the complete angler-第12节

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ers　other　fishes　do；　as　Sir　Francis　Bacon　hath　observed　in　his　History　of　　Life　and　Death。

And　next　you　are　to　take　notice；　that　he　is　not　like　the　Crocodile；　which　if　he　lives　never　so　long；　vet　always　thrives　till　his　death：　but　'tis　not　so　with　the　Trout；　for　after　he　is　come　to　his　full　growth；　he　declines　in　his　body；　and　keeps　his　bigness；　or　thrives　only　in　his　head　till　his　death。　And　you　are　to　know；　that　he　will；　about；　especially　before；　the　time　of　his　spawning；　get；　almost　miraculously；　through　weirs　and　flood…gates；　against　the　stream；　even　through　such　high　and　swift　places　as　is　almost　incredible。　Next；　that　the　Trout　usually　spawns　about　October　or　November；　but　in　some　rivers　a　little　sooner　or　later；　which　is　the　more　observable；　because　most　other　fish　spawn　in　the　spring　or　summer；　when　the　sun　hath　warmed　both　the　earth　and　water；　and　made　it　fit　for　generation。　And　you　are　to　note；　that　he　continues　many　months　out　of　season；　for　it　may　be　observed　of　the　Trout；　that　he　is　like　the　Buck　or　the　Ox；　that　will　not　be　fat　in　many　months；　though　he　go　in　the　very　same　pastures　that　horses　do；　which　will　be　fat　in　one　month：　and　so　you　may　observe；　That　most　other　fishes　recover　strength；　and　grow　sooner　fat　and　in　season　than　the　Trout　doth。

And　next　you　are　to　note；　That　till　the　sun　gets　to　such　a　height　as　to　warm　the　earth　and　the　water；　the　Trout　is　sick；　and　lean；　and　lousy；　and　unwholesome；　for　you　shall；　in　winter；　find　him　to　have　a　big　head；　and；　then；　to　be　lank　and　thin　and　lean；　at　which　time　many　of　them　have　sticking　on　them　Sugs；　or　Trout…lice；　which　is　a　kind　of　a　worm；　in　shape　like　a　clove；　or　pin　with　a　big　head；　and　sticks　close　to　him；　and　sucks　his　moisture；　those；　I　think；　the　Trout　breeds　himself：　and　never　thrives　till　he　free　himself　from　them；　which　is　when　warm　weather　comes；　and；　then；　as　he　grows　stronger；　he　gets　from　the　dead　still　water　into　the　sharp　streams　and　the　gravel；　and；　there；　rubs　off　these　worms　or　lice；　and　then；　as　he　grows　stronger；　so　he　gets　him　into　swifter　and　swifter　streams；　and　there　lies　at　the　watch　for　any　fly　or　minnow　that　comes　near　to　him；　and　he　especially　loves　the　May…fly；　which　is　bred　of　the　cod…worm；　or　cadis；　and　these　make　the　Trout　bold　and　lusty；　and　he　is　usually　fatter　and　better　meat　at　the　end　of　that　month　than　at　any　time　of　the　year。

Now　you　are　to　know　that　it　is　observed；　that　usually　the　best　Trouts　are　either　red　or　yellow；　though　some；　as　the　Fordidge　Trout；　be　white　and　yet　good；　but　that　is　not　usual：　and　it　is　a　note　observable；　that　the　female　Trout　hath　usually　a　less　head；　and　a　deeper　body　than　the　male　Trout；　and　is　usually　the　better　meat。　And　note；　that　a　hog　back　and　a　little　head；　to　either　Trout；　Salmon　or　any　other　fish；　is　a　sign　that　that　fish　is　in　season。

But　yet　you　are　to　note；　that　as　you　see　some　willows　or　palm…trees　bud　and　blossom　sooner　than　others　do；　so　some　Trouts　be；　in　rivers；　sooner　in　season：　and　as　some　hollies；　or　oaks；　are　longer　before　they　cast　their　leaves；　so　are　some　Trouts；　in　rivers；　longer　before　they　go　out　of　season。

