three men in a boat-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



quote　the　quaint　phraseology　of　those　dim　days；　〃from　the　times　of　King　

Sebert　and　King　Offa。〃　　Just　past　the　weir　（going　up）　is　Danes'　Field；　

where　the　invading　Danes　once　encamped；　during　their　march　to　

Gloucestershire；　and　a　little　further　still；　nestling　by　a　sweet　corner　

of　the　stream；　is　what　is　left　of　Medmenham　Abbey。



The　famous　Medmenham　monks；　or　〃Hell　Fire　Club；〃　as　they　were　commonly　

called；　and　of　whom　the　notorious　Wilkes　was　a　member；　were　a　fraternity　

whose　motto　was　〃Do　as　you　please；〃　and　that　invitation　still　stands　over　

the　ruined　doorway　of　the　abbey。　　Many　years　before　this　bogus　abbey；　

with　its　congregation　of　irreverent　jesters；　was　founded；　there　stood　

upon　this　same　spot　a　monastery　of　a　sterner　kind；　whose　monks　were　of　a　

somewhat　different　type　to　the　revellers　that　were　to　follow　them；　five　

hundred　years　afterwards。



The　Cistercian　monks；　whose　abbey　stood　there　in　the　thirteenth　century；　

wore　no　clothes　but　rough　tunics　and　cowls；　and　ate　no　flesh；　nor　fish；　

nor　eggs。　　They　lay　upon　straw；　and　they　rose　at　midnight　to　mass。　　They　

spent　the　day　in　labour；　reading；　and　prayer；　and　over　all　their　lives　

there　fell　a　silence　as　of　death；　for　no　one　spoke。



A　grim　fraternity；　passing　grim　lives　in　that　sweet　spot；　that　God　had　

made　so　bright！　　Strange　that　Nature's　voices　all　around　them　…　the　soft　

singing　of　the　waters；　the　whisperings　of　the　river　grass；　the　music　of　

the　rushing　wind　…　should　not　have　taught　them　a　truer　meaning　of　life　

than　this。　　They　listened　there；　through　the　long　days；　in　silence；　

waiting　for　a　voice　from　heaven；　and　all　day　long　and　through　the　solemn　

night　it　spoke　to　them　in　myriad　tones；　and　they　heard　it　not。



From　Medmenham　to　sweet　Hambledon　Lock　the　river　is　full　of　peaceful　

beauty；　but；　after　it　passes　Greenlands；　the　rather　uninteresting　looking　

river　residence　of　my　newsagent　…　a　quiet　unassuming　old　gentleman；　who　

may　often　be　met　with　about　these　regions；　during　the　summer　months；　

sculling　himself　along　in　easy　vigorous　style；　or　chatting　genially　to　

some　old　lock…keeper；　as　he　passes　through　…　until　well　the　other　side　of　

Henley；　it　is　somewhat　bare　and　dull。



We　got　up　tolerably　early　on　the　Monday　morning　at　Marlow；　and　went　for　a　

bathe　before　breakfast；　and；　coming　back；　Montmorency　made　an　awful　ass　

of　himself。　　The　only　subject　on　which　Montmorency　and　I　have　any　serious　

difference　of　opinion　is　cats。　　I　like　cats；　Montmorency　does　not。



When　I　meet　a　cat；　I　say；　〃Poor　Pussy！〃　and　stop　down　and　tickle　the　side　

of　its　head；　and　the　cat　sticks　up　its　tail　in　a　rigid；　cast…iron　manner；　

arches　its　back；　and　wipes　its　nose　up　against　my　trousers；　and　all　is　

gentleness　and　peace。　　When　Montmorency　meets　a　cat；　the　whole　street　

knows　about　it；　and　there　is　enough　bad　language　wasted　in　ten　seconds　to　

last　an　ordinarily　respectable　man　all　his　life；　with　care。



I　do　not　blame　the　dog　（contenting　myself；　as　a　rule；　with　merely　

clouting　his　head　or　throwing　stones　at　him）；　because　I　take　it　that　it　

is　his　nature。　　Fox…terriers　are　born　with　about　four　times　as　much　

original　sin　in　them　as　other　dogs　are；　and　it　will　take　years　and　years　

