, Sir Clifford Williams, of Clifford Hall. He wants me to
7find him a trustworthy young groom, about twenty or twenty-one, who knows his business. His old coachman, who has lived
8with him thirty years, is getting feeble, and he wants a man to work with him and get into his ways, who would be able,
9when the old man was pensioned off, to step into his place. He would have eighteen shillings a week at first, a stable
10suit, a driving suit, a bedroom over the coachhouse, and a boy under him. Sir Clifford is a good master, and if you
11could get the place it would be a good start for you. I don't want to part with you, and if you left us I know John
12would lose his right hand." "That I should, sir," said John, "but I would not stand in his light for the world." "How
13old are you, James?" said master. "Nineteen next May, sir." "That's young; what do you think, John?" "Well, sir, it is
14young; but he is as steady as a man, and is strong, and well grown, and though he has not had much experience in
15driving, he has a light firm hand and a quick eye, and he is very careful, and I am quite sure no horse of his will be
16ruined for want of having his feet and shoes looked after." "Your word will go the furthest, John," said the master,
17"for Sir Clifford adds in a postscript, 'If I could find a man trained by your John I should like him better than any
18other;' so, James, lad, think it over, talk to your mother at dinner-time, and then let me know what you wish." In a few
19days after this conversation it was fully settled that James should go to Clifford Hall, in a month or six weeks, as it
20suited his master, and in the meantime he was to get all the practice in driving that could be given to him. I never
21knew the carriage to go out so often before; when the mistress did not go out the master drove himself in the
22two-wheeled chaise; but now, whether it was master or the young ladies, or only an errand, Ginger and I were put in the
23carriage and James drove us. At the first John rode with him on the box, telling him this and that, and after that James
24drove alone. Then it was wonderful what a number of places the master would go to in the city on Saturday, and what
25queer streets we were driven through. He was sure to go to the railway station just as the train was coming in, and cabs
26and carriages, carts and omnibuses were all trying to get over the bridge together; that bridge wanted good horses and
27good drivers when the railway bell was ringing, for it was narrow, and there was a very sharp turn up to the station,
28where it would not have been at all difficult for people to run into each other, if they did not look sharp and keep
29their wits about them. 15 The Old Hostler After this it was decided by my master and mistress to pay a visit to some
30friends who lived about forty-six miles from our home, and James was to drive them. The first day we traveled thirty-two
31miles. There were some long, heavy hills, but James drove so carefully and thoughtfully that we were not at all
32harassed. He never forgot to put on the brake as we went downhill, nor to take it off at the right place. He kept our
33feet on the smoothest part of the road, and if the uphill was very long, he set the carriage wheels a little across the
34road, so as not to run back, and gave us a breathing. All these little things help a horse very much, particularly if he
35gets kind words into the bargain. We stopped once or twice on the road, and just as the sun was going down we reached
36the town where we were to spend the night. We stopped at the principal hotel, which was in the market-place; it was a
37very large one; we drove under an archway into a long yard, at the further end of which were the stables and
38coachhouses. Two hostlers came to take us out. The head hostler was a pleasant, active little man, with a crooked leg,
39and a yellow striped waistcoat. I never saw a man unbuckle harness so quickly as he did, and with a pat and a good word
40he led me to a long stable, with six or eight stalls in it, and two or three horses. The other man brought Ginger; James
41stood by while we were rubbed down and cleaned. I never was cleaned so lightly and quickly as by that little old man.
42When he had done James stepped up and felt me over, as if he thought I could not be thoroughly done, but he found my
43coat as clean and smooth as silk. "Well," he said, "I thought I was pretty quick, and our John quicker still, but you do
44beat all I ever saw for being quick and thorough at the same time." "Practice makes perfect," said the crooked little
45hostler, "and 'twould be a pity if it didn't; forty years' practice, and not perfect! ha, ha! that would be a pity; and
46as to being quick, why, bless you! that is only a matter of habit; if you get into the habit of being quick it is just
47as easy as being slow; easier, I should say; in fact it don't agree with my health to be hulking about over a job twice
48as long as it need take. Bless you! I couldn't whistle if I crawled over my work as some folks do! You see, I have been
49about horses ever since I was twelve years old, in hunting stables, and racing stables; and being small, ye see, I was
50jockey for several years; but at the Goodwood, ye see, the turf was very slippery and my poor Larkspur got a fall, and I
51broke my knee, and so of course I was of no more use there. But I could not live without horses, of course I couldn't,
52so I took to the hotels. And I can tell ye it is a downright pleasure to handle an animal like this, well-bred,
53well-mannered, well-cared-for; bless ye! I can tell how a horse is treated. Give me the handling of a horse for twenty
54minutes, and I'll tell you what sort of a groom he has had. Look at this one, pleasant, quiet, turns about just as you
55want him, holds up his feet to be cleaned out, or anything else you please to wish; then you'll find another fidgety,
56fretty, won't move the right way, or starts across the stall, tosses up his head as soon as you come near him, lays his
57ears, and seems afraid of you; or else squares about at you with his heels. Poor things! I know what sort of treatment
58they have had. If they are timid it makes them start or shy; if they are high-mettled it makes them vicious or
59dangerous; their tempers are mostly made when they are young. Bless you! they are like children, train 'em up in the way
60they should go, as the good book says, and when they are old they will not depart from it, if they have a chance." "I
61like to hear you talk," said James, "that's the way we lay it down at home, at our master's." "Who is your master, young
62man? if it be a proper question. I should judge he is a good one, from what I see." "He is Squire Gordon, of Birtwick
63Park, the other side the Beacon Hills," said James. "Ah! so, so, I have heard tell of him; fine judge of horses, ain't
64he? the best rider in the county." "I believe he is," said James, "but he rides very little now, since the poor young
65master was killed."
🎉 全部完成！共 65 行