three men on the bummel-第31节

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downstairs　into　the　kitchen　and　begins　to　chop　wood；　and　when　he
has　chopped　sufficient　wood　he　feels　pleased　with　himself　and
begins　to　sing。　　All　things　considered；　we　came　to　the　conclusion
we　could　not　do　better　than　follow　the　excellent　example　set　us。
Even　George　was　quite　eager　to　get　up　that　morning。

We　had　a　frugal　breakfast　at　half…past　four；　and　started　away　at
five。　　Our　road　lay　over　a　mountain；　and　from　enquiries　made　in　the
village　it　appeared　to　be　one　of　those　roads　you　cannot　possibly
miss。　　I　suppose　everybody　knows　this　sort　of　road。　　Generally；　it
leads　you　back　to　where　you　started　from；　and　when　it　doesn't；　you
wish　it　did；　so　that　at　all　events　you　might　know　where　you　were。
I　foresaw　evil　from　the　very　first；　and　before　we　had　accomplished
a　couple　of　miles　we　came　up　with　it。　　The　road　divided　into　three。
A　worm…eaten　sign…post　indicated　that　the　path　to　the　left　led　to　a
place　that　we　had　never　heard　ofthat　was　on　no　map。　　Its　other
arm；　pointing　out　the　direction　of　the　middle　road；　had
disappeared。　　The　road　to　the　right；　so　we　all　agreed；　clearly　led
back　again　to　the　village。

〃The　old　man　said　distinctly；〃　so　Harris　reminded　us；　〃keep
straight　on　round　the　hill。〃

〃Which　hill？〃　George　asked；　pertinently。

We　were　confronted　by　half　a　dozen；　some　of　them　big；　some　of　them
little。

〃He　told　us；〃　continued　Harris；　〃that　we　should　come　to　a　wood。〃

〃I　see　no　reason　to　doubt　him；〃　commented　George；　〃whichever　road
we　take。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；　a　dense　wood　covered　every　hill。

〃And　he　said；〃　murmured　Harris；　〃that　we　should　reach　the　top　in
about　an　hour　and　a　half。〃

〃There　it　is；〃　said　George；　〃that　I　begin　to　disbelieve　him。〃

〃Well；　what　shall　we　do？〃　said　Harris。

Now　I　happen　to　possess　the　bump　of　locality。　　It　is　not　a　virtue；
I　make　no　boast　of　it。　　It　is　merely　an　animal　instinct　that　I
cannot　help。　　That　things　occasionally　get　in　my　waymountains；
precipices；　rivers；　and　such　like　obstructionsis　no　fault　of
mine。　　My　instinct　is　correct　enough；　it　is　the　earth　that　is
wrong。　　I　led　them　by　the　middle　road。　　That　the　middle　road　had
not　character　enough　to　continue　for　any　quarter　of　a　mile　in　the
same　direction；　that　after　three　miles　up　and　down　hill　it　ended
abruptly　in　a　wasps'　nest；　was　not　a　thing　that　should　have　been
laid　to　my　door。　　If　the　middle　road　had　gone　in　the　direction　it
ought　to　have　done；　it　would　have　taken　us　to　where　we　wanted　to
go；　of　that　I　am　convinced。

Even　as　it　was；　I　would　have　continued　to　use　this　gift　of　mine　to
discover　a　fresh　way　had　a　proper　spirit　been　displayed　towards　me。
But　I　am　not　an　angelI　admit　this　frankly；and　I　decline　to
exert　myself　for　the　ungrateful　and　the　ribald。　　Besides；　I　doubt
if　George　and　Harris　would　have　followed　me　further　in　any　event。
Therefore　it　was　that　I　washed　my　hands　of　the　whole　affair；　and
that　Harris　entered　upon　the　vacancy。

