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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 196 —<br />

At about four o’clock we began to discuss our arrangements<br />

for <strong>the</strong> even<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. We were a little past Gor<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>n, and we decided<br />

to paddle <strong>on</strong> to Pangbourne, and put up <strong>the</strong>re for <strong>the</strong><br />

night.<br />

“Ano<strong>the</strong>r jolly even<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g!” murmured George.<br />

We sat and mused <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> prospect. We should be <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> at Pangbourne<br />

by five. We should f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ish d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ner at, say, half-past six.<br />

After that we could walk about <strong>the</strong> village <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> pour<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

until bed-time; or we could sit <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a dimly-lit bar-parlour and<br />

read <strong>the</strong> almanac.<br />

“Why, <strong>the</strong> Alhambra would be almost more lively,” said<br />

Harris, ventur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g his head outside <strong>the</strong> cover for a moment and<br />

tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a survey of <strong>the</strong> sky.<br />

“With a little supper at <strong>the</strong> — * to follow,” I added, half unc<strong>on</strong>sciously.<br />

“Yes it’s almost a pity we’ve made up our m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds to stick to<br />

this boat,” answered Harris; and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re was silence for a<br />

while.<br />

“If we hadn’t made up our m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds to c<strong>on</strong>tract our certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

deaths <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> this bally old coff<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>,” observed George, cast<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a<br />

glance of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tense malevolence over <strong>the</strong> boat, “it might be<br />

worth while to menti<strong>on</strong> that <strong>the</strong>re’s a tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> leaves Pangbourne,<br />

I know, so<strong>on</strong> after five, which would just land us <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> town <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

comfortable time to get a chop, and <strong>the</strong>n go <strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> place you<br />

menti<strong>on</strong>ed afterwards.”<br />

Nobody spoke. We looked at <strong>on</strong>e ano<strong>the</strong>r, and each <strong>on</strong>e<br />

seemed to see his own mean and guilty thoughts reflected <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

<strong>the</strong> faces of <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs. In silence, we dragged out and overhauled<br />

<strong>the</strong> Gladst<strong>on</strong>e. We looked up <strong>the</strong> river and down <strong>the</strong><br />

river; not a soul was <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> sight!<br />

Twenty m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>utes later, three figures, followed by a shamed-<br />

* A capital little out-of-<strong>the</strong>-way restaurant, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> neighbourhood of —,<br />

where you can get <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> best-cooked and cheapest little French<br />

d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ners or suppers that I know of, with an excellent bottle of Beaune,<br />

for three-and-six; and which I am not go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to be idiot enough to<br />

advertise.

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