# ■ 10 A London cab horse

Jerry Barker was a small man，but well－made and quick in all his movements．He lived in London and was a cab driver．Jerry's wife，Polly，was a little woman with smooth dark hair and dark eyes．His son，Harry，was nearly twelve years old， and was a tall，good－tempered boy．His daughter，Dolly，was eight，and she looked just like her mother．

Jerry had his own cab and two horses，which he drove and groomed himself．His other horse was a tall，white animal called Captain．The next morning，Polly and Dolly came to see me．Harry had helped his father since early that morning and had already decided that I would be a good horse．Polly brought me a piece of apple and Dolly brought me some bread．

We'll call him Jack，after the old one，'said Jerry．'Shall we，Polly？'

Yes，'she said．'I like to keep a good name going．'

Captain went out in the cab all morning and I went out in the afternoon．Jerry took a lot of care to make sure that my col－lar and bridle were comfortable——and there was no bearing rein！

We went to the cab stand where the other cabs were waiting for passengers，and took our place at the back of the last cab．Several of the other drivers came to look at me．

Too handsome，'saia one．'You'll find something wrong with him one morning．'

Then a man in a grey coat and grey hat came up．His name was Grant，and he looked a happy，sensible kind of man．He had been longer on the cab stand than any of the other men，so they let him through to have a look at me，and waited for his opinion．

He looked me all over very carefully，then said：

He's the right kind for you，Jerry．I don't care what you paid for him，he'll be worth it．'

My first week as a cab horse was very hard．I was not used to London—the noise，the hurry，the crowds of horses，carts and carriages．But Jerry was a good driver and soon discovered that I was willing to work and do my best．He never used the whip on me，and we soon understood each other as well as a horse and man can do．Jerry kept his horses clean and gave us plenty of food and fresh water，and on Sundays we rested．

I never knew a better man than my new master．He was kind and good-tempered，like John Manly．Harry was clever at stable work and always wanted to do what he could．Polly and Dolly came in the morning to brush out the cab，and to wash the glass，while Jerry gave Captain and me a grooming．There was a lot of laughing and fun between them，which all helped to keep Captain and me happy． The family came early in the morning because Jerry did not like lateness．It always made him angry when people wanted him to drive hard because of their own lateness．

One day，two wild-looking young men called to him．

Cabby！Hurry up，we're late for our train at Victoria．Get us there in time for the one o'clock train and we'll pay you double！'

I will take you at the usual speed，gentlemen，'said Jerry．

Extra money doesn't pay for extra speed．'

Larry's cab was standing next to ours．He opened the door and said，'I'm your man，gentlemen！My horse will get you there all right．'And as he shut them in，with a smile at Jerry，he said，'He always refuses to go faster than a trot！'Then，whipping his horse hard，he went off as fast as he could．

Jerry patted me on the neck．'Extra money won't pay for that kind of thing，will it，Jack？'he said．

Although he was against hard driving to please careless peo－ple，he always went at a fair speed and was not against going faster if there was a good reason．

I remember one morning we were on the stand waiting for a passenger when a young man carrying a large suitcase went by．He stepped on a piece of apple which lay in the road，and fell down heavily．Jerry ran across the road and helped him up，then took him into a shop to sit him down．

Some time later，the young man，looking white and ill，came out again and called Jerry，so we went across the road．

Can you take me to the South－Eastern Railway？'he said．'My fall has made me late，and it's very important that I don't miss the twelve o'clock train．I'll pay you extra if you can get me there in time．'

We'll do our best，sir，'said Jerry，and helped him into the cab．

It was always difficult to drive fast in the city in the middle were used to it，and no one was faster at getting through the carriages and carts，all moving at different speeds，going this way and that way．In and out，in and out we went，as fast as a horse can do it．And we got to the station just as the big clock showed eight minutes to twelve．

We're in time！'said the young man，happily．'Thank you，my friend，and your good horse，too．Take this extra money—'

No，sir，said Jerry．'Thank you，but it isn't necessary．I'm glad we were in time—now hurry and catch your train．'

When we got back to the cab stand，the other men were laughing because Jerry had driven hard to the train．

How much extra did he pay you，Jerry？'said one driver．

Nothing，'said Jerry．'He offered me extra but I didn't take it．If Jack and I choose to have a quick run now and then，that's our business and not yours．'

You'll never be a rich man then，'said Larry．

Perhaps not，'said Jerry，'but I'll be a happy one！'

