A DISCOMFITURE 161 



" I'll try him with a roach. There it went in 

 beautifully, and he did not move." 



" No, he wont take it no how. Give him a frog ; 

 he seems a difficult fish." 



Piscator did tender him a very lively one in vain ; 

 in short, he offered him every bait he could possibly 

 think of, running through all the devices and 

 temptations he was master of. Cautious in his 

 approaches, that the supposed fish might not see 

 him, he always advanced to make his cast upon his 

 knees, to the no small merriment of his friends, 

 w r ho were looking at him through a telescope from 

 the windows of the mansion. 



Well, thus he spent the whole morning ; waiting, 

 however, at times, for a cloud to intercept the sun- 

 beams, and a breath of air to ruffle the surface of 

 the water. When these came, he would set to work 

 again with renovated hopes ; till at last, tired and 

 discomfited, he bent his steps homewards. On his 

 arrival there, he was accosted on the very threshold 

 by some of the guests. 



" Oh ! you have been fishing all the morning, 

 I see ; but what could make you stay out so long, 

 and get away so cunningly with the keeper ? ' 



' Why, to tell you the truth, Barnes (you know 

 what a good creature he is) told me of an immense 

 pike that was lying amongst the weeds at the end of 

 the lake ; he must be the same that swallowed the 

 cygnets. I never saw so enormous a monster in 

 fresh water." 



Omnes ' Well, where is he where is he ? let 

 us look at him." 



