XIV 

 A SUBURBAN FISHERY 



" I WOULD cultivate the devil himself if he 

 had any trout-fishing within twenty miles 

 of London," said my friend, with a note of 

 regret in his voice whether for the fishing 

 or for the impossibility of utilising his un- 

 doubted social talent I am not prepared to 

 say. The speech was perhaps a little rash 

 (it is recorded on good authority that men 

 have been taken at their word by the per- 

 sonality in question, to their subsequent 

 regret), but there are doubtless not a few 

 bold anglers in London who would not 

 hesitate to echo it, even if they were con- 

 siderably less safe in so doing than they 

 are. 



But the supposition belongs to the realm 

 of vain speculation, for the devil himself 

 would have his own task in acquiring the 



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