43 



I'll run him in before he knows where he is. That's 

 it : two pounds and a half for a ducat ! 



R. 0. : Capital ! We can't send for Georgy's scales, 

 but I bet you he is two and three-quarters (as the 

 General bangs the head of fish on the edge of his brogue 

 sole). Georgy's priest would come in convenient here, 

 too. 



SUFFIELD (at upper end of water, kneeling patiently 

 at the edge of an older coppice, smoking the pipe of 

 perfect peace, and soliloquising) : They don't rise yet. 

 But a time will come. Hang it ! but this is sweet. 

 Yea, it is good to be here. Now, if that little Waterside 

 Sketches chap was here, let me see, how would he tick 

 it off ? Forget-me-nots and deuced pretty they 

 are ; sedge warblers, three ; kingfishers, one ; rooks 

 melodious ; picturesque cottages on the downs nestling 

 they always put it that way nestling under the 

 beech wood ; balmy air 'tis a trifle nice ; cuckoo 

 mentioning his name to all the hills Tennyson, I 

 know, said so ; drowsy bees and gaudy dragon flies 

 yes, they are actually in the bond ; and all the rest of 

 it, here it is. And I've chaffed my friend at the club 

 time out of mind for his gush, and swore by the gods 

 that all the angler cares about is gross weight of fish 

 killed. Yet, somehow, I must have taken all this in 

 many a time, without, I suppose, knowing it. Softly 

 now. (Casts deftly with a short line, lightly and 

 straightly delivered, to a corner up-stream where the 

 current swerves round a chestnut tree leaning into the 

 river. Leaps to feet with a split-cane rod arched like 

 a bow. Retires down stream, smiling.) No you don't ! 

 I know you. If you get back to that first floor front of 

 yours, I'm done. Out of your familiar ground you're 

 done. Steady, steady ! Keep your head up, and on 

 you come. What ? More line ? Well, well ; one 



