in spring time.

Only one person gave him any attention; it was a silent old copying clerk
named Boivin, nicknamed Boileau. He himself lived in the country and had
a little garden which he cultivated carefully; his needs were small, and
he was perfectly happy, so they said. Patissot was now able to understand
his tastes and the similarity of their ideals made them immediately fast
friends. Old man Boivin said to him:

"Do I like fishing, monsieur? Why, it's the delight of my life!"

Then Patissot questioned him with deep interest. Boivin named all the
fish who frolicked under this dirty water--and Patissot thought he
could see them. Boivin told about the different hooks, baits, spots and
times suitable for each kind. And Patissot felt himself more like a
fisherman than Boivin himself. They decided that the following Sunday
they would meet for the opening of the season for the edification of
Patissot, who was delighted to have found such an experienced instructor.

FISHING EXCURSION

The day before the one when he was, for the first time in his life, to
throw a hook into a river, Monsieur Patissot bought, for eighty centimes,
"How to Become a Perfect Fisherman." In this work he learned many useful
things, but he was especially impressed by the style, and he retained the
following passage:

"In a word, if you wish, without books, without rules, to fish
successfully, to the left or to the right, up or down stream, in the
masterly manner that halts at no difficulty, then fish before, during and