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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— 341 —<br />
“Well, what shall we do?” said Harris.<br />
Now I happen to possess <strong>the</strong> bump of locality. It is not a virtue;<br />
I make no boast of it. It is merely an animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ct that I<br />
cannot help. That th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs occasi<strong>on</strong>ally get <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> my way — mounta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s,<br />
precipices, rivers, and such like obstructi<strong>on</strong>s — is no fault<br />
of m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e. My <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ct is correct enough; it is <strong>the</strong> earth that is<br />
wr<strong>on</strong>g. I led <strong>the</strong>m by <strong>the</strong> middle road. That <strong>the</strong> middle road<br />
had not character enough to c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ue for any quarter of a mile<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> same directi<strong>on</strong>; that after three miles up and down hill<br />
it ended abruptly <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a wasps’ nest, was not a th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that should<br />
have been laid to my door. If <strong>the</strong> middle road had g<strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<strong>the</strong> directi<strong>on</strong> it ought to have d<strong>on</strong>e, it would have taken us to<br />
where we wanted to go, of that I am c<strong>on</strong>v<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ced.<br />
Even as it was, I would have c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ued to use this gift of<br />
m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e to discover a fresh way had a proper spirit been displayed<br />
towards me. But I am not an angel — I admit this frankly, — and<br />
I decl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e to exert myself for <strong>the</strong> ungrateful and <strong>the</strong> ribald. Besides,<br />
I doubt if George and Harris would have followed me<br />
fur<strong>the</strong>r <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> any event. Therefore it was that I washed my hands<br />
of <strong>the</strong> whole affair, and that Harris entered up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> vacancy.<br />
“Well,” said Harris. “I suppose you are satisfied with what<br />
you have d<strong>on</strong>e?”<br />
“I am quite satisfied,” I replied from <strong>the</strong> heap of st<strong>on</strong>es where<br />
I was sitt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. “So far, I have brought you with safety. I would<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ue to lead you fur<strong>the</strong>r, but no artist can work without<br />
encouragement. You appear dissatisfied with me because you<br />
do not know where you are. For all you know, you may be just<br />
where you want to be. But I say noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as to that; I expect no<br />
thanks. Go your own way; I have d<strong>on</strong>e with you both.”<br />
I spoke, perhaps, with bitterness, but I could not help it. Not<br />
a word of k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dness had I had all <strong>the</strong> weary way.<br />
“Do not misunderstand us,” said Harris; “both George and<br />
myself feel that without your assistance we should never be<br />
where we now are. For that we give you every credit. But <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ct<br />
is liable to error. What I propose to do is to substitute for<br />
it Science, which is exact. Now, where’s <strong>the</strong> sun?”