GODOLPHIST ABABIAN. 



309 



cold night in the latter part of January he saw a great crowd 

 at the foot of the Pont Neuf, and a horse, in a heavy cart, loaded 

 with wood, attempting in vain to draw his burden up the ascent, 

 while the carter was urging him on with brutal severity. All 

 the efforts of the animal to move forward were ineffectual, and, 

 driven to desperation by the lashings of his hard taskmaster, he 

 plunged with so much violence, the ground being extremely slip- 

 pery, that he fell on his knees, and was unable to rise. The carter 

 renewed his blows, and with horrid imprecations seized the bit of 

 his bridle, attempting to force him up, but with such violence that 

 the mouth of the poor animal was filled with blood. With violent 

 efforts, he at last got on his legs, but only to fall again, when, 

 turning on his side, he lay 

 trembling, covered with sweat, 

 and his eye reproachfully fixed 

 on his inhuman tyrant, who, 

 unmoved by his piteous groans, 

 kicked him repeatedly on his 

 streaming nostrils, till every 

 one cried ' Shame ! ' but all 

 were too much afraid of his 

 known brutality to further 

 interfere. Their horror was 

 increased when the fellow, go- 

 ing to the tail of his cart, took 

 out a handful of straw, and 

 twisting it into the form of a 

 torch, and lighting it, was in 

 the act of applying the brand 

 to the poor animal's foot, when the compassionate Friend inter- 

 fered, arrested his arm, and exhibited fifteen louis-d'ors spread on 

 the palm of his hand, offering the whole as the price of his pur- 

 chase. Although he had treated the execrations of the multitude 

 with contempt, the ' timber-merchant ' was not proof against the 

 glittering coin, and crushed the torch under his foot. The pur- 

 chase was agreed upon, the horse disengaged, and the parties pro- 

 ceeded to the driver's stable, to complete the contract. 



"The carter, mollified by receiving the money, so far beyond 

 his estimation of the value of the animal, said he ought, injustice, 

 to tell the purchaser that the horse was the most malignant and 

 ungovernable brute he had ever met with, and so dangerous to 

 approach that he was obliged to put his corn into his manger be- 

 fore he had entered the stable; that, from his vicious habits, he 

 had bought him for a mere trifle, having given only twenty crowns 

 for him; that * the beggar,' when in the humor, would draw well, 

 but when he had a heavier load than usual, would play him the 



FIG. 217. Godolphin Arabian. From 

 Stubb's picture. By J. C. Beard. 



