Chapter 8 George starts work 
　  
　　We decided that now George was there，he was going to do some work．He did not want to work， of course．'I've had a bad day at the bank，'he explained． 
　　Harris，who is sometimes a little cruel，said，'Ah！And now you're going to have a bad time on the river for a change．A change is good for you．Come on！Get out of the boat and tow！' 
　　George could not refuse，really，but he did say，'Perhaps it would be better if I stayed in the boat and prepared the meal．You two can tow the boat． 'then he added，'It's very difficult to prepare a meal and you both look tired．' 
　　Our only reply was to give him the rope．So he started walk-ing，and he pulled the boat behind him． 
　　Sometimes people forget that they are towing a boat，and later，George told us a story about this… 
　　George had once seen a man and a young lady who were walking by the side of the river．They were pulling a rope behind them and they were talking to each other．They did not notice that there was no boat on the end of the rope．Of course，they probably had a boat on the end of the rope when they started out．But it had disappeared．The two young people were not worried about this．They had their rope．They did not seem to care that there was no boat．George was going to call out to tell them about it But，just then，he had an idea．He took hold of the rope，and he tied it to his own boat．Then he and his three fat，heavy friends sat in the back of their boat，and lit their pipes．And that young man and young woman towed George and his friends up to Marlow．It was when they reached the lock that they looked back．Suddenly they understood that they had been towing the wrong boat．George said，'I've never seen anyone look as sad as those two young people then！' 
　　The young man was a bit annoyed．In fact，he was probably going to say something angry to George and his friends．But just then，the young woman cried wildly，'Oh，Henry，then where's Aunt Mary？'…'Did they ever get the old lady back？'Harris asked．George replied that he did not know． 
　　But the most exciting thing of all is to let girls tow your boat．Let me tell you about it…First of all，you need three girls．You always need three girls to tow a boat．Two of them hold the rope，and the other one runs here and there and laughs all the time． 
　　They usually begin by tying themselves up in the rope．They get it round their legs，and then they have to sit down to untie it．Next，they get it round their necks．When they finally get it right，they always start by running．They pull the boat much too fast．After a few minutes，they are tired，and so they stop suddenly．They all sit down on the grass，and they start to laugh．Meanwhile，your boat goes out into the middle of the river，and it starts to turn round．Then they stand up and are surprised． 
　　'Oh，look！'they say．'The boat's gone into the middle of the river！' 
