第80章

"If you'll step into the yard," said Joseph, "I'll bring him out."They went, and Joseph, having first taken off his harness, walked Ruby into the middle of the yard.

"Why," said Mr. Raymond, "you've not been using him well.""I don't know what you mean by that, sir. I didn't expect to hear that from you. He's sound in wind and limb--as sound as a barrel.""And as big, you might add. Why, he's as fat as a pig! You don't call that good usage!"Joseph was too angry to make any answer.

"You've not worked him enough, I say. That's not making good use of him. That's not doing as you'd be done by.""I shouldn't be sorry if I was served the same, sir.""He's too fat, I say."

"There was a whole month I couldn't work him at all, and he did nothing but eat his head off. He's an awful eater. I've taken the best part of six hours a day out of him since, but I'm always afraid of his coming to grief again, and so I couldn't make the most even of that. I declare to you, sir, when he's between the shafts, I sit on the box as miserable as if I'd stolen him. He looks all the time as if he was a bottling up of complaints to make of me the minute he set eyes on you again. There! look at him now, squinting round at me with one eye! I declare to you, on my word, I haven't laid the whip on him more than three times.""I'm glad to hear it. He never did want the whip.""I didn't say that, sir. If ever a horse wanted the whip, he do.

He's brought me to beggary almost with his snail's pace. I'm very glad you've come to rid me of him.""I don't know that," said Mr. Raymond. "Suppose I were to ask you to buy him of me--cheap.""I wouldn't have him in a present, sir. I don't like him.

And I wouldn't drive a horse that I didn't like--no, not for gold.

It can't come to good where there's no love between 'em.""Just bring out your own horse, and let me see what sort of a pair they'd make."Joseph laughed rather bitterly as he went to fetch Diamond.

When the two were placed side by side, Mr. Raymond could hardly keep his countenance, but from a mingling of feelings.

Beside the great, red, round barrel, Ruby, all body and no legs, Diamond looked like a clothes-horse with a skin thrown over it.

There was hardly a spot of him where you could not descry some sign of a bone underneath. Gaunt and grim and weary he stood, kissing his master, and heeding no one else.

"You haven't been using him well," said Mr. Raymond.

"I must say," returned Joseph, throwing an arm round his horse's neck, "that the remark had better have been spared, sir. The horse is worth three of the other now.""I don't think so. I think they make a very nice pair.

If the one's too fat, the other's too lean--so that's all right.

And if you won't buy my Ruby, I must buy your Diamond.""Thank you, sir," said Joseph, in a tone implying anything but thanks.

"You don't seem to like the proposal," said Mr. Raymond.

"I don't," returned Joseph. "I wouldn't part with my old Diamond for his skin as full of nuggets as it is of bones.""Who said anything about parting with him?""You did now, sir."

"No; I didn't. I only spoke of buying him to make a pair with Ruby.

We could pare Ruby and patch Diamond a bit. And for height, they are as near a match as I care about. Of course you would be the coachman--if only you would consent to be reconciled to Ruby."Joseph stood bewildered, unable to answer.

"I've bought a small place in Kent," continued Mr. Raymond, "and I must have a pair to my carriage, for the roads are hilly thereabouts.

I don't want to make a show with a pair of high-steppers. I think these will just do. Suppose, for a week or two, you set yourself to take Ruby down and bring Diamond up. If we could only lay a pipe from Ruby's sides into Diamond's, it would be the work of a moment.

But I fear that wouldn't answer."

A strong inclination to laugh intruded upon Joseph's inclination to cry, and made speech still harder than before.