three men in a boat-第19节

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opposite　bank；　noticing　things　in　general。　　By…and…by　a　small　boat　came　

in　sight；　towed　through　the　water　at　a　tremendous　pace　by　a　powerful　

barge　horse；　on　which　sat　a　very　small　boy。　　Scattered　about　the　boat；　in　

dreamy　and　reposeful　attitudes；　lay　five　fellows；　the　man　who　was　

steering　having　a　particularly　restful　appearance。



〃I　should　like　to　see　him　pull　the　wrong　line；〃　murmured　George；　as　they　

passed。　　And　at　that　precise　moment　the　man　did　it；　and　the　boat　rushed　

up　the　bank　with　a　noise　like　the　ripping　up　of　forty　thousand　linen　

sheets。　　Two　men；　a　hamper；　and　three　oars　immediately　left　the　boat　on　

the　larboard　side；　and　reclined　on　the　bank；　and　one　and　a　half　moments　

afterwards；　two　other　men　disembarked　from　the　starboard；　and　sat　down　

among　boat…hooks　and　sails　and　carpet…bags　and　bottles。　　The　last　man　

went　on　twenty　yards　further；　and　then　got　out　on　his　head。



This　seemed　to　sort　of　lighten　the　boat；　and　it　went　on　much　easier；　the　

small　boy　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　and　urging　his　steed　into　a　

