. Wayfaring in France, from Auvergne to the Bay of Biscay. , and asthey have not been long awake, they do theirutmost to make a noise in the world like othercreatures that are empty. As soon as the neigh-bours door is open they enter in a body, and marchtowards the kitchen. A female voice is heard toaddress something sharply to them in patois ; thereis a scuffle in the passage, and all the chickensscream together as they rush before the broominto the road. This is how the village day opens. I am waiting for a man who has undertaken toshow me some caverns in the neighbouring rocks. Meanwhile, a
. Wayfaring in France, from Auvergne to the Bay of Biscay. , and asthey have not been long awake, they do theirutmost to make a noise in the world like othercreatures that are empty. As soon as the neigh-bours door is open they enter in a body, and marchtowards the kitchen. A female voice is heard toaddress something sharply to them in patois ; thereis a scuffle in the passage, and all the chickensscream together as they rush before the broominto the road. This is how the village day opens. I am waiting for a man who has undertaken toshow me some caverns in the neighbouring rocks. Meanwhile, another comes along, and makes mys- -++ A FISH POACHER 245 terious signs to me from the road. He is barefootand ragged, and does not look as if he had a tastefor regular work, but rather as if he belonged to thesomewhat numerous class who live by expedients,and have representatives in all ranks of society. Hehas a small sack in his hand, to which he pointswhile he addresses me in patois. I tell him to comein. The sack contains crayfish, and now I know the. The Vezere near Les Eyzies. reason of his mysterious air, for all fishing is pro-hibited at this time, and he is running the gauntletof the garde-peche, who lives close by. The poorragamuffin has been out all night, wading in thestreams, and his wife, who looks, if possible, moreeager and hungry than himself, ■ is waiting near,keeping watch. He offers his crayfish for threesous the dozen, and I buy them of him withoutfeeling that respect for the law and the spawning 240 IN THE VALLEY OF THE VEZERE season which I know I ought to have. But I havesuffered a good deal from bad example. There wasa Procureur de la Rdpubliqtie not far from here theother day, and the first thing he asked for at thehotel was fish. Presently the other man—the one I am waitingfor—shows himself. He is a lean old soldier of theEmpire, with a white moustache, kept short and stifflike a nailbrush. He is still active, and if he hasany disease he is in h
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1913
