登陆注册
5254800000153

第153章 CHAPTER XLVI SQUIRE FAGGUS MAKES SOME LUCKY HITS(2

Tom Faggus had very good news to tell, and he told it with such force of expression as made us laugh very heartily. He had taken up his purchase from old Sir Roger Bassett of a nice bit of land, to the south of the moors, and in the parish of Molland. When the lawyers knew thoroughly who he was, and how he had made his money, they behaved uncommonly well to him, and showed great sympathy with his pursuits. He put them up to a thing or two; and they poked him in the ribs, and laughed, and said that he was quite a boy; but of the right sort, none the less. And so they made old Squire Bassett pay the bill for both sides; and all he got for three hundred acres was a hundred and twenty pounds; though Tom had paid five hundred. But lawyers know that this must be so, in spite of all their endeavours; and the old gentleman, who now expected to find a bill for him to pay, almost thought himself a rogue, for getting anything out of them.

It is true that the land was poor and wild, and the soil exceeding shallow; lying on the slope of rock, and burned up in hot summers. But with us, hot summers are things known by tradition only (as this great winter may be); we generally have more moisture, especially in July, than we well know what to do with.

I have known a fog for a fortnight at the summer solstice, and farmers talking in church about it when they ought to be praying. But it always contrives to come right in the end, as other visitations do, if we take them as true visits, and receive them kindly.

Now this farm of Squire Faggus (as he truly now had a right to be called) was of the very finest pasture, when it got good store of rain. And Tom, who had ridden the Devonshire roads with many a reeking jacket, knew right well that he might trust the climate for that matter. The herbage was of the very sweetest, and the shortest, and the closest, having perhaps from ten to eighteen inches of wholesome soil between it and the solid rock. Tom saw at once what it was fit for--the breeding of fine cattle.

Being such a hand as he was at making the most of everything, both his own and other people's (although so free in scattering, when the humour lay upon him) he had actually turned to his own advantage that extraordinary weather which had so impoverished every one around him. For he taught his Winnie (who knew his meaning as well as any child could, and obeyed not only his word of mouth, but every glance be gave her) to go forth in the snowy evenings when horses are seeking everywhere (be they wild or tame) for fodder and for shelter; and to whinny to the forest ponies, miles away from home perhaps, and lead them all with rare appetites and promise of abundance, to her master's homestead. He shod good Winnie in such a manner that she could not sink in the snow; and he clad her over the loins with a sheep-skin dyed to her own colour, which the wild horses were never tired of coming up and sniffing at; taking it for an especial gift, and proof of inspiration. And Winnie never came home at night without at least a score of ponies trotting shyly after her, tossing their heads and their tails in turn, and making believe to be very wild, although hard pinched by famine. Of course Tom would get them all into his pound in about five minutes, for he himself could neigh in a manner which went to the heart of the wildest horse. And then he fed them well, and turned them into his great cattle pen, to abide their time for breaking, when the snow and frost should be over.

He had gotten more than three hundred now, in this sagacious manner; and he said it was the finest sight to see their mode of carrying on, how they would snort, and stamp, and fume, and prick their ears, and rush backwards, and lash themselves with their long rough tails, and shake their jagged manes, and scream, and fall upon one another, if a strange man came anigh them. But as for feeding time, Tom said it was better than fifty plays to watch them, and the tricks they were up to, to cheat their feeders, and one another. Iasked him how on earth he had managed to get fodder, in such impassable weather, for such a herd of horses; but he said that they lived upon straw and sawdust; and he knew that I did not believe him, any more than about his star-shavings. And this was just the thing he loved--to mystify honest people, and be a great deal too knowing. However, I may judge him harshly, because I myself tell everything.

I asked him what he meant to do with all that enormous lot of horses, and why he had not exerted his wits to catch the red deer as well. He said that the latter would have been against the laws of venery, and might have brought him into trouble, but as for disposing of his stud, it would give him little difficulty. He would break them, when the spring weather came on, and deal with them as they required, and keep the handsomest for breeding. The rest he would despatch to London, where he knew plenty of horse-dealers; and he doubted not that they would fetch him as much as ten pounds apiece all round, being now in great demand. Itold him I wished that he might get it; but as it proved afterwards, he did.

