SECOND DAY. 417 



now : you have length enough, stand a little farther off, let 

 me entreat you, and do but fish this stream like an artist, 

 and peradventure a good fish may fall to your share. How 

 now ? what ! is all gone ? 



VIAT. No, I but touched him ; but that was a fish worth 

 taking. 



PiSC. Why, now let me tell you, you lost that fish by your 

 own fault, and through your own eagerness and haste ; for 

 you are never to offer to strike a good fish if he do not strike 

 himself, till first you see him turn his head after he has taken 

 your fly, and then you can never strain your tackle in the 

 striking, if you strike with any manner of moderation. 

 Come, throw in once again, and fish me this stream by inches, 

 for I assure you here are very good fish ; both trout and 

 grayling lie here ; and at that great stone on the other side, 

 it is ten to one a good trout gives you the meeting. 



ViAT. I have him now, but he is gone down towards the 

 bottom : I cannot see what he is, yet he should be a good 

 fish by his weight ; but he makes no great stir. 



PiSC. Why, then, by what you say, I dare venture to as* 

 sure you it is a grayling, who is one of the deadest-hearted 

 fishes in the world, and the bigger he is, the more easily 

 taken. Look you, now you see him plain : I told you what 

 he was. Bring hither that landing-net, boy ; and now, Sir, 

 he is your own ; and believe me a good one, sixteen inches 

 long I warrant him : I have taken none such this year. 



ViAT. I never saw a grayling before look so black. 



PiSC. Did you not ? Why, then let me tell you, that you 

 never saw one before in right season ; for then a grayling is 

 very black about his head, gills, and down his back ; and 

 has his belly of a dark grey, dappled with black spots, as 



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