英国北斯坦福郡一个镇上的木工房里,老木工爱德华·阿斯特里正手持刨子刨活,他不时地停下来,眯起一只眼睛仔细地端详着他手里的活,像是在检查,又像是在欣赏。刨花、锯末散落满地,屋子里弥漫着一股木屑味。爱德华是镇上有名的木匠,大到马车,小到钟表架,样样活都难不倒他。他手艺高超,受人尊敬,生意源源不断,日子过得不错。唯一使他不顺心的是他那不听话的儿子菲力浦。老木工一心想叫儿子子承父业,象他那样成为一名出色的木匠,至少也应该成为他的好帮手。然而,菲力浦对单调而枯燥的木工活毫无兴趣,常常心不在焉,趁父亲不注意的时候,偷偷溜出门去。他住的小镇是通往伦敦的必经之地,因商业的繁荣而成为运输中心,马车是当时的主要运输工具。菲加甫从小喜欢马,他常兴致勃勃地观看来来往往的马车和骑马赶路的人。他渴望自己有一匹高头大 In a townhouse in North Stamford, England, the old carpenter Edwards Astrid was working on a plane, and from time to time he stopped to narrow his eyes and looked carefully at his hands as if Check, but also like to enjoy. Wood shavings, saw dust scattered, the house filled with a woody smell. Edward is the town’s famous carpenter, big carriage, small clock stand, everything is hard to beat him. His superb craftsmanship, respected, a steady stream of business, life fantastic. The only thing that displeased him was his obnoxious son, Philip. The old woodworker wanted to call his son inherit his father’s profession, as he did become a good carpenter, at least, should be his good helper. However, Philip was uninterested in the monotonous and boring carpentry, often absent-minded, sneaking out while his father did not pay attention. The town he lived in was the gateway to London, a center of commerce for its commercial prosperity, and the carriage was the main means of transport at the time. Filgafu likes to be a horse from an early age, he often happily watching coming and going carriage and riding on the road. He longs for a tall guy