three men in a boat-第3节

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a　headache　that　afternoon。　　It　was　the　pickles；　you　know。　　They　were　the　

most　disgraceful　pickles　I　ever　tasted　in　a　respectable　boat。　　Did　you　

have　any？〃



For　myself；　I　have　discovered　an　excellent　preventive　against　sea…

sickness；　in　balancing　myself。　　You　stand　in　the　centre　of　the　deck；　and；　

as　the　ship　heaves　and　pitches；　you　move　your　body　about；　so　as　to　keep　

it　always　straight。　　When　the　front　of　the　ship　rises；　you　lean　forward；　

till　the　deck　almost　touches　your　nose；　and　when　its　back　end　gets　up；　

you　lean　backwards。　　This　is　all　very　well　for　an　hour　or　two；　but　you　

can't　balance　yourself　for　a　week。



George　said：



〃Let's　go　up　the　river。〃



He　said　we　should　have　fresh　air；　exercise　and　quiet；　the　constant　change　

of　scene　would　occupy　our　minds　（including　what　there　was　of　Harris's）；　

and　the　hard　work　would　give　us　a　good　appetite；　and　make　us　sleep　well。



Harris　said　he　didn't　think　George　ought　to　do　anything　that　would　have　a　

tendency　to　make　him　sleepier　than　he　always　was；　as　it　might　be　

dangerous。



He　said　he　didn't　very　well　understand　how　George　was　going　to　sleep　any　

more　than　he　did　now；　seeing　that　there　were　only　twenty…four　hours　in　

each　day；　summer　and　winter　alike；　but　thought　that　if　he　DID　sleep　any　

more；　he　might　just　as　well　be　dead；　and　so　save　his　board　and　lodging。



Harris　said；　however；　that　the　river　would　suit　him　to　a　〃T。〃　　I　don't　

know　what　a　〃T〃　is　（except　a　sixpenny　one；　which　includes　bread…and…

butter　and　cake　AD　LIB。；　and　is　cheap　at　the　price；　if　you　haven't　had　

any　dinner）。　　It　seems　to　suit　everybody；　however；　which　is　greatly　to　

its　credit。



It　suited　me　to　a　〃T〃　too；　and　Harris　and　I　both　said　it　was　a　good　idea　

of　George's；　and　we　said　it　in　a　tone　that　seemed　to　somehow　imply　that　

we　were　surprised　that　George　should　have　come　out　so　sensible。



The　only　one　who　was　not　struck　with　the　suggestion　was　Montmorency。　　He　

never　did　care　for　the　river；　did　Montmorency。



〃It's　all　very　well　for　you　fellows；〃　he　says；　〃you　like　it；　but　I　don't。　　

There's　nothing　for　me　to　do。　　Scenery　is　not　in　my　line；　and　I　don't　

smoke。　　If　I　see　a　rat；　you　won't　stop；　and　if　I　go　to　sleep；　you　get　

fooling　about　with　the　boat；　and　slop　me　overboard。　　If　you　ask　me；　I　

call　the　whole　thing　bally　foolishness。〃



We　were　three　to　one；　however；　and　the　motion　was　carried。









CHAPTER　II。





PLANS　DISCUSSED。　…　PLEASURES　OF　〃CAMPING…OUT；〃　ON　FINE　NIGHTS。　…　DITTO；　

WET　NIGHTS。　…　COMPROMISE　DECIDED　ON。　…　MONTMORENCY；　FIRST　IMPRESSIONS　OF。　

…　FEARS　LEST　HE　IS　TOO　GOOD　FOR　THIS　WORLD；　FEARS　SUBSEQUENTLY　DISMISSED　

AS　GROUNDLESS。　…　MEETING　ADJOURNS。



WE　pulled　out　the　maps；　and　discussed　plans。



We　arranged　to　start　on　the　following　Saturday　from　Kingston。　　Harris　and　

I　would　go　down　in　the　morning；　and　take　the　boat　up　to　Chertsey；　and　

George；　who　would　not　be　able　to　get　away　from　the　City　till　the　

