Underthisoldman，whowaswellversedinthesouthernlanguages，besidesstudyingFrenchandItalian，IacquiredsomeknowledgeofSpanish。ButIdidnotdevotemytimeentirelytophilology；Ihadotherpursuits。IhadnotforgottentherovinglifeIhadledinformerdays，noritsdelights；neitherwasIformedbyNaturetobeapallidindoorstudent。No，no!Iwasfondofotherand，Isayitboldly，betterthingsthanstudy。Ihadanattachmenttotheangle，ay，andtothegunlikewise。Inourhousewasacondemnedmusket，bearingsomewhereonitslock，inratherantiquecharacters，’Tower，1746’；withthisweaponIhadalready，inIreland，performedsomeexecutionamongtherooksandchoughs，anditwasnowagaindestinedtobeasourceofsolaceandamusementtome，inthewinterseason，especiallyonoccasionsofseverefrostwhenbirdsabounded。Sallyingforthwithitatthesetimes，farintothecountry，Iseldomreturnedatnightwithoutastringofbullfinches，blackbirds，andlinnetshangingintriumphroundmyneck。WhenIreflectontheimmensequantityofpowderandshotwhichIcrammeddownthemuzzleofmyuncouthfowling-piece，IamlesssurprisedatthenumberofbirdswhichIslaughteredthanthatIneverblewmyhands，face，andoldhoneycombedgun，itoneandthesametime，topieces。
Butthewinter，alas!IspeakasafowlerseldomlastsinEnglandmorethanthreeorfourmonths；so，duringtherestoftheyear，whennotoccupiedwithmyphilologicalstudies，Ihadtoseekforotherdiversions。IhavealreadygivenahintthatIwasalsoaddictedtotheangle。Ofcoursethereisnocomparisonbetweenthetwopursuits，therodandlineseemingbutverypoortrumperytoonewhohashadthehonourofcarryinganoblefirelock。Thereisatime，however，forallthings；andwereturntoanyfavouriteamusementwiththegreaterzest，frombeingcompelledtorelinquishitforaseason。So，ifIshotbirdsinwinterwithmyfirelock，I
caughtfishinsummer，orattemptedsotodo，withmyangle。Iwasnotquitesosuccessful，itistrue，withthelatteraswiththeformer；possiblybecauseitaffordedmelesspleasure。Itwas，indeed，toomuchofalistlesspastimetoinspiremewithanygreatinterest。Inotunfrequentlyfellintoadoze，whilstsittingonthebank，andmorethanonceletmyroddropfrommyhandsintothewater。
Atsomedistancefromthecity，behindarangeofhillygroundwhichrisestowardsthesouth-west，isasmallriver，thewatersofwhich，aftermanymeanderings，eventuallyentertheprincipalriverofthedistrict，andassisttoswellthetidewhichitrollsdowntotheocean。Itisasweetrivulet，andpleasantisittotraceitscoursefromitsspring-head，highupintheremoteregionsofEasternAnglia，tillitarrivesinthevalleybehindyonrisingground；andpleasantisthatvalley，trulyagoodlyspot，butmostlovelywhereyonderbridgecrossesthelittlestream。Beneathitsarchthewatersrushgarrulouslyintoabluepool，andaretherestilled，foratime，forthepoolisdeep，andtheyappeartohavesunktosleep。Fartheron，however，youheartheirvoiceagain，wheretheyripplegailyoveryongravellyshallow。Ontheleft，thehillslopesgentlydowntothemarginofthestream。Ontherightisagreenlevel，asmilingmeadow，grassoftherichestdecksthesideoftheslope；mightytreesalsoadornit，giantelms，thenearestofwhich，whenthesunisnighitsmeridian，flingabroadshadowuponthefaceofthepool；throughyonvistayoucatchaglimpseoftheancientbrickofanoldEnglishhall。
Ithasastatelylook，thatoldbuilding，indistinctlyseen，asitis，amongthoseumbrageoustrees；youmightalmostsupposeitanearl’shome；andsuchitwas，orratheruponitssitestoodanearl’shome，indaysofold，fortheresomeoldKemp，someSigurdorThorkild，roaminginquestofahearthstead，settleddowninthegrayoldtime，whenThorandFreyawereyetgods，andOdinwasaportentousname。YonoldhallisstillcalledtheEarl’sHome，thoughthehearthofSigurdisnownomore，andthebonesoftheoldKemp，andofSigrithhisdame，havebeenmoulderingforathousandyearsinsomeneighbouringknoll；perhapsyonder，wherethosetallNorwegianpinesshootupsoboldlyintotheair。Itissaidthattheoldearl’sgalleywasoncemooredwhereisnowthatbluepool，forthewatersofthatvalleywerenotalwayssweet；yonvalleywasonceanarmofthesea，asaltlagoon，towhichthewar-
barksof’Sigurd，insearchofahome，’foundtheirway。
Iwasinthehabitofspendingmanyanhouronthebanksofthatrivulet，withmyrodinmyhand，and，whentiredwithangling，wouldstretchmyselfonthegrass，andgazeuponthewatersastheyglidedpast，andnotunfrequently，divestingmyselfofmydress，I
wouldplungeintothedeeppoolwhichIhavealreadymentioned，forIhadlongsincelearnedtoswim。Anditcametopassthatononehotsummer’sday，afterbathinginthepool，IpassedalongthemeadowtillIcametoashallowpart，and，wadingovertotheoppositeside，Iadjustedmydress，andcommencedfishinginanotherpool，besidewhichwasasmallclumpofhazels。
