Ernest Pérochon

“ He washed his hands and, leaving Gideon to watch the fish, he walked away. The embankment and the lane to the farm buildings were crowded with merrymakers, but the girl he was looking for was not among them. He retraced his steps, walked down through the meadow, and once more turned back to the house. The caterer had set up his tables in the barn; there was a crowd at the door. Michael went to look inside, but there was only "the Otter" eating his tench in the midst of half-drunk young fellows. ”

“ Standing on the brink of the "pan," they kept plunging them in and heaving them up, while a man behind them took the fish they brought up and dumped them into some water-filled holes in the ground that had been fixed up to receive them.
Never had the catch been so plenteous; even Michael was astonished. The reason was, probably, that they had succeeded in getting out all the pike at the last draining.
The youngsters that were hanging over the wire netting shouted: "There's some of 'em getting away! The little ones slip through." ”

“ The crowd on the embankment was thickening. All the young people of the countryside were there. It was like at the first fair of the year. Fish dealers had come out and carried off the smaller fish and farmers' wives had to hurry to get a panful cheap.
Michael acted as auctioneer. He didn't weigh the fish but sold them by the bulk. The women crowded about and tried all kinds of ways to be served before their turn. ”

“ Michael felt the blood surging through his veins.
"I'll be a blot in the picture, standing so near you, Mademoiselle. You ought to be beside one of those fellows who're dressed up in their Sunday clothes."
She answered with frank directness:
"I don't agree with you. You are at work: it'll show plain enough in the picture!"
She added with a sidewise glance through her long lashes:
"You're lucky he told you he'd give you some pictures—I wish I could get one!"
"All ready!" called the photographer. "Everybody stand still now!"
She looked up and, with a quick movement, threw back her shawl ”

“ The fish were coming out now. The flow of the water carried them into the "pan," a small, shallow reservoir that was barred at the outlet by a rather fine wire netting. The first to reach the "pan" were white bait; they came on quickly in big schools, and no sooner were they in the already troubled waters of the "pan" than they seemed to realise that they had taken the wrong way and bent all their efforts on dashing back through the water gate. But the strong current carried them down and they began to dart about desperately. After them came the roach, then the bream. ”

“ Here, won't you take this one, right in the centre? ... that's where the platter is put. And listen: you know what's real eating, you do ... you give the others an appetite ... I'll let you have all you can eat ... ”