of　patient　effort　on　the　part　of　us　Christians　to　bring　about　any　

appreciable　reformation　in　the　rowdiness　of　the　fox…terrier　nature。



I　remember　being　in　the　lobby　of　the　Haymarket　Stores　one　day；　and　all　

round　about　me　were　dogs；　waiting　for　the　return　of　their　owners；　who　

were　shopping　inside。　　There　were　a　mastiff；　and　one　or　two　collies；　and　

a　St。　Bernard；　a　few　retrievers　and　Newfoundlands；　a　boar…hound；　a　French　

poodle；　with　plenty　of　hair　round　its　head；　but　mangy　about　the　middle；　a　

bull…dog；　a　few　Lowther　Arcade　sort　of　animals；　about　the　size　of　rats；　

and　a　couple　of　Yorkshire　tykes。



There　they　sat；　patient；　good；　and　thoughtful。　　A　solemn　peacefulness　

seemed　to　reign　in　that　lobby。　　An　air　of　calmness　and　resignation　…　of　

gentle　sadness　pervaded　the　room。



Then　a　sweet　young　lady　entered；　leading　a　meek…looking　little　fox…

terrier；　and　left　him；　chained　up　there；　between　the　bull…dog　and　the　

poodle。　　He　sat　and　looked　about　him　for　a　minute。　　Then　he　cast　up　his　

eyes　to　the　ceiling；　and　seemed；　judging　from　his　expression；　to　be　

thinking　of　his　mother。　　Then　he　yawned。　　Then　he　looked　round　at　the　

other　dogs；　all　silent；　grave；　and　dignified。



He　looked　at　the　bull…dog；　sleeping　dreamlessly　on　his　right。　　He　looked　

at　the　poodle；　erect　and　haughty；　on　his　left。　　Then；　without　a　word　of　

warning；　without　the　shadow　of　a　provocation；　he　bit　that　poodle's　near　

fore…leg；　and　a　yelp　of　agony　rang　through　the　quiet　shades　of　that　

lobby。



The　result　of　his　first　experiment　seemed　highly　satisfactory　to　him；　and　

he　determined　to　go　on　and　make　things　lively　all　round。　　He　sprang　over　

the　poodle　and　vigorously　attacked　a　collie；　and　the　collie　woke　up；　and　

immediately　commenced　a　fierce　and　noisy　contest　with　the　poodle。　　Then　

Foxey　came　back　to　his　own　place；　and　caught　the　bull…dog　by　the　ear；　and　

tried　to　throw　him　away；　and　the　bull…dog；　a　curiously　impartial　animal；　

went　for　everything　he　could　reach；　including　the　hall…porter；　which　gave　

that　dear　little　terrier　the　opportunity　to　enjoy　an　uninterrupted　fight　

of　his　own　with　an　equally　willing　Yorkshire　tyke。



Anyone　who　knows　canine　nature　need　hardly；　be　told　that；　by　this　time；　

all　the　other　dogs　in　the　place　were　fighting　as　if　their　hearths　and　

homes　depended　on　the　fray。　　The　big　dogs　fought　each　other　

indiscriminately；　and　the　little　dogs　fought　among　themselves；　and　filled　

up　their　spare　time　by　biting　the　legs　of　the　big　dogs。



The　whole　lobby　was　a　perfect　pandemonium；　and　the　din　was　terrific。　　A　

crowd　assembled　outside　in　the　Haymarket；　and　asked　if　it　was　a　vestry　

meeting；　or；　if　not；　who　was　being　murdered；　and　why？　　Men　came　with　

poles　and　ropes；　and　tried　to　separate　the　dogs；　and　the　police　were　sent　

for。



And　in　the　midst　of　the　riot　that　sweet　young　lady　returned；　and　snatched　

up　that　sweet　little　dog　of　hers　（he　had　laid　the　tyke　up　for　a　month；　

and　had　on　the　expression；　now；　of　a　new…born　lamb）　into　her　arms；　and　

kissed　him；　and　asked　him　if　he　was　killed；　and　what　those　great　nasty　

brutes　of　dogs　had　been　doing　to　him；　and　he　nestled　up　against　her；　and　

gazed　up　into　her　face　with　a　look　that　seemed　to　say：　〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　