〃Well；〃　said　Harris。　　〃I　suppose　you　are　satisfied　with　what　you
have　done？〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied；〃　I　replied　from　the　heap　of　stones　where　I
was　sitting。　　〃So　far；　I　have　brought　you　with　safety。　　I　would
continue　to　lead　you　further；　but　no　artist　can　work　without
encouragement。　　You　appear　dissatisfied　with　me　because　you　do　not
know　where　you　are。　　For　all　you　know；　you　may　be　just　where　you
want　to　be。　　But　I　say　nothing　as　to　that；　I　expect　no　thanks。　　Go
your　own　way；　I　have　done　with　you　both。〃

I　spoke；　perhaps；　with　bitterness；　but　I　could　not　help　it。　　Not　a
word　of　kindness　had　I　had　all　the　weary　way。

〃Do　not　misunderstand　us；〃　said　Harris；　〃both　George　and　myself
feel　that　without　your　assistance　we　should　never　be　where　we　now
are。　　For　that　we　give　you　every　credit。　　But　instinct　is　liable　to
error。　　What　I　propose　to　do　is　to　substitute　for　it　Science；　which
is　exact。　　Now；　where's　the　sun？〃

〃Don't　you　think；〃　said　George；　〃that　if　we　made　our　way　back　to
the　village；　and　hired　a　boy　for　a　mark　to　guide　us；　it　would　save
time　in　the　end？〃

〃It　would　be　wasting　hours；〃　said　Harris；　with　decision。　　〃You
leave　this　to　me。　　I　have　been　reading　about　this　thing；　and　it　has
interested　me。〃　　He　took　out　his　watch；　and　began　turning　himself
round　and　round。

〃It's　as　simple　as　A　B　C；〃　he　continued。　　〃You　point　the　short　hand
at　the　sun；　then　you　bisect　the　segment　between　the　short　hand　and
the　twelve；　and　thus　you　get　the　north。〃

He　worried　up　and　down　for　a　while；　then　he　fixed　it。

〃Now　I've　got　it；〃　he　said；　〃that's　the　north；　where　that　wasps'
nest　is。　　Now　give　me　the　map。〃

We　handed　it　to　him；　and　seating　himself　facing　the　wasps；　he
examined　it。

〃Todtmoos　from　here；〃　he　said；　〃is　south　by　south…west。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　from　here？〃　asked　George。

〃Why；　from　here；　where　we　are；〃　returned　Harris。

〃But　where　are　we？〃　said　George。

This　worried　Harris　for　a　time；　but　at　length　he　cheered　up。

〃It　doesn't　matter　where　we　are；〃　he　said。　　〃Wherever　we　are；
Todtmoos　is　south　by　south…west。　　Come　on；　we　are　only　wasting
time。〃

〃I　don't　quite　see　how　you　make　it　out；〃　said　George；　as　he　rose
and　shouldered　his　knapsack；　〃but　I　suppose　it　doesn't　matter。　　We
are　out　for　our　health；　and　it's　all　pretty！〃

〃We　shall　be　all　right；〃　said　Harris；　with　cheery　confidence。　　〃We
shall　be　in　at　Todtmoos　before　ten；　don't　you　worry。　　And　at
Todtmoos　we　will　have　something　to　eat。〃

He　said　that　he；　himself；　fancied　a　beefsteak；　followed　by　an
omelette。　　George　said　that；　personally；　he　intended　to　keep　his
mind　off　the　subject　until　he　saw　Todtmoos。

We　walked　for　half　an　hour；　then　emerging　upon　an　opening；　we　saw
below　us；　about　two　miles　away；　the　village　through　which　we　had
passed　that　morning。　　It　had　a　quaint　church　with　an　outside
staircase；　a　somewhat　unusual　arrangement。

The　sight　of　it　made　me　sad。　　We　had　been　walking　hard　for　three
hours　and　a　half；　and　had　accomplished；　apparently；　about　four
miles。　　But　Harris　was　delighted。

〃Now；　at　last；〃　said　Harris；　〃we　know　where　we　are。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　it　didn't　matter；〃　George　reminded　him。

