Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           FromMedmenhamtosweetHambledonLocktheriverisfullofpeacefulbeauty,but,afteritpassesGreenlands,theratheruninterestinglookingriverresidenceofmynewsagent —aquietunassumingoldgentleman,whomayoftenbemetwithabouttheseregions,duringthesummermonths,scullinghimselfalongineasyvigorousstyle,orchattinggeniallytosomeoldlock-keeper,ashepassesthrough—untilwelltheothersideofHenley,itissomewhatbareanddull. 

           WegotuptolerablyearlyontheMondaymorningatMarlow,andwentforabathebeforebreakfast; and,comingback,Montmorencymadeanawfulassofhimself. TheonlysubjectonwhichMontmorencyandIhaveanyseriousdifferenceofopinioniscats. Ilikecats;Montmorencydoesnot. 

           WhenImeetacat,Isay,"PoorPussy!"andstopdownandticklethesideofitshead;andthecatsticksupitstailinarigid,cast-ironmanner,archesitsback,andwipesitsnoseupagainstmytrousers;andallisgentlenessandpeace. WhenMontmorencymeetsacat,thewholestreetknowsaboutit;andthereisenoughbadlanguagewastedintensecondstolastanordinarilyrespectablemanallhislife,withcare. 

           Idonotblamethedog(contentingmyself,asarule,withmerelycloutinghisheadorthrowingstonesathim),becauseItakeitthatitishisnature.