# ■ 13 My last home

I was sold to a farmer at the horse fair，but it was his young grandson who persuaded him to buy me．

The two of them walked past me and，seeing kindness in the farmer's face， I lifted my head， put my ears forward and tried to look my best．

The farmer stopped and looked at me．'There's a horse，Willie， that has known better days，'he said．

Poor thing！'said the boy．'Do you think he was ever a car-riage horse，grandfather？'

Oh，yes，' said the farmer．'Look at his fine head and the shape of his neck and shoulder．'He reached out a hand and patted me on the neck．I put out my nose in answer to his kindness，and the boy gently put his hand against my face．

Look how well he understands kindness，'said the boy．'Won't you buy him，and make him young and strong again？'

The man who was selling me said，'The boy can recognize a good horse，sir．This one isn't old，just tired and thin from too much work．In six months，he'll be fine．'

Five pounds changed hands and，soon after，I was taken to my new home．The farmer gave orders for me to have hay and oats every night and morning，and I was let out into a large field in the daytime．Willie，the young boy，was responsible for me， and he came to see me every day， bringing carrots or apples．

During that winter，the rest，the good food，the soft grass and gentle running and trotting all helped to make me feel quite young again．When the spring came，the farmer tried me with a carriage， and I did the work quite easily．

He's growing young，Willie，' he said．'We'll give him some gentle work and look for a good home for him．'

* * *

One day during this summer，the groom cleaned and dressed me with special care，and Willie seemed half-worried and half-excited as he got into the carriage with his grandfather．

I hope the ladies like him，'said the farmer．

A kilometre or two beyond the village，we came to a pretty house，and Willie went to knock on the door．He asked if Miss Blomefield and Miss Ellen were at home．They were，and Willie stayed with me while the farmer went into the house．He came back about ten minutes later with three ladies．They seemed to like me， but one of them， worried by my knees， won-dered if I was safe．

It's true his knees were broken once，'said the farmer，'but we don't know why he fell．It was probably a careless driver，and not the horse's fault at all． He seems very safe to me．If you like him，you can try him for a few weeks，'he went on．'Then your driver will see what he thinks of him．'

One of the three ladies—a tall， white－faced lady， who held the arm of a younger woman—said，'You have always given us good advice about our horses， so we accept your offer to try him．'

The next morning， a young man came for me．He looked pleased until he saw my knees， then he said，'I'm surprised you suggested this horse to my ladies．'

You're only taking him to try him，' said the farmer．'If he's not as safe as any horse you ever drove， send him back，young man．'

I was taken to a comfortable stable， given some food， then left to myself

The next day， the groom was cleaning my face when he said，'That's just like the star that Black Beauty had on his forehead．I wonder where he is now．'He looked more closely at me．'White star on the forehead，one white foot—and a lit－tle white place on his back！It must be Black Beauty！Beauty！Do you know me？I'm little Joe Green，who almost killed yon！'And he began patting me all over my back．

I could not say I remembered him，as he was now a fine young man with a black moustache and a deep voice．But I was sure he knew me， and that he was Joe Green， and I was very glad．I put my nose up to him and tried to say that we were friends．I never saw a man so pleased．

That afternoon， I was harnessed to a carriage for Miss Ellen to try me．Joe Green went with her and told her that he was sure I was Mr Gordon's old Black Beauty．

I shall write to Mrs Gordon and tell her that her favourite horse has come to us，'said Miss Ellen．'How pleased she will be！'

I have now lived in this happy place a whole year．Joe is the best and kindest of grooms．My work is easy and pleasant，and I feel my strength coming back again．

The ladies have promised that they will never sell me， and so I have nothing to fear；and here my story ends．My troubles are all over，and I am at home；and often，before I am quite awake，I dream I am still in the field at Birtwick，standing with my old friends under the apple trees．

■ 13 我最後的家

我在馬市上被賣給了一個農夫，不過是他的小孫子說服他買我的。

他們兩個從我身邊走過。看到農夫臉上的善意，我抬起頭，把耳朵豎起來，儘量使自己看上去好看一點。

農夫停下腳看著我。“這兒有一匹馬，威利，他有過好日子，”他說。

“可憐的馬！”男孩說。“你是說他曾是一匹拉馬車的馬嗎，爺爺？”

