Translation M. Salia.

Opening article V. Chukhno.

How hard to be serious

From the photo you look at a strict volitional face with stubbornly pursed lips, and somehow it is not believed that this is not a scientist or, say, the priest, but the famous English-humor writer. However, he always wanted to create any serious work, and he repeatedly tried to do it. However, readers remember him primarily as the author of scarcely funny "three in one boat" and other funny stories and stories. The seriousness of the writer managed to maintain only in the photo.

He even had a name for some bizarre - Jerome K. Jerome. And if you consider that K. means "Clap", then it sounds frivolous at all. But Jerome Clap the Jerome is not a pseudonym; The writer is so called in fact. The unusual second name, the Father gave him in honor of his friend Diedia Clapki, the Hungarian General, who lived in emigration in the town of Walsol, which in the county Staffordshire. It was there on May 2, 1859 and a future humor was born.

Jerome's father was engaged in the construction of houses, and coal mining, and selling hardware, but his business went out of her hands badly. At the same time, he was an evangelical preacher, and, you need to say, this role managed to him much better. Perhaps a tendency to the moral reasoning found in some works of Jerome, the writer inherited from his father.

When Jeroma went for the second year, his father finally broke up, and the whole family moved to London. They settled in the East End - the area of \u200b\u200bworkers and poor. Despite the material difficulties, the boy was determined in classic school. He studied without a special hunt, but he read a lot, drink, and well remembered read - he had a magnificent memory. The inborn talent of the humorist manifested itself from Jerome very early. Still at school he became famous as a witty narrator; His jokes picked up on the go and repeated a long time school comrades.

In 1871, his father died. Make ends with the ends of the jeroms has become much harder. Two years later, a fourteen-year-old boy was forced to throw a school, and the long-time friend of the family arranged his clerk to the railway company. In 1875, the mother was not. Jerome-younger with sisters turned out to be round orphans, and now they could only count on themselves. Who only he did not happen to work in the following years - and school teacher, and a girlish strish, and a reporter, and actor.

Speaking on the stage in the composition of various theatrical troupes, the young Jerome broke the whole country for three years. He looked a lot, and all this imprinted in his unique memory. It was in those years that he met, and then made friends with a great original - George Winray. He was destined to become a prototype of George - perhaps the most funny character of the story "Three in the same boat." Jerome has happened more than once with him and with one friend on the boat on the Thames. Perhaps these walks and inspired the writer to create a famous comic masterpiece.

The impressions accumulated by Jerome over the years of work the actor were reflected in his first book "On the stage and behind the scenes" - the collection humorous story about theatrical Life. It was published in 1885 and received very well readers. Wrought by success, Jerome writes in 1886 "idle thoughts" - merry essays about all sorts of essay. This book had big successShe, according to Jerome himself, "praised, like hot cakes." Jerome Jerome decides to make the writing of his main profession.

In 1888, he met a woman who loved so much that he decided to marry her, although until then did not imagine himself in the role of a married man. A year later, he settled in Chelsea, a fashionable area in the western part of London. In a new house, a wonderful view of the River Thames and remote hills outside the city opened in his round working office. It is there who Jerome K. Jerome and wrote his most famous work - "Three in one boat, not counting the dogs."

It is interesting to note that this book did not think at all as humorous. The writer recalled that she was going to write a "story about Thames", her stories, picturesque landscapes and attractions adorning her shores. But it turned out something completely different. Shortly before that, Jerome returned from wedding Travel. He felt unusually happy and was not configured to seriously. Therefore, looking out of the window of the office on Thames, he decided to start not from essays about the river, but with humorous inserts that would revive the book and tied essays into a single whole. Inserts were given to the jero easily, they fascinated him and as a result became the basis of the book. Having finished writing, he "dug" with a dozen "serious" pieces and "squeezed" them into some of the chapters. However, the editor of the journal in which the story was printed, they seemed excessive, and he almost threw them away. Yes, Jero Clap Jero, as he tried him, it was difficult to remain serious - and in life, and in creativity.

In 1892, Jerome, together with friends, began to publish a monthly illustrated magazine "Lazy". Thanks to its enravement, "Lazy" quickly became one of the most popular periodicals of England. In the magazine printed such famous authorslike Robert Stevenson, Mark Twain, Bret Garth. In 1893, he founded the weekly "today", becoming his editor too. Among the artists illustrated by this best weekly magazine of the country, there were celebrities such as Obry Berdsley and Phil Mei.

The humorous work of Jerome K. Jerome "Three in a boat, not counting the dog" is the most famous creation of the writer. This humorous story was subjected to many critical comments, since few writers of that time were able to understand the irony of the author.

