xii A THAMES SALMON 203 



thought Fd better come and see you, 

 because you know about fishing, and could 

 tell us what to do and where to go. It'll 

 be awfully good of you. Amaryllis sug- 

 gested that you might go out with us next 

 Saturday and put us in the way of it. 

 Where shall we go ? " 



Having got thoroughly into his subject, 

 William acquired confidence, and his con- 

 cluding question took, I thought, a good 

 deal for granted. He has not yet got over 

 his delighted wonder that so unworthy a 

 person as himself should have been chosen 

 to render domestic obedience to Amaryllis, 

 and he is still inclined to exact for her 

 extra-mural obedience on the part of his 

 friends, which, to do us justice, we are in 

 general very willing to accord, for she is 

 the most charming little autocrat in the 

 world. 



Nevertheless there are occasions on which 

 one must obey with judgement, and when 

 William pointed out that, even though I 

 was going to fish the Itchen on Saturday, 

 and even though there were no salmon 

 there, still Amaryllis might be willing to 

 content herself with trout large ones I 



