Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Ihadnotbeenpullingformorethanaminuteorso,whenGeorgenoticedsomethingblackfloatingonthewater,andwedrewuptoit. Georgeleantover,aswenearedit,andlaidholdofit. Andthenhedrewbackwithacry,andablanchedface. 

           Itwasthedeadbodyofawoman. Itlayverylightlyonthewater,andthefacewassweetandcalm. Itwasnotabeautifulface;itwastooprematurelyaged-looking,toothinanddrawn,tobethat; butitwasagentle,lovableface,inspiteofitsstampofpinchandpoverty,anduponitwasthatlookofrestfulpeacethatcomestothefacesofthesicksometimeswhenatlastthepainhasleftthem. 

           Fortunatelyforus—wehavingnodesiretobekepthangingaboutcoroners’courts—somemenonthebankhadseenthebodytoo,andnowtookchargeofitfromus. 

           Wefoundoutthewoman’sstoryafterwards. Ofcourseitwastheold,oldvulgartragedy. Shehadlovedandbeendeceived—orhaddeceivedherself. Anyhow,shehadsinned—someofusdonowandthen—andherfamilyandfriends,naturallyshockedandindignant,hadclosedtheirdoorsagainsther. 

           Lefttofighttheworldalone,withthemillstoneofhershamearoundherneck,shehadsunkeverlowerandlower. Forawhileshehadkeptbothherselfandthechildonthetwelveshillingsaweekthattwelvehours’drudgeryadayprocuredher,payingsixshillingsoutofitforthechild,andkeepingherownbodyandsoultogetherontheremainder.