Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Noneofushadheardit,thatwecouldremember. 

           Theyoungmensaiditwasthefunniestsongthathadeverbeenwritten,andthat,ifweliked,theywouldgetHerrSlossennBoschen,whomtheyknewverywell,tosingit. Theysaiditwassofunnythat,whenHerrSlossennBoschenhadsungitoncebeforetheGermanEmperor,he(theGermanEmperor)hadhadtobecarriedofftobed. 

           TheysaidnobodycouldsingitlikeHerrSlossennBoschen; hewassointenselyseriousallthroughitthatyoumightfancyhewasrecitingatragedy,andthat,ofcourse,madeitallthefunnier. Theysaidheneveroncesuggestedbyhistoneormannerthathewassinginganythingfunny—thatwouldspoilit. Itwashisairofseriousness,almostofpathos,thatmadeitsoirresistiblyamusing. 

           Wesaidweyearnedtohearit,thatwewantedagoodlaugh;andtheywentdownstairs,andfetchedHerrSlossennBoschen. 

           Heappearedtobequitepleasedtosingit,forhecameupatonce,andsatdowntothepianowithoutanotherword. 

           "Oh,itwillamuseyou.Youwilllaugh,"whisperedthetwoyoungmen,astheypassedthroughtheroom,andtookupanunobtrusivepositionbehindtheProfessor’sback. 

           HerrSlossennBoschenaccompaniedhimself. Thepreludedidnotsuggestacomicsongexactly. Itwasaweird,soulfulair. Itquitemadeone’sfleshcreep;butwemurmuredtooneanotherthatitwastheGermanmethod,andpreparedtoenjoyit. 

           Idon’tunderstandGermanmyself. Ilearneditatschool,butforgoteverywordofittwoyearsafterIhadleft,andhavefeltmuchbettereversince.