gallop。　　The　fellows　sat　up　and　stared　at　one　another。　　It　was　some　

seconds　before　they　realised　what　had　happened　to　them；　but；　when　they　

did；　they　began　to　shout　lustily　for　the　boy　to　stop。　　He；　however；　was　

too　much　occupied　with　the　horse　to　hear　them；　and　we　watched　them；　

flying　after　him；　until　the　distance　hid　them　from　view。



I　cannot　say　I　was　sorry　at　their　mishap。　　Indeed；　I　only　wish　that　all　

the　young　fools　who　have　their　boats　towed　in　this　fashion　…　and　plenty　

do　…　could　meet　with　similar　misfortunes。　　Besides　the　risk　they　run　

themselves；　they　become　a　danger　and　an　annoyance　to　every　other　boat　

they　pass。　　Going　at　the　pace　they　do；　it　is　impossible　for　them　to　get　

out　of　anybody　else's　way；　or　for　anybody　else　to　get　out　of　theirs。　　

Their　line　gets　hitched　across　your　mast；　and　overturns　you；　or　it　

catches　somebody　in　the　boat；　and　either　throws　them　into　the　water；　or　

cuts　their　face　open。　　The　best　plan　is　to　stand　your　ground；　and　be　

prepared　to　keep　them　off　with　the　butt…end　of　a　mast。



Of　all　experiences　in　connection　with　towing；　the　most　exciting　is　being　

towed　by　girls。　　It　is　a　sensation　that　nobody　ought　to　miss。　　It　takes　

three　girls　to　tow　always；　two　hold　the　rope；　and　the　other　one　runs　

round　and　round；　and　giggles。　　They　generally　begin　by　getting　themselves　

tied　up。　　They　get　the　line　round　their　legs；　and　have　to　sit　down　on　the　

path　and　undo　each　other；　and　then　they　twist　it　round　their　necks；　and　

are　nearly　strangled。　　They　fix　it　straight；　however；　at　last；　and　start　

off　at　a　run；　pulling　the　boat　along　at　quite　a　dangerous　pace。　　At　the　

end　of　a　hundred　yards　they　are　naturally　breathless；　and　suddenly　stop；　

and　all　sit　down　on　the　grass　and　laugh；　and　your　boat　drifts　out　to　mid…

stream　and　turns　round；　before　you　know　what　has　happened；　or　can　get　

hold　of　a　scull。　　Then　they　stand　up；　and　are　surprised。



〃Oh；　look！〃　they　say；　〃he's　gone　right　out　into　the　middle。〃



They　pull　on　pretty　steadily　for　a　bit；　after　this；　and　then　it　all　at　

once　occurs　to　one　of　them　that　she　will　pin　up　her　frock；　and　they　ease　

up　for　the　purpose；　and　the　boat　runs　aground。



You　jump　up；　and　push　it　off；　and　you　shout　to　them　not　to　stop。



〃Yes。　　What's　the　matter？〃　they　shout　back。



〃Don't　stop；〃　you　roar。



〃Don't　what？〃



〃Don't　stop　…　go　on　…　go　on！〃



〃Go　back；　Emily；　and　see　what　it　is　they　want；〃　says　one；　and　Emily　comes　

back；　and　asks　what　it　is。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　says；　〃anything　happened？〃



〃　No；〃　you　reply；　〃it's　all　right；　only　go　on；　you　know　…　don't　stop。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃Why；　we　can't　steer；　if　you　keep　stopping。　　You　must　keep　some　way　on　

the　boat。〃



〃Keep　some　what？〃



〃Some　way　…　you　must　keep　the　boat　moving。〃



〃Oh；　all　right；　I'll　tell　‘em。　　Are　we　doing　it　all　right？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　very　nicely；　indeed；　only　don't　stop。〃