"Three in the boat, not counting the dog" is an example of "small prose", which occupies an important place in creativity english writer. In many of their novels, the ones and essay he raised sharp social problems And questions of human morality and morality, and tried to show the ridiculousness of reality through good-natured humor.

And in this work of Jerome, the author's ironic look at the main characters and on the circumstances in which they found themselves were traced.

Plot and analysis

Three friends are sent to a boat trip by Thames, which ends with the fact that they throw their boat in the rain and run to London on the train. Three main characters are typical representatives of gentlemen from the middle class, which are not constrained in the means, but absolutely not ready for the troubles of different kinds.

Jerome depicts classic characters of the humorous genre, and all three are represented as collective herowhich is keyway novel. In addition to the adventures of the narrow hero, Jerome introduces in the story and additional episodes with his friends, and thus the reader sees that ridiculous situations and chance are taking place with other heroes.

It makes "Three in a boat, not counting the dog" rich in different events story with interesting, fascinating plot. The main acting face of Jerome constantly acts as a victim of unhappy circumstances - putting a beautiful suit, in the park he falls under the rain, scoring a nail, the hero cries his finger.

It turns out that life constantly creates obstacles and tests for him and ultimately, he needs to find a practical solution for them. Thus, the writer ridiculed the situation in which representatives of the "affiliation of classes" were, such gentlemen as three heroes of his story.

They were completely not adapted to ordinary life activities and could not make the right decisions. Their constant failures and ridiculous situations are a symbol of their incorrect, inappropriate attitude towards life and the result of education.

Despite the fact that the story "Three in the boat, not counting the dogs" were perceived disconnectly, it was liked to many readers with a subtle humor and a successful riding of the three main characters.

Many writers noted that "three in the boat, not counting the dogs" is closely related to the traditions of literature on humorous journey, and they associate a story with the works of the famous Ch. Dickens and american writer M. Twin.

Chapter XIV

Wargrave. - Cabinet wax figures. - Sonning. - Our stew. - Montorancy is mocking. - Battle of Monmorancy with a kettle. - George exercises in Game on Banjo. - Full disappointment. - sad lot of lovers musicians. - Training to the game on Volynka. - Hairing, Harris falls into the despondency. - We go to Jordem for a walk. - We return hungry and wet. - Strangeness in Harris's behavior. - an amazing story about Harris and Swans. - Harris is experiencing an alarming night

After breakfast, we took advantage of a passing breeze, which would easily carry us past Wargrave and Shiplake. Cozy in the river's rash, sweetly dormant under the rays of the midday sun, Wargrave reminds when swimming past, charming antique picturewhich will then be imprinted for a long time on the Mesh Memory Shell.

The Wargray Hotel "Georgy and Dragon" is proud of its sign, one side of which was written by a member of the Royal Academy of Leslie, and another Hodgesson, one of his fellow. Leslie depicted a battle with a dragon; Hodjson added the scene "after the battle": George Victorious rests after the works of the righteous beer.

Day, the author of Sandford and Merton, lived in Wargrave and - to the worst glory of the city - was killed there. In the Wargravskaya Church, you will be shown a memorial plaque in honor of Mrs. Sarry Hill, who traveled the capital, from which it was imposed annually on Easter to share one pound sterling between two boys and two girls who have never come out of the obedience to parents, never, as far as it is known, did not bore , they did not speak untrue, did not take anything without demand and did not break the glass. " Just think about it; Lighted such pleasures for some five shillings per year! It is not worth it!

There is a legend that there is no time, many years ago, a boy appeared in the city, who really never did anything like (or, if he did, so that no one knew about it, but more from him they demanded and did not expect), And thus won the crown of fame. After that, he was planted under the glass cap and for three weeks were shown in the city hasty.

Further fate is not known to anyone. It is rumored that they are annually transferred to the nearest Cabinet of wax figures.

Shipleyk is a charming town, but it is not visible from the river, as it stands on the hill. In the Shipleik church combined Tennison's marriage.

Further, to the very sonning, the river is quenched by a lot of islands; Here she is calm, quiet and deserted. Only in the twilight, few couples of village lovers roam over her shores. Arri and Lord Fitznudl remained behind Henley, and the dirty sullen rading is still far away. In these places to dream of the past days, about the disappeared faces and images, about things that could happen and did not happen, - so that they were empty!

