Hedidnotseeitallashesatonhishorse——hewas，asyet，tooyoung；buthedidfeelthecontrastbetweenthedinandglarearoundhimandthesilenceanddarkbeyond，and，afterwards，lookingback，heknewthathehadfoundinthatsamecontrasttheveryheartofromance。Asitwas，hesimplyclutchedhishorse’sbeautifulheadandwaitedfortheridetobegin……
　　Theywereoff！Hefelthishorsequiverunderhim，hesawthemansionsoftheTwo-HeadedGiantandtheFatLadysliptotheright，thelightseemedtoswingliketheskirtofsomeone’sdress，upwardsacrossthefloor，andfromtheheartofthegoldenwomanandthekingandtheminstrelascreamburstforthasthoughtheywereannouncingtheendoftheworld。Afterthathehadnoclearideaastowhatoccurred。Hewasswungintospace，andallthelifethathadbeensostationary，thebooths，thelights，themenandwomen，theverystarswentswingingwithhimasthoughtocheerhimon；thehorseunderhimgallopedbefore，andthefasterhegallopedthewilderwasthemusicandthedizziertheworld。Hewasexultant，omnipotent，supreme。Hehadlongknownthatthisglorywassomewhereifitcouldonlyhefound，allhisdaysheseemedtohavebeensearchingforit；hebeathishorse’sneck，hedrovehislegsagainsthissides。“Goon！Goon！Goon！“hecried。“Faster！Faster！
　　Faster！“
　　Thestrangestthingsseemedtorisetohisnoticeandthenfallagain——apeakedpoliceman’shat，flowers，asuddenflameofgas，thestaringeyesanddeadwhitearmsofthegoldenwoman，theflyingformsofthehorsesinfrontofhim。Alltheworldwasonhorseback，alltheworldwasracinghigherandhigher，fasterandfaster。Hesawsomeonenearhimriseontohishorse’sbackandstandonit，wavinghisarms。Hewouldliketohavedonethat，buthefoundthathewaspartofhishorse，asthoughhehadbeengluedtoit。Heshouted，hecriedaloud，hewassohappythathethoughtofnooneandnothing……Theflamedancedabouthiminacircle，heseemedtorisesohighthattherewasasuddenstillness，hewasintheveryheartofthestars；thencamethesuprememomentwhen，ashehadalwaysknown，thatonedayhewouldbe，hewasmasteroftheworld……Then，likeLucifer，hefell。Slowlythestarsreceded，themusicslackened，peoplerockedontotheirfeetagain……TheTwo-HeadedGiantslippedhackoncemoreintohisplace，hesawthesinisterladystilldevouringhersupper，womenlookingupathimgaped。Hishorsegavealastlittleleapanddied。
　　Thismarvellousexperienceherepeatedfourtimes，andeverytimewithanecstasymorecompletethanthelast。Herushedtoaheight，hefell，herushedagain，hefell，andateveryreturntoasoberlifehisoneintentionwasinstantlytobeoffonhissteedoncemore。Hewasabouttostartonhisfifthjourney，hehadpaidhishalfpenny，hewassittingforwardwithhishandsontheblackmane，hiseyes，staring，werefilledalreadywiththeglorythatheknewwascomingtohim，hischeekswerecrimson，hishatonthebackofhishead，hishairflying。Heheardavoice，quietandcool，alittlebelowhim，butverynear：
　　“Jeremy……Jeremy。Comeoffthat。You’vegottogohome。“
　　HelookeddownandsawhisUncleSamuel。
　　IV
　　Itwasallover；heknewatoncethatitwasallover。
　　Asheslippeddownfromhisdearhorsehegavetheglossydarkmaneonelastpat；then，withalittlesigh，hefoundhisfeet，stumbledoverthewoodenstepsandwasathisuncle’sside。
　　UncleSamuellookedqueerenoughwithasquashyblackhat，ablackcloakflungoverhisshoulders，andalargecherry-woodpipeinhismouth。Jeremylookedupathimdefiantly。
　　“Well，“saidUncleSamuelsarcastically。“It’snothingtoyou，I
　　suppose，thatthetown-crierisatthismomentringinghisbellforyouupanddowntheMarketPlace？“
　　“Doesfatherknow？“Jeremyaskedquickly。
　　“Hedoes，“answeredUncleSamuel。
　　Jeremycastonelastlookaroundtheplace；themerry-go-roundwasengagedoncemoreuponitswildcourse，thehorsesrisingandfalling，thegoldenwomanclashingthecymbals，theminstrelstriking，withhisdeadeyesfixeduponspace，hisharp。Allaboutmenwereshouting；thenoiseofthecoconutstores，ofthecircus，oftheband，ofthehuckstersandthecharlatans，thecryingofchildren，thelaughterofwomen——allthenoiseoftheFairbathedJeremyuptohisforehead。
　　Heswaminitforthelasttime。Hetriedtocatchonelastglimpseofhiscoal-blackcharger，then，withasigh，hesaid，turningtohisuncle：“Isupposewe’dbetterbegoing。“
　　“Yes，Isupposewehad，“saidUncleSamuel。
　　TheythreadedtheirwaythroughtheFair，passedthewoodenstile，andwereonceagaininthestreets，darkandancientunderthemoon，withallthenoiseandglarebehindthem。Jeremywasthinkingtohimself：“Itdoesn’tmatterwhatFatherdoes，orhowangryheis，thatwasworthit。“Itwasstrangehowlittleafraidhewas。Onlyayearagotobepunishedbyhisfatherhadbeenaterriblething。
