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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 38 —<br />

I replied that he had directed <strong>the</strong>y were to be kept <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a moist<br />

place, and that nobody was to touch <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

She said:<br />

“Nobody’s likely to touch <strong>the</strong>m. Had he smelt <strong>the</strong>m?”<br />

I thought he had, and added that he seemed greatly attached<br />

to <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

“You th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k he would be upset,” she queried, “if I gave a man<br />

a sovereign to take <strong>the</strong>m away and bury <strong>the</strong>m?”<br />

I answered that I thought he would never smile aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />

An idea struck her. She said:<br />

“Do you m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d keep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m for him? Let me send <strong>the</strong>m<br />

round to you.”<br />

“Madam,” I replied, “for myself I like <strong>the</strong> smell of cheese,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> journey <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r day with <strong>the</strong>m from Liverpool I shall<br />

ever look back up<strong>on</strong> as a happy end<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to a pleasant holiday.<br />

But, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> this world, we must c<strong>on</strong>sider o<strong>the</strong>rs. The lady under<br />

whose roof I have <strong>the</strong> h<strong>on</strong>our of resid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is a widow, and, for<br />

all I know, possibly an orphan too. She has a str<strong>on</strong>g, I may say<br />

an eloquent, objecti<strong>on</strong> to be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g what she terms ‘put up<strong>on</strong>.’ The<br />

presence of your husband’s cheeses <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> her house she would, I<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ctively feel, regard as a ‘put up<strong>on</strong>’; and it shall never be<br />

said that I put up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> widow and <strong>the</strong> orphan.”<br />

“Very well, <strong>the</strong>n,” said my friend’s wife, ris<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, “all I have to<br />

say is, that I shall take <strong>the</strong> children and go to an hotel until<br />

those cheeses are eaten. I decl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e to live any l<strong>on</strong>ger <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> same<br />

house with <strong>the</strong>m.”<br />

She kept her word, leav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> place <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> charge of <strong>the</strong> charwoman,<br />

who, when asked if she could stand <strong>the</strong> smell, replied,<br />

“What smell?” and who, when taken close to <strong>the</strong> cheeses and<br />

told to sniff hard, said she could detect a fa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t odour of mel<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

It was argued from this that little <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>jury could result to <strong>the</strong><br />

woman from <strong>the</strong> atmosphere, and she was left.<br />

The hotel bill came to fifteen gu<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>eas; and my friend, after<br />

reck<strong>on</strong><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up, found that <strong>the</strong> cheeses had cost him<br />

eight-and-sixpence a pound. He said he dearly loved a bit of<br />

cheese, but it was bey<strong>on</strong>d his means; so he determ<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed to get

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