Wecaughttwobass, haulingtheminbrisklyasthoughtheyweremackerel, pullingthemoverthesideoftheboatinabusinesslikemannerwithoutanylandingnet, , thelakewasexactlywherewehadleftit, thesamenumberofinchesfromthedock, , thislakeyoucouldleavetoitsowndevicesforafewhoursandcomebackto, andfindthatithadnotstirred, , thedark, water-soakedsticksandtwigs, smoothandold, wereundulatinginclustersonthebottomagainstthecleanribbedsand, , eachminnowwithitssmallindividualshadow, doubling, theattendance, , alongtheshore, oneofthemwithacakeofsoap, , thiscultist, .
Uptothefarmhousetodinnerthroughtheteeming, dustyfield, , theonewiththemarksofthehoovesandthesplotchesofdried, , ; andsomethingaboutthewayitlaythereinthesunreassuredme, thetapehadloosenedalongthebackline, thealleysweregreenwithplantainsandotherweeds, andthenet (installedinJuneandremovedinSeptember) saggedinthedrynoon, , andonewasblueberryandonewasapple, andthewaitresseswerethesamecountrygirls, therehavingbeennopassageoftime, onlytheillusionofitasinadroppedcurtain — thewaitresseswerestillfifteen; theirhairhadbeenwashed, thatwastheonlydifference — theyhadbeentothemoviesandseentheprettygirlswiththecleanhair.
Summertime, ohsummertime, patternoflifeindelible, thefade-prooflake, thewoodsunshatterable, thepasturewiththesweetfernandthejuniperforever, andever, summerwithoutend; thiswasthebackground, andthelifealongtheshorewasthedesign, thecottagerswiththeirinnocentandtranquildesign, theirtinydockswiththeflagpoleandtheAmericanflagfloatingagainstthewhitecloudsinthebluesky, thelittlepathsovertherootsofthetreesleadingfromcamptocampandthepathsleadingbacktotheouthousesandthecanoflimeforsprinking, , escapingthecityheat, wonderingwhetherthenewcomersinthecampattheheadofthecovewere “common” or “nice”, wonderingwhetheritwastruethatthepeoplewhodroveupforSundaydinneratthefarmhousewereturnedawaybecausetherewasn’ tenoughchicken.
Itseemedtome, asIkeptrememberingallthis, (atthebeginningofAugust) hadbeensobigabusinessinitself, attherailwaystationthefarmwagondrawnup, thefirstsmellofthepine-ladenair, thefirstglimpseofthesmilingfarmer, andthegreatimportanceofthetrunksandyourfather’ senormousauthorityinsuchmatters, andthefeelofthewagonunderyouforthelongten-milehaul, , andthetrunkstobeunpacked, togiveuptheirrichburden.(Arrivingwaslessexcitingnowadays, whenyousneakedupinyourcarandparkeditunderatreenearthecampandtookoutthebagsandinfiveminutesitwasallover, nofuss, noloudwonderfulfussabouttrunks.)