〃No　more　it　does；　practically；〃　replied　Harris；　〃but　it　is　just　as
well　to　be　certain。　　Now　I　feel　more　confidence　in　myself。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that　being　an　advantage；〃　muttered　George。
But　I　do　not　think　Harris　heard　him。

〃We　are　now；〃　continued　Harris；　〃east　of　the　sun；　and　Todtmoos　is
south…west　of　where　we　are。　　So　that　if〃

He　broke　off。　　〃By…the…by；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　remember　whether　I
said　the　bisecting　line　of　that　segment　pointed　to　the　north　or　to
the　south？〃

〃You　said　it　pointed　to　the　north；〃　replied　George。

〃Are　you　positive？〃　persisted　Harris。

〃Positive；〃　answered　George　〃but　don't　let　that　influence　your
calculations。　　In　all　probability　you　were　wrong。〃

Harris　thought　for　a　while；　then　his　brow　cleared。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃of　course；　it's　the　north。　　It　must
be　the　north。　　How　could　it　be　the　south？　　Now　we　must　make　for　the
west。　　Come　on。〃

〃I　am　quite　willing　to　make　for　the　west；〃　said　George；　〃any　point
of　the　compass　is　the　same　to　me。　　I　only　wish　to　remark　that；　at
the　present　moment；　we　are　going　dead　east。〃

〃No　we　are　not；〃　returned　Harris；　〃we　are　going　west。〃

〃We　are　going　east；　I　tell　you；〃　said　George。

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　keep　saying　that；〃　said　Harris；　〃you　confuse
me。〃

〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　returned　George；　〃I　would　rather　do　that
than　go　wrong。　　I　tell　you　we　are　going　dead　east。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　retorted　Harris；　〃there's　the　sun。〃

〃I　can　see　the　sun；〃　answered　George；　〃quite　distinctly。　　It　may　be
where　it　ought　to　be；　according　to　you　and　Science；　or　it　may　not。
All　I　know　is；　that　when　we　were　down　in　the　village；　that
particular　hill　with　that　particular　lump　of　rock　upon　it　was　due
north　of　us。　　At　the　present　moment　we　are　facing　due　east。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　said　Harris；　〃I　forgot　for　the　moment　that
we　had　turned　round。〃

〃I　should　get　into　the　habit　of　making　a　note　of　it；　if　I　were
you；〃　grumbled　George；　〃it's　a　manoeuvre　that　will　probably　occur
again　more　than　once。〃

We　faced　about；　and　walked　in　the　other　direction。　　At　the　end　of
forty　minutes'　climbing　we　again　emerged　upon　an　opening；　and　again
the　village　lay　just　under　our　feet。　　On　this　occasion　it　was　south
of　us。

〃This　is　very　extraordinary；〃　said　Harris。

〃I　see　nothing　remarkable　about　it；〃　said　George。　　〃If　you　walk
steadily　round　a　village　it　is　only　natural　that　now　and　then　you
get　a　glimpse　of　it。　　Myself；　I　am　glad　to　see　it。　　It　proves　to　me
that　we　are　not　utterly　lost。〃

〃It　ought　to　be　the　other　side　of　us；〃　said　Harris。

〃It　will　be　in　another　hour　or　so；〃　said　George；　〃if　we　keep　on。〃

I　said　little　myself；　I　was　vexed　with　both　of　them；　but　I　was　glad
to　notice　George　evidently　growing　cross　with　Harris。　　It　was
absurd　of　Harris　to　fancy　he　could　find　the　way　by　the　sun。

〃I　wish　I　knew；〃　said　Harris；　thoughtfully；　〃for　certain　whether
that　bisecting　line　points　to　the　north　or　to　the　south。〃

〃I　should　make　up　my　mind　about　it；〃　said　George；　〃it's　an
important　point。〃

〃It's　impossible　it　can　be　the　north；〃　said　Harris；　〃and　I'll　tell
you　why。〃

〃You　needn't　troubl