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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— 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.