Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 17
"Yes,"hecontinued,"itwursixteenyearago,comethethirdo’nextmonth,thatIlandedhim. Icaughthimjustbelowthebridgewithaminnow. Theytoldmehewurintheriver,andIsaidI’dhavehim,andsoIdid. Youdon’tseemanyfishthatsizeaboutherenow,I’mthinking. Good-night,gentlemen,good-night."
Andouthewent,andleftusalone.
Wecouldnottakeoureyesoffthefishafterthat. Itreallywasaremarkablyfinefish. Wewerestilllookingatit,whenthelocalcarrier,whohadjuststoppedattheinn,cametothedooroftheroomwithapotofbeerinhishand,andhealsolookedatthefish.
"Good-sizedtrout,that,"saidGeorge,turningroundtohim.
"Ah!youmaywellsaythat,sir,"repliedtheman;andthen,afterapullathisbeer,headded, "Maybeyouwasn’there,sir,whenthatfishwascaught?"
"No,"wetoldhim.Wewerestrangersintheneighbourhood.
"Ah!"saidthecarrier,"then,ofcourse,howshouldyou? ItwasnearlyfiveyearsagothatIcaughtthattrout."
"Oh!wasityouwhocaughtit,then?"saidI.
"Yes,sir,"repliedthegenialoldfellow. "Icaughthimjustbelowthelock—leastways,whatwasthelockthen—oneFridayafternoon;andtheremarkablethingaboutitisthatIcaughthimwithafly. I’dgoneoutpikefishing,blessyou,neverthinkingofatrout,andwhenIsawthatwhopperontheendofmyline,blestifitdidn’tquitetakemeaback. Well,yousee,heweighedtwenty-sixpound. Good-night,gentlemen,good-night."