Trois chevaux, qu\u2019on avait attach\u00e9s au m\u00eame arbre,
\nCausaient.<\/p>\n
L\u2019un, coureur leste \u00e0 la croupe de marbre,
\nValait cent mille francs, \u00e9tait vainqueur d\u2019Epsom,
\nEt, tout harnach\u00e9 d\u2019or, s\u2019\u00e9criait : sum qui sum !
\nCela parle latin, les b\u00eates. Des mains blanches
\nCent fois de ce pur-sang avaient flatt\u00e9 les hanches,
\nEt souvent il avait, dans le turf \u00e9bloui,
\nSenti courir les c\u0153urs des femmes apr\u00e8s lui.
\nDe l\u00e0 bien des succ\u00e8s \u00e0 son propri\u00e9taire.<\/p>\n
Le second quadrup\u00e8de \u00e9tait un militaire,
\nUn dada formidable, une brute d\u2019acier,
\nUn cheval que Racine e\u00fbt appel\u00e9 coursier.
\nIl se dressait, brid\u00e9, superbe, ivre de joie,
\nD\u2019autant plus triomphant qu\u2019il avait l\u2019\u0153il d\u2019une oie.
\nSur sa housse on lisait : Essling, Ulm, I\u00e9na.
\nIl avait la fiert\u00e9 massive que l\u2019on a
\nLorsqu\u2019on est orgueilleux de tout ce qu\u2019on ignore ;
\nSon capara\u00e7on fauve \u00e9tait riche et sonore ;
\nIl piaffait, il semblait \u00e9couter le tambour.<\/p>\n
Et le troisi\u00e8me \u00e9tait un cheval de labour.
\nUn b\u00e2t de corde au cou, c\u2019\u00e9tait l\u00e0 sa toilette.
\nTriste b\u00eate ! on croyait voir marcher un squelette,
\nAyant assez de peau sous la bise et le vent
\nPour faire un peu l\u2019effet d\u2019un \u00eatre encor vivant.<\/p>\n
Le beau cheval de luxe, esp\u00e8ce de jocrisse,
\nDisait :<\/p>\n
\u2014 Ici le pape, et l\u00e0 le baron Brisse ;
\nPour l\u2019estomac Br\u00e9bant, pour l\u2019\u00e2me Loyola ;
\n\u00catre b\u00e9ni, bien boire et bien manger, voil\u00e0
\nCe que pr\u00eache mon ma\u00eetre ; et moi, roi de la joute,
\nJ\u2019estime que mon ma\u00eetre a raison, et j\u2019ajoute
\nQue les cocottes font l\u2019ornement du derby.
\nIl faut au peuple un dieu par les pr\u00eatres fourbi,
\n\u00c0 nous une \u00e9curie en acajou, la bible
\nPour l\u2019homme, et des journaux, morbleu, le moins possible.
\nLe Jockey-Club vaut mieux que l\u2019esprit L\u00e9gion.
\nPas de soci\u00e9t\u00e9 sans la religion.
\nSi je n\u2019\u00e9tais cheval, je voudrais \u00eatre moine.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Moi, je voudrais manger parfois un peu d\u2019avoine
\nEt de foin, soupira le cheval paysan.
\nJe travaille beaucoup, et je suis, jugez-en
\nPar ma c\u00f4te saignante et mon \u00e9chine maigre,
\nPresque aussi mal trait\u00e9 que l\u2019homme appel\u00e9 n\u00e8gre.
\nCompter les coups de fouet que je re\u00e7ois serait
\nCompter combien d\u2019oiseaux chantent dans la for\u00eat ;
\nJ\u2019ai faim, j\u2019ai soif, j\u2019ai froid ; je ne suis pas f\u00e9roce,
\nMais je suis malheureux.<\/p>\n
Ainsi parla la rosse.<\/p>\n
Le cheval de bataille alors, plein de fureur,
\nIndign\u00e9, bien pensant, dit : \u2014 Vive l\u2019empereur !<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[440],"poems-book":[439],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[206],"class_list":["post-9129","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-440","poems-book-les-chatiments","poete-victor-hugo"],"yoast_head":"\n