In Sonning, we got out of the boat and went walking along the town. This is the most magical corner at the Thames. It looks more like a scenery than on real Citybuilt from brick and lime. All of his houses are surrounded by pink bushes, and now, in the beginning of June, they are buried in the waves of a delightful aroma. If you bring to sleep in sleep, look at the "bull", behind the church. This is a real village vintage tavern with a green square courtyard in front of the facade, where old men are going to the trees in the evening and discuss the rustic news for the circle. You will find amazing rooms with low ceilings, shutters on the windows, winding transitions and rarity uncomfortable stairs.

Watching the chalky in nice sleeping, we decided that it was no longer worth a hurry to the Rading, but it is better to return to some of the Shipleik Islands. When we settled there, it was quite early, and George said that because until the evening was far away, it seems to us an excellent case to prepare unheard of luxurious dinner. He said that he would demonstrate to us the Higher Class of River Cooking, and offered to compose from vegetables, cold beef residues and all sorts of lingering pieces - Baiga Raga in Irish.

The thought seemed to us in the genius. George scored a twilot and divorced a fire, and Harris and I began to clean potatoes. I never occurred to me that cleaning potatoes is such a complex enterprise. It was a great task of a kind, which ever stepped out on my share. We took the fun fun, you can even say - with enthusiasm, but the vigor of the Spirit completely left us by the time we committed with the first potato. The more we cleaned, the more the husks on it remained, when we finally took the whole husk and cut out all the eyes, there was nothing from potatoes, "in any case, nothing deserving mention. George approached and looked at her: she was the magnitude of the nut. George said:

No, nothing will come! You only spoil potatoes. Potatoes need to roll.

We started to roll, but it turned out that it was even more difficult to rinse than to clean. They have such fantastic forms, in these potatoes, are solid bumps, depressions and warts. We worked hard twenty-five minutes and dropped four pieces. Here we fogged. We said that the rest of the evening will go to dismiss themselves.

I did not think that it was like a potato and roll in the mud - this is the same. It was hard to believe that the husk, which covered Harris and my legs to the head, occurs only four potatoes! This is what can be achieved by saving and zeal.

George said that there was only four potatoes in the raguine stew, so we washed away from half a decade and put them in the pan were notaded. We added Kochan Cabbage and Pounds Ten Pea. George all stirred all this and said that there was still the abyss of the place, and then we searched both baskets and poured all the remnants, smoking and grizzles in stew. We had another half of meat pudding and a piece of bacon; We join them there. Then George found half a breaker canned salmon and also threw her in a saucepan.

He said that this was the advantage of Irish stew: you can get rid of the whole heap of unnecessary things. I won two cracked eggs out of the basket, and they also went into business. George said that the sauce would be even thicker from eggs.

I have already forgotten the remaining ingredients of our breeding; I only know that nothing was missed. I still remember, as at the end of this procedure, Monmodrance, who showed the greatest interest in the whole thing, was removed somewhere with a serious and thoughtful look, and after a few minutes it was dragged in the teeth dead water rat. Apparently, he wanted to make his contribution to our feast, but what it was - a mockery or sincere desire Help, - I can not say.

A dispute broke out that put the rat in the stew or not to put. Harris said that, in his opinion, should be put, since the rat and the rat comes. However, George pointed out the absence of a precedent. He said that he had never heard that in Rough in Irish put water rats, and that he, as a man careful, was not inclined to experiments.

Harris said:

If you won't try anything new, how do you know what is good and what is bad? These are subjects such as you, and brake global progress. Remember the person who first tried the German sausage!

Our Raga in Irish managed to glory! Never in life the food did not give me such a pleasure. In this steag, there was something unusually fresh and even piquant. Old, beaten foods all have already come, and then there was a dish with such a bouquet and taste, what else will you not meet anywhere!

In addition, it was nutritious. As George put it, there was something to see! True, peas and potatoes could be softer, but we have good teeth, so it was insignificant. As for the sauce, he in itself was a whole poem - perhaps it may be somewhat heavy for weak stomachs, but also substantive.

In conclusion, we drank tea with cherry pie. Meanwhile, Monmorancy opened military actions against the kettle and was broken down by the head.

Throughout the journey, he showed a living interest to the teapot. He often sat and watched with great surprise, as he boils, and at times he was growing up, trying to annoy him. When the kettle began to hiss and spit, Montorancy saw the challenge in this and was preparing to rush to the enemy, but everybody intervened and took prey before he had time to get to her.

Today he decided to get ahead of us. As soon as the kettle began to hiss, as Montorancy buried, jumped up and headed towards him with a threatening view. The kettle was quite small, but full courage, and spat on him in response.

"Oh, so!" Surrounding Montmorancy, grinding his teeth. "I'll show you how to insult a venerable hardworking dog!" You are just a pitiful, long-skinned, mean rascal! Here I am! "

And he rushed to the poor little teapot and grabbed him for the nose.

