Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Hewasbewilderedforamoment. Herubbedhiseyes,andlookedhardatme. Iseemedhumanenoughontheoutside:hecouldn’tmakeitout. 

           Hesaid: 

           "Yuiseastrangerintheseparts? Youdon’tlivehere?" 

           "No,"Isaid,"Idon’t. Youwouldn’tifIdid." 

           "Wellthen,"hesaid,"youwanttoseethetombs—graves—folksbeenburied,youknow—coffins!" 

           "Youareanuntruther,"Ireplied,gettingroused;"Idonotwanttoseetombs—notyourtombs. WhyshouldI? Wehavegravesofourown,ourfamilyhas. WhymyunclePodgerhasatombinKensalGreenCemetery,thatistheprideofallthatcountry-side; andmygrandfather’svaultatBowiscapableofaccommodatingeightvisitors,whilemygreat-auntSusanhasabrickgraveinFinchleyChurchyard,withaheadstonewithacoffee-potsortofthinginbas-reliefuponit,andasix-inchbestwhitestonecopingallthewayround,thatcostpounds. WhenIwantgraves,itistothoseplacesthatIgoandrevel. Idonotwantotherfolk’s. Whenyouyourselfareburied,Iwillcomeandseeyours. ThatisallIcandoforyou." 

           Heburstintotears. Hesaidthatoneofthetombshadabitofstoneuponthetopofitthathadbeensaidbysometobeprobablypartoftheremainsofthefigureofaman,andthatanotherhadsomewords,carveduponit,thatnobodyhadeverbeenabletodecipher. 

           Istillremainedobdurate,and,inbroken-heartedtones,hesaid: 

           "Well,won’tyoucomeandseethememorialwindow?"