017 新的家园

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The next morning Little Joe and Merrylegs left for the minister's house

第二天早上，小乔和梅里莱格斯就出发去牧师家了。

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Then John saddled Ginger and mounted, leading me beside her

然后约翰给金格尔备好鞍，骑了上去，并牵着我走在她旁边。

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We rode out through the gates of Birtwick Park without looking back

我们骑出了伯特威克庄园的大门，头也不回地离开了。

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After about fifteen miles we came to a place called Earlshall Park

大约走了十五英里后，我们来到了一个叫厄尔歇尔庄园的地方。

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This would be our new home

这将是我们的新家。

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The estate had a very fancy house and a large stable

这个庄园有一栋非常华丽的房子和一间很大的马厩。

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When we reached the stableyard, John asked for Mr. York

我们到达马厩的院子时，约翰求见约克先生。

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York was the man in charge of the earl's stable, horses, and carriages

约克先生是负责管理伯爵的马厩、马匹和马车的人。

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He was a handsome man with a manner that said he expected to be obeyed

他相貌英俊，态度中带着一种期望别人服从的架势。

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" It's nice to meet you," he said to John." Thanks for delivering the new horses."

"很高兴见到你，"他对约翰说，"谢谢你把这些新马送过来。"

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He called for the grooms to take Ginger and me inside

他叫马夫们把金格尔和我带进马厩。

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Then he invited John to come and have some tea

然后他邀请约翰去喝杯茶。

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The grooms led us into the bright, airy stable

马夫们把我们带进明亮通风的马厩。

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One led me into a large, deeply bedded stall, and the other took Ginger into the equally nice stall beside it

一个马夫把我带进一个铺着厚厚垫料的大马栏，另一个把金格尔牵进旁边同样不错的马栏。

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Then they groomed us and gave us some hay

然后他们给我们刷了毛，并给了我们一些干草。

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Half an hour later John and Mr. York returned. York looked us over carefully

半小时后，约翰和约克先生回来了。约克仔细地打量了我们。

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" These look like very nice horses, Mr. Manly," he said to John

“曼利先生，这两匹马看起来很不错，”他对约翰说。

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" Is there anything you'd like to tell me about them?

“关于它们，你有什么要告诉我的吗？

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All horses have their quirks."

每匹马都有自己的小习性。”

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" I don't believe there's a better pair of horses in the country," John replied

“我相信全国都找不出比这更好的一对马了，”约翰回答。

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" I'm very sorry to part with them. But you should know that they're not alike

我很舍不得和它们分开。但你要知道，它们俩不一样。

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The black one has the most perfect nature I've ever seen

那匹黑马的性格是我见过最完美的。

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I don't think he's ever known a harsh word or an unfair punishment since he was foaled."

我想它自打出生以来，从没听过一句重话，也没受过不公的惩罚。

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" Excellent," York said

“太好了，”约克说。

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" But the chestnut one hasn't been so lucky," John went on

“但那匹栗色马就没那么幸运了，”约翰接着说。

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" We bought her from a dealer who said she'd had some bad treatment in her early years

我们是从一个马贩子那儿买下她的，他说她早年受过些虐待。

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When we got her, she was tense and suspicious

刚来的时候，她紧张又多疑。

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But after some good handling at our place, she relaxed, and for the past three years she's been very good."

但在我们那里得到善待之后，她放松了下来，过去这三年一直都很乖。

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" I see," York said

“我明白了，”约克说。

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" If she's well-treated, there isn't a better, more willing animal," John said

“如果她受到善待，就没有比她更好、更肯干的马了，”约翰说。

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" But she's still high-strung

"不过她仍然很敏感易惊。

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She's more bothered by flies than most horses, and likely to be annoyed by the harness too

她比大多数马更受苍蝇的困扰，马具也容易让她烦躁。

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If she were unfairly treated, she'd probably react strongly."

