locks, a shining strip of mirror
glass; and the dip of the paddles set the flowers shaking along the
brink.

In the meadows wandered black and white cattle fantastically marked. One
beast, with a white head and the rest of the body glossy black, came to
the edge to drink, and stood gravely twitching his ears at me as I went
by, like some sort of preposterous clergyman in a play. A moment after I
heard a loud plunge, and, turning my head, saw the clergyman struggling
to shore. The bank had given way under his feet.

Besides the cattle, we saw no living things except a few birds and a
great many fishermen. These sat along the edges of the meadows,
sometimes with one rod, sometimes with as many as half a score. They
seemed stupefied with contentment; and when we induced them to exchange
a few words with us about the weather, their voices sounded quiet and
far away. There was a strange diversity of opinion among them as to the
kind of fish for which they set their lures; although they were all
agreed in this, that the river was abundantly supplied. Where it was
plain that no two of them had ever caught the same kind of fish, we
could not help suspecting that perhaps not any one of them had ever
caught a fish at all. I hope, since the afternoon was so lovely, that
they were one and all rewarded; and that a silver booty went home in
every basket for the pot. Some of my friends would cry shame on me for
this; but I prefer a man, were he only an angler, to the bravest pair of
gills in all God's waters. I do not affect fishes unless when cooked in
sauce; whereas an angler is an important piece of river scenery, and
hence deserves some recognition among canoeists. He can always tell you
where you are after a mild fashion; and his quiet presence serves to
accentuate the solitude and stillness, and remind you of the glittering
citizens below your boat.

The Sambre turned so industriously to and fro among his little hills,
that it was past six before we drew near the lock at Quartes. There were
some children on the tow-path, with whom the _Cigarette_ fell into a
chaffing talk as they ran along beside us. It was in vain that I warned
him. In vain I told him, in English, that boys were the most dangerous
creatures; and if once you began with them, it was safe to end in a
shower of stones. For my own part, whenever anything was addressed to
me, I smiled gently and shook my head as though I were an inoffensive
person inadequately acq