学进去

Peter had sent milk to the families on West Street for thirty years. All that knew him loved him.

Every morning at five, Peter arrived at the milk company’s stables（马厩）, saying to John, “Good morning! My old friend!” Then, the two started their day proudly. Without any order from Peter, the carriage would go down the street. The horse stopped at the first house. There, John would wait perhaps thirty seconds for Peter to get down off his seat and put a bottle of milk at the front door.

One day, the manager of the company came to check the early morning work. Tom, the leader of the stables, pointed to Peter and said, “See how the horse listens and how he turns his head toward Peter?”

“Yeah! But Peter’s getting old.” said the manager, “Tell him it is time for him to have a rest.”

But Peter said, “My life will be nothing if I can’t drive John every day. We are both old! Let us wear out together. When John is ready to leave, then I too will do so.”

Then one cold morning, after about two years, Tom said. “Peter, your horse, didn’t wake up. Go over and see him.”

Peter took one step forward, then turned. “No. . . no. . . You. . . you don’t understand, Tom.”

Now, Tom looked into Peter’s eyes. He saw a dead, lifeless look in them. So he said softly, “Take the day off, Peter, and have a good rest, ...”

Peter stepped into the street. Then there came a warning shout and a sudden stop of a carriage. . .

Five minutes later, a doctor said, ‘Peter’s dead. . .”

“I couldn’t help it.” the driver said, “Why, he walked as if he were blind?”

The doctor sat down. “Blind? Of course! This man has been blind for five years.” he turned to Tom, “Didn’t you know that?”

“None of us knew.” Tom said in a low, sad voice, “Only one. . . only one knew—a friend of his, named John.”