　　After this，they pull you along quite well for a time．Then one of them decides to stop for something else．So the boat runs aground in shallow water near the river bank．You jump up，and you push the boat off into deep water．You shout to them，'Don't stop！' 
　　'Yes，what's the matter？'they shout back． 
　　'Don't stop！'you cry loudly． 
　　'Don't what？' 
　　'Don't stop… go on… go on！' 
　　'Go back，Emily，and see what they want，'one of them says． 
　　And Emily comes back and asks，'What is it？Is anything wrong？' 
　　'No！'you shout．'It's all right！But go on！Don't stop！' 
　　'Why not？' 
　　'Because we can't steer the boat if you stop．' 
　　'Why not？' 
　　'You must keep the boat moving！' 
　　'Oh，all right．I'll tell them．Are we doing everything else all right？' 
　　'Oh，yes，very nicely-but don't stop！' 
　　'I see．Oh，give me my hat，please．It's over there．' 
　　You find her hat，and you give it to her．But then another girl comes．She thinks she will have her hat，too．And then they take Mary's hat for her．Mary does not want it，so they bring it back．Then they want a comb．It is about twenty minutes before they start again．Then，at the next corner，they see a cow．You have to stop，and leave the boat，to chase the cow away… 
　　Anyway，this time it was George who towed us on to Penton Hook．There we discussed the important question of where to spend the night．We had decided to sleep on the boat．There-fore we could stay there，or we could go on past Staines．In the end，we decided to continue to Runnymede． 
　　Later we all wished we had stopped at Penton Hook． 
　  
8 乔治开始干活 
　  
　　我们说既然乔治现在来了，就得干点活了。他当然不想干，还推托说：“我在银行已经够辛苦的了。” 
　　可哈里斯有时真是冷酷无情，他冷冷地说：“啊哈！那你就换换工作，到河上来辛苦辛苦吧，这对你有好处。去，下船拉纤去！” 
　　说真的，乔治没理由拒绝，可他却说：“我还是在船上吧，我来做饭，你们俩拉纤。”说完又加了一句：“做饭可不容易，你们俩都累了，还是我干吧。” 
　　我们给他的唯一回答是把绳子扔给他。他乖乖地拉起了纤，一边走，一边拉着身后的小船。 
　　有时候，人们会忘记自己身后还拉着船。后来，乔治给我们讲了一段故事，说的就是这事…… 
　　有一次，乔治看见一个男人和一个年轻姑娘在河边散步。他们一边拉着身后的绳子，一边聊天，根本没注意到绳子另一端没有拴住船。显然，那纤绳原来是拖着一条船的，但后来却不见了踪影。两个年轻人也没在意，反正手里拽着绳子，他们也不管后面有没有船。乔治正想喊，提醒他们一声，可是他忽然有了一个绝妙的主意。他抓住绳子，系在自己的船上，然后他和三个又胖又重的伙伴坐到船尾，点了烟斗，悠然抽了起来。那一对年轻人就这样把他们四个一直拉到马洛。后来船到水闸时，那一对回过头看了看，这才明白自己拉错了船。乔治说：“我再没见过比他们更难过的表情了。” 
　　那个男的有点火了，可能想骂乔治和他的朋友们一顿。就在那时，姑娘失声喊道：“哎呀！亨利，那玛丽姑姑到哪里去了？” 
　　“后来老太太找到了吗？”哈里斯问。乔治说他也不清楚。 
　　然而最有趣的莫过于姑娘们为你拉纤了。让我说说吧…… 
　　首先，你需要三个姑娘。拉一艘船总是需要三个姑娘。两个拉着纤绳，还有一个在周围跑个不停，笑上一路。 
　　通常，她们一开始就给绳子缠住。一会儿缠住了腿，就得坐下来解开；一会儿又缠住了脖子。好不容易都弄停当了，她们就爱跑着走，船也给拉得飞快。没跑几分钟，她们又累了，一下子又停住脚，坐在草地上，笑成一团。就在这当间，你的船跑到了河中央，开始打转。她们却站起来，满脸惊讶之色。 
　　“哦！你瞧，”她们说。“船跑到河心去了。” 
　　接着，她们总算好好地拉上一段。突然有一位想干点别的，不想拉了，于是小船冲进岸边浅水，搁浅了。你们跳起身，把船推回到深水。你高声喊叫：“别停下来！” 
　　“喂，出什么事啦？”她们高声应道。 
　　“别停下！”你大声吼着。 
　　“别什么？” 
　　“别停——继续拉——继续！” 
　　“爱米莉，快回去看看他们到底要什么，”其中一位说道。 
　　接着爱米莉就跑回来，问你们：“怎么了？出什么事了？” 
　　“没事！”你又喊道，“什么事都没有！就是继续拉！别停下！” 
　　“为什么不能停？” 
　　“你们要是停下来，我们就没法掌舵 
　　“为什么不能？” 
　　“你们要让船老动着才行啊！” 
　　“哦，那好吧，我去告诉她们。别的事我们干得还行吧？” 
　　“哦，是的，好极了，可就是别停下来。” 
　　“我明白了。哦，请把我的帽子递给我，就在那边。” 
　　你找到帽子递给她。这时候，另一个姑娘走过来，也要帽子。接着她们把玛丽的帽子也给她拿过去，可玛丽不戴，她们又送回来。一会儿，她们又想要梳子。这样至少过了二十分钟，才又重新上路。可就在下一个路口，她们又碰到一头母牛，没法子只得停下船，你们下了船，去把母牛赶跑…… 
　　不管怎么说，这次是乔治把我们拉到了潘登河湾。在那儿我们讨论了在哪儿过夜这个重要问题。大家原来计划在船上睡觉，这样我们要么可以停泊在那里，要么就继续走到斯泰恩斯。最后，我们决定继续划，一直到兰尼米德歇脚。 
　　可是后来我们都希望要是早点停在潘登河湾就好了。 
　　　    


 