Chapter 17

           WestayedtwodaysatStreatley,andgotourclotheswashed. Wehadtriedwashingthemourselves,intheriver,underGeorge’ssuperintendence,andithadbeenafailure. Indeed,ithadbeenmorethanafailure,becausewewereworseoffafterwehadwashedourclothesthanwewerebefore. Beforewehadwashedthem,theyhadbeenvery,verydirty,itistrue; buttheywerejustwearable. Afterwehadwashedthem—well,theriverbetweenReadingandHenleywasmuchcleaner,afterwehadwashedourclothesinit,thanitwasbefore. AllthedirtcontainedintheriverbetweenReadingandHenley,wecollected,duringthatwash,andworkeditintoourclothes. 

           ThewasherwomanatStreatleysaidshefeltsheowedittoherselftochargeusjustthreetimestheusualpricesforthatwash. Shesaidithadnotbeenlikewashing,ithadbeenmoreinthenatureofexcavating. 

           Wepaidthebillwithoutamurmur. 

           TheneighbourhoodofStreatleyandGoringisagreatfishingcentre. Thereissomeexcellentfishingtobehadhere. Theriveraboundsinpike,roach,dace,gudgeon,andeels,justhere;andyoucansitandfishforthemallday. 

           Somepeopledo. Theynevercatchthem. Ineverknewanybodycatchanything,uptheThames,exceptminnowsanddeadcats,butthathasnothingtodo,ofcourse,withfishing! Thelocalfisherman’sguidedoesn’tsayawordaboutcatchinganything.