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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In Germany you must not wear fancy dress <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> streets. A<br />
Highlander of my acqua<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tance who came to pass <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ter<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Dresden spent <strong>the</strong> first few days of his residence <strong>the</strong>re <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
argu<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this questi<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Sax<strong>on</strong> Government. They asked<br />
him what he was do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> those clo<strong>the</strong>s. He was not an amiable<br />
man. He answered, he was wear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m. They asked him<br />
why he was wear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m. He replied, to keep himself warm.<br />
They told him frankly that <strong>the</strong>y did not believe him, and sent<br />
him back to his lodg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a closed landau. The pers<strong>on</strong>al<br />
testim<strong>on</strong>y of <strong>the</strong> English M<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ister was necessary to assure <strong>the</strong><br />
authorities that <strong>the</strong> Highland garb was <strong>the</strong> customary dress of<br />
many respectable, law-abid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g British subjects. They accepted<br />
<strong>the</strong> statement, as diplomatically bound, but reta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>ir private<br />
op<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>i<strong>on</strong> to this day. The English tourist <strong>the</strong>y have grown accustomed<br />
to; but a Leicestershire gentleman, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vited to hunt<br />
with some German officers, <strong>on</strong> appear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g outside his hotel,<br />
was promptly marched off, horse and all, to expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his frivolity<br />
at <strong>the</strong> police court.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g you must not do <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> streets of German<br />
towns is to feed horses, mules, or d<strong>on</strong>keys, whe<strong>the</strong>r your own<br />
or those bel<strong>on</strong>g<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to o<strong>the</strong>r people. If a passi<strong>on</strong> seizes you to<br />
feed somebody else’s horse, you must make an appo<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tment<br />
with <strong>the</strong> animal, and <strong>the</strong> meal must take place <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> some properly<br />
authorised place. You must not break glass or ch<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>a <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong><br />
street, nor, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> fact, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> any public resort whatever; and if you<br />
do, you must pick up all <strong>the</strong> pieces. What you are to do with<br />
<strong>the</strong> pieces when you have ga<strong>the</strong>red <strong>the</strong>m toge<strong>the</strong>r I cannot say.<br />
The <strong>on</strong>ly th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g I know for certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> is that you are not permitted<br />
to throw <strong>the</strong>m anywhere, to leave <strong>the</strong>m anywhere, or apparently<br />
to part with <strong>the</strong>m <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> any way whatever. Presumably, you<br />
are expected to carry <strong>the</strong>m about with you until you die, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n be buried with <strong>the</strong>m; or, maybe, you are allowed to swallow<br />
<strong>the</strong>m.<br />
In German streets you must not shoot with a crossbow.<br />
The German law-maker does not c<strong>on</strong>tent himself with <strong>the</strong><br />
misdeeds of <strong>the</strong> average man — <strong>the</strong> crime <strong>on</strong>e feels <strong>on</strong>e wants