Following this in the evening silence there was a heartbreaking cry. Montorancy jumped out of the boat and took a walk to calm the nerves. He surpassed the whole island three times, making an average of thirty-five miles per hour and stopping from time to time to burrow his nose into cold dirt.

After that, Monmorancy began to treat the kettle with horror, suspicion and hatred. Having barely freezing the kettle, he pressed the tail and the roar was rapidly five times, and when the kettle was put on the alcohol, Montorancy popped out of the boat and slept on the shore until the end of tea drinking.

Hairing, George pulled out Banjo and was going to play, but Harris protested; He said that he had a head of his head and a similar test he could not. George believed that the music, on the contrary, would be useful, as she generally calms the nerves and cures his headache. For example, he even took some chords.

Harris said he prefers a headache.

George never learned to play banjo. Too much disappointment met on his way. During our journey, he sometimes tried to practice in the evenings, but I invariably endured Fiasco: Harris commented on his game in expressions that could be discouraged by anyone. In addition, Monmodrance was sitting nearby and accompanied the execution of the coming war. What is the game here, in such conditions!

What the hell is he so worried when I play? - Jorge was outraged, launching him a shoe.

And what the hell are you so playing when he will? Harris objected, picking up the shoe. - Leave it alone. How he does not dive! Him ear for music, And from your game you will be covered!

Then George decided to postpone his musical classes Before returning home. But here he was not lucky. Mrs. Popits invariably came to him and said that she was very sorry, - because she personally loves to listen to George, - but Lady lives at the top, and she lives interesting positionAnd the doctor fears the disastrous consequences for the child.

After that, George tried to practic at night in the square nearby. But the neighbors complained to the police, and a surveillance was installed behind George, and one night hung it at night. The evidence was irrefutable, and he was sentenced to a six-month abstinence from musical classes.

As a result, George had hands completely sank. True, after the expiration of the six months, he made several weak attempts to resume his classes, but met all the same coldness and indifference from the light side. He refused to fight, completely desperate, posted an advertisement for the sale of the tool for half the "due to unrequisite" and began to practice in art to show card tricks.

How much dedication needs to learn how to play musical instrument! It would seem to be a society, for its use, should help a person who studies the game on any tools. So there is no way!

I knew young manwho was fond of playing at Volyn. You would be shocked by learning what resistance he had to overcome. Even his own family did not have it, if you can express it, active support. His father from the very beginning was decisively against this venture and showed full heartlessness.

At first, my buddy tried to practice in the morning, but soon he had to refuse this because of his sister. She was divened and read for the greatest sin to start the morning in such a way.

Then he began to play at night when the whole family went to bed, but it didn't come out of this, since their house acquired bad glory. Belagated passersby stopped under the windows, listened and the next morning was noting the whole city that last night in the house of Mr. Jefferson was committed by a brutal murder; They described the screams of the unfortunate, rude curses and killer curse, plenty of mercy and the last death rattle of the victim.

After that, my friend was allowed to exercise in the day in the kitchen with tightly closed doors. However, despite such precautions, the most successful passengers were still reaching the living room and his mother was brought to tears.

She said that during these sounds recalls his poor late father (the poor fellow was swallowed by Shaul during the battleship off the coast of New Guinea, which is common between Aclaus and Volynka, she could not explain).

Then my friend was diverted by Saraike at the end of the garden for a quarter of a mile from home and forced him to carry a lady there whether he was taken for his exercises. But it happened that nothing was suspected of a guest, which forgot to devote into this case and warn in advance, went for a walk in the garden without any preparation, and suddenly the sounds of the bagpipes came to his hearing. If it was a man strong-willed - The case was limited to fainting, but people with ordinary intelligence, as a rule, went crazy.

It is impossible not to admit that the first steps of the lover of the game on Volynka are painful to extremes. I understood it when I heard the game of my young friend. Apparently, the habit of an unusually difficult tool. From the very beginning you have to stock up air on the whole melody immediately, - in any case, watching Jefferson, I came to this conclusion.

He began brilliantly: a heartbreaking, warlike note, from which the listener threw up like a scratched. But soon the musician passed to Piano, then to Pianissimo, and the last tactics of the melodies were already drowned in solid bouquets and hissing.

Enviable need health to play on the lady!

Young Jefferson managed to learn only one melody, but I never heard from anyone complaints about his repertoire's poverty - God forbid! It was, according to him, the melody: "then Cambells go, cheers, cheers!" - Although his father assured that this is "Scotland bells." What it was in reality, no one knew, but everyone agreed that there was something Scottish in the melody.

Guests were allowed to guess three times, but for some reason they always got a finger into the sky ...

