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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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— 308 —<br />

George and I followed suit. Two hundred yards away from<br />

us, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> its very centre, was <strong>the</strong> third of <strong>the</strong>se ghostly statues. I<br />

th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k it was <strong>the</strong> best of <strong>the</strong> three — <strong>the</strong> most like, <strong>the</strong> most deceptive.<br />

It stood boldly outl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <strong>the</strong> wild sky: <strong>the</strong> horse<br />

<strong>on</strong> its h<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d legs, with its curiously attenuated tail; <strong>the</strong> man<br />

bareheaded, po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with his plumed hat to <strong>the</strong> now entirely<br />

visible mo<strong>on</strong>.<br />

“I th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k, if you d<strong>on</strong>’t m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d,” said George — he spoke with<br />

almost a pa<strong>the</strong>tic r<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his voice, his aggressiveness had completely<br />

fallen from him, — “that I will have that cab, if <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />

<strong>on</strong>e handy.”<br />

“I thought you were look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g queer,” said Harris, k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dly. “It’s<br />

your head, isn’t it?”<br />

“Perhaps it is,” answered George.<br />

“I have noticed it co<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong>,” said Harris; “but I didn’t like<br />

to say anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to you. You fancy you see th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs, d<strong>on</strong>’t you?”<br />

“No, no; it isn’t that,” replied George, ra<strong>the</strong>r quickly. “I d<strong>on</strong>’t<br />

know what it is.”<br />

“I do,” said Harris, solemnly, “and I’ll tell you. It’s this German<br />

beer that you are dr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. I have known a case where a<br />

man —”<br />

“D<strong>on</strong>’t tell me about him just now,” said George. “I dare say<br />

it’s true, but somehow I d<strong>on</strong>’t feel I want to hear about him.”<br />

“You are not used to it,” said Harris.<br />

“I shall give it up from to-night,” said George. “I th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k you<br />

must be right; it doesn’t seem to agree with me.”<br />

We took him home, and saw him to bed. He was very gentle<br />

and quite grateful.<br />

One even<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g later <strong>on</strong>, after a l<strong>on</strong>g day’s ride, followed by a<br />

most satisfactory d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ner, we started him <strong>on</strong> a big cigar, and, remov<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs from his reach, told him of this stratagem that<br />

for his good we had planned.<br />

“How many copies of that statue did you say we saw?” asked<br />

George, after we had f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ished.<br />

“<str<strong>on</strong>g>Three</str<strong>on</strong>g>,” replied Harris.<br />

“Only three?” said George. “Are you sure?”

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