man's　island。　The　sun　was　under　a　cloud　and　the　water　was　dark　and　smooth　and　very　cold。　We　did　not　have　a　strike　though　we　saw　some　circles　on　the　water　from　rising　fish。

I　rowed　up　opposite　the　fisherman's　island　where　there　were　boats　drawn　up　and　men　were　mending　nets。

〃Should　we　get　a　drink？〃

〃All　right。〃

I　brought　the　boat　up　to　the　stone　pier　and　the　barman　pulled　in　the　line；　coiling　it　on　the　bottom　of　the　boat　and　hooking　the　spinner　on　the　edge　of　the　gunwale。　I　stepped　out　and　tied　the　boat。　We　went　into　a　little　caf？　sat　at　a　bare　wooden　table　and　ordered　vermouth。

〃Are　you　tired　from　rowing？〃

〃I'll　row　back；〃　he　said。

〃I　like　to　row。〃

〃Maybe　if　you　hold　the　line　it　will　change　the　luck。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃Tell　me　how　goes　the　war。〃

〃Rotten。〃

〃I　don't　have　to　go。　I'm　too　old；　like　Count　Greffi。〃

〃Maybe　you'll　have　to　go　yet。〃

〃Next　year　they'll　call　my　class。　But　I　won't　go。〃

〃What　will　you　do？〃

〃Get　out　of　the　country。　I　wouldn't　go　to　war。　I　was　at　the　war　once　in　Abyssinia。　Nix。　Why　do　you　go？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　was　a　fool。〃

〃Have　another　vermouth？〃

〃All　right。〃

The　barman　rowed　back。　We　trolled　up　the　lake　beyond　Stresa　and　then　down　not　far　from　shore。　I　held　the　taut　line　and　felt　the　faint　pulsing　of　the　spinner　revolving　while　I　looked　at　the　dark　November　water　of　the　lake　and　the　deserted　shore。　The　barman　rowed　with　long　strokes　and　on　the　forward　thrust　of　the　boat　the　line　throbbed。　Once　I　had　a　strike：　the　line　hardened　suddenly　and　jerked　back。　I　pulled　and　felt　the　live　weight　of　the　trout　and　then　the　line　throbbed　again。　I　had　missed　him。

〃Did　he　feel　big？〃

〃Pretty　big。〃

〃Once　when