Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Webegantowonderwhethertherewereonlyfourislandsormore,orwhetherwewereneartheislandsatall,orwhetherwewereanywherewithinamileofwhereweoughttobe,orinthewrongpartoftheriveraltogether; everythinglookedsostrangeanddifferentinthedarkness. WebegantounderstandthesufferingsoftheBabesintheWood. 

           Justwhenwehadgivenupallhope—yes,Iknowthatisalwaysthetimethatthingsdohappeninnovelsandtales;butIcan’thelpit. Iresolved,whenIbegantowritethisbook,thatIwouldbestrictlytruthfulinallthings;andsoIwillbe,evenifIhavetoemployhackneyedphrasesforthepurpose. 

           Itwasjustwhenwehadgivenupallhope,andImustthereforesayso. Justwhenwehadgivenupallhope,then,Isuddenlycaughtsight,alittlewaybelowus,ofastrange,weirdsortofglimmerflickeringamongthetreesontheoppositebank. ForaninstantIthoughtofghosts:itwassuchashadowy,mysteriouslight. Thenextmomentitflashedacrossmethatitwasourboat,andIsentupsuchayellacrossthewaterthatmadethenightseemtoshakeinitsbed. 

           Wewaitedbreathlessforaminute,andthen—oh!divinestmusicofthedarkness!—weheardtheansweringbarkofMontmorency.