Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Itdoesnotdotodwellonthesethings;itmakesonesosad. 

           Therewasaboyatourschool,weusedtocallhimSandfordandMerton. HisrealnamewasStivvings. HewasthemostextraordinaryladIevercameacross. Ibelievehereallylikedstudy. HeusedtogetintoawfulrowsforsittingupinbedandreadingGreek;andasforFrenchirregularverbstherewassimplynokeepinghimawayfromthem. Hewasfullofweirdandunnaturalnotionsaboutbeingacredittohisparentsandanhonourtotheschool;andheyearnedtowinprizes,andgrowupandbeacleverman,andhadallthosesortsofweak-mindedideas. Ineverknewsuchastrangecreature,yetharmless,mindyou,asthebabeunborn. 

           Well,thatboyusedtogetillabouttwiceaweek,sothathecouldn’tgotoschool. ThereneverwassuchaboytogetillasthatSandfordandMerton. Iftherewasanyknowndiseasegoingwithintenmilesofhim,hehadit,andhaditbadly. Hewouldtakebronchitisinthedog-days,andhavehay-feveratChristmas. Afterasixweeks’periodofdrought,hewouldbestrickendownwithrheumaticfever;andhewouldgooutinaNovemberfogandcomehomewithasunstroke. 

           Theyputhimunderlaughing-gasoneyear,poorlad,anddrewallhisteeth,andgavehimafalseset,becausehesufferedsoterriblywithtoothache; andthenitturnedtoneuralgiaandear-ache. Hewasneverwithoutacold,exceptoncefornineweekswhilehehadscarletfever;andhealwayshadchilblains. Duringthegreatcholerascareof1871,ourneighbourhoodwassingularlyfreefromit. Therewasonlyonereputedcaseinthewholeparish:thatcasewasyoungStivvings. 

           Hehadtostopinbedwhenhewasill,andeatchickenandcustardsandhot-housegrapes; andhewouldliethereandsob,becausetheywouldn’tlethimdoLatinexercises,andtookhisGermangrammarawayfromhim.