lavengro-第23节

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'Then　you　are　all　right；　master；　there's　no　fear。　　Trust　him　for　

not　hurting　a　young　gentleman；　an　officer's　son；　who　can't　ride。　　

If　you　were　a　blackguard　dragoon；　indeed；　with　long　spurs；　'twere　

another　thing；　as　it　is；　he'll　treat　you　as　if　he　were　the　elder　

brother　that　loves　you。　　Ride！　　He'll　soon　teach　you　to　ride　if　you　

leave　the　matter　with　him。　　He's　the　best　riding…master　in　all　

Ireland；　and　the　gentlest。'



The　cob　was　led　forth；　what　a　tremendous　creature！　　I　had　

frequently　seen　him　before；　and　wondered　at　him；　he　was　barely　

fifteen　hands；　but　he　had　the　girth　of　a　metropolitan　dray…horse；　

his　head　was　small　in　comparison　with　his　immense　neck；　which　

curved　down　nobly　to　his　wide　back：　　his　chest　was　broad　and　fine；　

and　his　shoulders　models　of　symmetry　and　strength；　he　stood　well　

and　powerfully　upon　his　legs；　which　were　somewhat　short。　　In　a　

word；　he　was　a　gallant　specimen　of　the　genuine　Irish　cob；　a　species　

at　one　time　not　uncommon；　but　at　the　present　day　nearly　extinct。



'There！'　said　the　groom；　as　he　looked　at　him；　half　admiringly；　half　

sorrowfully；　'with　sixteen　stone　on　his　back；　he'll　trot　fourteen　

miles　in　one　hour；　with　your　nine　stone；　some　two　and　a　half　more　

ay；　and　clear　a　six…foot　wall　at　the　end　of　it。'



'I'm　half　afraid；'　said　I；　'I　had　rather　you　would　ride　him。'



'I'd　rather　so；　too；　if　he　would　let　me；　but　he　remembers　the　blow。　　

Now；　don't　be　afraid；　young　master；　he's　longing　to　go　out　himself。　　

He's　been　trampling　with　his　feet　these　three　days；　and　I　know　what　

that　means；　he'll　let　anybody　ride　him　but　myself；　and　thank　them；　

but　to　me　he　says；　〃No！　you　struck　me。〃'



'But；'　said　I；　'where's　the　saddle？'



'Never　mind　the　saddle；　if　you　are　ever　to　be　a　frank　rider；　you　

must　begin　without　a　saddle；　besides；　if　he　felt　a　saddle；　he　would　

think　you　don't　trust　him；　and　leave　you　to　yourself。　　Now；　before　

you　mount；　make　his　acquaintance　…　see　there；　how　he　kisses　you　and　

licks　your　face；　and　see　how　he　lifts　his　foot；　that's　to　shake　

hands。　　You　may　trust　him　…　now　you　are　on　his　back　at　last；　mind　

how　you　hold　the　bridle　…　gently；　gently！　　It's　not　four　pair　of　

hands　like　yours　can　hold　him　if　he　wishes　to　be　off。　　Mind　what　I　

tell　you　…　leave　it　all　to　him。'



Off　went　the　cob　at　a　slow　and　gentle　trot；　too　fast　and　rough；　

however；　for　so　inexperienced　a　rider。　　I　soon　felt　myself　sliding　

off；　the　animal　perceived　it　too；　and　instantly　stood　stone　still　

till　I　had　righted　myself；　and　now　the　groom　came　up：　　'When　you　

feel　yourself　going；'　said　he；　'don't　lay　hold　of　the　mane；　that's　

no　use；　mane　never　yet　saved　man　from　falling；　no　more　than　straw　

from　drowning；　it's　his　sides　you　must　cling　to　with　your　calves　

and　feet；　till　you　learn　to　balance　yourself。　　That's　it；　now　

abroad　with　you；　I'll　bet　my　comrade　a　pot　of　beer　that　you'll　be　a　

regular　rough…rider　by　the　time　you　come　back。'