And you，Larry，'added Mr Grant，'will die poor，because you spend too much money on new whips，beating your poor horse until it's exhausted—and then you have to buy another one．'

well，I've never had good luck with my horses，'said Larry．

And you never will，'said Mr Grant．'Good Luck is very careful who she travels with，and mostly chooses those who are kind and sensible．That's my experience，anyway．'

He turned round again to his newspaper，and the other men went back to their cabs．

* * *

Winter came early，with snow，rain or strong winds almost ev－ery day for weeks．Jerry sometimes went to a coffee－shop near the cab stand，and sometimes Dolly came with some hot soup that Polly had made for him．

One cold windy day，Dolly was waiting for Jerry to finish his soup when a gentleman came towards us．Jerry started to give the soup bowl back to Dolly and was just going to take off my warm cloth when the man said，'No，no，finish your soup，my friend．I can wait in the cab until you've finished．'Jerry thanked him，then came back to Dolly．

That's a real gentleman'Dolly，'he said．'He has time and thought for the comfort of a poor cab driver．'

Jerry finished his soup，then we took the man to Clapham．After that，he took our cab several times，and often came to pat me．It was very unusual for anyone to notice a cab horse，and I was grateful．

Another day，the gentleman saw a cart with two horses standing in the street．The driver was not with them and I don't know how long they had been standing there．However，they decided to move on a few steps．

Suddenly，the cart driver ran out of a building and caught them．He seemed very angry and began to whip the horses hard，even beating them around the head．

Our gentleman saw him and walked quickly across．'Stop that at once，or I'll call the police！'he said．

The driver was drunk and he began to shout，but he stopped whipping the horses．Meanwhile，our gentleman wrote down the name and address that was on the side of the cart．

Why do you want that？'shouted the driver．

Our gentleman didn't answer．He came back to the cab．'Many people have thanked me fof telling them how their horses have been used，'he told Jerry．

I wish there were more gentlemen like you，sir，said Jerry．'They're needed in this city．'

■ 10 在倫敦拉出租馬車

傑利·巴克爾是個小個兒男人，但他結實、健壯、動作敏捷。他住在倫敦，是個趕出租馬車的。傑利的妻子波莉身材小巧，有一頭光滑的黑髮和一雙烏黑的眼睛。他兒子叫哈利，快12歲了，個子高高的，脾氣挺好。女兒多莉8歲，看上去和媽媽很像。

傑利有自己的一輛馬車和兩匹馬，他自己趕馬、料理馬。他的另外一匹馬高大潔白，名叫上尉。第二天上午，波莉和多莉來看我。哈利從那天一大早就幫父親幹活兒，已斷定我是匹好馬。波利給我帶來一片蘋果，多莉給我拿了些麵包。

“我們叫他傑克吧，和上回那匹一樣，”傑利說，“好嗎，波莉？”

“好，”她說，“我喜歡沿用一個好名字。”

上尉整個上午都出去拉車，我則是下午當班。傑利非常注意我的軛具和籠頭是否舒服——而且也沒有繩套兒啦！

我們去了車站，那兒有其他的馬車在等候旅客，我們站在了最後一輛車的後面。幾個馬車伕過來看我。

“太俊了，”一個說，“有一天早上醒來你會發現他有毛病。”

一個穿灰上衣、戴灰帽的男人走上前來。他叫格蘭特，看上去是那種快活、聰明的人。他在車站的時間比其他人都長，所以大家都讓開道讓他過來看看我，等著聽他的意見。

他非常仔細地打量了我，然後說：

“他正適合你，傑利。不管你付了多少錢，他都值。”

我拉車的第一個星期很辛苦。我不習慣倫敦——噪音、匆忙、擁擠的馬匹和車輛。但是傑利是個好車伕，很快就發現我願意工作並且不偷懶。他對我從不用鞭子。很快我們就彼此理解了，那是一匹馬和一個人之間所能達到的最深的理解。傑利總把我們收拾得乾乾淨淨，還給我們足夠的吃食和清水，星期日我們還休息。

我從沒見過比我的新主人更好的人。他善良、脾氣好，就像約翰·曼利。哈利對馬廄的活兒很精通，總是在賣力地做。波莉和多莉早上來把馬車刷乾淨、擦玻璃，同時傑利給我和上尉刷洗。這一家大小之間總是笑聲不斷，樂趣盎然，這一切使我和上尉也很快活。

這一家子早上總是來得很早，因為傑利不喜歡遲到。傑利經常為那些自己晚了，光會催他快趕車的人生氣。

一天，兩個野裡野氣的年輕人喊他。

“車伕，快點，我們趕維多利亞火車站一點鐘的火車，快誤點了。快送我們去。雙倍付錢！”

