A Spring Ramble in Normandy. 89 



ing down stream together. However, eight 

 casts did he ineffectually make, with many 

 good-humoured growlings at the mauvaise 

 peche and the eau forte et trouble, which 

 were doing him out of his day's earnings. Of 

 course the trout he sometimes took were mon- 

 sters, 5 to 7 Ib. in weight a tale I ques- 

 tion ; though doubtless in the deep mill-pools 

 there are some fine trout, very likely 2 or 3 

 Ib. in weight. Another small trout, nearer M. 

 le Due's mill, was basketed on the way home ; 

 but half-a-dozen was the result of the day's 

 fishing, thanks, we may fairly opine, to the 

 flooded state of the river. Two days' fishing on 

 the Iton had thus only brought a dozen small 

 trout, and from the point of view of sport alone, 

 were essentially poor days, though in other 

 respects they had been most enjoyable; for 

 we had seen many charming landscapes, such 

 as we associate in our minds with Corot's pic- 

 tures, and had met with rebuffs from some 

 people which amused us, and with kindness 

 from others which was genuine and hearty. 



Next day the time had come for us to leave 

 Evreux ; but having a few hours to spare in the 

 morning, they seemed best spent in M. le Due's 