you've　come　to　take　me　away　from　this　disgraceful　scene！〃



She　said　that　the　people　at　the　Stores　had　no　right　to　allow　great　savage　

things　like　those　other　dogs　to　be　put　with　respectable　people's　dogs；　

and　that　she　had　a　great　mind　to　summon　somebody。



Such　is　the　nature　of　fox…terriers；　and；　therefore；　I　do　not　blame　

Montmorency　for　his　tendency　to　row　with　cats；　but　he　wished　he　had　not　

given　way　to　it　that　morning。



We　were；　as　I　have　said；　returning　from　a　dip；　and　half…way　up　the　High　

Street　a　cat　darted　out　from　one　of　the　houses　in　front　of　us；　and　began　

to　trot　across　the　road。　　Montmorency　gave　a　cry　of　joy　…　the　cry　of　a　

stern　warrior　who　sees　his　enemy　given　over　to　his　hands　…　the　sort　of　

cry　Cromwell　might　have　uttered　when　the　Scots　came　down　the　hill　…　and　

flew　after　his　prey。



His　victim　was　a　large　black　Tom。　　I　never　saw　a　larger　cat；　nor　a　more　

disreputable…looking　cat。　　It　had　lost　half　its　tail；　one　of　its　ears；　

and　a　fairly　appreciable　proportion　of　its　nose。　　It　was　a　long；　sinewy…

looking　animal。　　It　had　a　calm；　contented　air　about　it。



Montmorency　went　for　that　poor　cat　at　the　rate　of　twenty　miles　an　hour；　

but　the　cat　did　not　hurry　up　…　did　not　seem　to　have　grasped　the　idea　that　

its　life　was　in　danger。　　It　trotted　quietly　on　until　its　would…be　

assassin　was　within　a　yard　of　it；　and　then　it　turned　round　and　sat　down　

in　the　middle　of　the　road；　and　looked　at　Montmorency　with　a　gentle；　

inquiring　expression；　that　said：



〃Yes！　　You　want　me？〃



Montmorency　does　not　lack　pluck；　but　there　was　something　about　the　look　

of　that　cat　that　might　have　chilled　the　heart　of　the　boldest　dog。　　He　

stopped　abruptly；　and　looked　back　at　Tom。



Neither　spoke；　but　the　conversation　that　one　could　imagine　was　clearly　as　

follows：…



THE　CAT：　〃Can　I　do　anything　for　you？〃



MONTMORENCY：　〃No　…　no；　thanks。〃



THE　CAT：　〃Don't　you　mind　speaking；　if　you　really　want　anything；　you　

know。〃



MONTMORENCY　（BACKING　DOWN　THE　HIGH　STREET）：　〃Oh；　no　…　not　at　all　…　

certainly　…　don't　you　trouble。　　I　…　I　am　afraid　I've　made　a　mistake。　　I　

thought　I　knew　you。　　Sorry　I　disturbed　you。〃



THE　CAT：　〃Not　at　all　…　quite　a　pleasure。　　Sure　you　don't　want　anything；　

now？〃



MONTMORENCY　（STILL　BACKING）：　〃Not　at　all；　thanks　…　not　at　all　…　very　kind　

of　you。　　Good　morning。〃



THE　CAT：　〃Good…morning。〃



Then　the　cat　rose；　and　continued　his　trot；　and　Montmorency；　fitting　what　

he　calls　his　tail　carefully