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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— 291 —<br />
“The Stehplatz,” I suggested.<br />
“That’s it,” said Harris. “Well, you know <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>y shake<br />
you about, and how you have to look out for <strong>the</strong> corners, and<br />
m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d yourself when <strong>the</strong>y stop and when <strong>the</strong>y start?”<br />
I nodded.<br />
“There were about half a dozen of us stand<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>re,” he<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ued, “and, of course, I am not experienced. The th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
started suddenly, and that jerked me backwards. I fell aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<br />
a stout gentleman, just beh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d me. He could not have been<br />
stand<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g very firmly himself, and he, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his turn, fell back<br />
aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st a boy who was carry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a trumpet <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a green baize<br />
case. They never smiled, nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> man nor <strong>the</strong> boy with <strong>the</strong><br />
trumpet; <strong>the</strong>y just stood <strong>the</strong>re and looked sulky. I was go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to<br />
say I was sorry, but before I could get <strong>the</strong> words out <strong>the</strong> tram<br />
eased up, for some reas<strong>on</strong> or o<strong>the</strong>r, and that, of course, shot<br />
me forward aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and I butted <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to a white-haired old chap,<br />
who looked to me like a professor. Well, he never smiled, never<br />
moved a muscle.”<br />
“Maybe, he was th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g else,” I suggested.<br />
“That could not have been <strong>the</strong> case with <strong>the</strong>m all,” replied<br />
Harris, “and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> course of that journey, I must have fallen<br />
aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st every <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong>m at least three times. You see,” expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed<br />
Harris, “<strong>the</strong>y knew when <strong>the</strong> corners were com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g,<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> which directi<strong>on</strong> to brace <strong>the</strong>mselves. I, as a stranger,<br />
was naturally at a disadvantage. The way I rolled and staggered<br />
about that platform, clutch<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g wildly now at this man and now<br />
at that, must have been really comic. I d<strong>on</strong>’t say it was highclass<br />
humour, but it would have amused most people. Those<br />
Germans seemed to see no fun <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> it whatever — just seemed<br />
anxious, that was all. There was <strong>on</strong>e man, a little man, who<br />
stood with his back aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <strong>the</strong> brake; I fell aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st him five<br />
times, I counted <strong>the</strong>m. You would have expected <strong>the</strong> fifth time<br />
would have dragged a laugh out of him, but it didn’t; he merely<br />
looked tired. They are a dull lot.”<br />
George also had an adventure at Dresden. There was a shop<br />
near <strong>the</strong> Altmarkt, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dow of which were exhibited