“我只用正常速度送你們，先生們，”傑利說，“多付錢買不來超速度。”

拉利的車就在我們旁邊，他打開門說：“我為你們效勞，先生們！我的馬能保證把你們按時送到。”拉利把他們送進車，關門時，笑著看著傑利說：“他總是不願意比小跑更快一點！”然後，他狠命抽打著他的馬，飛快地跑走了。傑利拍著我的脖子說：“多付錢也買不來那種事，對嗎，傑克？”

雖然他反對死命狂奔以取悅那些粗心大意的人，而總是按正常速度行駛，但是遇上理由正當時，他也不反對趕時間。

我記得一天早上，我們正站在車站等旅客，一個小夥子拎著一隻大箱子從旁邊走過。他踩在了路上的一片蘋果上，重重地摔倒了。傑利跑過去幫助他站起來，然後扶他到一家店鋪裡坐下。

過了一會兒，那小夥子蒼白、病弱地走出店鋪叫傑利，我們走了過去。

“你能送我到東南火車站嗎？”他說，“我跌了這一跤，要遲到了，事情很重要，我不能誤12點的火車。如果你能及時送我過去，我會多付錢給你。”

“我們會盡力的，先生，”傑利說，扶他上了車。

中午在城市中駕車是很難跑快的，街道上滿是車輛。但是傑利和我已習慣了，沒人能比我們更快了。在這樣的街上，所有的車都以不同的速度向不同的方向行駛著，我們在車流中穿行，進進出出，出出進進，以一匹馬能達到的最快速度向前跑。當我們到達車站時，大鐘正指向差8分鐘12點。

“我們及時到了！”小夥子高興地說。“謝謝你，我的朋友，也謝謝你的好馬。拿著，這是小費……”

“不，先生，”傑利說，“謝謝你，可是小費就不必了。我很高興能及時趕到——現在快去趕你的火車吧。”

當我們回到車站時，其他人都在大笑，因為傑利剛才為追火車而拼命趕車了。

“他付了多少小費給你，傑利？”一個車伕說。

“一個子兒也沒有。”傑利說，“他要給我小費，但是我沒拿。如果傑克和我願意時不時快跑一下，那也是我們的事，你們管不著。”

“你這樣永遠也成不了富翁，”拉利說。

“也許成不了，”傑利說，“但我會是個快樂的人！”

“而你呢，拉利，”格蘭特先生加了一句，“會貧窮地死去，因為你花太多錢買新鞭子，把你可憐的馬抽個半死——然後你就得再買一匹。”

“唉，我靠我的馬從沒走過運，”拉利說。

“你走不了運，”格蘭特先生說，“好運挑選良伴，挑的常是那些善良、聰明的人。反正這是我的經驗。”

他又轉回身去看報紙了，其他人也回到了自己的車裡。

* * *

冬天來得早，帶著雪、雨和強勁的風，差不多連著幾個星期都是如此。傑利有時去車站附近的一個咖啡店。有時多莉送來一些波莉給他做的熱湯。

一個颳風的冷天，多莉正等著傑利喝湯，一個先生走了過來。傑利忙把湯碗遞給多莉，正要揭我身上的蓋布，那人說：“不，不，把湯喝完，我的朋友。我可以在車裡等著你喝完。”傑利謝過他，回到多莉身旁。

“那是個真正的紳士，多莉，”他說，“他肯為一個可憐的趕車人的冷暖著想。”

傑利喝完了湯，我們就把那人拉到克萊範姆。後來他又坐了幾次我們的車，常來拍拍我。有人這麼注意一匹拉車的馬可真少見。我對他心存感激。

又有一天，這位先生看見兩匹馬拉著一輛車站在街道上。車伕不在，我不知道他們已等了多久。不過，他們開始踱了幾步。

突然，車伕從一棟樓裡跑出來抓住了他們。他看上去很生氣，狠狠地抽打起馬，甚至抽打馬頭。

我們這位先生看見了他，就快步走過去。

“立刻住手，不然我喊警察了！”他說。

車伕醉了，他喊叫起來，不過他不再抽馬了。同時，我們的先生抄下了在車身一側的名字和地址。

“你幹嘛這樣？”車伕喊道。

我們的先生沒有回答。他走回我們的車。“很多人都感謝我，因為我告訴了他們，他們的馬是被怎樣使用的。”他對傑利說。

“我希望有更多的人像您，先生，”傑利說，“這座城市需要這樣的人。”