ems, been alarmed by the crash which accompanied the firebolt, and had
hurried up to learn the cause. I forthwith seized the horses by the
heads, and used all the means I possessed to soothe and pacify them,
employing every gentle modulation of which my voice was capable. Belle,
in the meantime, had raised up the man, who was much stunned by his fall;
but presently recovering his recollection to a certain degree, he came
limping to me, holding his hand to his right thigh. "The first thing
that must now be done," said I, "is to free these horses from the traces;
can you undertake to do so?" "I think I can," said the man, looking at
me somewhat stupidly. "I will help," said Belle, and without loss of
time laid hold of one of the traces. The man, after a short pause, also
set to work, and in a few minutes the horses were extricated. "Now,"
said I to the man, "what is next to be done?" "I don't know," said he;
"indeed, I scarcely know anything; I have been so frightened by this
horrible storm, and so shaken by my fall." "I think," said I, "that the
storm is passing away, so cast your fears away too; and as for your fall,
you must bear it as lightly as you can. I will tie the horses amongst
those trees, and then we will all betake us to the hollow below." "And
what's to become of my chaise?" said the postillion, looking ruefully on
the fallen vehicle. "Let us leave the chaise for the present," said I;
"we can be of no use to it." "I don't like to leave my chaise lying on
the ground in this weather," said the man, "I love my chaise, and him
whom it belongs to." "You are quite right to be fond of yourself," said
I, "on which account I advise you to seek shelter from the rain as soon
as possible." "I was not talking of myself," said the man, "but my
master, to whom the chaise belongs." "I thought you called the chaise
yours," said I. "That's my way of speaking," said the man, "but the
chaise is my master's, and a better master does not live. Don't you
think we could manage to raise up the chaise?" "And what is to become of
the horses?" said I. "I love my horses well enough," said the man; "but
they will take less harm than the chaise. We two can never lift up that
chaise." "But we three can," said Belle; "at least, I think so; and I
know where to find two poles which will assist us." "You had better go
to the tent," said I, "you will be wet through." "I care not for a
little wetting," said Belle; "moreover,