Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
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— 153 —<br />
We could not pass <strong>the</strong> whole night fight<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g policemen. Besides,<br />
we did not want to overdo <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and get six m<strong>on</strong>ths.<br />
We despair<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly tried what seemed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> darkness to be<br />
<strong>the</strong> fourth island, but met with no better success. The ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> was<br />
com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g down fast now, and evidently meant to last. We were<br />
wet to <strong>the</strong> sk<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and cold and miserable. We began to w<strong>on</strong>der<br />
whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>re were <strong>on</strong>ly four islands or more, or whe<strong>the</strong>r we<br />
were near <strong>the</strong> islands at all, or whe<strong>the</strong>r we were anywhere<br />
with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a mile of where we ought to be, or <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> wr<strong>on</strong>g part of<br />
<strong>the</strong> river altoge<strong>the</strong>r; everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g looked so strange and different<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> darkness. We began to understand <strong>the</strong> suffer<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Babes <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> Wood.<br />
Just when we had given up all hope — yes, I know that is<br />
always <strong>the</strong> time that th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs do happen <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> novels and tales; but<br />
I can’t help it. I resolved, when I began to write this book, that I<br />
would be strictly truthful <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> all th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs; and so I will be, even if<br />
I have to employ hackneyed phrases for <strong>the</strong> purpose.<br />
It was just when we had given up all hope, and I must <strong>the</strong>refore<br />
say so. Just when we had given up all hope, <strong>the</strong>n, I suddenly<br />
caught sight, a little way below us, of a strange, weird sort<br />
of glimmer flicker<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g am<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> trees <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> opposite bank.<br />
For an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stant I thought of ghosts: it was such a shadowy, mysterious<br />
light. The next moment it flashed across me that it was<br />
our boat, and I sent up such a yell across <strong>the</strong> water that made<br />
<strong>the</strong> night seem to shake <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> its bed.<br />
We waited breathless for a m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ute, and <strong>the</strong>n — oh! div<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>est<br />
music of <strong>the</strong> darkness! — we heard <strong>the</strong> answer<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g bark of<br />
M<strong>on</strong>tmorency. We shouted back loud enough to wake <strong>the</strong> Seven<br />
Sleepers — I never could understand myself why it should<br />
take more noise to wake seven sleepers than <strong>on</strong>e — and, after<br />
what seemed an hour, but what was really, I suppose, about<br />
five m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>utes, we saw <strong>the</strong> lighted boat creep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g slowly over <strong>the</strong><br />
blackness, and heard Harris’s sleepy voice ask<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g where we<br />
were.<br />
There was an unaccountable strangeness about Harris. It<br />
was someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more than mere ord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ary tiredness. He pulled