three men in a boat-第32章

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！



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　into　its　groove；　came　back　to　us；　and　took　up　

an　unimportant　position　in　the　rear。



To　this　day；　if　you　say　the　word　〃Cats！〃　to　Montmorency；　he　will　visibly　

shrink　and　look　up　piteously　at　you；　as　if　to　say：



〃Please　don't。〃



We　did　our　marketing　after　breakfast；　and　revictualled　the　boat　for　three　

days。　　George　said　we　ought　to　take　vegetables　…　that　it　was　unhealthy　

not　to　eat　vegetables。　　He　said　they　were　easy　enough　to　cook；　and　that　

he　would　see　to　that；　so　we　got　ten　pounds　of　potatoes；　a　bushel　of　peas；　

and　a　few　cabbages。　　We　got　a　beefsteak　pie；　a　couple　of　gooseberry　

tarts；　and　a　leg　of　mutton　from　the　hotel；　and　fruit；　and　cakes；　and　

bread　and　butter；　and　jam；　and　bacon　and　eggs；　and　other　things　we　

foraged　round　about　the　town　for。



Our　departure　from　Marlow　I　regard　as　one　of　our　greatest　successes。　　It　

was　dignified　and　impressive；　without　being　ostentatious。　　We　had　

insisted　at　all　the　shops　we　had　been　to　that　the　things　should　be　sent　

with　us　then　and　there。　　None　of　your　〃Yes；　sir；　I　will　send　them　off　at　

once：　the　boy　will　be　down　there　before　you　are；　sir！〃　and　then　fooling　

about　on　the　landing…stage；　and　going　back　to　the　shop　twice　to　have　a　

row　about　them；　for　us。　　We　waited　while　the　basket　was　packed；　and　took　

the　boy　with　us。



We　went　to　a　good　many　shops；　adopting　this　principle　at　each　one；　and　

the　consequence　was　that；　by　the　time　we　had　finished；　we　had　as　fine　a　

collection　of　boys　with　baskets　following　us　around　as　heart　could　

desire；　and　our　final　march　down　the　middle　of　the　High　Street；　to　the　

river；　must　have　been　as　imposing　a　spectacle　as　Marlow　had　seen　for　many　

a　long　day。



The　order　of　the　procession　was　as　follows：…





Montmorency；　carrying　a　stick。

Two　disreputable…looking　curs；　friends　of　Montmorency's。

George；　carrying　coats　and　rugs；　and　smoking　a　short　pipe。

Harris；　trying　to　walk　with　easy　grace；

while　carrying　a　bulged…out　Gladstone　bag　in　one　hand

and　a　bottle　of　lime…juice　in　the　other。

Greengrocer's　boy　and　baker's　boy；

with　baskets。

Boots　from　the　hotel；　carrying　hamper。

Confectioner's　boy；　with　basket。

Grocer's　boy；　with　basket。

Long…haired　dog。

Cheesemonger's　boy；　with　basket。

Odd　man　carrying　a　bag。

Bosom　companion　of　odd　man；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；

smoking　a　short　clay。

Fruiterer's　boy；　with　basket。

Myself；　carrying　three　hats　and　a　pair　of　boots；

and　trying　to　look　as　if　I　didn't　know　it。

Six　small　boys；　and　four　stray　dogs。





When　we　got　down　to　the　landing…stage；　the　boatman　said：



〃Let　me　see；　sir；　was　yours　a　steam…launch　or　a　house…boat？〃



On　our　informing　him　it　was　a　double…sculling　skiff；　he　seemed　surprised。



We　had　a　good　deal　of　trouble　with　steam　launches　that　morning。　　It　was　

just　before　the　Henley　week；　and　they　were　going　up　in　large　numbers；　

some　by　themselves；　some　towing　houseboats。　　I　do　hate　steam　launches：　I　

suppose　every　rowing　man　does。　　I　never　see　a　steam　launch　but　I　feel　I　

should　like　to　lure　it　to　a　lonely　part　of　the　river；　and　there；　in　the　

silence　and　the　solitude；　strangle　it。



There　is　a　blatant　bumptiousness　about　a　steam　launch　that　has　the　knack　

of　rousing　every　evil　instinct　in　my　nature；　and　I　yearn　for　the　good　old　

days；　when　you　could　go　about　and　tell　people　what　you　thought　of　them　

with　a　hatchet　and　a　bow　and　arrows。　　The　expression　on　the　face　of　the　

man　who；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　stands　by　the　stern；　smoking　a　

cigar；　is　sufficient　to　excuse　a　breach　of　the　peace　by　itself；　and　the　

lordly　whistle　for　you　to　get　out　of　the　way　would；　I　am　confident；　

ensure　a　verdict　of　〃justifiable　homicide〃　from　any　jury　of　river　men。



They　used　to　HAVE　to　whistle　for　us　to　get　out　of　their　way。　　If　I　may　do　

so；　without　appearing　boastful；　I　think　I　can　honestly　say　that　our　one　

small　boat；　during　th