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th his weight and his rapid； driving strength。 Then he came up thrashing at the surface and then was down again and the young man found that although the fish felt as strong as ever the tragic violence was lessened and now he could be led around the end of the jetty and up the canal。
〃Softly does it；〃 the waiter said。 〃Oh softly now。 Softly for us all。〃
Twice more the fish forced his way out to the open sea and twice the young man led him back and now he was leading him gently along the jetty toward the cafe。
〃How is he？〃 asked the waiter。
〃He's fine but we've beaten him。〃
〃Don't say it；〃 the waiter said。 〃Don't say it。 We must tire him。 Tire him。 Tire him。〃
〃He's got my arm tired；〃 the young man said。
〃Do you want me to take him？〃 the waiter asked hopefully。
〃My God no。〃
〃Just easy； easy； easy。 Softly； softly； softly；〃 the waiter said。
The young man worked the fish past the terrace of the cafe and into the canal。 He was swimming just under the surface but was still strong and the young man wondered if they would take him all the way up the canal through the length of the town。 There were many other people now and as they went by the hotel the girl saw them out of the window and shouted； 〃Oh what a wonderful fish！ Wait for me！ Wait for me！〃
She had seen the fish clearly from above and his length and the shine of him in the water and her husband with the bamboo pole bent almost double and the procession of people following。 When she got down to the canal bank and； running； caught up with the people； the procession had stopped。 The waiter was in the water at the edge of the canal and her husband was guiding the fish slowly against the bank where there was a clump of weeds growing。 The fish was on the surface now and the waiter bent down and brought his hands together from either side and then lifted the fish with his thumbs in both his gills and moved up the bank of the canal with him。 He was a heavy fish and the waiter held him high against his chest with the head under his chin and the tail flopping against his thighs。
Several men were pounding the young man on the back and putting their arms around him and a woman from the fish market kissed him。 Then the girl had her arms around him and kissed him and he said； 〃Did you see him？〃
Then they all went over to see him laid out on the side of the road silver as a salmon and dark gunmetal shining on his back。 He was a handsome beautifully built fish with great live eyes and he breathed slowly and brokenly。
〃What is he？〃
〃A loup；〃 he said。 〃That's a sea bass。 They call them bar too。 They're a wonderful fish。 This is the biggest one I've ever seen。
The waiter； whose name was Andre； came over and put his arms around David and kissed him and then he kissed the girl。
〃Madame； it is necessary；〃 he said。 〃It is truly necessary。 No one ever caught such a fish on such tackle。〃
〃We better have him weighed；〃 David said。
They were at the cafe now。 The young man had put the tackle away； after the weighing； and washed up and the fish was on a block of ice that had come in the camion from Nimes to ice the mackerel catch。 The fish had weighed a little over fifteen pounds。 On the ice he was still silver and beautiful but the color on his back had changed to gray。 Only his eyes still looked alive。 The mackerel fishing boats were coming in now and the women were unloading the shining blue and green and silver mackerel from the boats into baskets and carrying the heavy baskets on their heads to the fish house。 It was a very good catch and the town was busy and happy。
〃What are we going to do with the big fish？〃 the girl asked。
〃They're going to take him in and sell him；〃 the young man said。 〃He's too big to cook here and they say it would be wicked to cut him up。 Maybe he'll go right up to Paris。 He'll end in some big restaurant。 Or somebody very rich will buy him。〃
〃He was so beautiful in the water；〃 she said。 〃And when Andre held him up。 I couldn't believe him when I saw him out of the window and you with your mob following you。〃
〃We'll get a small one for us to eat。 They're really wonderful。 A small one ought to be grilled with butter and with herbs。 They're like striped bass at home。〃
〃I'm excited about the fish；〃 she said。 〃Don't we have wonder ful simple fun？〃
They were hungry for lunch and the bottle of white wine was cold and they drank it as they ate the celery remoulade and the