afternoon　（George　goes　to　sleep　at　a　bank　from　ten　to　four　each　day；　

except　Saturdays；　when　they　wake　him　up　and　put　him　outside　at　two）；　

would　meet　us　there。



Should　we　〃camp　out〃　or　sleep　at　inns？



George　and　I　were　for　camping　out。　　We　said　it　would　be　so　wild　and　free；　

so　patriarchal　like。



Slowly　the　golden　memory　of　the　dead　sun　fades　from　the　hearts　of　the　

cold；　sad　clouds。　　Silent；　like　sorrowing　children；　the　birds　have　ceased　

their　song；　and　only　the　moorhen's　plaintive　cry　and　the　harsh　croak　of　

the　corncrake　stirs　the　awed　hush　around　the　couch　of　waters；　where　the　

dying　day　breathes　out　her　last。



From　the　dim　woods　on　either　bank；　Night's　ghostly　army；　the　grey　

shadows；　creep　out　with　noiseless　tread　to　chase　away　the　lingering　rear…

guard　of　the　light；　and　pass；　with　noiseless；　unseen　feet；　above　the　

waving　river…grass；　and　through　the　sighing　rushes；　and　Night；　upon　her　

sombre　throne；　folds　her　black　wings　above　the　darkening　world；　and；　from　

her　phantom　palace；　lit　by　the　pale　stars；　reigns　in　stillness。



Then　we　run　our　little　boat　into　some　quiet　nook；　and　the　tent　is　

pitched；　and　the　frugal　supper　cooked　and　eaten。　　Then　the　big　pipes　are　

filled　and　lighted；　and　the　pleasant　chat　goes　round　in　musical　

undertone；　while；　in　the　pauses　of　our　talk；　the　river；　playing　round　the　

boat；　prattles　strange　old　tales　and　secrets；　sings　low　the　old　child's　

song　that　it　has　sung　so　many　thousand　years　…　will　sing　so　many　thousand　

years　to　come；　before　its　voice　grows　harsh　and　old　…　a　song　that　we；　who　

have　learnt　to　love　its　changing　face；　who　have　so　often　nestled　on　its　

yielding　bosom；　think；　somehow；　we　understand；　though　we　could　not　tell　

you　in　mere　words　the　story　that　we　listen　to。



And　we　sit　there；　by　its　margin；　while　the　moon；　who　loves　it　too；　stoops　

down　to　kiss　it　with　a　sister's　kiss；　and　throws　her　silver　arms　around　

it　clingingly；　and　we　watch　it　as　it　flows；　ever　singing；　ever　

whispering；　out　to　meet　its　king；　the　sea　…　till　our　voices　die　away　in　

silence；　and　the　pipes　go　out　…　till　we；　common…place；　everyday　young　men　

enough；　feel　strangely　full　of　thoughts；　half　sad；　half　sweet；　and　do　not　

care　or　want　to　speak　…　till　we　laugh；　and；　rising；　knock　the　ashes　from　

our　burnt…out　pipes；　and　say　〃Good…night；〃　and；　lulled　by　the　lapping　

water　and　the　rustling　trees；　we　fall　asleep　beneath　the　great；　still　

stars；　and　dream　that　the　world　is　young　again　…　young　and　sweet　as　she　

used　to　be　ere　the　centuries　of　fret　and　care　had　furrowed　her　fair　face；　

ere　her　children's　sins　and　follies　had　made　old　her　loving　heart　…　sweet　

as　she　was　in　those　bygone　days　when；　a　new…made　mother；　she　nursed　us；　

her　children；　upon　her　own　deep　breast　…　ere　the　wiles　of　painted　

civilization　had　lured　us　away　from　her　fond　arms；　and　the　poisoned　

sneers　of　artificiality　had　made　us　ashamed　of　the　simple　life　we　led　

with　her；　and　the　simple；　stately　home　where　mankind　was　born　so　many　

