Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Thenextmorningwewouldreadthatitwasgoingtobea"warm,finetoset-fairday;muchheat;"andwewoulddressourselvesinflimsythings,andgoout,and,half-an-hourafterwehadstarted,itwouldcommencetorainhard,andabitterlycoldwindwouldspringup,andbothwouldkeeponsteadilyforthewholeday,andwewouldcomehomewithcoldsandrheumatismalloverus,andgotobed. 

           Theweatherisathingthatisbeyondmealtogether. Inevercanunderstandit. Thebarometerisuseless: itisasmisleadingasthenewspaperforecast. 

           TherewasonehangingupinahotelatOxfordatwhichIwasstayinglastspring,and,whenIgotthere,itwaspointingto"setfair." Itwassimplypouringwithrainoutside,andhadbeenallday;andIcouldn’tquitemakemattersout. Itappedthebarometer,anditjumpedupandpointedto"verydry." TheBootsstoppedashewaspassing,andsaidheexpecteditmeanttomorrow. Ifanciedthatmaybeitwasthinkingoftheweekbeforelast,butBootssaid,No,hethoughtnot. 

           Itappeditagainthenextmorning,anditwentupstillhigher,andtheraincamedownfasterthanever. OnWednesdayIwentandhititagain,andthepointerwentroundtowards"setfair,""verydry,"and"muchheat,"untilitwasstoppedbythepeg,andcouldn’tgoanyfurther. Ittrieditsbest,buttheinstrumentwasbuiltsothatitcouldn’tprophesyfineweatheranyharderthanitdidwithoutbreakingitself. Itevidentlywantedtogoon,andprognosticatedrought,andwaterfamine,andsunstroke,andsimooms,andsuchthings,butthepegpreventedit,andithadtobecontentwithpointingtothemerecommonplace"verydry." 

           Meanwhile,theraincamedowninasteadytorrent,andthelowerpartofthetownwasunderwater,owingtotheriverhavingoverflowed.