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Hurrying back, I was just in time to meet the conquering hero as he came ashore; and I am quite sure that neither Julius Cæsar, nor any other human being, ever landed with greater dignity. Had he been coming to weigh after winning “the Liverpool,” or into the Pavilion at Lords' after an innings of five hundred, he could not have looked more happy and glorious, and I felt it a privilege to strew the path he trod upon with three bits of heather and my pocket-handkerchief.
There was an amusing little dialogue, as he left his bark:—
“Boatman!” quoth the illustrious fisherman, “how much is the boat?”
“Sure, your onour, the boat'll be in the bill. Your onour'll give the boatman what you please.”
“But what is generally given!”
“Well, your 'onour, some'll give two shillings, and some eighteen pince. A tailor'd be for giving eighteen pince.”
How much Frank gave, I know not; but from the expression of satisfaction, which brightened the faces of his aquatic friends, I infer that he exceeded in munificence a whole street of tailors. And, indeed, he was bound so to do, since, in our eyes, “was never salmon yet that shone so fair,” as we bore it in triumph to our inn; and I sang, in the joy of my heart, to the
They may rail at this land, they may slander and slang it,
But we've found it a land to admire and enjoy;
And until they convince us au contraire, why, hang it,
We will speak as we find, won't we, Frank, my dear boy?
Air “They may rail at this Life.”
So long as Kylemore has such lakes and such fishing,
As from Duncan's Hotel at this moment we see,
And of salmon for dinner we bring such a dish in,—
Connamara's the planet for you, Frank, and me!
So we carried it to the kitchen, where it cost my friend no little effort to transfer his captive to the cook; and I am quite convinced, that could he have escaped ridicule, he would have preferred to take that fish to bed with him. I am glad he did not; for a firmer, flakier, curdier salmon never gladdened a table d'hôte, and there were “lashings and lavings” for our party of eight, when we met at dinner that evening.