with lee in virginia-第3章

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celebrated　as　good　riders；　and　Major　Wingfield；　himself　a　cavalry

man；　had　been　anxious　that　Vincent　should　maintain　the　credit　of

his　English　blood；　and　had　placed　him　on　a　pony　as　soon　as　he　was

able　to　sit　on　one。　A　pony　had　been　kept　for　his　use　during　his

holidays　at　his　uncle's　in　England；　and　upon　his　return　Vincent

had；　except　during　the　hours　he　spent　with　his　father；　almost　lived

on　horseback；　either　riding　about　the　estate；　or　paying　visits　to　the

houses　of　other　planters。



For　an　hour　or　more　every　day　he　exercised　his　father's　horses　in　a

paddock　near　the　house；　the　major　being　wheeled　down　in　an

easy…chair　and　superintending　his　riding。　　As　these　horses　had　little

to　do　and　were　full　of　spirit；　Vincent's　powers　were　often　taxed　to

the　utmost；　and　he　had　many　falls；　but　the　soil　was　light；　　and　he

had　learned　the　knack　of　falling　easily；　and　from　constant　practice

was　able　at　the　age　of　fourteen　to　stick　on　firmly　even　without　a

saddle；　and　was　absolutely　fearless　as　to　any　animal　he　mounted。



In　the　two　years　which　had　followed　he　had　kept　up　his　riding。　

Every　morning　after　breakfast　he　rode　to　Richmond；　six　miles

distant；　put　up　his　horse　at　some　stable　there；　and　spent　three　hours

at　school；　the　rest　of　the　day　was　his　own；　and　he　would　often　ride

off　with　some　of　his　schoolfellows　who　had　also　come　in　from　a

distance；　and　not　return　home　till　late　in　the　evening。　　Vincent　took

after　his　English　father　rather　than　his　Virginian　mother　both　in

appearance　and　character；　and　was　likely　to　become　as　tall　and

brawny　a　man　as　the　former　had　been　when　he　first　won　the　love

of　the　rich　Virginian　heiress。



He　was　full　of　life　and　energy；　and　in　this　respect　offered　a　strong

contrast　to　most　of　his　schoolfellows　of　the　same　age。　　For

although　splendid　riders　and　keen　sportsmen；　the　planters　of

Virginia　were　in　other　respects　inclined　to　indolence；　the　result

partly　of　the　climate；　partly　of　their　being　waited　upon　from

childhood　by　attendants　ready　to　carry　out　every　wish。　　He　had　his

father's　cheerful　disposition　and　good　temper；　together　with　the

decisive　manner　so　frequently　acquired　by　a　service　in　the　army；

and　at　the　same　time　be　had　something　of　the　warmth　and

enthusiasm　of　the　Virginian　character。



Good　rider　as　he　was　he　was　somewhat　surprised　at　the　horse　the

overseer　had　selected　for　him。　　It　was　certainly　a　splendid　animal；

with　great　bone　and　power；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the

expression　of　its　turned…back　eye；　and　the　ears　that　lay　almost　flat

on　the　head　when　any　one　approached　him。



〃It　is　a　splendid　animal；　no　doubt；　Jonas；〃　he　said　the　first　time　lie

inspected　it；　〃but　he　certainly　looks　as　if　lie　had　a　beast　of　a

temper。　　I　fear　what　was　told　my　mother　about　him　is　no

exaggeration；　for　Mr。　Markham　told　me　to…day；　when　I　rode　down

there　with　his　son；　and　said　that　we　had　bought　Wildfire；　that　a

friend　of　his　had　had　him　once；　and　only　kept　him　for　a　week；　for

he　was　the　most　vicious　brute　he　ever　saw。〃



〃I　am　sorry　I　have　bought　him　now；　sir；〃　Jonas　said。　〃Of　course　I

should　not　have　done　so　if　I　had　heard　these　things　before；　but　I

was　told　he　was　one　of　the　finest　horses　in　the　country；　only　a　little

tricky；　and　as　his　price　was　so　reasonable　I　thought　it　a　great

bargain。　　But　I　see　now　I　was　wrong；　and　that　it　wouldn't　be　right

for　you　to　mount　him；　so　I　think　we　had　best　send　him　in　on

Saturday　to　the　market　and　let　it　go　for　what　it　will　fetch。　You　see；

sir；　if　you　had　been　three　or　four　years　older　it　would　have　been

different；　but　naturally　at　your　age　you　don't　like　to　ride　such　a

horse　as　that。〃



〃I　sha'n't　give　it　up　without　a　trial；〃　Vincent　said　shortly。　　〃It　is

about　the　finest　horse　I　ever　saw；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　its

temper；　it　would　be　cheap　at　five　times　the　sum　you　gave　for　it。　　I

have　ridden　a　good　many　bad…tempered　horses　for　my　friends

during　the　last　year；　and　the　worst　of　them　couldn't　get　me　off。〃



〃Well；　sir；　of　course　you　will　do　as　you　please；〃　Jonas　said；　〃but

please　to　remember　if　any　harm　comes　of　it　that　I　strongly　advised

you　not　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it；　and　I　did　my　best　to