AndthereIsatuponthebank，atthebottomofthehillwhichslopesdownfrom’theEarl’shome’；myfloatwasonthewaters，andmybackwastowardstheoldhall。Idrewupmanyfish，smallandgreat，whichItookfromoffthehookmechanically，andflunguponthebank，forIwasalmostunconsciousofwhatIwasabout，formymindwasnotwithmyfish。Iwasthinkingofmyearlieryears-oftheScottishcragsandtheheathsofIreland-andsometimesmymindwoulddwellonmystudies-onthesonorousstanzasofDante，risingandfallinglikethewavesofthesea-orwouldstrivetorememberacoupletortwoofpoorMonsieurBoileau。
’Canstthouanswertothyconscienceforpullingallthosefishoutofthewater，andleavingthemtogaspinthesun？’saidavoice，clearandsonorousasabell。
Istarted，andlookedround。Closebehindmestoodthetallfigureofaman，dressedinraimentofquaintandsingularfashion，butofgoodlymaterials。Hewasintheprimeandvigourofmanhood；hisfeatureshandsomeandnoble，butfullofcalmnessandbenevolence；
atleastIthoughtso，thoughtheyweresomewhatshadedbyahatoffinestbeaver，withbroaddroopingeaves。
’Surelythatisaverycrueldiversioninwhichthouindulgest，myyoungfriend？’hecontinued。
’Iamsorryforit，ifitbe，sir，’saidI，rising；’butIdonotthinkitcrueltofish。’
’Whatarethyreasonsfornotthinkingso？’
’FishingismentionedfrequentlyinScripture。SimonPeterwasafisherman。’
’True；andAndrewandhisbrother。Butthouforgettest：theydidnotfollowfishingasadiversion，asIfearthoudoest-ThoureadesttheScriptures？’
’Sometimes。’
’Sometimes？-notdaily？-thatistoberegretted。Whatprofessiondostthoumake？-Imeantowhatreligiousdenominationdostthoubelong，myyoungfriend。’
’Church？’
’Itisaverygoodprofession-thereismuchofScripturecontainedinitsliturgy。DostthoureadaughtbesidestheScriptures？’
’Sometimes。’
’Whatdostthoureadbesides？’
’Greek，andDante。’
’Indeed!thenthouhasttheadvantageovermyself；Icanonlyreadtheformer。Well，Iamrejoicedtofindthatthouhastotherpursuitsbesidethyfishing。DostthouknowHebrew？’
’No。’
’Thoushouldststudyit。Whydostthounotundertakethestudy？’
’Ihavenobooks。’
’Iwilllendtheebooks，ifthouwishtoundertakethestudy。I
liveyonderatthehall，asperhapsthouknowest。Ihavealibrarythere，inwhicharemanycuriousbooks，bothinGreekandHebrew，whichIwillshowtothee，wheneverthoumayestfinditconvenienttocomeandseeme。Farewell!Iamgladtofindthatthouhastpursuitsmoresatisfactorythanthycruelfishing。’
Andthemanofpeacedeparted，andleftmeonthebankofthestream。Whetherfromtheeffectofhiswords，orfromwantofinclinationtothesport，Iknownot，butfromthatdayIbecamelessandlessapractitionerofthat’cruelfishing。’Irarelyflunglineandangleintothewater，butInotunfrequentlywanderedbythebanksofthepleasantrivulet。Itseemssingulartome，onreflection，thatIneveravailedmyselfofhiskindinvitation。Isaysingular，fortheextraordinary，underwhateverform，hadlonghadnoslightinterestforme；andIhaddiscernmentenoughtoperceivethatyonwasnocommonman。YetIwentnotnearhim，certainlynotfrombashfulnessortimidity，feelingstowhichIhadlongbeenanentirestranger。AmItoregretthis？perhaps，forImighthavelearnedbothwisdomandrighteousnessfromthosecalm，quietlips，andmyafter-coursemighthavebeenwidelydifferent。Asitwas，Ifellinwithotherguesscompanions，fromwhomIreceivedwidelydifferentimpressionsthanthoseImighthavederivedfromhim。Whenmanyyearshadrolledon，longafterI
hadattainedmanhood，andhadseenandsufferedmuch，andwhenourfirstinterviewhadlongsincebeeneffacedfromthemindofthemanofpeace，Ivisitedhiminhisvenerablehall，andpartookofthehospitalityofhishearth。AndthereIsawhisgentlepartnerandhisfairchildren，andonthemorrowheshowedmethebooksofwhichhehadspokenyearsbeforebythesideofthestream。Inthelowquietchamber，whoseonewindow，shadedbyagiganticelm，looksdowntheslopetowardsthepleasantstream，hetookfromtheshelfhislearnedbooks，ZoharandMishna，ToldothJesuandAbarbenel。’Iamfondofthesestudies，’saidhe，’which，perhaps，isnottobewonderedat，seeingthatourpeoplehavebeencomparedtotheJews。InonerespectIconfesswearesimilartothem；wearefondofgettingmoney。Idonotlikethislastauthor，thisAbarbenel，theworseforhavingbeenamoney-changer。
Iamabankermyself，asthouknowest。’
Andwouldthereweremanylikehim，amidstthemoney-changersofprinces!Thehallofmanyanearllacksthebounty，thepalaceofmanyaprelatethepietyandlearning，whichadornthequietquaker’shome!
CHAPTERXVI
Fairofhorses-Looksofrespect-Thefasttrotter-Pairofeyes-Strangemen-Jasper，yourpal-Forceofblood-Youngladywithdiamonds-Notquitesobeautiful。
IWASstandingonthecastlehillinthemidstofafairofhorses。