three men in a boat-第3章

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affectation　…　said　he　had　often　wished　to　be；　but　had　never　been　able。



Then　he　told　us　anecdotes　of　how　he　had　gone　across　the　Channel　when　it　

was　so　rough　that　the　passengers　had　to　be　tied　into　their　berths；　and　he　

and　the　captain　were　the　only　two　living　souls　on　board　who　were　not　ill。　　

Sometimes　it　was　he　and　the　second　mate　who　were　not　ill；　but　it　was　

generally　he　and　one　other　man。　　If　not　he　and　another　man；　then　it　was　

he　by　himself。



It　is　a　curious　fact；　but　nobody　ever　is　sea…sick　…　on　land。　　At　sea；　you　

come　across　plenty　of　people　very　bad　indeed；　whole　boat…loads　of　them；　

but　I　never　met　a　man　yet；　on　land；　who　had　ever　known　at　all　what　it　was　

to　be　sea…sick。　　Where　the　thousands　upon　thousands　of　bad　sailors　that　

swarm　in　every　ship　hide　themselves　when　they　are　on　land　is　a　mystery。



If　most　men　were　like　a　fellow　I　saw　on　the　Yarmouth　boat　one　day；　I　

could　account　for　the　seeming　enigma　easily　enough。　　It　was　just　off　

Southend　Pier；　I　recollect；　and　he　was　leaning　out　through　one　of　the　

port…holes　in　a　very　dangerous　position。　　I　went　up　to　him　to　try　and　

save　him。



〃Hi！　come　further　in；〃　I　said；　shaking　him　by　the　shoulder。　　〃You'll　be　

overboard。〃



〃Oh　my！　　I　wish　I　was；〃　was　the　only　answer　I　could　get；　and　there　I　had　

to　leave　him。



Three　weeks　afterwards；　I　met　him　in　the　coffee…room　of　a　Bath　hotel；　

talking　about　his　voyages；　and　explaining；　with　enthusiasm；　how　he　loved　

the　sea。



〃Good　sailor！〃　he　replied　in　answer　to　a　mild　young　man's　envious　query；　

〃well；　I　did　feel　a　little　queer　ONCE；　I　confess。　　It　was　off　Cape　Horn。　　

The　vessel　was　wrecked　the　next　morning。〃



I　said：



〃Weren't　you　a　little　shaky　by　Southend　Pier　one　day；　and　wanted　to　be　

thrown　overboard？〃



〃Southend　Pier！〃　he　replied；　with　a　puzzled　expression。



〃Yes；　going　down　to　Yarmouth；　last　Friday　three　weeks。〃



〃Oh；　ah　…　yes；〃　he　answered；　brightening　up；　〃I　remember　now。　　I　did　have　

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