Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Beforeoursupper,HarrisandGeorgeandIwerequarrelsomeandsnappyandill-tempered;afteroursupper,wesatandbeamedononeanother,andwebeameduponthedog,too. Welovedeachother,welovedeverybody. Harris,inmovingabout,trodonGeorge’scorn. Hadthishappenedbeforesupper,GeorgewouldhaveexpressedwishesanddesiresconcerningHarris’sfateinthisworldandthenextthatwouldhavemadeathoughtfulmanshudder. 

           Asitwas,hesaid: "Steady,oldman;’warewheat." 

           AndHarris,insteadofmerelyobserving,inhismostunpleasanttones,thatafellowcouldhardlyhelptreadingonsomebitofGeorge’sfoot,ifhehadtomoveaboutatallwithintenyardsofwhereGeorgewassitting,suggestingthatGeorgeneveroughttocomeintoanordinarysizedboatwithfeetthatlength,andadvisinghimtohangthemovertheside,ashewouldhavedonebeforesupper,nowsaid: "Oh,I’msosorry,oldchap;IhopeIhaven’thurtyou." 

           AndGeorgesaid: "Notatall;"thatitwashisfault;andHarrissaidno,itwashis. 

           Itwasquiteprettytohearthem. 

           Welitourpipes,andsat,lookingoutonthequietnight,andtalked. 

           Georgesaidwhycouldnotwebealwayslikethis—awayfromtheworld,withitssinandtemptation,leadingsober,peacefullives,anddoinggood. IsaiditwasthesortofthingIhadoftenlongedformyself; andwediscussedthepossibilityofourgoingaway,wefour,tosomehandy,well-fitteddesertisland,andlivingthereinthewoods.