And　so　it　proved；　I　followed　the　directions　of　the　groom；　and　the　

cob　gave　me　every　assistance。　　How　easy　is　riding；　after　the　first　

timidity　is　got　over；　to　supple　and　youthful　limbs；　and　there　is　no　

second　fear。　　The　creature　soon　found　that　the　nerves　of　his　rider　

were　in　proper　tone。　　Turning　his　head　half　round；　he　made　a　kind　

of　whining　noise；　flung　out　a　little　foam；　and　set　off。



In　less　than　two　hours　I　had　made　the　circuit　of　the　Devil's　

Mountain；　and　was　returning　along　the　road；　bathed　with　

perspiration；　but　screaming　with　delight；　the　cob　laughing　in　his　

equine　way；　scattering　foam　and　pebbles　to　the　left　and　right；　and　

trotting　at　the　rate　of　sixteen　miles　an　hour。



Oh；　that　ride！　that　first　ride！　…　most　truly　it　was　an　epoch　in　my　

existence；　and　I　still　look　back　to　it　with　feelings　of　longing　and　

regret。　　People　may　talk　of　first　love　…　it　is　a　very　agreeable　

event；　I　daresay　…　but　give　me　the　flush；　and　triumph；　and　glorious　

sweat　of　a　first　ride；　like　mine　on　the　mighty　cob！　　My　whole　frame　

was　shaken；　it　is　true；　and　during　one　long　week　I　could　hardly　

move　foot　or　hand；　but　what　of　that？　　By　that　one　trial　I　had　

become　free；　as　I　may　say；　of　the　whole　equine　species。　　No　more　

fatigue；　no　more　stiffness　of　joints；　after　that　first　ride　round　

the　Devil's　Hill　on　the　cob。



Oh；　that　cob！　that　Irish　cob！　…　may　the　sod　lie　lightly　over　the　

bones　of　the　strongest；　speediest；　and　most　gallant　of　its　kind！　　

Oh！　the　days　when；　issuing　from　the　barrack…gate　of　Templemore；　we　

commenced　our　hurry…skurry　just　as　inclination　led　…　now　across　the　

fields　…　direct　over　stone　walls　and　running　brooks　…　mere　pastime　

for　the　cob！　…　sometimes　along　the　road　to　Thurles　and　Holy　Cross；　

even　to　distant　Cahir！　…　what　was　distance　to　the　cob？



It　was　thus　that　the　passion　for　the　equine　race　was　first　awakened　

within　me　…　a　passion　which；　up　to　the　present　time；　has　been　

rather　on　the　increase　than　diminishing。　　It　is　no　blind　passion；　

the　horse　being　a　noble　and　generous　creature；　intended　by　the　All…

Wise　to　be　the　helper　and　friend　of　man；　to　whom　he　stands　next　in　

the　order　of　creation。　　On　many　occasions　of　my　life　I　have　been　

much　indebted　to　the　horse；　and　have　found　in　him　a　friend　and　

coadjutor；　when　human　help　and　sympathy　were　not　to　be　obtained。　　

It　is　therefore　natural　enough　that　I　should　love　the　horse；　but　

the　love　which　I　entertain　for　him　has　always　been　blended　with　

respect；　for　I　soon　perceived　that；　though　disposed　to　be　the　

friend　and　helper　of　man；　he　is　by　no　means　inclined　to　be　his　

slave；　in　which　respect　he　differs　from　the　dog；　who　will　crouch　

when　beaten；　whereas　the　horse　spurns；　for　he　is　aware　of　his　own　

worth　and　that　he　carries　death　within　the　horn　of　his　heel。　　If；　

therefore；　I　found　it　easy　to　love　the　horse；　I　found　it　equally　

natural　to　respect　him。



I　much　question　whether　philology；　or　the　passion　for　languages；　

