I have seldom done a ruder thing, but I was not myself. And this was nothing to what I could have done had I not been resolved to show him forbearance. I stared miserably at water which nothing broke. The first spectral wreaths of the river mists were lightening the darkness upon the further bank.
"Good master,"—unheard he had rejoined me—"prithee suffer a brother angler to make closer acquaintance with that so-far-throwing wand." I held out my split cane to him dumbly. He did not take it, but he bent over it, peering at it through the small square spectacles he wore. "Aye," he said," a pretty tool and a valiant. But what device is this?" "That," said I, in scorn of him, "is the reel. You perceive, simple sir, that the line, passing through these excellently contrived rings upon the so-valiant wand is retained upon a central drum, and may be drawn off" (I drew some off) "or rolled up at will by the miraculous turning of this deft little pin." I wound up, as ironically as I might.
Again my humour failed to touch him. His eyes were round with amazement and delight. "Is it even so?" he breathed reverently. I perceived that I had to do with a lunatic or a supreme artist, in either of which cases everything must be forgiven him. Humouring him or playing up to him—I
