Троє в човні крім собаки

           "But,greatCaesar!man,"expostulatedmyfriend;"youdon’tmeantosayyouhavecoveredovercarvedoakwithbluewall-paper?" 

           "Yes,"wasthereply:"itwasexpensivework. Hadtomatch-boarditalloverfirst,ofcourse. Buttheroomlookscheerfulnow. Itwasawfulgloomybefore." 

           Ican’tsayIaltogetherblametheman(whichisdoubtlessagreatrelieftohismind). Fromhispointofview,whichwouldbethatoftheaveragehouseholder,desiringtotakelifeaslightlyaspossible,andnotthatoftheold-curiosity-shopmaniac,thereisreasononhisside. Carvedoakisverypleasanttolookat,andtohavealittleof,butitisnodoubtsomewhatdepressingtolivein,forthosewhosefancydoesnotliethatway. Itwouldbelikelivinginachurch. 

           No,whatwassadinhiscasewasthathe,whodidn’tcareforcarvedoak,shouldhavehisdrawing-roompanelledwithit,whilepeoplewhodocareforithavetopayenormouspricestogetit. Itseemstobetheruleofthisworld. Eachpersonhaswhathedoesn’twant,andotherpeoplehavewhathedoeswant. 

           Marriedmenhavewives,anddon’tseemtowantthem;andyoungsinglefellowscryoutthattheycan’tgetthem. Poorpeoplewhocanhardlykeepthemselveshaveeightheartychildren. Richoldcouples,withnoonetoleavetheirmoneyto,diechildless. 

           Thentherearegirlswithlovers. Thegirlsthathaveloversneverwantthem. Theysaytheywouldratherbewithoutthem,thattheybotherthem,andwhydon’ttheygoandmakelovetoMissSmithandMissBrown,whoareplainandelderly,andhaven’tgotanylovers? Theythemselvesdon’twantlovers. Theynevermeantomarry.