Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 2
Wethereforedecidedthatwewouldsleepoutonfinenights;andhotelit,andinnit,andpubit,likerespectablefolks,whenitwaswet,orwhenwefeltinclinedforachange.
Montmorencyhailedthiscompromisewithmuchapproval. Hedoesnotrevelinromanticsolitude. Givehimsomethingnoisy;andifatriflelow,somuchthejollier. TolookatMontmorencyyouwouldimaginethathewasanangelsentupontheearth,forsomereasonwithheldfrommankind,intheshapeofasmallfox-terrier. ThereisasortofOh-what-a-wicked-world-this-is-and-how-I-wish-I-could-do-something-to-make-it-better-and-noblerexpressionaboutMontmorencythathasbeenknowntobringthetearsintotheeyesofpiousoldladiesandgentlemen.
Whenfirsthecametoliveatmyexpense,IneverthoughtIshouldbeabletogethimtostoplong. Iusedtositdownandlookathim,ashesatontherugandlookedupatme,andthink: "Oh,thatdogwillneverlive. Hewillbesnatcheduptothebrightskiesinachariot,thatiswhatwillhappentohim."
But,whenIhadpaidforaboutadozenchickensthathehadkilled; andhaddraggedhim,growlingandkicking,bythescruffofhisneck,outofahundredandfourteenstreetfights;andhadhadadeadcatbroughtroundformyinspectionbyaniratefemale,whocalledmeamurderer; andhadbeensummonedbythemannextdoorbutoneforhavingaferociousdogatlarge,thathadkepthimpinnedupinhisowntool-shed,afraidtoventurehisnoseoutsidethedoorforovertwohoursonacoldnight; andhadlearnedthatthegardener,unknowntomyself,hadwonthirtyshillingsbybackinghimtokillratsagainsttime,thenIbegantothinkthatmaybethey’dlethimremainonearthforabitlonger,afterall.
