50 



THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



Pise. I'll tell you by and by, when I liave caught him. 

 Look you here, sir, do you see ? (but you must stand very 

 close), there lie upon the top of the water, in this very hole, 

 twenty chubs. I'll catch only one, and that shall be the 

 biggest of them all ; and that I will do so, I'll hold you 

 twenty to one, and you shall see it done. 



YEN. Ay, marry, sir, now you talk like an artist, and I'll 

 say you are one, when I shall see you perform what you say 

 you can do ; but I yet doubt it. 



PJSC. You shall not doubt it long, for you shall see me do 

 it presently : look, the biggest of these chubs has had some 

 bruise upon his tail by a pike, or some other accident, and 

 that looks like a white spot ; that very chub I mean to put 

 into your hands presently ; sit you but down in the shade, 

 and stay but a little while, and I'll warrant you I'll bring him 

 to you. 



YEN. I'll sit down, and hope well, because you seem to be 

 so confident. 



Pise. Look you, sir, there is a trial of my skill,* there he 

 is, that very chub that I showed you with the white spot on 

 his tail : and I'll be as certain to make him a good dish of 

 meat, as I was to catch him. I'll now lead you to an honest 

 ale-house where we shall find a cleanly room, lavender in the 

 windows, and twenty ballads stuck about the wall ; there my 

 hostess, which, I may tell you, is both cleanly and handsome, 

 and civil, hath dressed many a one for me, and shall now dress 

 it after my fashion, and I warrant it good meat. 



* Walton does not explain the particulars of his trial of skill. Evidently, 

 the chub was caught by dibbing or daping with a natural insect. See the 

 seventh paragraph of chap, iii., beginning, " Go to the same hole," etc. See 

 also my remarks at the end of chap. iii. ED. 