〃It　doesn't　seem　difficult　at　all。　　I　thought　it　was　so　hard。〃



〃Oh；　no；　it's　simple　enough。　　You　want　to　keep　on　steady　at　it；　that's　

all。〃



〃I　see。　　Give　me　out　my　red　shawl；　it's　under　the　cushion。〃



You　find　the　shawl；　and　hand　it　out；　and　by　this　time　another　one　has　

come　back　and　thinks　she　will　have　hers　too；　and　they　take　Mary's　on　

chance；　and　Mary　does　not　want　it；　so　they　bring　it　back　and　have　a　

pocket…comb　instead。　　It　is　about　twenty　minutes　before　they　get　off　

again；　and；　at　the　next　corner；　they　see　a　cow；　and　you　have　to　leave　the　

boat　to　chivy　the　cow　out　of　their　way。



There　is　never　a　dull　moment　in　the　boat　while　girls　are　towing　it。



George　got　the　line　right　after　a　while；　and　towed　us　steadily　on　to　

Penton　Hook。　　There　we　discussed　the　important　question　of　camping。　　We　

had　decided　to　sleep　on　board　that　night；　and　we　had　either　to　lay　up　

just　about　there；　or　go　on　past　Staines。　　It　seemed　early　to　think　about　

shutting　up　then；　however；　with　the　sun　still　in　the　heavens；　and　we　

settled　to　push　straight　on　for　Runnymead；　three　and　a　half　miles　

further；　a　quiet　wooded　part　of　the　river；　and　where　there　is　good　

shelter。



We　all　wished；　however；　afterward　that　we　had　stopped　at　Penton　Hook。　　

Three　or　four　miles　up　stream　is　a　trifle；　early　in　the　morning；　but　it　

is　a　weary　pull　at　the　end　of　a　long　day。　　You　take　no　interest　in　the　

scenery　during　these　last　few　miles。　　You　do　not　chat　and　laugh。　　Every　

half…mile　you　cover　seems　like　two。　　You　can　hardly　believe　you　are　only　

where　you　are；　and　you　are　convinced　that　the　map　must　be　wrong；　and；　

when　you　have　trudged　along　for　what　seems　to　you　at　least　ten　miles；　and　

still　the　lock　is　not　in　sight；　you　begin　to　seriously　fear　that　somebody　

must　have　sneaked　it；　and　run　off　with　it。



I　remember　being　terribly　upset　once　up　the　river　（in　a　figurative　sense；　

I　mean）。　　I　was　out　with　a　young　lady　…　cousin　on　my　mother's　side　…　and　

we　were　pulling　down　to　Goring。　　It　was　rather　late；　and　we　were　anxious　

to　get　in　…　at　least　SHE　was　anxious　to　get　in。　　It　was　half…past　six　

when　we　reached　Benson's　lock；　and　dusk　was　drawing　on；　and　she　began　to　

get　excited　then。　　She　said　she　must　be　in　to　supper。　　I　said　it　was　a　

thing　I　felt　I　wanted　to　be　in　at；　too；　and　I　drew　out　a　map　I　had　with　

me　to　see　exactly　how　far　it　was。　　I　saw　it　was　just　a　mile　and　a　half　to　

the　next　lock　…　Wallingford　…　and　five　on　from　there　to　Cleeve。



〃Oh；　it's　all　right！〃　I　said。　　〃We'll　be　through　the　next　lock　before　

seven；　and　then　there　is　only　one　more；〃　and　I　settled　down　and　pulled　

steadily　away。



We　passed　the　bridge；　and　soon　after　that　I　asked　if　she　saw　the　lock。　　

She　said　no；　she　did　not　see　any　lock；　and　I　said；　〃Oh！〃　and　pulled　on。　　

Another　five　minutes　went　by；　and　then　I　asked　her　to　look　again。



〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　can't　see　any　signs　of　a　lock。〃



〃You　…　you　are　sure　you　know　a　lock；　when　you　do　see　one？〃　I　asked　

hesitatingly；　not　wishing　to　offend　her。



The　question　did　offend　her；　however；　and　she　suggested　that　I　had　better　

look　for　myself；　so　I　laid　down　the　sculls；　and　took　a　view。　　The　river　

stretched　out　straight　before　us　in　the　twilight　for　about　a　mile；　not　a　

ghost　of　a　lock　was　to　be　seen。



〃You　don't　think　we　have　lost　our　way；　do　you？〃　asked　my　companion。



I　did　not　see　how　that　was　possible；　though；　as　I　suggested；　we　might　

have　somehow　got　into　the　weir　stream；　and　be　making　for　the　falls。



This　idea　did　not　comfort　her　in　the　least；　and　she　began　to　cry。　　She　

said　we　should　both　be　drowned；　and　that　it　was　a　judgment　on　her　for　

coming　out　with　me。



It　seemed　an　excessive　punishment；　I　thought；　but　my　cousin　thought　not；　

and　hoped　it　would　all　soon　be　over。



I　tried　to　reassure　her；　and　to　make　light　of　the　whole　affair。　　I　said　

that　the　fact　evidently　was　that　I　was　not　rowing　as　fast　as　I　fancied　I　

was；　but　that　we　should　soon　reach　the　lock　now；　and　I　pulled　on　for　

another　mile。



Then　I　began　to　get　nervous　myself。　　I　looked　again　at　the　map。　　There　

was　Wallingford　lock；　clearly　marked；　a　mile　and　a　half　below　Benson's。　　

It　was　a　good；　reliable　map；　and；　besides；　I　recollected　the　lock　myself。　　

I　had　been　through　it　twice。　　Where　were　we？　　What　had　happened　to　us？　　I　

began　to　think　it　must　be　all　a　dream；　and　that　I　was　really　asleep　in　

bed；　and　should　wake　up　in　a　minute；　and　be　told　it　was　past　ten。



I　asked　my　cousin　if　she　thought　it　could　be　a　dream；　and　she　replied　

that　she　was　just　about　to　ask　me　the　same　question；　and　then　we　both　

wondered　if　we　were　both　asleep；　and　if　so；　who　was　the　real　one　that　was　

dreaming；　and　who　was　the　one　that　was　only　a　dream；　it　got　quite　

interesting。



I　still　went　on　pulling；　however；　and　still　no　lock　came　in　sight；　and　

the　river　grew　more　and　more　gloomy　and　mysterious　under　the　gathering　

shadows　of　night；　and　things　seemed　to　be　getting　w