第24章

"Sittingintheswale；andlisteningtotheswindleoftheflail，asitsoundsdub—a—dubonthecorn，fromtheneighbouringbarn。"

InrequitalforwhichItreatedthemwithasong，notofRomanvile，butthesongof"SivoryandthehorseGrayman。"I

remainedwiththemtillitwasdark，having，aftersunset，enteredintodeepdiscoursewithacelebratedratcatcher，whocommunicatedtomethesecretsofhistrade，saying，amongstotherthings，"Whenyouseetheratspouringoutoftheirholes，andrunningupmyhandsandarms，it’snotaftermetheycomes，butaftertheoilsIcarriesaboutmetheycomes；"andwhosubsequentlyspokeinthemostenthusiasticmannerofhistrade，sayingthatitwasthebesttradeintheworld，andmostdiverting，andthatitwaslikelytolastforever；forwhereasallotherkindsofverminwerefastdisappearingfromEngland，ratswereeverydaybecomingmoreabundant。Ihadquittedthisgoodcompany，andhavingmountedmyhorse，wasmakingmywaytowardsatownataboutsixmiles’distance，ataswingingtrot，mythoughtsdeeplyengagedonwhatIhadgatheredfromtheratcatcher，whenallonasuddenalightglareduponthehorse’sface，whopurledroundingreatterror，andflungmeoutofthesaddle，asfromasling，orwithasmuchviolenceasthehorseGrayman，intheballad，flingsSivordtheSnareswayne。Ifellupontheground—feltakindofcrashingaboutmyneck—andforthwithbecamesenseless。

CHAPTERXXXI

ANovelSituation—TheElderlyIndividual—TheSurgeon—A

KindOffer—ChimericalIdeas—StrangeDream。

HOWlongIremainedsenselessIcannotsay，foraconsiderabletime，Ibelieve；atlength，openingmyeyes，I

foundmyselflyingonabedinamiddle—sizedchamber，lightedbyacandle，whichstoodonatable—anelderlymanstoodnearme，andayetmoreelderlyfemalewasholdingaphialofverypungentsaltstomyolfactoryorgan。I

attemptedtomove，butfeltverystiff—myrightarmappearednearlyparalysed，andtherewasastrangedullsensationinmyhead。"Youhadbetterremainstill，youngman，"saidtheelderlyindividual，"thesurgeonwillbeherepresently；Ihavesentamessageforhimtotheneighbouringvillage。""WhereamI？"saidI，"andwhathashappened？"

"Youareinmyhouse，"saidtheoldman，"andyouhavebeenflungfromahorse。IamsorrytosaythatIwasthecause。

AsIwasdrivinghome，thelightsinmygigfrightenedtheanimal。""Whereisthehorse？"saidI。"Below，inmystable，"saidtheelderlyindividual。"Isawyoufall，butknowingthatonaccountofmyageIcouldbeoflittleusetoyou，Iinstantlyhurriedhome，theaccidentdidnotoccurmorethanafurlongoff，andprocuringtheassistanceofmylad，andtwoorthreeneighbouringcottagers，Ireturnedtothespotwhereyouwerelyingsenseless。Weraisedyouup，andbroughtyouhere。Myladthenwentinquestofthehorse，whohadrunawayaswedrewnigh。Whenwesawhimfirsthewasstandingnearyou；hecaughthimwithsomedifficulty，andbroughthimhome。Whatareyouabout？"saidtheoldman，asIstrovetogetoffthebed。"Iwanttoseethehorse，"saidI。"Ientreatyoutobestill，"saidtheoldman；"thehorseissafe，Iassureyou。""Iamthinkingabouthisknees，"saidI。"Insteadofthinkingaboutyourhorse’sknees，"saidtheoldman，"bethankfulthatyouhavenotbrokeyourownneck。""Youdonottalkwisely，"saidI；

"whenaman’sneckisbroke，heisprovidedfor；butwhenhishorse’skneesarebroke，heisalostjockey，thatis，ifhehasnothingbuthishorsetodependupon。AprettyfigureI

shouldcutatHorncastle，mountedonahorseblood—rawattheknees。""Oh，youaregoingtoHorncastle，"saidtheoldman，seriously，"thenIcansympathizewithyouinyouranxietyaboutyourhorse，beingaLincolnshireman，andthesonofonewhobredhorses。Iwillmyselfgodownintothestable，andexamineintotheconditionofyourhorse，soprayremainquiettillIreturn；itwouldcertainlybeaterriblethingtoappearatHorncastleonabroken—kneedhorse。"