“哦，是啊，”農夫說。“看他優美的頭部和他脖子、肩膀的線條。”他伸手拍拍我的脖子。我伸過鼻子迴應他的好意，男孩把他的手輕輕地放在我的臉上。

“看他多能理解別人的好意，”男孩說。“你為什麼不買了他，讓他重新年輕、強壯起來呢？”

賣我的人開口了：“這孩子識貨，先生。這馬不老，只是幹活太多，才這麼又累又瘦。6個月後他就會好的。”

5英鎊過了手，很快我就被帶回了新的家。農夫讓我每天早晚吃草和燕麥，白天準我出去到大片田野中。威利，那男孩子，對我很負責。他每天來看我，給我帶來胡蘿蔔或蘋果。

冬天裡，休息和良好的食物；柔軟的草和輕快的小跑都令我重新感到年輕。春天來到的時候，農夫試著讓我拉車，我幹得相當輕鬆。

“他越來越年輕了，威利，”他說，“我們會給他些輕活幹幹，再為他找個好去處。”

* * *

夏季裡的一天，馬伕仔細地給我清洗過，又給我打扮了，威利看上去半喜半憂，和爺爺一起坐進馬車。

“我希望小姐們喜歡他，”農夫說。

出村一兩公里，我們來到了一棟美麗的房子前面，威利上前去敲門。他問布勞姆菲爾德小姐和愛倫小姐是否在家。她們在，農夫就進了屋子，威利則和我呆在一起。10分鐘後農夫回來了，還帶著3位小姐。她們看上去很喜歡我，可其中的一個有些擔心我的膝蓋，拿不準我是否安全。

“他的膝蓋確實摔壞過一次，”農夫說，“我們也不知道他是怎麼摔的。可能是個粗心的車伕，而根本不是這馬的過錯。在我看來，他非常安全。如果你們喜歡他，可以試幾個星期，”他繼續道，“那樣你們的車伕就能知道他怎麼樣了。”

3位小姐之一——一位高高的、臉色白白的小姐——挽著另一位小姐的胳膊說：“你以往總是對我們的馬提出好建議，所以我們就接受你的提議試試他吧。”第二天一早，一個年輕人來了。他看上去很愉快，但看到我的膝蓋時，他不太高興，說：“我真驚訝你推薦這匹馬給我的小姐們。”

“你就試試他好了，”農夫說，“如果他不如你駕馭過的其他馬安全，就退給我，年輕人。”

我被帶到了一個舒適的馬廄，吃了點東西，然後就自己呆著。

第二天，馬伕給我洗著臉，說：“他前額上的星記真像黑駿馬。也不知他現在在哪兒。”他更仔細地看看我。“前額上的白星，一隻白蹄——背上的一小塊白！一定是黑駿馬！黑駿馬！你還認識我嗎？我是小喬·格林，差點兒讓你送命的那個！”他開始拍我的後背。

我沒法兒說我想起了他，因為他現在是個有著黑鬍子和深沉嗓音的英俊的小夥子啦。但我肯定他認識我，那麼他就是喬·格林。我非常高興。我向他抬起鼻子，想說我們是朋友。我還沒見過有誰這麼高興過。

那天下午，我被套上車，讓愛倫小姐試試我。喬·格林和她一起去並告訴她他肯定我是高頓先生以前的黑駿馬。

“我要寫信給高頓夫人，說她心愛的黑駿馬來到了我們身邊。”愛倫小姐說。“她會多麼高興啊！”

我現在已經在這個快樂的地方生活了整整一年。喬是最好最善良的馬伕。我的工作輕鬆愉快，我覺得我的力氣又回來了。

小姐們保證她們永遠也不會賣掉我，所以我什麼也不用怕了；我的故事也就此打住。那些麻煩都過去了，我現在是在家裡。經常地，在我的睡夢中，我夢見自己還在伯特威克的田野中，和我的老朋友們一起站在蘋果樹下。