After dinner, Harris became unbearable; Apparently, stew damaged him, he was not used to a luxurious life. Therefore, Jorge and I decided to leave it in a boat and wander through Henley. Harris said that he would drink a glass of whiskey, snatch the tube and prepare everything for the night. We agreed that I smoke when we return, and he would bring a boat to the shore and take us.

Just do not try to fall asleep, old man, - we said on Farewell.

You can not worry: while it's a stew in me, I will not be asleep, "he grunted, directing the boat to the island.

Henley reigned a revival: there was a preparation for rowing races. We met a bunch of friends, and in their pleasant society time flew unnoticed ... Only at eleven o'clock we were going on the way back. We had to go through four miles to the "house", "so by this time we began to call our vessel.

There was a sad cold night, drizzled rain, and as long as we dragged the dark, silent fields, quietly talking on and conceit, did not get lost, imagination painted us a cozy boat and bright light, breaking through the tightly stretched tarpaulin, and Harris, and Monmorancy, and whiskey, and we wanted to walk as soon as possible.

It seemed to us how we climb inside, tired and hungry, and how our comfortable, warm, friendly boat, like a giant light, sparkles on the sullen river under hidden trees in the darkness. We saw themselves for dinner by dinner absorbing cold meat and giving each other to squeezed bread, we heard the cheerful born of knives and merry voices, which, filling out our home, break out, in the night darkness. And we were not tolerated to turn these visions in reality.

Finally we got out on the shoreline. We were completely happy, because before you did not imagine, we go to the river or from the river, and when a man is hungry and wants to sleep, such an uncertainty him like a knife in the heart. He struck a quarter of the twelfth, when we passed the shiplayk, and here George thoughtfully asked:

By the way, do you happen to remember that it was the island?

N-No, "I replied, also falling into thought," I do not remember. " And how many of them were at all?

Only four, "George comforted me. - If Harris did not fall asleep, everything will be fine.

And if you fell asleep? - I was horrified. However, we immediately rejected this unworthy assumption.

Ploying with the first island, we shouted, but the answer was not followed; Then we went to the second and repeated attempted with the same result.

Oh, I remembered! - exclaimed George. - Our parking lot is the third island.

We have fallen out of hope, rushed to the third island and shouted.

No answer!

The case took a serious turn. It was already far over midnight. Hotels in Shipleke and Henley are overflowing, and breaking among the nights in the house and cottages with a question, whether the room will not give us a room, it would be ridiculous, George put forward a proposal to return to Henley, to breed the polisman and enlist it, therefore, in some places in the catalym. But then there was a doubt: "And if he does not want to pick us up and just give delivery?" Could we fight all night with polismen? In addition, there was a danger to reduce and sit behind the lattice of six months.

In complete despair, we walked through the darkness where the fourth island seemed to be located. But everything was useless. The rain was stronger and, apparently, was not going to stop. We fucked up to the bones, Odrogly and fell in spirit. We began to guess whether there were only four islands there or more and whether we really came to these islands or somewhere for a whole mile from them, or finally wandered if it was too long? In the dark, everything looks so strange and unusual! We began to understand the horror of young children abandoned in the forest.

And so, when we have already lost all hope ... Yes, I know that in all novels and the audience, the most exciting events are committed at this moment, but I do not have another way out. Starting this book writing this book, I decided to strictly stick the truth, and I intend to not retreat from this rule, even if some expressions would seem beaten.

So, I have to say that this happened at the moment when we lost all hope. Just when we lost all hope, I suddenly noticed a strange, mysterious light that twisted from somewhere from the bottom, through the trees on the opposite shore. The light was so weak and ghost that first I thought about ghosts. But in the next moment I painted the thought that this is our boat, and I shouted so that the night probably shuddered on my bed.

From a minute we waited, while holding the breath, and here - oh, divine music in the darkness! - Before us came the response Lai Monmorancy. We raised a wild roar, from which it would be woken up and dead (by the way, I could never understand why people do not use this way to revive drunkenness), and in an hour, as it seemed to us, and in fact, five minutes later, we saw the illuminated The boat, slowly floating to us, and heard the sleepy voice of Harris, asking, where we are.

In the behavior of Harris there was something unpatched strange, something unlike ordinary fatigue. He summed up the boat to the shore in such a place where we could not get to it, and immediately fell asleep. The monstrous portion of screaming and curses was required to wake him up again and correct his brains. However, in the end, we succeeded and we were safely climbed on board.

The view of Harris was completely killed, - it rushed into our eyes as we found themselves in the boat. He impressed the person who survived a serious shock. We asked him what happened. He said: "Swans!"

