224 LOVE AND ANGLING. 



less tender fancies that you feet in looking at 

 field and vale, and distant church, and mur- 

 muring river, and the smoke of the town that 

 hangs as a dim cloud far away on the hill. 



" Willie, you are an inveterate dreamer. I 

 don't believe you are ever really awake." 



" Perhaps not ; at least, in the country. I 

 am dreaming very pleasantly just now, and you 

 are talking in my sleep." 



" What nonsense ! Hadn't you better have 

 some luncheon ? We might then try the 

 poplar path where the water is shaded." 



" The pleasantest angling is to see thejlsh 

 Cut with her golden oars the silver stream, 

 And greedily devour the treacherous bait, 

 So angle we for Beatrice, who even now 

 Is couched in the woodbine coverture." 



" You were Jessica last night, you shall be 

 Beatrice to-day, sweet lady mine. How prosaic 

 of you to talk of luncheon ! Is that the neck 

 of a pint of Roederer, with a collar of silver 

 underneath ? Here, let me anchor the bottle 

 amongst these green water-plants, so that the 

 wine within may grow chill and crisp unto the 

 taste. Beatrice " 



