English
Welookedatthemapsandwediscussedplans.WedecidedtostartfromKingstonthefollowingSaturday.
‘Harris,youandIwillgotogettheboatatKingston,’Isaid.‘Thenwe’lltakeituptherivertoChertsey,Iwherewe’llmeetGeorge.’
GeorgeworksintheCityuntiltheafternoon.(Georgegoestosleepatabankfromteno’clocktofouro’clock,MondaytoFriday,exceptonSaturdays.OnSaturdays,theywakehimupattwoo’clock,andputhimoutsidethedoor.)
Thenextproblemwaswheretosleepatnight.GeorgeandIdidn’twanttosleepatinns.Wewantedtocampoutinthemiddleofnature.
‘Howbeautiful,’wesaid,‘sleepinginthecountry,underthestars,bytheriver!’
‘Icanimagineitall!’Isaid.Thereisagoldensunset.Theriverismovingalongquietly.Theforestisfulloftreesandbirds.Thegrassaroundusisgreen,andlittleflowersgrowhereandthere.
‘Soonitisdark.Werowourboatintoaquietcornerontheriver.Weputupourtentandcookasimple,healthymeal.Weallsitaroundawarmfireandeatourmeal.
‘Welookupandseethemoonandthestars.Thenwesitinsilence.Howwonderfulthisis!Wegotobed,andthenwedreamunderthestars!Wedreamthattheworldisyoungagain.’
Asweallsattheredreaming,Harrissaid,‘Whathappensifitrains?’
ThereisnothingpoeticaboutHarris.Heisnotromanticatall.IfHarriseverhastearsinhiseyes,heiseatingrawonions.IfyoustandbytheseawithHarrisandsay,‘Listentothesoundsofthesea.Canyouhearspiritssingingsadsongs–thesongsofthosewhodiedinthesewaters?’hewilltakeyoubythearmandsay,‘Iunderstand,myfriend.You’renotfeelingwell.Now,comewithme.Iknowaplacearoundthecornerhere,whereyoucangetsomegoodwhisky.You’llfeelbettersoon.’Harrisalwaysknowswhereyoucanfindagoodwhisky.
Harriswasrightaboutcampingoutwhenitrains.It’snotniceatall.Justimagine:itisevening.Youareallwet.Thereiswaterintheboatandallyourthingsarewet.Youfindaplaceontheriverbank.Yougetoutoftheboatandpulloutthetent.Nowtwoofyoutrytoputitup.
Thetentiswetandveryheavy.Itisraininghard.Thewindisblowing.Thewettentfliesabout.Itfallsonyourheadandmakesyouangry.Itisdifficulttoputupatentingoodweather.Itisimpossibletodosoinwetweather.Theothermanisofnohelpatall.Heisacompletefool!
Thewindcontinuestoblowandtheraincontinuestofall.Youlookattheothermanandsay,‘Whatareyoudoingwithyoursideofthetent?’
‘Whatareyoudoing?’heanswers.
‘Don’tpullonyourside!’youshout.
‘Ididn’tpull.Youpulled!’heshouts.
‘You’redoingeverythingwrong!’youshout.
‘What?’heshouts,‘Ican’thearyou.’
‘Youdon’tknowhowtoputupatent!We’llneverputupthistent,’yousay.
Atthispoint,thethirdmanhaspulledtheboatoutofthewater.Heiscompletelywet.Hewantstoknowwhythetentisn’tupyet.Everyoneiswetandangry.
Harriswasright.Campingoutinrainyweatherisnotagoodidea.Wedecidedtocampoutingoodweatherandsleepataninnorahotelinbadweather.Montmorencyagreedwiththisdecision.Helikesinnsandhotels.
Montmorencydoesn’tlikethequietlife.Heprefersnoiseandconfusion.Helookslikeagood,well-behaveddog.Buthe’snot.WhenyoulookatMontmorency,youseeanangelfromparadise,intheformofasmallfox-terrier.Youthinkheisasweet,gentlelittledog.Whenoldladiesandgentlemenlookathim,tearscometotheireyes.
Whenhekilledtwelvechickens,andIpaidforthem,IchangedmyopinionofMontmorency.Inoneyear,hehadonehundredandfourteenstreetfightswithotherdogs.Anangrywomanbroughtmeherdeadcatandcalledmeamurderer.Montmorencylovestojointheworstdogs.Hethentakesthemaroundtowntofightotherdogs.Thisishisideaofahappylife.
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