Apparently, we staged our parking near Swan's nest; Shortly after Jorge and Henley with George, the female returned and raised terrible noise. Harris drove her, and she retired, but then returned with his man. Harris said he had to withstand the uniform battle with this case, but in the end the courage and art won and swans were broken in the fluff and dust.

After half an hour, they returned and led to her eighteen swans. As far as it was possible to understand from the story of Harris, it was a real side. Swans tried to pull him out and monorani from the boat and drown, he fought as a lion for four hours, and killed a great many, and they all went to die somewhere.

How much did you say was swans?

Thirty-two, "Harris answered sleepily.

You just said - eighteen? - Surprised George.

Nothing like this, "Harris grumbled," I said twelve. What am I not knowing?

We never found this story with swans. When the next morning, we began to ask Harris, he said: "What swans?" - And apparently, I decided that we were dreamed of all this with George.

Oh, how delightfully it was again to find out in our reliable boat after all the hurried horrors and distils! My appetite dinner - George and I - and were not averse to drink a punch, only for the punch need whiskey, and we could not find it. We were preparing at Harris that he did with him, but Harris suddenly stopped understanding what whiskey was and in general about this is speech. Monmorancy clearly understood what was the matter, but kept silence.

I slept well on this night and could sleep even better if not Harris. We vaguely I remember that the time was waking up at night, because Harris traveled by a boat with a lantern in his hand, looking for the accessories of his toilet. Apparently, he spent all night in anxiety for their safety.

Twice he won us with George to find out if we were lying on his pants. For the second time, George was completely whisked.

In what hell did you need pants among the nights? - he was outraged. - Why don't you sleep?

When I woke up the next time, Harris mourned the loss of his socks. I have also survived a unclear memories about how Harris switched me with a side on his side, mumbling something about his umbrella, which was completely incomprehensible to contracted unknown where.

Between Kingston and Oxford.

Encyclopedic YouTube.

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Days of the week + three in the boat, not counting the dog

Subtitles

History of creation and characters

Troy prototypes are by Jerome himself (Jay's story - in the original only the first letter name - J. from Jerome.) And his two truly existed friends with whom he often rode a boat: George Wingrave (who later became the main manager at the Barclays bank) and Karl Hentsel (founding a printed business in London and named Harris in London). Montmorancy dog \u200b\u200b- fictional character. ("Montorancy I learned from the depths of my own consciousness," I admitted to Jerome; but even Monmodrance later "materialized" - a dog, as they say, was donated to Jerle many years after the release of the book, in Russia in St. Petersburg.)

It was originally planned that the book would be a guide to illuminating the local history as the route follows. First, Jerome was going to call the book "Tale about Thames." "I was not even going to first write a funny book," he admitted in memoirs. The book was supposed to focus on the Thames and her "scenery", landscape and historical, and only with small funny stories "For discharge." "But for some reason it did not go. It turned out that it was all "funny for discharge." With a sullen decisiveness, I continued ... I wrote with a dozen historical pieces and squeezed them on one to chapter. " The first publisher, F. U. Robinson, immediately threw almost all such pieces and forced the jerome to come up with a different headline. "I wrote half when this name came to my head -" Three in the boat ". There was nothing better. "

The first chapter was published in the August issue of the monthly "home chimes" (editor of F. U. Robinson) of the 1888th, the last in June 1889. While the story was printed, Jerome signed an agreement in Bristol with the publisher of J. U. Errousmit, who bought and published a book in late summer of 1889. Twenty years after the book first stepped in hardcover, more than 200,000 copies were sold in Britain and more than a million in America.

One of the most wonderful features of the book - " eternal youth"; Jokes seem funny and witty today. In the preface to publication of 1909, Jerome confessed in his own perplexity about the inextentive popularity of the book: "I think I wrote things and more laughing." Nevertheless, it was this book that in the end began to call "hardly the most funny book in the world."

For its time, the popularity of the book also explains its novelty from the point of view of the idea. The then Conan Doyle, Rider Huggard, Radyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson offered to the reader of completely unreal heroes and the same unreal villains. In the story of Jerome, the reader meets the most ordinary types, who find entertainment, so to speak, "around the corner" (and almost the same follower lives). In the era, when the literature did not have a lack of literature, Jerome could get a "sip of fresh air".

To date, the book has been translated into many languages, including Japanese, Hebrew, Afrikaans, Irish, Portuguese and Phonography of Pitman. In the greatest popularity of Jerome "Troy" used in Germany and Russia. On the english language The book was shielded three times (in 1920, 1933, and 1956), the musical was put on it, it was adapted for television several times for television and a scene, many times read on the radio and was recorded on the cassette, at least twice was set by the "theater of one actor". The book regularly reprinted today.

