But a tall hedge interrupted his view, and, though he stared long and earnestly, all he could see that day was a pea-stick nodding above it.
"He came again, however,--not the next day, but the day after,--and was rewarded by a glimpse of a white cap with bows which seemed at that distance of a purplish colour.

Its wearer was standing in the gateway and exchanging a word with the Rector, who had reined up his horse in the road.
"M.

Benest walked home and made inquiries; but his landlady could only tell him that the cottage was rented by two ladies, sisters,--she had heard that they came from the West Indies,--who saw nobody, but wished only to be let alone.

One of them, who suffered from an incurable complaint, was never seen; the other could be seen on fine days in her garden, where she worked vigorously; and what the pair lived on was a mystery, for they bought nothing in the town or of their neighbours.
"On learning this, M.Benest became very cunning indeed.

He bought a fishing rod.
"For I ought to have told you that a stream ran down the valley beside the road, and it contained trout--perhaps as many as a dozen.
M.Benest had no desire to catch them; but, you see, he was forced to acquire some show of expertness in order to deceive the wayfarers who paused and watched him; and in time (I am told) the fish, after being unhooked once or twice and restored apologetically to the water, came to enjoy disconcerting him.