dissuade　you　from　trying。〃



Vincent　nodded　carelessly；　and　then　turned　to　the　black　groom。



〃Jake；　get　out　that　cavalry　saddle　of　my　father's；　with　the　high

cantle　and　pommel；　and　the　rolls　for　the　knees。　It's　like　an

armchair；　and　if　one　can't　stick　on　on　that；　one　deserves　to　be

thrown。〃



While　the　groom　was　putting　on　the　saddle；　Vincent　stood　patting

the　horse's　head　and　talking　to　it；　and　then　taking　its　rein　led　it

down　into　the　inclosure。



〃No；　I　don't　want　the　whip；　〃　he　said；　as　Jake　offered　him　one。　　〃I

have　got　the　spurs；　and　likely　enough　the　horse's　temper　may　have

been　spoiled　by　knocking　it　about　with　a　whip；　but　we　will　try

what　kindness　will　do　with　it　first。〃



〃Me　no　like　his　look；　Massa　Vincent；　he　debbie　ob　a　hoss　dat。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　has　a　nice　temper；　Jake；　but　people　learn　to

control　their　temper；　and　I　don't　see　why　horse　shouldn't。　　At　any

rate　we　will　have　a　try　at　it。　　He　looks　as　if　he　appreciates　being

patted　and　spoken　to　already。　Of　course　if　you　treat　a　horse　like　a

savage　he　will　become　savage。　　Now；　stand　out　of　the　way。〃



Gathering　the　reins　together；　and　placing　one　hand　upon　the

pommel；　Vincent　sprang　into　the　saddle　without　touching　the

stirrups；　then　he　sat　for　a　minute　or　two　patting　the　horse's　neck。　

Wildfire；　apparently　disgusted　at　having　allowed　himself　to　be

mounted　so　suddenly；　lashed　out　viciously　two　or　three　times；　and

then　refused　to　move。　For　half　an　hour　Vincent　tried　the　effect　of

patient　coax…jug；　but　in　vain。



〃Well；　if　you　won't　do　it　by　fair　means　you　must　by　foul；〃　Vincent

said　at　last；　and　sharply　pricked　him　with　his　spurs。



Wildfire　sprang　into　the　air；　and　then　began　a　desperate　series　of

efforts　to　rid　himself　of　his　rider；　rearing　and　kicking　in　such　quick

succession　that　he　seemed　half　the　time　in　the　air。　　Finding　after

awhile　that　his　efforts　were　unavailing；　he　subsided　at　last　into

sulky　immovability。　Again　Vincent　tried　coaxing　and　patting；　but

as　no　success　attended　these　efforts；　he　again　applied　the　spur

sharply。　　This　time　the　horse　responded　by　springing　forward　like

an　arrow　from　a　bow；　dashed　at　the　top　of　his　speed　across　the

inclosure；　cleared　the　high　fence　without　an　effort；　and　then　set　off

across　the　country。



He　had　attempted　to　take　the　bit　in　his　teeth；　but　with　a　sharp　jerk

as　he　drove　the　spurs　in；　Vincent　had　defeated　his　intention。　　He

now　did　not　attempt　to　check　or　guide　him；　but　keeping　a　light

hand　on　the　reins　let　him　go　his　own　course。　　Vincent　knew　that　so

long　as　the　horse　was　going　full　speed　it　could　attempt　no　trick　to　

unseat　him；　and　he　therefore　sat　easily　in　his　saddle。



For　six　miles　Wildfire　continued　his　course；　clearing　every

obstacle　without　abatement　to　his　speed；　and　delighting　his　rider

with　his　power　and　jumping　qualities。　　Occasionally；　only　when

the　course　he　was　taking　would　have　led　him　to　obstacles

impossible　for　the　best　jumper　to　surmount；　Vincent　attempted　to

put　the　slightest　pressure　upon　one　rein　or　the　other；　so　as　to　direct

it　to　an　easier　point。



At　the　end　of　six　miles　the　horse's　speed　began　slightly　to　abate；

and　Vincent；　abstaining　from　the　use　of　his　spurs；　pressed　it　with

his　knees　and　spoke　to　it　cheerfully　urging　it　forward。　　He　now

from　time　to　time　bent　forward　and　patted　it；　and　for　another　six

miles　kept　it　going　at　a　speed　almost　as　great　as　that　at　which　it

had　started　Then　he　allowed　it　gradually　to　slacken　its　pace；　until

at　last　first　the　gallop　and　then　the　trot　ceased；　and　it　broke　into　a

walk。



〃You　have　had　a　fine　gallop；　old　fellow；〃　Vincent　said；　patting　it；

〃and　so　have　I。　　There's　been　nothing　for　you　to　lose　your　temper

about；　and　the　next　road　we　come　upon　we　will　turn　our　face

homeward。　　Half　a