Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 4
Icalledforthecheeses,andtookthemawayinacab. Itwasaramshackleaffair,draggedalongbyaknock-kneed,broken-windedsomnambulist,whichhisowner,inamomentofenthusiasm,duringconversation,referredtoasahorse. Iputthecheesesonthetop,andwestartedoffatashamblethatwouldhavedonecredittotheswifteststeam-rollereverbuilt,andallwentmerryasafuneralbell,untilweturnedthecorner. There,thewindcarriedawhifffromthecheesesfullontooursteed. Itwokehimup,and,withasnortofterror,hedashedoffatthreemilesanhour. Thewindstillblewinhisdirection,andbeforewereachedtheendofthestreethewaslayinghimselfoutattherateofnearlyfourmilesanhour,leavingthecripplesandstoutoldladiessimplynowhere.
Ittooktwoportersaswellasthedrivertoholdhiminatthestation; andIdonotthinktheywouldhavedoneit,eventhen,hadnotoneofthemenhadthepresenceofmindtoputahandkerchiefoverhisnose,andtolightabitofbrownpaper.
Itookmyticket,andmarchedproudlyuptheplatform,withmycheeses,thepeoplefallingbackrespectfullyoneitherside. Thetrainwascrowded,andIhadtogetintoacarriagewheretherewerealreadysevenotherpeople. Onecrustyoldgentlemanobjected,butIgotin,notwithstanding;and,puttingmycheesesupontherack,squeezeddownwithapleasantsmile,andsaiditwasawarmday.
Afewmomentspassed,andthentheoldgentlemanbegantofidget.
"Verycloseinhere,"hesaid.
"Quiteoppressive,"saidthemannexthim.