"Is this fellow well trained?" Monsieur de Boisguilbault inquired, as he patted Corbeau's neck.
"He is docile and willing, but otherwise he's as ignorant as his master."
"I don't care very much for animals," said the marquis; "however, I sometimes give a little attention to horses and I will show you some very good pupils of mine. Will you allow me to try the qualities of yours?"
Emile made haste to turn his courser for the marquis to mount; but he was so afraid of an accident when he saw how slowly and painfully the old man hoisted himself into the saddle, that he could not refrain from warning him, even at the risk of insulting him, that Corbeau was a little restive and mettlesome.
The marquis received the warning without taking offence, but persisted none the less in his plan, with comical gravity. Emile trembled for his venerable host, and Corbeau quivered with anger and dread under that strange hand. He even tried to rebel, and from the marquis's gentle manner of dealing with his rebellion, you would have said that he was rather ill at ease himself. "There, there, my boy," he said, patting his neck, "let's not get excited."
But that was only a consequence of his theories, which forbade the maltreatment of a horse as the crime of lèse-science. He gradually quieted his steed without punishing him, and riding him about his great bare gravelled courtyard as if it were a riding-school, he tried him at all his gaits, and with extraordinary ease made him go through all the various evolutions and changes of foot which he would have required from a well-schooled horse. Corbeau seemed to submit without effort; but when the marquis turned him over to Emile his distended nostrils and his quarters, dripping with sweat, revealed the mysterious power to which that firm hand and those long legs had subjected him.
MONSIEUR DE BOISGUILBAULT TRIES EMILE'S HORSE.
He gradually quieted his steed without punishing him, and riding him about his great bare gravelled courtyard as if it were a riding-school, he tried him at all his gaits, and with extraordinary ease made him go through all the various evolutions and changes of foot which he would have required from a well-schooled horse.