Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 8
Noneofushadheardit,thatwecouldremember.
Theyoungmensaiditwasthefunniestsongthathadeverbeenwritten,andthat,ifweliked,theywouldgetHerrSlossennBoschen,whomtheyknewverywell,tosingit. Theysaiditwassofunnythat,whenHerrSlossennBoschenhadsungitoncebeforetheGermanEmperor,he(theGermanEmperor)hadhadtobecarriedofftobed.
TheysaidnobodycouldsingitlikeHerrSlossennBoschen; hewassointenselyseriousallthroughitthatyoumightfancyhewasrecitingatragedy,andthat,ofcourse,madeitallthefunnier. Theysaidheneveroncesuggestedbyhistoneormannerthathewassinginganythingfunny—thatwouldspoilit. Itwashisairofseriousness,almostofpathos,thatmadeitsoirresistiblyamusing.
Wesaidweyearnedtohearit,thatwewantedagoodlaugh;andtheywentdownstairs,andfetchedHerrSlossennBoschen.
Heappearedtobequitepleasedtosingit,forhecameupatonce,andsatdowntothepianowithoutanotherword.
"Oh,itwillamuseyou.Youwilllaugh,"whisperedthetwoyoungmen,astheypassedthroughtheroom,andtookupanunobtrusivepositionbehindtheProfessor’sback.
HerrSlossennBoschenaccompaniedhimself. Thepreludedidnotsuggestacomicsongexactly. Itwasaweird,soulfulair. Itquitemadeone’sfleshcreep;butwemurmuredtooneanotherthatitwastheGermanmethod,andpreparedtoenjoyit.
Idon’tunderstandGermanmyself. Ilearneditatschool,butforgoteverywordofittwoyearsafterIhadleft,andhavefeltmuchbettereversince.