Then he pressed us both on another point, the time for his marriage to Annie; and mother looked at me to say when, and I looked back at mother. However, knowing something of the world, and unable to make any further objection, by reason of his prosperity, I said that we must even do as the fashionable people did, and allow the maid herself to settle, when she would leave home and all. And this I spoke with a very bad grace, being perhaps of an ancient cast, and over fond of honesty--Imean, of course, among lower people.

But Tom paid little heed to this, knowing the world a great deal better than ever I could pretend to do; and being ready to take a thing, upon which he had set his mind, whether it came with a good grace, or whether it came with a bad one. And seeing that it would be awkward to provoke my anger, he left the room, before more words, to submit himself to Annie.

同类推荐
  • 难岁篇

    难岁篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 全相平话三国志至治新刊

    全相平话三国志至治新刊

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 薛丁山征西

    薛丁山征西

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 抱一函三秘诀

    抱一函三秘诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 纯正蒙求

    纯正蒙求

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 纵横虚空

    纵横虚空

    我本就是天才,奈何神龙被困马厩;虚空戒灵认主,纯阳之躯震撼出世;炼《纯阳全本》,建镇虚宗。为爱人,踩帝国,震十宗,威震灵武大陆,为师仇,破虚空,纵苍穹,十方仇敌皆伏诛,为和平,寻五行,踏异界,修虚空,成永恒传说。
  • Sir Nigel

    Sir Nigel

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天命弑神

    天命弑神

    龙云大陆,一个强者无数的世界,这个世界似乎隐藏着巨大的秘密.........风萧一个地球上失落的青年,意外得到了一个系统,而龙云大陆也将因风萧的到来,而发生不可预测的动荡..........
  • 快穿之你的不二臣

    快穿之你的不二臣

    【双撩1v1】【甜宠】莫名其妙进入一款恋爱游戏的苏末,撩着男神!!“女扮男装”的苏末:给你两个选择!一做我女朋友,二我做你男朋友!总之,要不要做我盘里的菜?!但是……男神修长苍白的指划过少女的脸庞,喃喃:苏苏,最喜欢你了,不要离开我哦……要不然,我会忍不住对你做很坏很坏的事情……苏末:……妈妈!!我好像遇到变态了!!萌萌哒系统:撩完就跑,末末是渣女哦~苏末无奈:好吧,自家的,还能咋办?宠宠宠!!!男主自始至终同一个人~这是一个女主强势撩却总是反被撩到双腿颤抖的苦逼故事……
  • 书生的思念

    书生的思念

    火夜风华年轻时的诗歌,伤感的思想,纯真的爱恋,朦胧的心念。
  • 唐钟馗全传

    唐钟馗全传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 正一醮墓仪

    正一醮墓仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乐金刚不空真实三昧耶经般若波罗蜜多理趣释

    大乐金刚不空真实三昧耶经般若波罗蜜多理趣释

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魔道破天

    魔道破天

    一个普通的少年,机缘之下进入一个修仙的世界。在这里他有金丹期的师傅,有逆天的法宝,有无数的美女围绕在身边,就在少年活的有知有味的时候,少年无意中发现了一个关于修仙界的惊天秘密。随后一切不可思议的事情就发生了。
  • 实用自我疗法系列:三高症实用自我疗法

    实用自我疗法系列:三高症实用自我疗法

    《实用自我疗法系列:三高症实用自我疗法》从读者最迫切的需求出发,分别论述了“三高”患者在诊断、预防、食疗、起居、运动、自疗、用药的各个细节以及自我监测等,让读者对“三高症”有全面的了解,做到诊治了然于心,防患于未然。全书以实用性和可操作性为指导,不仅适合所有高血压、糖尿病,高血脂患者及其家人阅读,而且对广大中年以上健康人群及早预防“三高”也会有非常切实的帮助。