three men in a boat-第21章

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boat…hook　between　them；　and；　attached　to　the　boat…hook　was　a　tow…line；　

which　trailed　behind　them；　its　end　in　the　water。　　No　boat　was　near；　no　

boat　was　in　sight。　　There　must　have　been　a　boat　attached　to　that　tow…line　

at　some　time　or　other；　that　was　certain；　but　what　had　become　of　it；　what　

ghastly　fate　had　overtaken　it；　and　those　who　had　been　left　in　it；　was　

buried　in　mystery。　　Whatever　the　accident　may　have　been；　however；　it　had　

in　no　way　disturbed　the　young　lady　and　gentleman；　who　were　towing。　　They　

had　the　boat…hook　and　they　had　the　line；　and　that　seemed　to　be　all　that　

they　thought　necessary　to　their　work。



George　was　about　to　call　out　and　wake　them　up；　but；　at　that　moment；　a　

bright　idea　flashed　across　him；　and　he　didn't。　　He　got　the　hitcher　

instead；　and　reached　over；　and　drew　in　the　end　of　the　tow…line；　and　they　

made　a　loop　in　it；　and　put　it　over　their　mast；　and　then　they　tidied　up　

the　sculls；　and　went　and　sat　down　in　the　stern；　and　lit　their　pipes。



And　that　young　man　and　young　woman　towed　those　four　hulking　chaps　and　a　

heavy　boat　up　to　Marlow。



George　said　he　never　saw　so　much　thoughtful　sadness　concentrated　into　one　

glance　before；　as　when；　at　the　lock；　that　young　couple　grasped　the　idea　

that；　for　the　last　two　miles；　they　had　been　towing　the　wrong　boat。　　

George　fancied　that；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　restraining　influence　of　

the　sweet　woman　at　his　side；　the　young　man　might　have　given　way　to　

violent　language。



The　maiden　was　the　first　to　recover　from　her　surprise；　and；　when　she　did；　

she　clasped　her　hands；　and　said；　wildly：



〃Oh；　Henry；　then　WHERE　is　auntie？〃



〃Did　they　ever　recover　the　old　lady？〃　asked　Harris。



George　replied　he　did　not　know。



Another　example　of　the　dangerous　want　of　sympathy　between　tower　and　towed　

was　witnessed　by　George　and　myself　once　up　near　Walton。　　It　was　where　the　

tow…path　shelves　gently　down　into　the　water；　and　we　were　camping　on　the　

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　w