Anglus.--Half-minute time! Time is up! Master Hedgely, in my dry fly
box thou wilt find a little sponge for moistening of my casting lines.
Wilt thou, of thy courtesy, throw it up for my Scholar? And now,
Scholar, trust me, thy guard is too low. I hope thou bearest no malice.
Scotus.--None, Master. But, lo! I am an hungered; wilt thou taste my
cates? Here I have bread slices and marmalade of Dundee. This fishing
is marvellous hungry work.
Anglus.--Gladly will I fall to, but first say me a grace--Benedictus
benedicat! Where is thine usquebaugh? Marry, 'tis the right Talisker!
Scotus.--And now, Master, wherefore wert thou wroth with me? Came we not
forth to catch fish?
Anglus.--Nay, marry, Scholar, by no means to catch fish, but to fish with
the dry fly. Now this, humanly speaking, is impossible; natheless it is
rare sport. But for your fish, as they were ill come by, let us even
give them to good Master Hedgely here, and so be merry till the sedges
come on in the late twilight. And, trust me, this is the rarest fishing,
and the peacefulest; only see that thou fish not with the wet fly, for
that is Anathema. So shall we have light consciences.
Scotus.--And light baskets!
Anglus.--Ay, it may be so.
FOOTNOTES
{1} Too true, alas!
{2} It should be added that large trout, up to six pounds, are sometimes
taken.
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