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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— 375 —<br />
to get rid of that first. He and <strong>the</strong> cabman carried it upstairs,<br />
and rang <strong>the</strong> bell of <strong>the</strong> Pensi<strong>on</strong>. A sleepy porter answered it.<br />
They carried <strong>the</strong>ir burden <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and looked for a place to drop it.<br />
A bedroom door happened to be open; <strong>the</strong> room was empty;<br />
could anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g be better? — <strong>the</strong>y took it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>re. They relieved<br />
it of such th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs as came off easily, and laid it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> bed. This<br />
d<strong>on</strong>e, both men, pleased with <strong>the</strong>mselves, returned to <strong>the</strong> cab.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> next address <strong>the</strong>y stopped aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. This time, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> answer<br />
to <strong>the</strong>ir summ<strong>on</strong>s, a lady appeared, dressed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a tea gown, with<br />
a book <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> her hand. The German student looked at <strong>the</strong> top <strong>on</strong>e<br />
of two cards rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his hand, and enquired if he had <strong>the</strong><br />
pleasure of address<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g Frau Y. It happened that he had, though<br />
so far as any pleasure was c<strong>on</strong>cerned that appeared to be entirely<br />
<strong>on</strong> his side. He expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed to Frau Y. that <strong>the</strong> gentleman<br />
at that moment asleep aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <strong>the</strong> wall was her husband. The<br />
reuni<strong>on</strong> moved her to no enthusiasm; she simply opened <strong>the</strong><br />
bedroom door, and <strong>the</strong>n walked away. The cabman and <strong>the</strong><br />
student took him <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and laid him <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> bed. They did not<br />
trouble to undress him, <strong>the</strong>y were feel<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g tired! They did not<br />
see <strong>the</strong> lady of <strong>the</strong> house aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and retired <strong>the</strong>refore without<br />
adieus.<br />
The last card was that of a bachelor stopp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at an hotel.<br />
They took <strong>the</strong>ir last man, <strong>the</strong>refore, to that hotel, passed him<br />
over to <strong>the</strong> night porter, and left him.<br />
To return to <strong>the</strong> address at which <strong>the</strong> first delivery was<br />
made, what had happened <strong>the</strong>re was this. Some eight hours<br />
previously had said Mr. X. to Mrs. X.: “I th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k I told you, my<br />
dear, that I had an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vitati<strong>on</strong> for this even<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to what, I believe,<br />
is called a Kneipe?”<br />
“You did menti<strong>on</strong> someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <strong>the</strong> sort,” replied Mrs. X.<br />
“What is a Kneipe?”<br />
“Well, it’s a sort of bachelor party, my dear, where <strong>the</strong> students<br />
meet to s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and talk and — and smoke, and all that sort<br />
of th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, you know.”<br />
“Oh, well, I hope you will enjoy yourself !” said Mrs. X., who<br />
was a nice woman and sensible.