Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Buta"boatingcostume,"itwouldbeaswellifallladieswouldunderstand,oughttobeacostumethatcanbeworninaboat,andnotmerelyunderaglass-case. Itutterlyspoilsanexcursionifyouhavefolkintheboatwhoarethinkingallthetimeagooddealmoreoftheirdressthanofthetrip. Itwasmymisfortuneoncetogoforawaterpicnicwithtwoladiesofthiskind. Wedidhavealivelytime! 

           Theywerebothbeautifullygotup—alllaceandsilkystuff,andflowers,andribbons,anddaintyshoes,andlightgloves. Buttheyweredressedforaphotographicstudio,notforariverpicnic. Theywerethe"boatingcostumes"ofaFrenchfashion-plate. Itwasridiculous,foolingaboutinthemanywherenearrealearth,air,andwater. 

           Thefirstthingwasthattheythoughttheboatwasnotclean. Wedustedalltheseatsforthem,andthenassuredthemthatitwas,buttheydidn’tbelieveus. Oneofthemrubbedthecushionwiththeforefingerofherglove,andshowedtheresulttotheother,andtheybothsighed,andsatdown,withtheairofearlyChristianmartyrstryingtomakethemselvescomfortableupagainstthestake. Youareliabletooccasionallysplashalittlewhensculling,anditappearedthatadropofwaterruinedthosecostumes. Themarknevercameout,andastainwasleftonthedressforever. 

           Iwasstroke. Ididmybest. Ifeatheredsometwofeethigh,andIpausedattheendofeachstroketoletthebladesdripbeforereturningthem,andIpickedoutasmoothbitofwatertodropthemintoagaineachtime. (Bowsaid,afterawhile,thathedidnotfeelhimselfasufficientlyaccomplishedoarsmantopullwithme,butthathewouldsitstill,ifIwouldallowhim,andstudymystroke.Hesaiditinterestedhim.) But,notwithstandingallthis,andtryasIwould,Icouldnothelpanoccasionalflickerofwaterfromgoingoverthosedresses.