OF AN ESSENTIAL FALSITY 219 



a trout. Daping is an absorbing business. Half- 

 past five o'clock (to my annoyance) struck on the 

 church clock, and 1 had daped nothing. I was 

 not altogether surprised, hardly disappointed (for 

 the rewards of daping are not frequent), in no 

 wise cast down. I rejoined the river and waited 

 for the red quills. 



After I had been thus occupied for twenty or 

 thirty minutes our purist Purfling came down 

 stream towards me through the meadow, and, in 

 reply to my question if any fly was showing up 

 the water, informed me that the hatch of red 

 quills was over. It had begun, he said, about 

 half-past four. As it was ended, and as he had 

 caught his (the assumption underlying the pro- 

 noun was intolerable) brace, he was going home. 

 He dwelt at some distance from the river. 



"I wonder," he said, "if you would do me 

 a favour ? I am a little late and take my road 

 here. There is an old lady at the village Mrs. 

 Pescod, at the little shop. Hers is the only house 

 at which, this season, I have not left a fish." I 

 exclaimed at his generosity, no less than at his 

 good fortune and skill (the paltry braggart !). 

 " Nay," said he (he always says " Nay "), " there 

 is no merit in giving away what one does not like. 

 I think trout poor stuff. Give me a cod steak 

 and oysters. As for my success I do not com- 