requires　so　little　of　an　apology　as　the　love　for　horses。　　It　has　

been　said；　I　believe；　that　the　more　languages　a　man　speaks；　the　

more　a　man　is　he；　which　is　very　true；　provided　he　acquires　

languages　as　a　medium　for　becoming　acquainted　with　the　thoughts　and　

feelings　of　the　various　sections　into　which　the　human　race　is　

divided；　but；　in　that　case；　he　should　rather　be　termed　a　

philosopher　than　a　philologist　…　between　which　two　the　difference　

is　wide　indeed！　　An　individual　may　speak　and　read　a　dozen　

languages；　and　yet　be　an　exceedingly　poor　creature；　scarcely　half　a　

man；　and　the　pursuit　of　tongues　for　their　own　sake；　and　the　mere　

satisfaction　of　acquiring　them；　surely　argues　an　intellect　of　a　

very　low　order；　a　mind　disposed　to　be　satisfied　with　mean　and　

grovelling　things；　taking　more　pleasure　in　the　trumpery　casket　than　

in　the　precious　treasure　which　it　contains；　in　the　pursuit　of　

words；　than　in　the　acquisition　of　ideas。



I　cannot　help　thinking　that　it　was　fortunate　for　myself；　who　am；　to　

a　certain　extent；　a　philologist；　that　with　me　the　pursuit　of　

languages　has　been　always　modified　by　the　love　of　horses；　for　

scarcely　had　I　turned　my　mind　to　the　former；　when　I　also　mounted　

the　wild　cob；　and　hurried　forth　in　the　direction　of　the　Devil's　

Hill；　scattering　dust　and　flint…stones　on　every　side；　that　ride；　

amongst　other　things；　taught　me　that　a　lad　with　thews　and　sinews　

was　intended　by　nature　for　something　better　than　mere　word…culling；　

and　if　I　have　accomplished　anything　in　after　life　worthy　of　

mentioning；　I　believe　it　may　partly　be　attributed　to　the　ideas　

which　that　ride；　by　setting　my　blood　in　a　glow；　infused　into　my　

brain。　　I　might；　otherwise；　have　become　a　mere　philologist；　one　of　

those　beings　who　toil　night　and　day　in　culling　useless　words　for　

some　OPUS　MAGNUM　which　Murray　will　never　publish；　and　nobody　ever　

read；　beings　without　enthusiasm；　who；　having　never　mounted　a　

generous　steed；　cannot　detect　a　good　point　in　Pegasus　himself；　like　

a　certain　philologist；　who；　though　acquainted　with　the　exact　value　

of　every　word　in　the　Greek　and　Latin　languages；　could　observe　no　

particular　beauty　in　one　of　the　most　glorious　of　Homer's　

rhapsodies。　　What　knew　he　of　Pegasus？　he　had　never　mounted　a　

generous　steed；　the　merest　jockey；　had　the　strain　been　interpreted　

to　him；　would　have　called　it　a　brave　song！　…　I　return　to　the　brave　

cob。



On　a　certain　day　I　had　been　out　on　an　excursion。　　In　a　cross…road；　

at　some　distance　from　the　Satanic　hill；　the　animal　which　I　rode　

cast　a　shoe。　　By　good　luck　a　small　village　was　at　hand；　at　the　

entrance　of　which　was　a　large　shed；　from　which　proceeded　a　most　

furious　noise　of　hammering。　　Leading　the　cob　by　the　bridle；　I　

entered　boldly。　　'Shoe　this　horse；　and　do　it　quickly；　a　gough；'　

said　I　to　a　wild　grimy　figure　of　a　man；　whom　I　found　alone；　

fashioning　a　piece　of　iron。



'Arrigod　yuit？'　said　the　fellow；　desisting　from　his　work；　and　

staring　at　me。



'Oh　yes；　I　have　money；'　said　I；　'and　of　the　best'