. But my
belief is, it wasn't even grease--it was fat."

"I tell you I put my foot on one of those horrid stones they make the
roads with, and it gave my ankle such a twist."

"Ankle indeed! Why should you ape your betters? Horses ain't got any
ankles: they're only pasterns. And so long as you don't lift your feet
better, but fall asleep between every step, you'll run a good chance
of laming all your ankles as you call them, one after another. It's not
your lively horse that comes to grief in that way. I tell you I believe
it wasn't much, and if it was, it was your own fault. There! I've done.
I'm going to sleep. I'll try to think as well of you as I can. If you
would but step out a bit and run off a little of your fat!" Here Diamond
began to double up his knees; but Ruby spoke again, and, as young
Diamond thought, in a rather different tone.

"I say, Diamond, I can't bear to have an honest old horse like you think
of me like that. I will tell you the truth: it was my own fault that I
fell lame."

"I told you so," returned the other, tumbling against the partition as
he rolled over on his side to give his legs every possible privilege in
their narrow circumstances.

"I meant to do it, Diamond."

At the words, the old horse arose with a scramble like thunder, shot his
angry head and glaring eye over into Ruby's stall, and said--

"Keep out of my way, you unworthy wretch, or I'll bite you. You a horse!
Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted to grow fat."

"You grease-tub! Oh! my teeth and tail! I thought you were a humbug! Why
did you want to get fat? There's no truth to be got out of you but by
cross-questioning. You ain't fit to be a horse."

"Because once I am fat, my nature is to keep fat for a long time; and I
didn't know when master might come home and want to see me."

"You conceited, good-for-nothing brute! You're only fit for the
knacker's yard. You wanted to look handsome, did you? Hold your tongue,
or I'll break my halter and be at you--with your handsome fat!"

"Never mind, Diamond. You're a good horse. You can't hurt me."

"Can't hurt you! Just let me once try."

"No, you can't."

"Why then?"

"Because I'm an angel."

"What's that?"

"Of course you don't know."

"Indeed I don't."

"I know you don't. An ignorant, rude old human horse, like you, couldn't
know it. But there's young Diamond listening to all we're saying; and he
knows well enough there are horses in heaven for angels t