And　you　are　to　note；　that　there　are　several　kinds　of　Trouts：　but　these　several　kinds　are　not　considered　but　by　very　few　men；　for　they　go　under　the　general　name　of　Trouts；　just　as　pigeons　do；　in　most　places；　though　it　is　certain；　there　are　tame　and　wild　pigeons；　and　of　the　tame；　there　be　hermits　and　runts；　and　carriers　and　cropers；　and　indeed　too　many　to　name。　Nay；　the　Royal　Society　have　found　and　published　lately；　that　there　be　thirty　and　three　kinds　of　spiders；　and　yet　all；　for　aught　I　know；　go　under　that　one　general　name　of　spider。　And　it　is　so　with　many　kinds　of　fish；　and　of　Trouts　especially；　which　differ　in　their　bigness；　and　shape；　and　spots；　and　colour。　The　great　Kentish　hens　may　be　an　instance；　compared　to　other　hens：　and；　doubtless；　there　is　a　kind　of　small　Trout；　which　will　never　thrive　to　be　big；　that　breeds　very　many　more　than　others　do；　that　be　of　a　larger　size：　which　you　may　rasher　believe；　if　you　consider　that　the　little　wren　end　titmouse　will　have　twenty　young　ones　at　a　time；　when；　usually；　the　noble　hawk；　or　the　musical　thrassel　or　blackbird；　exceed　not　four　or　five。

And　now　you　shall　see　me　try　my　skill　to　catch　a　Trout；　and　at　my　next　walking；　either　this　evening　or　to…morrow　morning；　I　will　give　you　direction　how　you　yourself　shall　fish　for　him。

Venator。　Trust　me；　master；　I　see　now　it　is　a　harder　matter　to　catch　a　Trout　than　a　Chub；　for　I　have　put　on　patience；　and　followed　you　these　two　hours；　and　not　seen　a　fish　stir；　neither　at　your　minnow　nor　your　worm。

Piscator。　Well；　scholar；　you　must　endure　worse　luck　sometime；　or　you　will　never　make　a　good　angler。　But　what　say　you　now？　there　is　a　Trout　now；　and　a　good　one　too；　if　I　can　but　hold　him；　and　two　or　three　turns　more　will　tire　him。　Now　you　see　he　lies　still；　and　the　sleight　is　to　land　him：　reach　me　that　landing…net。　So；　Sir；　now　he　is　mine　own：　what　say　you　now；　is　not　this　worth　all　my　labour　and　your　patience？

Venator。　On　my　word；　master；　this　is　a　gallant　Trout；　what　shall　we　do　with　him？

Piscator。　Marry；　e　en　eat　him　to　supper：　we'll　go　to　my　hostess　from　whence　we　came；　she　told　me；　as　I　was　going　out　of　door；　that　my　brother　Peter；　a　good　angler　and　a　cheerful　companion；　had　sent　word　he　would　lodge　there　to…night；　and　bring　a　friend　with　him。　My　hostess　has　two　beds；　and　I　know　you　and　I　may　have　the　best：　we'll　rejoice　with　my　brother　Peter　and　his　friend；　tell　tales；　or　sing　ballads；　or　make　a　catch；　or　find　some　harmless　sport　to　content　us；　and　pass　away　a　little　time　without　offence　to　God　or　man。

Venator。　A　match；　good　master；　let's　go　to　that　house；　for　the　linen　looks　white；　and　smells　of　lavender；　and　I　long　to　lie　in　a　pair　of　sheets　that　smell　so。　Let's　be　going；　good　master；　for　I　am　hungry　again　with　fishing。

