90 MOSTLY ABOUT TROUT 



the waving weed-beds and the forms of the 

 large " bridge " trout, the anglers' pets. Then 

 we slept soundly between lavender-scented 

 sheets, breathing country air laden with the 

 night-scents of garden-flowers. The early- 

 morning twitterings, followed by the bird-chorus, 

 reminded us of the day's holiday before us, 

 until we lost consciousness again in a last 

 delightful doze. Then we woke up once for all 

 and looked out at the weather. 



What weather shall we choose ? Let there 

 be promise of a hot day, but not a thundery 

 one, and let there be none of those adhesive 

 flies that afflict the angler in the heat-haze 

 of the later months. Let there be a hot sun, 

 but some freshness in the air, and let it not 

 be too late in the season to see orange-tip butter- 

 flies flitting along the high hedgerows of the 

 grass-bordered road. Let the wild roses be 

 out, and foamy masses of heavy-scented elder- 

 flower. Let there be may, both white and pink, 

 single and double, yellow laburnum and lilac ; 

 let there be some copper beeches to show up 

 as a background thereunto. Let all the trees 

 be in fresh foliage, not dense enough to hide 

 the birds, and let everything have been washed 

 clean by a recent shower. And now to the 

 business of the day. 