small radishes and the home pickled mushrooms from the big glass jar。 The bass was grilled and the grill marks showed on the silver skin and the butter melted on the hot plate。 There was sliced lemon to press on the bass and fresh bread from the bakery and the wine cooled their tongues of the heat of the fried potatoes。 It was good light； dry； cheerful unknown white wine and the restaurant was proud of it。
〃We're not great conversationalists at meals；〃 the girl said。 〃Do I bore you； darling？〃
The young man laughed。
〃Don't laugh at me； David。〃
〃I wasn't。 No。 You don't bore me。 I'd be happy looking at you if you never said a word。〃
He poured her another small glass of the wine and filled his own。
〃I have a big surprise。 I didn't tell you； did I？〃 the girl said。
〃What sort of surprise？〃
〃Oh it's very simple but it's very complicated。〃
〃Tell me。〃
〃No。 You might like it and maybe you couldn't stand it。〃
〃It sounds too dangerous。〃
〃It's dangerous；〃 she said。 〃But don't ask me。 I'm going up to the room if I may。
The young man paid for the lunch and drank the wine that was left in the bottle。 Then he went upstairs。 The girl's clothes were folded on one of the Van Gogh chairs and she was waiting for him in the bed with the sheet over her。 Her hair was spread out over the pillow and her eyes were laughing and he lifted the sheet and she said； 〃Hello； darling。 Did you have a nice lunch？〃
Afterwards they lay together with his arm under her head and were happy and lazy and he felt her turn her head from side to side and stroke it against his cheek。 It felt silky and barely roughened from the sun and the sea。 Then with her hair all forward over her face so it touched him as her head moved she started to play with him lightly and exploringly and then with delight and she said； 〃You do love me； don't you？〃
He nodded and kissed the top of her head and then turned her head and held it and kissed her lips。
〃Oh；〃 she said。 〃Oh。〃
A long time later they were lying each holding the other close and she said； 〃And you love me just the way I am？ You're sure。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃So much yes。〃
〃Because I'm going to be changed。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃No。 Not changed。〃
〃I'm going to；〃 she said。 〃It's for you。 It's for me too。 I won't pretend it's not。 But it will do something to you。 I'm sure but I shouldn't say it。〃
〃I like surprises but I like everything the way it is just now at this minute。〃
〃Then maybe I shouldn't do it；〃 she said。 〃Oh I'm sad。 It was such a wonderful dangerous surprise。 I thought about it for days and I didn't decide until this morning。〃
〃If it's something you really want。〃
〃It is；〃 she said。 〃And I'm going to do it。 You've liked every thing we've done so far haven't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃All right。〃
She slipped out of bed and stood straight with her long brown legs and her beautiful body tanned evenly from the far beach where they swam without suits。 She held her shoulders back and her chin up and she shook her head so her heavy tawny hair slapped around her cheeks and then bowed forward so it all fell forward and covered her face。 She pulled the striped shirt over her head and then shook her hair back and then sat in the chair in front of the mirror on the dresser and brushed it back looking
at it critically。 It fell to the top of her shoulders。 She shook her head at the mirror。 Then she pulled on her slacks and belted them and put on her faded blue rope…soled shoes。
〃I have to ride up to Aigues Mortes；〃 she said。
〃Good；〃 he said。 〃I'll come too。〃
〃No。 I have to go alone。 It's about the surprise。〃
She kissed him goodbye and went down and he watched her mount her bicycle and go up the road riding smoothly and easily； her hair blowing in the wind。
The afternoon sun was in the window now and the room was too warm。 The young man washed and put on his clothes and went down to walk on the beach。 He knew he should swim but he was tired and after he had walked along the beach and then along a path through the salt grass that led inland for a way he went back along the beach to the port and climbed up to the cafe。 In the cafe he found the paper and ordered himself a fine l'eau because he felt empty and hollow from making love。
They had been married three weeks and had come down on the train from Paris to Avignon with their bicycles； a suitcase with their town clothes； and a rucksack and a musette bag。 They stayed at a good hotel in Avignon and left the suitcase there and had thought that they would ride to the Pont du Gard。 But the mistral was blowing so they rode with the mistral down to Nimes and stayed there at the Imperator and then had ridden down to Aigues Mortes still with the heavy wind behind them and then on to le Grau du Roi。 They had been there ever since。
It had be