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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a brick <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his hand, tied to a piece of rope. He entered nervously<br />
and hurriedly, closed <strong>the</strong> door carefully beh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d him, saw<br />
to it that it was fastened, peered out of <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dow l<strong>on</strong>g and<br />
earnestly, and <strong>the</strong>n, with a sigh of relief, laid his brick up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
bench beside him and called for food and dr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k.<br />
There was someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g mysterious about <strong>the</strong> whole affair.<br />
One w<strong>on</strong>dered what he was go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to do with <strong>the</strong> brick, why<br />
he had closed <strong>the</strong> door so carefully, why he had looked so<br />
anxiously from <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dow; but his aspect was too wretched<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vite c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>, and we forbore, <strong>the</strong>refore, to ask him<br />
questi<strong>on</strong>s. As he ate and drank he grew more cheerful, sighed<br />
less often. Later he stretched his legs, lit an evil-smell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cigar,<br />
and puffed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> calm c<strong>on</strong>tentment.<br />
Then it happened. It happened too suddenly for any detailed<br />
explanati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to be possible. I recollect a Fraule<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
enter<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> room from <strong>the</strong> kitchen with a pan <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> her hand. I<br />
saw her cross to <strong>the</strong> outer door. The next moment <strong>the</strong> whole<br />
room was <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> an uproar. One was rem<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ded of those pantomime<br />
transformati<strong>on</strong> scenes where, from am<strong>on</strong>g float<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
clouds, slow music, wav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g flowers, and recl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g fairies, <strong>on</strong>e<br />
is suddenly transported <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> midst of shout<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g policemen<br />
tumbl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g yell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g babies, swells fight<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pantalo<strong>on</strong>s, sausages<br />
and harlequ<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, buttered slides and clowns. As <strong>the</strong> Fraule<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> of<br />
<strong>the</strong> pan touched <strong>the</strong> door it flew open, as though all <strong>the</strong> spirits<br />
of s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> had been pressed aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st it, wait<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. Two pigs and a<br />
chicken rushed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> room; a cat that had been sleep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong><br />
a beer-barrel spluttered <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to fiery life. The Fraule<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> threw her<br />
pan <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> air and lay down <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> floor. The gentleman with<br />
<strong>the</strong> brick sprang to his feet, upsett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> table before him with<br />
everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up<strong>on</strong> it.<br />
One looked to see <strong>the</strong> cause of this disaster: <strong>on</strong>e discovered<br />
it at <strong>on</strong>ce <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> pers<strong>on</strong> of a m<strong>on</strong>grel terrier with po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ted ears<br />
and a squirrel’s tail. The landlord rushed out from ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
door, and attempted to kick him out of <strong>the</strong> room. Instead, he<br />
kicked <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> pigs, <strong>the</strong> fatter of <strong>the</strong> two. It was a vigorous,<br />
well-planted kick, and <strong>the</strong> pig got <strong>the</strong> whole of it; n<strong>on</strong>e of it