thousands　years　ago。



Harris　said：



〃How　about　when　it　rained？〃



You　can　never　rouse　Harris。　　There　is　no　poetry　about　Harris　…　no　wild　

yearning　for　the　unattainable。　　Harris　never　〃weeps；　he　knows　not　why。〃　　

If　Harris's　eyes　fill　with　tears；　you　can　bet　it　is　because　Harris　has　

been　eating　raw　onions；　or　has　put　too　much　Worcester　over　his　chop。



If　you　were　to　stand　at　night　by　the　sea…shore　with　Harris；　and　say：



〃Hark！　do　you　not　hear？　　Is　it　but　the　mermaids　singing　deep　below　the　

waving　waters；　or　sad　spirits；　chanting　dirges　for　white　corpses；　held　by　

seaweed？〃　　Harris　would　take　you　by　the　arm；　and　say：



〃I　know　what　it　is；　old　man；　you've　got　a　chill。　　Now；　you　come　along　

with　me。　　I　know　a　place　round　the　corner　here；　where　you　can　get　a　drop　

of　the　finest　Scotch　whisky　you　ever　tasted　…　put　you　right　in　less　than　

no　time。〃



Harris　always　does　know　a　place　round　the　corner　where　you　can　get　

something　brilliant　in　the　drinking　line。　　I　believe　that　if　you　met　

Harris　up　in　Paradise　（supposing　such　a　thing　likely）；　he　would　

immediately　greet　you　with：



〃So　glad　you've　come；　old　fellow；　I've　found　a　nice　place　round　the　

corner　here；　where　you　can　get　some　really　first…class　nectar。〃



In　the　present　instance；　however；　as　regarded　the　camping　out；　his　

practical　view　of　the　matter　came　as　a　very　timely　hint。　　Camping　out　in　

rainy　weather　is　not　pleasant。



It　is　evening。　　You　are　wet　through；　and　there　is　a　good　two　inches　of　

water　in　the　boat；　and　all　the　things　are　damp。　　You　find　a　place　on　the　

banks　that　is　not　quite　so　puddly　as　other　places　you　have　seen；　and　you　

land　and　lug　out　the　tent；　and　two　of　you　proceed　to　fix　it。



It　is　soaked　and　heavy；　and　it　flops　about；　and　tumbles　down　on　you；　and　

clings　round　your　head　and　makes　you　mad。　　The　rain　is　pouring　steadily　

down　all　the　time。　　It　is　difficult　enough　to　fix　a　tent　in　dry　weather：　

in　wet；　the　task　becomes　herculean。　　Instead　of　helping　you；　it　seems　to　

you　that　the　other　man　is　simply　playing　the　fool。　　Just　as　you　get　your　

side　beautifully　fixed；　he　gives　it　a　hoist　from　his　end；　and　spoils　it　

all。



〃Here！　what　are　you　up　to？〃　you　call　out。



〃What　are　YOU　up　to？〃　he　retorts；　〃leggo；　can't　you？〃



〃Don't　pull　it；　you've　got　it　all　wrong；　you　stupid　ass！〃　you　shout。



〃No；　I　haven't；〃　he　yells　back；　〃let　go　your　side！〃



〃I　tell　you　you've　got　it　all　wrong！〃　you　roar；　wishing　that　you　could　

get　at　him；　and　you　give　your　ropes　a　lug　that　pulls　all　his　pegs　out。



〃Ah；　the　bally　idiot！〃　you　hear　him　mutter　to　himself；　and　then　comes　a　

savage　haul；　and　away　goes　your　side。　　You　lay　down　the　mallet　and　start　

to　go　round　and　tell　him　what　you　think　about　the　whole　business；　and；　at　

the　same　time；　he　starts　round　in　the　same　direction　to　come　and　explain　

his　views　to　you。　　And　you　follow　each　other　round　and　round；　swearing　at　

one　another；　until　the　tent　tumbles　down　in　a　heap；　an