216 SALMON FISHING 



perch, and pike, and bream there. Now, what did 

 I think ? She had got me leave to try for a salmon 

 in the Avon ! The carriage would be at the door, 

 to take me to the river, in twenty minutes ! The 

 gamekeeper was going with me. He had a rod and 

 tackle all ready ; also a few sandwiches and a flask. 

 The energetic lady beamed with happiness. Very 

 much occupied by high affairs, she knows not much, 

 accurately, about men^s pursuits, but studies them 

 superficially, and always tries to please. I perceived, 

 without any exchange of words on the subject, that 

 she had heard some one say that the dusk was a 

 good time for fishing, and that she assumed mid- 

 night to be even better. To reject her thoughtful 

 generosity was quite out of the question. I would 

 at least go to the Avon, and look at it, and come 

 back. However, when we reached the river, after 

 a long drive through mysterious glooms, things wore 

 a different aspect. Why not try a few casts ? The 

 carriage was off to the inn, over what looked like a 

 meadow, and the gamekeeper had gone to help the 

 coachman. When they returned I had the honour 

 of stating that the gaff was needed. It had been 

 left in the carriage. Back they flew, and when they 

 were with me again they were accompanied by the 

 landlord of the inn, who looked astonished to behold 

 a person in evening uniform, down to the footgear, 

 fighting with a salmon at such an hour. The fish 

 got off. I had him almost touching the lush grass 

 at the rim of the river ; but in the uncertain moon- 

 light shining through clouds the gamekeeper bungled 



