OF THE FISHES 141 



high. Still the wind raged and the leaden 

 clouds were hanging low upon the earth. 

 And it was not until evening that the 

 wind, veering towards the north, sank 

 into quietness. But far into the night 

 the troubled forests groaned, and against 

 the white stars the lissom lines of the 

 beeches stood like tremulous harp- 

 strings, thrilled and vibrating still with 

 the throbbing pulse of that wondrous 

 music. Veryslojvlythehummingchords 

 were stilled, and, in the intensity of the 

 after-hush, sodden leaves were crisping 

 with the frost ; and, later, velvet-footed 

 rabbits were scuttling down the wood- 

 land track, hurrying to feed. 



If the autumn had lingered far beyond 

 its appointed time, its end had come 

 abruptly, if not almost dramatically. 

 And considering that it was the capture 

 of the grayling which had led the angler 

 into the land of streams, the conditions 

 were not altogether unfavourable. True, 



