英语听力：黑骏马 13 My last home

　　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 1 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 2 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 3 and oats every night and morning，and I was let out into a large field in the daytime．Willie，the young boy，was responsible 4 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 5 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 6 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 7， send him back，young man．'

　　I was taken to a comfortable stable 8， 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 9 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 10 me all over my back．

　　I could not say I remembered him，as he was now a fine young man with a black moustache 11 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 12 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 13．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 我最后的家

　　我在马市上被卖给了一个农夫，不过是他的小孙子说服他买我的。

　　他们两个从我身边走过。看到农夫脸上的善意，我抬起头，把耳朵竖起来，尽量使自己看上去好看一点。

　　农夫停下脚看着我。“这儿有一匹马，威利，他有过好日子，”他说。

　　“可怜的马！”男孩说。“你是说他曾是一匹拉马车的马吗，爷爷？”

　　“哦，是啊，”农夫说。“看他优美的头部和他脖子、肩膀的线条。”他伸手拍拍我的脖子。我伸过鼻子回应他的好意，男孩把他的手轻轻地放在我的脸上。

　　“看他多能理解别人的好意，”男孩说。“你为什么不买了他，让他重新年轻、强壮起来呢？”

　　卖我的人开口了：“这孩子识货，先生。这马不老，只是干活太多，才这么又累又瘦。6个月后他就会好的。”

　　5英镑过了手，很快我就被带回了新的家。农夫让我每天早晚吃草和燕麦，白天准我出去到大片田野中。威利，那男孩子，对我很负责。他每天来看我，给我带来胡萝卜或苹果。

　　冬天里，休息和良好的食物；柔软的草和轻快的小跑都令我重新感到年轻。春天来到的时候，农夫试着让我拉车，我干得相当轻松。

　　“他越来越年轻了，威利，”他说，“我们会给他些轻活干干，再为他找个好去处。”

　　* * *

　　夏季里的一天，马夫仔细地给我清洗过，又给我打扮了，威利看上去半喜半忧，和爷爷一起坐进马车。

　　“我希望小姐们喜欢他，”农夫说。

　　出村一两公里，我们来到了一栋美丽的房子前面，威利上前去敲门。他问布劳姆菲尔德小姐和爱伦小姐是否在家。她们在，农夫就进了屋子，威利则和我呆在一起。10分钟后农夫回来了，还带着3位小姐。她们看上去很喜欢我，可其中的一个有些担心我的膝盖，拿不准我是否安全。

　　“他的膝盖确实摔坏过一次，”农夫说，“我们也不知道他是怎么摔的。可能是个粗心的车夫，而根本不是这马的过错。在我看来，他非常安全。如果你们喜欢他，可以试几个星期，”他继续道，“那样你们的车夫就能知道他怎么样了。”

　　3位小姐之一——一位高高的、脸色白白的小姐——挽着另一位小姐的胳膊说：“你以往总是对我们的马提出好建议，所以我们就接受你的提议试试他吧。”第二天一早，一个年轻人来了。他看上去很愉快，但看到我的膝盖时，他不太高兴，说：“我真惊讶你推荐这匹马给我的小姐们。”

　　“你就试试他好了，”农夫说，“如果他不如你驾驭过的其他马安全，就退给我，年轻人。”

　　我被带到了一个舒适的马厩，吃了点东西，然后就自己呆着。

　　第二天，马夫给我洗着脸，说：“他前额上的星记真像黑骏马。也不知他现在在哪儿。”他更仔细地看看我。“前额上的白星，一只白蹄——背上的一小块白！一定是黑骏马！黑骏马！你还认识我吗？我是小乔·格林，差点儿让你送命的那个！”他开始拍我的后背。

　　我没法儿说我想起了他，因为他现在是个有着黑胡子和深沉嗓音的英俊的小伙子啦。但我肯定他认识我，那么他就是乔·格林。我非常高兴。我向他抬起鼻子，想说我们是朋友。我还没见过有谁这么高兴过。

　　那天下午，我被套上车，让爱伦小姐试试我。乔·格林和她一起去并告诉她他肯定我是高顿先生以前的黑骏马。

　　“我要写信给高顿夫人，说她心爱的黑骏马来到了我们身边。”爱伦小姐说。“她会多么高兴啊！”

　　我现在已经在这个快乐的地方生活了整整一年。乔是最好最善良的马夫。我的工作轻松愉快，我觉得我的力气又回来了。

　　小姐们保证她们永远也不会卖掉我，所以我什么也不用怕了；我的故事也就此打住。那些麻烦都过去了，我现在是在家里。经常地，在我的睡梦中，我梦见自己还在伯特威克的田野中，和我的老朋友们一起站在苹果树下。