Kitabı oku: «Трое в лодке, не считая собаки / Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)», sayfa 8
At last, an empty cab came, and packing ourselves and our things into it, we drove away amidst the cheers of the crowd.
We got to Waterloo40 at eleven, and asked where the eleven-five started from 41. Of course nobody knew; nobody at Waterloo ever knows where a train is going to start from, or where a train when it starts is going to, or anything about it. The porter who took our things thought it would go from number two platform, while another porter, with whom he discussed the question, had heard a rumour that it would go from number one.
We went upstairs, and asked the traffic superintendent, and he told us that he had just met a man, who said he had seen it at number three platform. We went to number three platform. We saw the engine-driver, and asked him if he was going to Kingston. He said he couldn’t say for certain of course, but that he rather thought he was. We gave him half-a-crown, and begged him to be the 11.5 for Kingston.
“Nobody will ever know,” we said, “what you are, or where you’re going. You know the way, so go to Kingston.”
“Well, I don’t know, gentlemen,” replied the noble fellow, “but I’ll do it. Give me the half-crown.”
Thus we got to Kingston.
We learnt, afterwards, that they had spent hours at Waterloo, looking for the train we had come by, and nobody knew what had become of it.
Our boat was waiting for us at Kingston just below bridge. We stored our luggage, and into it we stepped.
Chapter VI
It was a glorious morning, late spring or early summer, when the year seems like a fair young maid. I was looking at the town and began to think about great English kings and queens who built it.
Suddenly Harris got up and left his seat, and sat on his back, and stuck his legs in the air42. Montmorency howled, and the top hamper jumped up, and all the things came out.
I was somewhat surprised, but I did not lose my temper. I said, pleasantly enough:
“Hello! what’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? Why —”
No, on second thoughts, I will not repeat what Harris said. Maybe I was guilty, I admit it; but nothing excuses violence of language of Harris. I was thinking of other things, and forgot, as any one might easily understand, that I was steering, and our boat hit the bank of the river.
I got out and took the tow-line, and ran the boat on past Hampton Court43. What a dear old wall that is that runs along by the river there! If I could only draw, and knew how to paint, I could make a lovely sketch of that old wall, I’m sure.
