three men in a boat-第16章

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〃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　weird　and　uncanny。　　I　

thought　of　hobgoblins　and　banshees；　and　will…o'…the…wisps；　and　those　

wicked　girls　who　sit　up　all　night　on　rocks；　and　lure　people　into　whirl…

pools　and　things；　and　I　wished　I　had　been　a　better　man；　and　knew　more　

hymns；　and　in　the　middle　of　these　reflections　I　heard　the　blessed　strains　

of　〃He's　got　‘em　on；〃　played；　badly；　on　a　concertina；　and　knew　that　we　

were　saved。



I　do　not　admire　the　tones　of　a　concertina；　as　a　rule；　but；　oh！　how　

beautiful　the　music　seemed　to　us　both　then　…　far；　far　more　beautiful　than　

the　voice　of　Orpheus　or　the　lute　of　Apollo；　or　anything　of　that　sort　

could　have　sounded。　　Heavenly　melody；　in　our　then　state　of　mind；　would　

only　have　still　further　harrowed　us。　　A　soul…moving　harmony；　correctly　

performed；　we　should　have　taken　as　a　spirit…warning；　and　have　given　up　

all　hope。　　But　about　the　strains　of　〃He's　got　‘em　on；〃　jerked　

spasmodically；　and　with　involuntary　variations；　out　of　a　wheezy　

accordion；　there　was　something　singularly　human　and　reassuring。



The　sweet　sounds　drew　nearer；　and　soon　the　boat　from　which　they　were　

worked　lay　alongside　us。



It　contained　a　party　of　provincial　‘Arrys　and　‘Arriets；　out　for　a　

moonlight　sail。　　（There　was　not　any　moon；　but　that　was　not　their　fault。）　　

I　never　saw　more　attractive；　lovable　people　in　all　my　life。　　I　hailed　

them；　and　asked　if　they　could　tell　me　the　way　to　Wallingford　lock；　and　I　

explained　that　I　had　been　looking　for　it　for　the　last　two　hours。



〃Wallingford　lock！〃　they　answered。　　〃Lor'　love　you；　sir；　that's　been　done　

away　with　for　over　a　year。　　There　ain't　no　Wallingford　lock　now；　sir。　　

You're　close　to　Cleeve　now。　　Blow　me　tight　if　‘ere　ain't　a　gentleman　been　

looking　for　Wallingford　lock；　Bill！〃



I　had　never　thought　of　that。　　I　wanted　to　fall　upon　all　their　necks　and　

bless　them；　but　the　stream　was　running　too　strong　just　there　to　allow　of　

this；　so　I　had　to　content　myself　with　mere　cold…sounding　words　of　

gratitude。



We　thanked　them　over　and　over　again；　and　we　said　it　was　a　lovely　night；　

and　we　wished　them　a　pleasant　trip；　and；　I　think；　I　invited　them　all　to　

come　and　spend　a　week　with　me；　and　my　cousin　said　her　mother　would　be　so　

pleased　to　see　them。　　And　we　sang　the　soldiers'　chorus　out　of　FAUST；　and　

got　home　in　time　for　supper；　after　all。









CHAPTER　X。





OUR　FIRST　NIGHT。　…　UNDER　CANVAS。　…　AN　APPEAL　FOR　HELP。　…　CONTRARINESS　OF　

TEA…KETTLES；　HOW　TO　OVERCOME。　…　SUPPER。　…　HOW　TO　FEEL　VIRTUOUS。　…　WANTED！　

A　COMFORTABLY…APPOINTED；　WELL…DRAINED　DESERT　ISLAND；　NEIGHBOURHOOD　OF　

SOUTH　PACIFIC　OCEAN　PREFERRED。　…　FUNNY　THING　THAT　HAPPENED　TO　GEORGE'S　

FATHER。　…　A　RESTLESS　NIGHT。



HARRIS　and　I　began　to　think　that　Bell　Weir　lock　must　have　been　done　away　

with　after　the　same　manner。　　George　had　towed　us　up　to　Staines；　and　we　

had　taken　the　boat　from　there；　and　it　seemed　that　we　were　dragging　fifty　

tons　after　us；　and　were　walking　forty　miles。　　It　was　half…past　seven　when　

we　were　through；　and　we　all　got　in；　and　sculled　up　close　to　the　left　

bank；　looking　out　for　a　spot　to　haul　up　in。



We　had　originally　intended　to　go　on　to　Magna　Charta　Island；　a　sweetly　

pretty　part　of　the　river；　where　it　winds　through　a　soft；　green　valley；　

and　to　camp　in　one　of　the　many　picturesque　inlets　to　be　found　round　that　

tiny　shore。　　But；　somehow；　we　did　not　feel　that　we　yearned　for　the　

picturesque　nearly　so　much　now　as　we　had　earlier　in　the　day。　　A　bit　of　

water　between　a　coal…barge　and　a　gas…works　would　have　quite　satisfied　us　

for　that　night。　　We　did　not　want　scenery。　　We　wanted　to　have　our　supper　

and　go　to　bed。　　However；　we　did　pull　up　to　the　point　…　〃Picnic　Point；〃　it　

is　called　…　and　dropped　into　a　very　pleasant　nook　under　a　great　elm…tree；　

to　the　spreading　roots　of　which　we　fastened　the　boat。



Then　we　thought　we　were　going　to　have　supper　（we　had　dispensed　with　tea；　

so　as　to　save　time）；　but　George　said　no；　that　we　had　better　get　the　

canvas　up　first；　before　it　got　quite　dark；　and　while　we　could　see　what　we　

were　doing。　　Then；　he　said；　all　our　work　would　be　done；　and　we　could　sit　

down　to　eat　with　an　easy　mind。



That　canvas　wanted　more　putting　up　than　I　think　any　of　us　had　bargained　

for。　　It　looked　so　simple　in　the　abstract。　　You　took　five　iron　arches；　

like　gigantic　croquet　hoops；　and　fitted　them　up　over　the　boat；　and　then　

stretched　the　canvas　over　them；　and　fastened　it　down：　it　would　take　quite　

ten　minutes；　we　thought。



That　was　an　under…estimate。



We　took　up　the　hoops；　and　began　to　drop　them　into　the　sockets　placed　for　

them。　　You　would　not　imagine　this　to　be　dangerous　work；　but；　looking　back　

now；　the　wonder　to　me　is　that　any　of　us　are　alive　to　tell　the　tale。　　They　

were　not　hoops；　they　were　demons。　　First　they　would　not　fit　into　their　

sockets　at　all；　and　we　had　to　jump　on　them；　and　kick　them；　and　hammer　at　

them　with　the　boat…hook；　and；　when　they　were　in；　it　turned　out　that　they　

w