　　Now，sincehismother’sillnessinthesummer，hisfatherhadseemedtohavenoinfluenceoverhim。
　　“Didtheybendyou，ordidyoujustcomeyourself，Uncle？“askedJeremy。
　　“Ihappenedtobetakingtheairinthatdirection，“saidUncleSamuel。
　　“Ihopeyoudidn’tcomeawaybeforeyouwantedto，“saidJeremypolitely。
　　“Ididnot，“saidhisuncle。
　　“IsFatherveryangry？“askedJeremy。
　　“It’smorethanlikelyhemaybe。TheTownCrier’sexpensive。“
　　“Ididn’tthinkthey’dknow，“explainedJeremy。“Imeanttogetbackintime。“
　　“Yourfatherdidn’tgotochurch，“saidUncleSamuel。“Soyoursinswerequicklydiscovered。“
　　Jeremysaidnothing。
　　JustastheywereclimbingOrangeStreethesaid：
　　“UncleSamuel，IthinkI’llbeahorse-trainer。“
　　“Oh，willyou？……Well，beforeyoutrainhorsesyou’vegottotrainyourself。Thinkofothersbesideyourself。Afinestateyou’veputyourmotherintoto-night。“
　　Jeremylookeddistressed。“She’dknowifIwasdead，someonewouldcomeandtellher，“hesaid。“ButI’lltellMotherI’msorry……
　　ButIwon’ttellFather，“headded。
　　“Whynot？“askedUncleSamuel。
　　“Becausehe’llmakesuchafuss。AndI’mnotsorry。Henevertoldmenotto。“
　　“No，butyouknewyouhadn’tto。“
　　“I’mverygoodatobeying，“explainedJeremy，“ifsomeonesayssomething；butifsomeonedoesn’t，thereisn’tanyonetoobey，“
　　UncleSamuelshookhishead。“You’llbeabitofaprig，myson，ifyouaren’tcareful，“hesaid。
　　“Ithinkitwillbesplendidtobeahorse-trainer，“saidJeremy。
　　“Itwasalovelyhorseto-night……AndIonlyspentashilling。I
　　hadthreeandthreepencehalfpenny。“
　　AtthedooroftheirhouseUncleSamuelstoppedandsaid：
　　“Lookhere，youngman，theysayit’stimeyouwenttoschool，andI
　　don’tthinkthey’refarwrong。Therearethingswiserheadsthanyourscanunderstand，andyou’dbettertaketheirwordforit。Inthefuture，ifyouwanttogorunningoffsomewhere，you’dbettercontentyourselfwithmystudioandmakeamessthere。“
　　“Oh，mayI？“criedJeremydelighted。
　　Thatstudiohadbeenalwaysaforbiddenplacetothem，andhad，therefore，itsairofenchantingmystery。
　　“Won’tyoureallymindmycoming？“heasked。
　　“Ishallprobablyhateit，“answeredhisuncle；“butthere’snothingIwouldn’tdoforthefamily。“
　　Theboywalkedtohisfather’sstudyandknockedonthedoor。Hedidhavethen，atthesoundofthatknock，amomentofpanic。Thehousewassosilent，andheknewsowellwhatwouldfollowtheopeningofthedoor。Andtheworstofitwasthathewasnotsorryintheleast。Heseemedtobeindifferentandsuperior，asthoughnopunishmentcouldtouchhim。
　　“Comein！“saidhisfather。
　　Hepushedopenthedoorandentered。Thescenethatfollowedwasgraveandsad，andyet，intheend，strangelyunimpressive。Hisfathertalkedtoomuch。AshetalkedJeremy’sthoughtswouldflybacktothecoal-blackhorseandtothatmomentwhenhehadseemedtoflyintotheveryheartofthestars。
　　“Ah，Jeremy，howcouldyou？“saidhisfather。“Isobediencenothingtoyou？DoyouknowhowGodpunishesdisobedience？Thinkwhataterriblethingisadisobedientman！“Thenonalowerscale：“I
　　reallydon’tknowwhattodowithyou。Youknewthatyouwerenottogonearthatwickedplace。“
　　“Youneversaid——“interruptedJeremy。
　　“Nonsense！Youknewwellenough。Youwillbreakyourmother’sheart。“
　　“I’lltellherI’msorry，“heinterruptedquickly。
　　“Ifyouarereallysorry——“saidhisfather。
　　“I’mnotsorryIwent，“saidJeremy，“butI’msorryIhurtMother。“
　　TheendofitwasthatJeremyreceivedsixstrokesonthehandwitharuler。Mr。Colewasnotgoodatthiskindofthing，andtwicehemissedJeremy’shandaltogether，andlookedveryfoolish。Itwasnotanedifyingscene。Jeremylefttheroom，hisheadhigh，hisspiritobstinate；andhisfatherremained，puzzled，distressed，ataloss，anxioustodowhatwasright，butunabletotouchhissonatall。
　　Jeremywentuptohisroom。Heopenedhiswindowandlookedout。Hecouldsmelltheburntleavesofthebonfire。Therewasnoflamenow，buthefanciedthathecouldseeawhiteshadowwhereithadbeen。
　　Then，onthewind，camethemusicoftheFair。
　　“Tum——te——Tum……Tum——te——Tum……Whirr——Whirr——Whirr——Bang——
　　Bang。“
　　Somewhereanowlcried，andthenanotherowlanswered。
　　Herubbedhissorehandagainsthistrousers；then，thinkingofhisblackhorse，hesmiled。
　　Hewasafreeman。Inaweekhewouldgotoschool；thenhewouldgotoCollege；thenhewouldbeahorsetrainer。