Helefttheroomandreturnedinabouttenminutes，followedbyanotherperson。"Yourhorseissafe，"saidhe，"andhiskneesareunblemished；notahairruffled。Heisafineanimal，andwilldocredittoHorncastle；buthereisthesurgeoncometoexamineintoyourowncondition。"Thesurgeonwasamanaboutthirty—five，thin，andrathertall；

hisfacewaslongandpale，andhishair，whichwaslight，wascarefullycombedbackasmuchaspossiblefromhisforehead。Hewasdressedveryneatly，andspokeinaveryprecisetone。"Allowmetofeelyourpulse，friend？"saidhe，takingmebytherightwrist。Iutteredacry，foratthemotionwhichhecausedathrillofagonydartedthroughmyarm。"Ihopeyourarmisnotbroke，myfriend，"saidthesurgeon，"allowmetosee；firstofall，wemustdivestyouofthiscumbrousfrock。"

Thefrockwasremovedwithsomedifficulty，andthentheuppervestmentsofmyframe，withmoredifficultystill。Thesurgeonfeltmyarm，movingitupanddown，causingmeunspeakablepain。"Thereisnofracture，"saidhe，atlast，"butacontusion—aviolentcontusion。IamtoldyouweregoingtoHorncastle；Iamafraidyouwillbehardlyabletorideyourhorsethitherintimetodisposeofhim；however，weshallsee—yourarmmustbebandaged，friend；afterwhichIshallbleedyou，andadministeracomposingdraught。"

Tobeshort，thesurgeondidasheproposed，andwhenhehadadministeredthecomposingdraught，hesaid，"Beofgoodcheer；IshouldnotbesurprisedifyouareyetintimeforHorncastle。"Hethendepartedwiththemasterofthehouse，andthewoman，leavingmetomyrepose。Isoonbegantofeeldrowsy，andwasjustcomposingmyselftoslumber，lyingonmyback，asthesurgeonhadadvisedme，whenIheardstepsascendingthestairs，andinamomentmorethesurgeonenteredagain，followedbythemasterofthehouse。"IhopeIdon’tdisturbyou，"saidtheformer；"myreasonforreturningistorelieveyourmindfromanyanxietywithrespecttoyourhorse。Iambynomeanssurethatyouwillbeable，owingtoyouraccident，toreachHorncastleintime：

toquietyou，however，Iwillbuyyourhorseforanyreasonablesum。Ihavebeendowntothestable，andapproveofhisfigure。Whatdoyouaskforhim？""Thisisastrangetimeofnight，"saidI，"tocometomeaboutpurchasingmyhorse，andIamhardlyinafittingsituationtobeappliedtoaboutsuchamatter。Whatdoyouwanthimfor？""Formyownuse，"saidthesurgeon；"Iamaprofessionalman，andamobligedtobecontinuallydrivingabout；Icoveratleastonehundredandfiftymileseveryweek。""Hewillneveransweryourpurpose，"saidI，"heisnotadrivinghorse，andwasneverbetweenshaftsinhislife；heisforriding，moreespeciallyfortrotting，atwhichhehasfewequals。""Itmattersnottomewhetherheisforridingordriving，"saidthesurgeon，"sometimesIride，sometimesdrive；so，ifwecancometoterms，Iwillbuyhim，thoughrememberitischieflytoremoveanyanxietyfromyourmindabouthim。"

"Thisisnotimeforbargaining，"saidI，"ifyouwishtohavethehorseforahundredguineas，youmay；ifnot—""A

hundredguineas！"saidthesurgeon，"mygoodfriend，youmustsurelybelight—headed；allowmetofeelyourpulse，"andheattemptedtofeelmyleftwrist。"Iamnotlight—headed，"

saidI，"andIrequirenoonetofeelmypulse；butIshouldbelight—headedifIweretosellmyhorseforlessthanI

havedemanded；butIhaveacuriositytoknowwhatyouwouldbewillingtooffer。""Thirtypounds，"saidthesurgeon，"isallIcanaffordtogive；andthatisagreatdealforacountrysurgeontoofferforahorse。""Thirtypounds！"saidI，"why，hecostmenearlydoublethatsum。Totellyouthetruth，Iamafraidthatyouwanttotakeadvantageofmysituation。""Notintheleast，friend，"saidthesurgeon，"notintheleast；Ionlywishedtosetyourmindatrestaboutyourhorse；butasyouthinkheisworthmorethanI

canaffordtooffer，takehimtoHorncastlebyallmeans；I

willdomybesttocureyouintime。Goodnight，Iwillseeyouagainonthemorrow。"Thereuponheoncemoredepartedwiththemasterofthehouse。"Asharpone，"Iheardhimsay，withalaugh，asthedoorcloseduponhim。

Lefttomyself，Iagainessayedtocomposemyselftorest，butforsometimeinvain。Ihadbeenterriblyshakenbymyfall，andhadsubsequently，owingtotheincisionofthesurgeon’slancet，beendeprivedofmuchofthevitalfluid；

itiswhenthebodyisinsuchastatethatthemeresttriflesaffectandagitatethemind；nowonder，then，thatthereturnofthesurgeonandthemasterofthehouseforthepurposeofinquiringwhetherIwouldsellmyhorse，struckmeasbeinghighlyextraordinary，consideringthehourofthenight，andthesituationinwhichtheyknewmetobe。Whatcouldtheymeanbysuchconduct—didtheywis