SHADOWS. 89 



PHYS. You must have a different fly; or 

 have you some unguent or charm to tempt 

 the fish? 



HAL. No such thing. If any of you will 

 give me your rod and fly, I will answer for it 

 I shall have the same success. I take your 

 rod, Physicus. And, lo ! I have a fish ! 



PHYS. What can be the reason of this? 

 It is perfectly inexplicable to me. Yet Poietes 

 seems to throw as light as you do, and as well 

 as he did yesterday. 



HAL. I am surprised that you, who are 

 a philosopher, cannot discover the reason of 

 this. Think a little. 



ALL. We cannot. 



HAL. As you are my scholars, I believe 

 I must teach you. The sun is bright, and 

 you have been, naturally enough, fishing 

 with your backs to the sun, which, not being 

 very high, has thrown the shadows of your 

 rods and yourselves upon the water, and you 

 have alarmed the fish, whenever you have 

 thrown a fly. You see I have fished with 

 my face towards the sun, and though incon- 



