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There is nothing you need to be doing now,
And nowhere you need to go.
Close your eyes and feel yourself sink into the support beneath you and let all the worries of the day drift away.
This is your time and your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
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Happy listening.
Chapter 12 A Stormy Day One day late in the autumn,
My master had a long journey to go on business.
I was put into the dog cart and John went with his master.
I always liked to go in the dog cart,
It was so light and the high wheels ran along so pleasantly.
There had been a great deal of rain and now the wind was very high and blew the dry leaves across the road in a shower.
We went along merrily till we came to the toll bar and the long wooden bridge.
The river banks were rather high and the bridge,
Instead of rising,
Went across just level so that in the middle,
If the river was full,
The water would be nearly up to the woodwork and planks.
But as there were good substantial rails on each side,
People did not seem to mind it.
The man at the gate said the river was rising fast and he feared it would be a bad night.
Many of the meadows were underwater,
He said,
And in one low part of the road,
The water was halfway up to my knees.
The bottom was good and the master drove gently,
So it was no matter.
When we got to the town,
Of course,
I had a good bait.
But as the master's business engaged him a long time,
We did not start for home till rather late in the afternoon.
The wind was then much higher and I heard the master say to John he had never been out in such a storm.
So I thought,
As we rushed along the skirts of a wood,
Where the great branches were swaying about like twigs,
And the rushing sound was terrible,
I wish we were well out of this.
Then,
As I feared,
There was a groan,
A crack,
A splitting sound,
And tearing,
Crashing down among the other trees,
Came an old oak,
Turned up by the roots.
It fell right across the ground before us.
I will never say I was not frightened,
For I was.
I stopped still.
I believed I trembled,
But of course I did not turn round or run away.
I was not brought up to do that.
In a moment,
John jumped out and was at my head.
That was a very near touch,
Said my master.
What's to be done now?
Well,
Sir,
We can't drive over that tree and all yet get round it.
There'll be nothing for it but to go back to the four crossways,
And that'll be a good six miles before we get round to the wooden bridge again.
It'll make us late,
But the horse is fresh.
So back we went,
And round by the crossroads.
But by the time we got to the bridge,
It was very nearly dark.
We could just see the water was over the middle of it now.
But as that happens sometimes when the floods were out,
Master did not stop.
We were going along at a good pace and all seemed to be well,
But the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge,
I felt sure there was something wrong.
I dare not go forward,
And I made a dead stop.
Go on,
Beauty,
Said my master.
He gave me a touch with a whip,
But I dared not stir.
Then he gave me a sharp cut.
I jumped,
But I dared not go forward.
There's something wrong,
Sir,
Said John.
He sprang out of the dog cart and came to my head and looked all about.
He tried to lean me forward.
Come on,
Beauty,
What's the matter,
He said.
But of course I could not tell him.
I knew very well,
Though,
That that bridge was not safe.
And just then,
The man at the toll gate on the other side ran after the house,
Tossing a torch about like one who was mad.
Hey,
Stop,
Stop,
He cried.
What's the matter,
Shouted my master.
That bridge is broken in the middle.
Part of it's carried away.
If you come on over here,
You'll be in the river.
Thank God,
Said my master.
You beauty,
Said John.
Then he took the bridle and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the riverside.
The sun had set some time ago.
The wind seemed to have lulled off after that furious blast which tore up the tree,
And it grew darker and darker still.
I trotted quietly along,
And the wheels hardly made a sound on the soft road.
For a good while,
Neither master nor John spoke.
Then the master began in a serious voice.
I could not understand much of what they said.
But I found they thought if I'd gone on as the master wanted me to,
Most likely the bridge would have given way,
And me,
Chase,
Master and man would have fallen into the river.
As the current was flowing very strongly,
And there was no light and no help at hand,
It was more than likely we should all have been drowned,
Master said.
God had given men reason,
He added,
By which they could find out things for themselves.
But he had given animals knowledge which did not depend upon reason,
And which was much more prompt and perfect in its way,
And by which they'd often save the lives of men.
At this,
John had many stories to tell of dogs and horses,
And the wonderful things they'd done.
He thought people did not value their animals half enough,
Nor make friends with them as they ought to.
And I'm sure John makes friends with them if ever a man did.
After a long track,
We came to the park gates and found the gardener looking out for us.
He said the mistress had been in a dreadful way ever since dark,
Fearing some accident had befallen us,
And that she'd sent James off on Justice the Roam Cob towards the wooden bridge to make inquiry.
We saw a light at the hall door in the upper windows,
And as we came up,
The mistress ran out saying,
Are you really safe,
My dear?
I've been so anxious,
Fancying all sorts of things.
Have you had no accident at all?
No,
My dear,
Said the master,
But if your black beauty had not been wiser than we were,
We should all have been carried down the river at the wooden bridge.
As they went into the house,
I heard no more.
John took me to the stable,
And oh,
What a good supper he gave me that night.
A good bran mash,
Some crushed beans,
My oats,
And such a thick bed of straw.
I was very glad for it,
For after such a long night,
I was now very tired.