如果受到不公正的对待，她可能会反应很强烈。"

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" Many spirited horses are like that," York said with a nod

"很多性子烈的马都是这样。"约克点了点头说。

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" Thank you for the information, Mr. Manly. I'll remember what you've told me."

"谢谢你告诉我这些情况，曼利先生。我会记住你说的话。"

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" Oh, I almost forgot to mention one more thing," John said

"哦，我差点忘了提一件事。"约翰说。

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" We've never used the checkrein to hold up the head of either of these horses

"我们从未对这两匹马中的任何一匹用过勒马缰绳来勒住头。

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The black horse has never worn one in his life, and the dealer said it's what spoiled the mare."

黑骏马这辈子都没戴过，而且马贩子说就是这东西毁了那匹栗色母马。"

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" Well, they're going to have to wear it here, I'm afraid," York said

"嗯，恐怕它们在这儿得戴上。"约克说。

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" I prefer a loose rein myself, and the earl doesn't care

"我个人更喜欢松缰，伯爵也不介意。

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But the lady is very interested in style and fashion

但那位夫人对风格和时尚非常讲究。

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If her carriage horses aren't reined up tight, she won't even look at them."

要是她的马车夫没把马缰绳勒紧，她连看都不会看它们一眼。”

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" I'm sorry to hear that," John said with a sigh

“听到这个我很遗憾，”约翰叹了口气说。

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" But I'd better go, or I'll miss my train."

“但我最好走了，不然要赶不上火车了。”

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John stepped into my stall

约翰走进我的隔间。

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" Good-bye, you two," he said, giving Ginger and me each a pat

“再见了，你们两个，”他说着，轻轻拍了拍金格尔和我。

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" I hope you'll be happy here."

“希望你们在这里过得开心。”

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His voice sounded sad

他的声音听起来很悲伤。

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All I could do to say good-bye was hold my face close to him

我能做的告别方式，只是把脸靠近他。

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Soon he was gone, and to this day I've never seen him since

很快他就走了，直到今天，我再也没有见过他。

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The next day the earl came to look at us. He seemed pleased by what he saw

第二天，伯爵来看我们。他看起来对我们很满意。

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" These horses are just as nice as squire said," he commented

“这些马正如乡绅说的那样好，”他评价道。

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" It's too bad they're not a match in color, but they'll be fine for driving around the countryside."

“可惜它们颜色不搭，但拉着车在乡下转转还是很好的。”

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York agreed. Then he told the earl what John had said about us

约克表示同意。然后他把约翰关于我们的话告诉了伯爵。

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" Hmm." The earl glanced at Ginger

“嗯。”伯爵瞥了一眼金格尔。

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" Keep an eye on the mare, and start with the checkrein loose

“看好这匹母马，开始时把勒马缰绳放松些。

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If you tighten it up a little at a time, I'm sure they'll both get used to it soon

如果一次收紧一点点，我相信它们俩很快就会习惯的。

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I'll mention it to my wife."

我会跟我夫人提一下这事。”

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That afternoon the grooms harnessed us to a fine carriage

那天下午，马夫们给我们套上了一辆精致的马车。

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For the first time I had the checkrein attached to my bridle

第一次，我的笼头上系上了勒马缰绳。

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It was strange not to be able to lower my head if I wished

想低头却低不了，感觉怪怪的。

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But my head wasn't held any higher than normal, so I didn't mind too much

但我的头并没有被拉得比平时高，所以我也不太在意。

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Ginger didn't complain either

金格尔也没抱怨。

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As the clock struck three, we were led around to the front of the house

钟敲三点时，我们被牵着绕到了宅子前面。

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With a rustling of silk, a proud-looking lady walked down the steps to meet us

伴随着丝绸的窸窣声，一位表情傲慢的夫人走下台阶来迎接我们。

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She looked at Ginger and me and frowned

她看了看金格尔和我，皱起了眉头。

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But she said nothing — at least not on that first day

但她什么也没说——至少第一天是这样。