English
WereachedReadingataboutIIo’clock.Theriverhereisverydirty,sowemovedontoStreatley.WestayedatStreatleyfortwodays.Wetookourclothestoalaundrywoman.Wehadtriedtowashthemintheriver,asGeorgetoldus.Theriverwassodirtythatourclothescollectedallthedirtfromthewater.Theriverbecamecleaner,butourclothesbecamedirtier.
Thelaundrywomanwasverysurprisedtoseesuchdirtyclothes.Shelookedatthemandsaid,‘Thiswillcostyouthreetimestheusualprice.’
Weagreedandpaidher.
TherivernearStreatleyandGoringisexcellentforfishing.Itisfullofdifferenttypesoffish.Somepeoplesitandfishthereallday.However,theynevercatchanyfish.Thelocalfisherman’sguidebookdoesn’tsayanythingaboutcatchingfish.Itonlysaysthattheplaceisagoodfishingarea.Anditis!
Youcanseemanyfishswimpast,butyoucan’tcatchthem.
Whenyougoforawalkbytheriver,youcanseehundredsoffish.Theycomeandstandhalfoutofthewater.Theirmouthsareopenforbread.Ifyougoswimming,theycometolookatyouanddisturbyou.Youcannotcatchthem,however.
WepassedbyWallingfordandDorchester.BothareancientBritishtowns.InthedaysoftheRomanEmpire,theRomanscampedhereandbuiltfortifications.WespentthenightatCliftonHampdon,whichisaprettyvillage.
WefinallyarrivedatOxfordandspenttwoexcellentdaysthere.Oxfordisabeautifultownwithitsolduniversity.Oxfordisalsofullofdogs.Montmorencywasveryhappy.Hehadelevendogfightsonthefirstdayandfourteenonthesecondday.Heprobablythoughthewasinheaven.
WeleftOxfordonthethirdday,toreturnhometoLondon.WhenweleftOxford,itwasraining.Theraincontinuedwithoutstopping.
Whenit’ssunny,theriverisadream.Butwhenit’srainy,theriverisbrownandunfriendly.
Itrainedallday.Atfirst,wepretendedtoenjoyit.
‘Well,thisisanicechange.Toomuchsunshineisboring.Natureisbeautifulevenwhenitrains,’Isaid.
‘Yes,’Harrissaid,‘it’sgoodtoseetheriverinallkindsofweather.Therainisgoodforyou.Ican’tunderstandpeoplewhoareafraidofalittlerain.’
HarrisandIsangsongsandwewerequitehappy.
Georgedidnotagree.Hestayedundertheumbrella.
Weputupthecanvascoverbeforelunch.Weleftalittleopeningtoseewhereweweregoing.Wecontinuedourtripforanotherninemiles.WestoppedforthenightatDay’sLock.
Wedidnothaveahappyevening.Therainneverstopped.Supperwasnotgood.Wewerereallytiredofcoldmeat.Wedreamtaboutourfavouritefoods.Harristalkedaboutfishcookedinaspecialsauce.
HarrisgavehiscoldmeattoMontmorency.Helookedatitandturnedhishead.HeseemedinsultedbyHarris’soffer.Hewenttositattheothersideoftheboat,alone.
Georgesaid,‘Pleasedon’ttalkaboutgoodfood,untilIfinishthiscoldmeat.’
Weplayedcardsaftersupper.Afterthat,wehadsomehotwaterandwhisky.Georgetoldusaboutamanheknew.Thismanhadsleptontheriverinawetboat,likeours.Hegotveryillanddiedtendayslater.
Ofcourse,webegantalkingaboutotherillnesses.Afterawhile,IHarrissaid,‘I’vegotanawfulheadache.Itmustbetherain.’
‘Well,I’vegotabadbackache,’Isaid.
Tomakeusfeelhappier,Georgesangtous.ThatmadeHarrisandIcry,anditmadeMontmorencyhowl.
Therewasnothingelsetodo,sowewenttobed.Wedidn’tsleepwellatall.Wewereawakeatfiveo’clockthenextmorning.
Oursecondrainydaywasthesameasthefirst.Itrainedallday.Wemovedslowlyalongtheriver.Weagreedtocontinueourtrip,evenifitkilledus.
‘It’sonlytwomoredays,’Harrissaid.‘We’reyoungandhealthy.Maybewe’llbeallright.’
Wetalkedaboutourevening.‘Withthisweather,wecanhavedinnerandtakeawalkintherain.Or,wecanhavedinnerandspendanhourinapub,’Isaid.
‘That’snotveryexciting,’saidGeorge.
‘It’smuchmoreinterestingtogototheAlhambraTheatreinLondon,’saidHarris.
‘AndthenhavesupperatthatlittleFrenchrestaurant,’Iadded.
‘Butwehavedecidedtostayanddieonthisboat,’saidGeorge.‘However,there’satrainthatleavesPangbourneafterfiveo’clock.ItgetstoLondonintimetoeatsomething,andthengotothetheatre.’
Everyonewassilent.Wedidn’tsayoneword.Welookedatoneanother.Then,wegotoutthebigbagandgotourclothesready.
Twentyminuteslater,threemenandadogweregoingtotherailwaystation.
WeliedtotheboatmanatPangbourne.Wedidn’thavethecouragetotellhimthetruth:wewererunningawayfromtherain!
Weaskedhimtotakecareoftheboatuntilthenextmorning.‘Ifsomethinghappens,we’llwritetoyou,’wesaid,tellinghimabiglie.
WereachedPaddingtonStationatseveno’clock.Wewentdirectlytotherestaurantandhadasmallmeal.Montmorencystayedattherestaurant,whilewewenttothetheatre.
‘We’llreturnathalfpasttenforthedogandforagoodsupper,’Itoldtherestaurantowner.
Themanattheticketofficeofthetheatresaid,‘Oh,you’rethefamousacrobatsfromtheHimalayaMountains.You’relatefortheperformance.Pleaseusethesidedoor.’
Weexplainedtohimthatwewerenotacrobats.Heunderstoodandsoldusthreetickets.Ourclothesprobablylookedabitoldandstrange.
AttheAlhambraTheatreeveryonelookedatourclothesandsmiled.Somepeoplelaughed.
Afterthetheatre,wewentbacktotherestaurant.
Weenjoyedourdelicioussupper.Aftertendaysofeatingcoldmeat,wewerethankfulforthissupper.Weateitwithoutspeaking.Thenwesatbackandfelthappyandkind.
Harris,whowassittingnexttothewindow,pulledbackthecurtain.Helookedatthewetstreet.Itwasrainyanddark.Thewindwasblowing.Afewpeoplewalkedpastundertheirumbrellas.
Harristookhisglassandsaid,‘Well,wehadagoodtrip,andIsaythankyoutoOldFatherThames.But,Ithinkwewererighttocomebackwhenwedid.Here’stoThreeMenwelloutofaboat!’
Montmorencystoodonhisbacklegsinfrontofthewindow.Helookedatthewetnightandgaveashortbarkofagreement.
Share this article to
FINISH