按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
afternoon； and at one time it seemed to him that he had been eating
nothing but boiled beef for weeks； and at other times it seemed that he
must have been living on strawberries and cream for years。
Neither the beef nor the strawberries and cream seemed happy； either …
seemed discontented like。
At six； they came and told him dinner was ready。 The announcement
aroused no enthusiasm within him； but he felt that there was some of that
two…pound…five to be worked off； and he held on to ropes and things and
went down。 A pleasant odour of onions and hot ham； mingled with fried
fish and greens； greeted him at the bottom of the ladder； and then the
steward came up with an oily smile； and said：
〃What can I get you； sir？〃
〃Get me out of this；〃 was the feeble reply。
And they ran him up quick； and propped him up； over to leeward； and left
him。
For the next four days he lived a simple and blameless life on thin
captain's biscuits （I mean that the biscuits were thin； not the captain）
and soda…water； but； towards Saturday； he got uppish； and went in for
weak tea and dry toast； and on Monday he was gorging himself on chicken
broth。 He left the ship on Tuesday； and as it steamed away from the
landing…stage he gazed after it regretfully。
〃There she goes；〃 he said； 〃there she goes； with two pounds' worth of
food on board that belongs to me； and that I haven't had。〃
He said that if they had given him another day he thought he could have
put it straight。
So I set my face against the sea trip。 Not； as I explained； upon my own
account。 I was never queer。 But I was afraid for George。 George said
he should be all right； and would rather like it； but he would advise
Harris and me not to think of it； as he felt sure we should both be ill。
Harris said that； to himself； it was always a mystery how people managed
to get sick at sea … said he thought people must do it on purpose； from
affectation … said he had often wished to be； but had never been able。
Then he told us anecdotes of how he had gone across the Channel when it
was so rough that the passengers had to be tied into their berths； and he
and the captain were the only two living souls on board who were not ill。
Sometimes it was he and the second mate who were not ill； but it was
generally he and one other man。 If not he and another man； then it was
he by himself。
It is a curious fact； but nobody ever is sea…sick … on land。 At sea； you
come across plenty of people very bad indeed； whole boat…loads of them；
but I never met a man yet； on land； who had ever known at all what it was
to be sea…sick。 Where the thousands upon thousands of bad sailors that
swarm in every ship hide themselves when they are on land is a mystery。
If most men were like a fellow I saw on the Yarmouth boat one day； I
could account for the seeming enigma easily enough。 It was just off
Southend Pier； I recollect； and he was leaning out through one of the
port…holes in a very dangerous position。 I went up to him to try and
save him。
〃Hi！ come further in；〃 I said； shaking him by the shoulder。 〃You'll be
overboard。〃
〃Oh my！ I wish I was；〃 was the only answer I could get； and there I had
to leave him。
Three weeks afterwards； I met him in the coffee…room of a Bath hotel；
talking about his voyages； and explaining； with enthusiasm； how he loved
the sea。
〃Good sailor！〃 he replied in answer to a mild young man's envious query；
〃well； I did feel a little queer ONCE； I confess。 It was off Cape Horn。
The vessel was wrecked the next morning。〃
I said：
〃Weren't you a little shaky by Southend Pier one day； and wanted to be
thrown overboard？〃
〃Southend Pier！〃 he replied； with a puzzled expression。
〃Yes； going down to Yarmouth； last Friday three weeks。〃
〃Oh； ah … yes；〃 he answered； brightening up； 〃I remember now。 I did have
a headache that afternoon。 It was the pickles； you know。 They were the
most disgraceful pickles I ever tasted in a respectable boat。 Did you
have any？〃
For myself； I have discovered an excellent preventive against sea…
sickness； in balancing myself。 You stand in the centre of the deck； and；
as the ship heaves and pitches； you move your body about； so as to keep
it always straight。 When the front of the ship rises； you lean forward；
till the deck almost touches your nose； and when its back end gets up；
you lean backwards。 This is all very well for an hour or two； but you
can't balance yourself for a week。
George said：
〃Let's go up the river。〃
He said we should have fresh air； exercise and quiet； the constant change
of scene would occupy our minds （including what there was of Harris's）；
and the hard work would give us a good appetite； and make us sleep well。
Harris said he didn't think George ought to do anything that would have a
tendency to make him sleepier than he always was； as it might be
dangerous。
He said he didn't very well understand how George was going to sleep any
more than he did now； seeing that there were only twenty…four hours in
each day； summer and winter alike； but thought that if he DID sleep any
more； he might just as well be dead； and so save his board and lodging。
Harris said； however； that the river would suit him to a 〃T。〃 I don't
know what a 〃T〃 is （except a sixpenny one； which includes bread…and…
butter and cake AD LIB。； and is cheap at the price； if you haven't had
any dinner）。 It seems to suit everybody； however； which is greatly to
its credit。
It suited me to a 〃T〃 too； and Harris and I both said it was a good idea
of George's； and we said it in a tone that seemed to somehow imply that
we were surprised that George should have come out so sensible。
The only one who was not struck with the suggestion was Montmorency。 He
never did care for the river； did Montmorency。
〃It's all very well for you fellows；〃 he says； 〃you like it； but I don't。
There's nothing for me to do。 Scenery is not in my line； and I don't
smoke。 If I see a rat； you won't stop； and if I go to sleep； you get
fooling about with the boat； and slop me overboard。 If you ask me； I
call the whole thing bally foolishness。〃
We were three to one； however； and the motion was carried。
CHAPTER II。
PLANS DISCUSSED。 … PLEASURES OF 〃CAMPING…OUT；〃 ON FINE NIGHTS。 … DITTO；
WET NIGHTS。 … COMPROMISE DECIDED ON。 … MONTMORENCY； FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF。
… FEARS LEST HE IS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD； FEARS SUBSEQUENTLY DISMISSED
AS GROUNDLESS。 … MEETING ADJOURNS。
WE pulled out the maps； and discussed plans。
We arranged to start on the following Saturday from Kingston。 Harris and
I would go down in the morning； and take the boat up to Chertsey； and
George； who would not be able to get away from the City till the
afternoon （George goes to sleep at a bank from ten to four each day；