he bought the coat. The pleasant salesman, still talking,
tied up the bundle and continued praising the value of the purchase. When
it was paid for he was suddenly silent. He bowed with a superior air,
and, holding the door open, he watched his customer disappear, both arms
filled with bundles and vainly trying to reach his hat to bow.

M. Patissot returned home and carefully studied the map. He wished to try
on his shoes, which were more like skates than shoes, owing to the
spikes. He slipped and fell, promising himself to be more careful in the
future. Then he spread out all his purchases on a chair and looked at
them for a long time. He went to sleep with this thought: "Isn't it
strange that I didn't think before of taking an excursion to the
country?"

During the whole week Patissot worked without ambition. He was dreaming
of the outing which he had planned for the following Sunday, and he was
seized by a sudden longing for the country, a desire of growing tender
over nature, this thirst for rustic scenes which overwhelms the Parisians
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
successfull