In Russian, the book is known for E. Ticheandritsky (St. Petersburg: Avenue M. O. Wolf, 1900), M. Engelhardt (beginning of the 20th century), two most famous - M. Salle (M.: Gichl, 1957) , M. Donskoy and E. Liminsky (L. Lenzdat, 1958); And also S. Pilipenko (HTU "Film Center", 1992), E. Kudasheva (Terra-Book Club, 2008).

Plot

The book begins with the idea of \u200b\u200bthe reader of the heroes - George, Harris, Jay (narrator) and dogs named Monmodrance. Men Corn the evening visiting Jay, smoke and discuss the diseases, from which they all terribly suffer. They come to the conclusion that all their troubles because of overwork and they urgently need rest. After a long discussion, vacations were rejected in countryside And the sea walk (Jay describes the sad experience of his shurren and friend in traveling of this kind). As a result, the Trinity decides to go up the Towme on the boat, from Kingston to Oxford, breaking the camp for the night (despite all the stories of Jay about the previous experience of installing awnings and tents).

The sail is appointed to the nearest Saturday. George on this day should be at work ("George had to sleep in a bank from ten to four every day, except Saturday. On Saturdays, he was won and removed in two"), so Jay and Harris should independently get to Kingston by train. At Waterloo station, they cannot find the desired train (confusing the planning of railway stations often played in comedies), reflects on the connection of these places with history. Despite this, the author often makes humorous retreats, for example, about the unreliability of barometers in the prediction of weather, or the difficulties faced by a person when teaching the game on Scottish Volyn. The most frequent topic is the realities of traveling along the river (for example, fishing or rowing) and difficulties that lie in inexperienced and unnecessary gullible travelers.

The book includes classic humorous scenes: the story of two davey gentlemen, in the dark of the smallest on one bed, about plaster trout in the seventeenth chapter, or the Irish stew in the fourteenth, prepared by mixing residues of provisions from the basket with products (at the time of writing the book this episode perceived by readers somewhat differently):

"I forgot the remaining ingredients of our breeding; I only know that nothing was missed. I still remember, as at the end of this procedure, Monmodrance, who showed the greatest interest in the whole thing, was removed somewhere with a serious and thoughtful look, and after a few minutes she dragged a dead water rat in his teeth. Apparently, he wanted to make his contribution to our feast, but what it was - a mockery or sincere desire to help - I can not say. "

Three friends: George, Harris and Jay (abbreviated from Jerome), think of making an entertainment boat trip up the Thames. They intend to be perfectly entertained, relax from London with his unhealthy climate and merge with nature. Their charges are much longer than they initially assumed, because each time, with tremendous efforts from young people, the saczozh turns out to be closed, it turns out that some necessary for the upcoming morning the part, such as a toothbrush or a razor device, turns out to be hopelessly buried In the depths of the sacrum, which has to open and rebind all its contents. Finally, in the nearest Saturday (across three hours) under the movement of all quarterly shops, three friends and a Dog Jay, Fox Terrier Montorancy, come out of the house and first in Cabe, and then on the suburban train get to the river.

On the thread of narration about traveling along the river, the author is like beads, household episodes, jokes, fun adventures. So, for example, sailing past the Hampton-Cortian labyrinth, Harris recalls how he went there once to show his visit to a relative. Judging by the plan, the labyrinth seemed very simple, but Harris, having gathered along his entire length of the man twenty-lost and assuring that it was elementary to find a yield, drove them on him from morning to lunch, while an experienced watchman came in the afternoon, not Brought them on the light of God.

The Mulzene gateway and a multicolored carpet of the fiber dresses of travelers resorted to his services resemble Jew about two fruitful ladies, with whom he happened once to sail in one boat, and how they trembled from every droplet, who fell on their priceless dresses and lace umbrellas.

When friends swim past the Hampton Church and the cemetery, for which Harris certainly want to take a look, Jay, not an amateur of this kind of fun, reflects on how obsessive the cemetery wigs are sometimes there, and recalls the case when he had to fly from one of these keepers from all Foot, and he certainly wanted to make him take a look at the seized specifically for curious tourists a couple of skulls.

Harris, dissatisfied with the fact that he does not even allow him to go ashore, climbs to a basket behind Lemonade. At the same time, he continues to manage a boat that does not tolerate such negligence and crashes into the shore. Harris dives in the basket, sticks into her bottom head and, spreading his legs in the air, remains in this position until Jay comes to revenue.

