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train； and before dinner we went to ground…bait as usual。 The
weather promised to keep fine； and I said to Melie： 'All right
for to…morrow！' And she replied： 'It looks like it。' We never
talk more than that together。
〃And then we returned to dinner。 I was happy and thirsty； and
that was the cause of everything。 I said to Melie： 'Look here
Melie； it is fine weather； so suppose I drink a bottle of Casque
a meche。 That is a little white wine which we have christened so；
because if you drink too much of it it prevents you from sleeping
and is the opposite of a nightcap。 Do you understand me？
〃She replied： 'You can do as you please； but you will be ill
again； and will not be able to get up to…morrow。' That was true；
sensible； prudent； and clear…sighted； I must confess。
Nevertheless； I could not withstand it； and I drank my bottle。 It
all comes from that。
〃Well； I could not sleep。 By Jove！ It kept me awake till two
o'clock in the morning； and then I went to sleep so soundly that
I should not have heard the angel shouting at the Last Judgment。
〃In short； my wife woke me at six o'clock and I jumped out of
bed； hastily put on my trousers and jersey； washed my face and
jumped on board 'Delila。' But it was too late； for when I arrived
at my hole it was already taken！ Such a thing had never happened
to me in three years； and it made me feel as if I were being
robbed under my own eyes。 I said to myself； Confound it all！
confound it！ And then my wife began to nag at me。 'Eh！ What about
your Casque a meche！ Get along； you drunkard！ Are you satisfied；
you great fool？' I could say nothing； because it was all quite
true； and so I landed all the same near the spot and tried to
profit by what was left。 Perhaps after all the fellow might catch
nothing； and go away。
〃He was a little thin man； in white linen coat and waistcoat； and
with a large straw hat； and his wife； a fat woman who was doing
embroidery； was behind him。
〃When she saw us take up our position close to their place； she
murmured： 'I suppose there are no other places on the river！' And
my wife； who was furious； replied： 'People who know how to behave
make inquiries about the habits of the neighborhood before
occupying reserved spots。'
〃As I did not want a fuss； I said to her： 'Hold your tongue；
Melie。 Let them go on； let them go on； we shall see。'
〃Well； we had fastened 'Delila' under the willow…trees； and had
landed and were fishing side by side； Melie and I； close to the
two others； but here； Monsieur； I must enter into details。
〃We had only been there about five minutes when our male
neighbor's float began to go down two or three times； and then he
pulled out a chub as thick as my thigh； rather less； perhaps； but
nearly as big！ My heart beat； and the perspiration stood on my
forehead； and Melie said to me： 'Well； you sot； did you see
that？'
〃Just then； Monsieur Bru； the grocer of Poissy； who was fond of
gudgeon fishing； passed in a boat； and called out to me： So
somebody has taken your usual place； Monsieur Renard？ And I
replied： 'Yes； Monsieur Bru； there are some people in this world
who do not know the usages of common politeness。'
〃The little man in linen pretended not to hear； nor his fat lump
of a wife； either。
Here the President interrupted him a second time： 〃Take care； you
are insulting the widow； Madame Flameche； who is present。
Renard made his excuses： 〃I beg your pardon； I beg your pardon；
my anger carried me away。 Well； not a quarter of an hour had
passed when the little man caught another chub and another almost
immediately； and another five minutes later。
〃The tears were in my eyes； and then I knew that Madame Renard
was boiling with rage； for she kept on nagging at me： 'Oh！ how
horrid！ Don't you see that he is robbing you of your fish？ Do you
think that you will catch anything？ Not even a frog； nothing
whatever。 Why； my hands are burning； just to think of it。'
〃But I said to myself： 'Let us wait until twelve o clock。 Then
this poaching fellow will go to lunch； and I shall get my place
again。 As for me； Monsieur le President； I lunch on the spot
every Sunday； we bring our provisions in 'Delila。' But there！ At
twelve o'clock； the wretch produced a fowl out of a newspaper；
and while he was eating； actually he caught another chub！
〃Melie and I had a morsel also； just a mouthful； a mere nothing；
for our heart was not in it。
〃Then I took up my newspaper； to aid my digestion。 Every Sunday I
read the 'Gil Blas' in the shade like that； by the side of the
water。 It is Columbine's day； you know； Columbine who writes the
articles in the 'Gil Blas。' I generally put Madame Renard into a
passion by pretending to know this Columbine。 It is not true； for
I do not know her； and have never seen her； but that does not
matter； she writes very well； and then she says things straight
out for a woman。 She suits me； and there are not many of her
sort。
〃Well； I began to tease my wife； but she got angry immediately；
and very angry； and so I held my tongue。 At that moment our two
witnesses； who are present here； Monsieur Ladureau and Monsieur
Durdent； appeared on the other side of the river。 We knew each
other by sight。 The little man began to fish again； and he caught
so many that I trembled with vexation； and his wife said： 'It is
an uncommonly good spot； and we will come here always； Desire。'
As for me； a cold shiver ran down my back； and Madame Renard kept
repeating： 'You are not a man； you have the blood of a chicken in
your veins'； and suddenly I said to her： 'Look here； I would
rather go away； or I shall only be doing something foolish。'
〃And she whispered to me as if she had put a red…hot iron under
my nose： 'You are not a man。 Now you are going to run away； and
surrender your place！ Off you go； Bazaine！'
〃Well； I felt that； but yet I did not move； while the other
fellow pulled out a bream； Oh！ I never saw such a large one
before； never！ And then my wife began to talk aloud； as if she
were thinking； and you can see her trickery。 She said： 'That is
what one might call stolen fish； seeing that we baited the place
ourselves。 At any rate； they ought to give us back the money we
have spent on bait。'
〃Then the fat woman in the cotton dress said in turn： 'Do you
mean to call us thieves； Madame？' And they began to explain； and
then they came to words。 Oh！ Lord！ those creatures know some good
ones。 They shouted so loud； that our two witnesses； who were on
the other bank； began to call out by way of a joke： 'Less noise
over there； you will prevent your husbands from fishing。'
〃The fact is that neither of us moved any more than if we had
been two tree…stumps。 We remained there； with our noses over the
water； as if we had heard nothing； but by Jove； we heard all the
same。 'You are a mere liar。'
〃 'You are nothing better than a street…walker。'
〃 'You are only a trollop。'
〃 'You are a regular strumpet。'
〃And so on； and so on； a sailor could not have said more。
〃Suddenly I heard a noise behind me； and turned round。 It was the
other one； the fat woman who had fallen on to my wife with her
parasol。 WHACK！ WHACK！ Melie got two of them；