Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           HarrisaskedmeifI’deverbeeninthemazeatHamptonCourt. Hesaidhewentinoncetoshowsomebodyelsetheway. Hehadstudieditupinamap,anditwassosimplethatitseemedfoolish—hardlyworththetwopencechargedforadmission. Harrissaidhethoughtthatmapmusthavebeengotupasapracticaljoke,becauseitwasn’tabitliketherealthing,andonlymisleading. ItwasacountrycousinthatHarristookin. Hesaid: 

           "We’lljustgoinhere,sothatyoucansayyou’vebeen,butit’sverysimple. It’sabsurdtocallitamaze. Youkeepontakingthefirstturningtotheright. We’lljustwalkroundfortenminutes,andthengoandgetsomelunch." 

           Theymetsomepeoplesoonaftertheyhadgotinside,whosaidtheyhadbeenthereforthree-quartersofanhour,andhadhadaboutenoughofit. Harristoldthemtheycouldfollowhim,iftheyliked;hewasjustgoingin,andthenshouldturnroundandcomeoutagain. Theysaiditwasverykindofhim,andfellbehind,andfollowed. 

           Theypickedupvariousotherpeoplewhowantedtogetitover,astheywentalong,untiltheyhadabsorbedallthepersonsinthemaze. Peoplewhohadgivenupallhopesofevergettingeitherinorout,orofeverseeingtheirhomeandfriendsagain,pluckedupcourageatthesightofHarrisandhisparty,andjoinedtheprocession,blessinghim. Harrissaidheshouldjudgetheremusthavebeentwentypeople,followinghim,inall;andonewomanwithababy,whohadbeenthereallthemorning,insistedontakinghisarm,forfearoflosinghim. 

           Harriskeptonturningtotheright,butitseemedalongway,andhiscousinsaidhesupposeditwasaverybigmaze. 

           "Oh,oneofthelargestinEurope,"saidHarris.