Steering the Hampton Park to have a snack, travelers get out of the boat, and after breakfast Harris begins to sing comic couplets as he knows how to do it only. When you have to pull the boat on the Bacchev, Jay, without hiding in his indignation, expresses everything he thinks about his way and insanity of the Bacchev, who, being just stretched, confused immediately indefinably and quarrels of everyone who, trying to bring it in more or less Ordered state, touches it. However, when you deal with the rampant, and especially with the young lady, pulling the boat on the Bacchev, it is impossible to miss. They manage to wander it in such a way that he almost lifted themselves, having blurred, rushed to the grass and begin to laugh. Then they get up, some time pulls the boat too quickly and after that stopping, planting her stranded. True, young people who are tightened to the boat for a boat, are also not inferior to them in the originality of the performance. So, George and Harris are wrapped up in a canasina and with blackened suffocations are waiting for Jay, he will exist them from captivity.

After dinner, the nature and mood of travelers are changing radically. If, as they have already noticed, the river climate affects the overall strengthening of irritability, the full stomachs, on the contrary, turn people into complacent phlegmatics. Friends spend the night in the boat, but, oddly enough, even the most lazy of them do not particularly have a long-term sleep of hillocks and nails sticking out of her bottom. They get up with the sunrise and continue their way. The outstro blows a sharp ice wind, and from the evening intention of friends to swim in front of breakfast there is no trace. However, Jiah still have to dive the shirt fell into the water. All Outstrooping, he returns to the boat under the fun laughter George. When it turns out that George's shirt wet, her owner lightningly moves from the unbridled fun to gloomy indignation and curses.

Harris takes care of breakfast, but from six eggs, miraculously still hit the frying pan, there remains one spoon of the burnt mash. For dessert after Lunch, friends intend to enjoy canned pineapple, but it turns out that the canning knife is left at home. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to open the can with an ordinary knife, scissors, the edge of a bar and mast and obtained as a result of these exclubsions of the Russian Academy of Sciences, annoyed travelers are crucial to the bank, which acquired an unimaginable look by the middle of the river.

Then they float under the sail and, notifying, with a swing, they cut into a flat window of three respectable fishermen, in the garlo they leave the boat and skip in the hotel "Crown". Outlook friends go shopping. From each store they come out with a carrier boy carrying a basket with products. As a result, when they are suitable for the river, you should already have a whole row of boys with baskets. The boatman turns out to be incredibly surprised when he learns that heroes were not rented not a steam boat and not pontoon, but just a four-meteful yalik.

Friends experience the most real hatred To arrogant boats and their brazen beeps. Therefore, all means are trying to hang out as much as possible with them in front of the nose and deliver as much hassle and troubles as possible.

The next day, young gentlemen clean potatoes, but from their cleaning the size of potatoes decreases to the magnitude of the nut. Monmorancy fights with a boiling kettle. From this struggle, the kettle comes out the winner and inspires Monmodransi for a long time towards himself horror and hatred. After dinner, George is going to play banjo, which he captured with him. However, nothing good does not come out. The guarantee of Montmorancy and the game of George is by no means to calm the nerves.

The next day, you have to go on wheels, and Jay in connection with this recalls, as he first got in touch with rowing, as rashed rafts from stolen boards and how he had to pay for it (tumaki yes byadders). And for the first time to go into swimming under the sail, he crashed into or mind. Having tried to get out of her, broke all the oars and stuck for three hours in this arranged trap myself, until some fisherman took his boat to the pier.

Near the Ritch, George caught the corpse of a drowned man from the water and the air is a scream of horror. In Street, travelers are delayed for two days to give their clothes in the laundry. Before this, under the guidance of George, they independently attempted to wash it in Thames, but after this the event of the Thames, obviously, became much cleaner than it was, and the launch was not just missing the dirt from their clothes, but to rake her.

In one of the hotels, friends see in the hall of stuffed huge trout. Everyone who enters and finds young people alone, assures them that it is he who caught it. Clumsy George breaks trout, and it turns out that the fishing is made of plaster.

Reaching Oxford, friends stop in it for three days, and then round in the opposite way. All day they have to row under the accompaniment of rain. First, they are delighted with such weather, and Jay with Harris tighten the song about Gypsy life. In the evening they play cards and lead a fascinating conversation about deaths from rheumatism, bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs. Following this, the heartbreaking melody, filled with George on Banjo, finally deprives travelers of the presence of the spirit, and Harris begins to cry like a child.

The next day, these lovers of nature do not stand the harsh test by the weather sent to them, throw a boat in Pengborne to the recovery of the boatman and in the evening they arrive in London to London, where the dressed dinner in the restaurant reconciles them with life, and they raise her glasses for their wise last act.