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 to ride upon, as well as other animals, lions
and eagles and bulls, in more important situations. The horses
the angels ride, must be angel-horses, else the angels couldn't
ride upon them. Well, I'm one of them."
"You ain't."
"Did you ever know a horse tell a lie?"
"Never before. But you've confessed to shamming lame."
"Nothing of the sort. It was necessary I should grow fat,
and necessary that good Joseph, your master, should grow lean.
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