Piscator。　Nay；　stay　a　little；　good　scholar。　I　caught　my　last　Trout　with　a　worm；　now　I　will　put　on　a　minnow；　and　try　a　quarter　of　an　hour　about　yonder　trees　for　another；　and；　so；　walk　towards　our　lodging。　Look　you；　scholar；　thereabout　we　shall　have　a　bite　presently；　or　not　at　all。　Have　with　you；　Sir：　o'　my　word　I　have　hold　of　him。　Oh！　it　is　a　great　logger…　headed　Chub；　come；　hang　him　upon　that　willow　twig；　and　let's　be　going。　But　turn　out　of　the　way　a　little；　good　scholar！　toward　yonder　high　honeysuckle　hedge；　there　we'll　sit　and　sing　whilst　this　shower　falls　so　gently　upon　the　teeming　earth；　and　gives　yet　a　sweeter　smell　to　the　lovely　flowers　that　adorn　these　verdant　meadows。

Look　！　under　that　broad　beech…tree　I　sat　down；　when　I　was　last　this　way　a…fishing；　and　the　birds　in　the　adjoining　grove　seemed　to　have　a　friendly　contention　with　an　echo；　whose　dead　voice　seemed　to　live　in　a　hollow　tree　near　to　the　brow　of　that　primrose…hill。　There　I　sat　viewing　the　silver　streams　glide　silently　towards　their　centre；　the　tempestuous　sea；　yet　sometimes　opposed　by　rugged　roots　and　pebble…stones；　which　broke　their　waves；　and　turned　them　into　foam；　and　sometimes　I　beguiled　time　by　viewing　the　harmless　lambs；　some　leaping　securely　in　the　cool　shade；　whilst　others　sported　themselves　in　the　cheerful　sun；　and　saw　others　craving　comfort　from　the　swollen　udders　of　their　bleating　dams。　As　I　thus　sat；　these　and　other　sights　had　so　fully　possess　my　soul　with　content；　that　I　thought；　as　the　poet　has　happily　express　it；

I　was　for　that　time　lifted　above　earth：　And　possest　joys　not　promis'd　in　my　birth。

As　I　left　this　place；　and　entered　into　the　next　field；　a　second　pleasure　entertained　me；　'twas　a　handsome　milk…maid；　that　had　not　yet　attained　so　much　age　and　wisdom　as　to　load　her　mind　with　any　fears　of　many　things　that　will　never　be；　as　too　many　men　too　often　do；　but　she　cast　away　all　care；　and　sung　like　a　nightingale。　Her　voice　was　good；　and　the　ditty　fitted　for　it；　it　was　that　smooth　song　which　was　made　by　Kit　Marlow；　now　at　least　fifty　years　ago；　and　the　milk…maid's　mother　sung　an　answer　to　it；　which　was　made　by　Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　in　his　younger　days。　They　were　old…fashioned　poetry；　but　choicely　good；　I　think　much　better　than　the　strong　lines　that　are　now　in　fashion　in　this　critical　age。　Look　yonder！　on　my　word；　yonder；　they　both　be　a…milking　again。　I　will　give　her　the　Chub；　and　persuade　them　to　sing　those　two　songs　to　us。

God　speed　you；　good　woman！　I　have　been　a…fishing；　and　am　going　to　Bleak　Hall　to　my　bed；　and　having　caught　more　fish　than　will　sup　myself　and　my　friend；　I　will　bestow　this　upon　you　and　your　daughter；　for　I　use　to　sell　none。

Milk…woman。　Marry！　God　requite　you；　Sir；　and　we'll　eat　it　cheerfully。　And　if　you　come　this　way　a…fishing　two　months　hence；　a　grace　of　God！　I'll　give　you　a　syllabub　of　new　verjuice；　in　a　new…made　hay…cock；　for　it。　And　my　Maudlin　shall　sing　you　one　of　her　best　ballads；　for　she　and　I　both　love　all　anglers；　they　be　such　honest；　civil；　quiet　men。　In　the　meantime　will　you　drink　a　draught　of　red　cow's　milk　？　you　shall　have　it　freely。

Piscator。　No；　I　thank　you；　but；　I　pray；　do　us　a　courtesy　that　shall　stand　you　and　your　daughter　in　nothing；　and　yet　we　will　think　ourselves　still　something　in　your　debt：　it　is　but　to　sing　us　a　song　that　was　sung　by　your　daughter　when　I　last　passed　over　this　meadow；　about　eight　or　nine　days　since。