Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 14
Webegantowonderwhethertherewereonlyfourislandsormore,orwhetherwewereneartheislandsatall,orwhetherwewereanywherewithinamileofwhereweoughttobe,orinthewrongpartoftheriveraltogether; everythinglookedsostrangeanddifferentinthedarkness. WebegantounderstandthesufferingsoftheBabesintheWood.
Justwhenwehadgivenupallhope—yes,Iknowthatisalwaysthetimethatthingsdohappeninnovelsandtales;butIcan’thelpit. Iresolved,whenIbegantowritethisbook,thatIwouldbestrictlytruthfulinallthings;andsoIwillbe,evenifIhavetoemployhackneyedphrasesforthepurpose.
Itwasjustwhenwehadgivenupallhope,andImustthereforesayso. Justwhenwehadgivenupallhope,then,Isuddenlycaughtsight,alittlewaybelowus,ofastrange,weirdsortofglimmerflickeringamongthetreesontheoppositebank. ForaninstantIthoughtofghosts:itwassuchashadowy,mysteriouslight. Thenextmomentitflashedacrossmethatitwasourboat,andIsentupsuchayellacrossthewaterthatmadethenightseemtoshakeinitsbed.
Wewaitedbreathlessforaminute,andthen—oh!divinestmusicofthedarkness!—weheardtheansweringbarkofMontmorency.
