"
This part of the journey was cold and cheerless enough. The road wound
somewhat, and the settlements were few, even the houses were far apart
from each other; and although the hills were fewer, they heard Caesar
admonish his horses more frequently than usual, and about four o'clock
in the day they came to a full stop. The snow of the morning had turned
into a sort of drizzling rain; and Caesar, dismounting from his seat,
announced to his mistress that one of the horses had cast a shoe.
"What shall we do?" cried Mrs. Seymour in dismay, preparing to jump
down into the mud and investigate matters.
"Dey's no use at all of madam's gettin' out," said Caesar, holding the
door of the coach,--"no use at all. I'se done got de shoe, 'cause I saw
it a-comin' off, an' here it is. De horse will do well enuf, 'caise I'll
drive wif care; but what I wants to say is that, 'cordin' to my
judgment, we had oughter take a turn to de right, just hyar, which am in
de direction ob Ridgefield, whar I ken fin' a blacksmith's shop, shuh.
Ef madam pleases, it's goin' somewhat out of de direct way to White
Plains, but what wid de weather, which madam can see is obstreperous an'
onsartain, I'm ob de opinion dat Ridgefield am de best stoppin' place
for dis night, anyhow;" and having delivered himself of this
exhortation, Caesar touched his hat respectfully, but with an air of
having settled the question.
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