06-visitors-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Visitors



　　　　I　think　that　I　love　society　as　much　as　most；　and　am　ready　enough

to　fasten　myself　like　a　bloodsucker　for　the　time　to　any　full…blooded

man　that　comes　in　my　way。　　I　am　naturally　no　hermit；　but　might

possibly　sit　out　the　sturdiest　frequenter　of　the　bar…room；　if　my

business　called　me　thither。

　　　　I　had　three　chairs　in　my　house；　one　for　solitude；　two　for

friendship；　three　for　society。　　When　visitors　came　in　larger　and

unexpected　numbers　there　was　but　the　third　chair　for　them　all；　but

they　generally　economized　the　room　by　standing　up。　　It　is　surprising

how　many　great　men　and　women　a　small　house　will　contain。　　I　have　had

twenty…five　or　thirty　souls；　with　their　bodies；　at　once　under　my

roof；　and　yet　we　often　parted　without　being　aware　that　we　had　come

very　near　to　one　another。　　Many　of　our　houses；　both　public　and

private；　with　their　almost　innumerable　apartments；　their　huge　halls

and　their　cellars　for　the　storage　of　wines　and　other　munitions　of

peace；　appear　to　be　extravagantly　large　for　their　inhabitants。　　They

are　so　vast　and　magnificent　that　the　latter　seem　to　be　only　vermin

which　infest　them。　　I　am　surprised　when　the　herald　blows　his　summons

before　some　Tremont　or　Astor　or　Middlesex　House；　to　see　come

creeping　out　over　the　piazza　for　all　inhabitants　a　ridiculous　mouse；

which　soon　again　slinks　into　some　hole　in　the　pavement。

　　　　One　inconvenience　I　sometimes　experienced　in　so　small　a　house；

the　difficulty　of　getting　to　a　sufficient　distance　from　my　guest

when　we　began　to　utter　the　big　thoughts　in　big　words。　　You　want　room

for　your　thoughts　to　get　into　sailing　trim　and　run　a　course　or　two

before　they　make　their　port。　　The　bullet　of　your　thought　must　have

overcome　its　lateral　and　ricochet　motion　and　fallen　into　its　last

and　steady　course　before　it　reaches　the　ear　of　the　hearer；　else　it

may　plow　out　again　through　the　side　of　his　head。　　Also；　our

sentences　wanted　room　to　unfold　and　form　their　columns　in　the

interval。　　Individuals；　like　nations；　must　have　suitable　broad　and

natural　boundaries；　even　a　considerable　neutral　ground；　between

them。　　I　have　found　it　a　singular　luxury　to　talk　across　the　pond　to

a　companion　on　the　opposite　side。　　In　my　house　we　were　so　near　that

we　could　not　begin　to　hear　　we　could　not　speak　low　enough　to　be

heard；　as　when　you　throw　two　stones　into　calm　water　so　near　that

they　break　each　other's　undulations。　　If　we　are　merely　loquacious

and　loud　talkers；　then　we　can　afford　to　stand　very　near　together；

cheek　by　jowl；　and　feel　each　other's　breath；　but　if　we　speak

reservedly　and　thoughtfully；　we　want　to　be　farther　apart；　that　all

animal　heat　and　moisture　may　have　a　chance　to　evaporate。　　If　we

would　enjoy　the　most　intimate　society　with　that　in　each　of　us　which

is　without；　or　above；　being　spoken　to；　we　must　not　only　be　silent；

but　commonly　so　far　apart　bodily　that　we　cannot　possibly　hear　each

other's　voice　in　any　case。　　Referred　to　this　standard；　speech　is　for

the　convenience　of　those　who　are　hard　of　hearing；　but　there　are　many

fine　things　which　we　cannot　say　if　we　have　to　shout。　　As　the

conversation　began　to　assume　a　loftier　and　grander　tone；　we

gradually　shoved　our　chairs　farther　apart　till　they　touched　the　wall

in　opposite　corners；　and　then　commonly　there　was　not　room　enough。

　　　　My　〃best〃　room；　however；　my　withdrawing　room；　always　ready　for

company；　on　whose　carpet　the　sun　rarely　fell；　was　the　pine　wood

behind　my　house。　　Thither　in　summer　days；　when　distinguished　guests

came；　I　took　them；　and　a　priceless　domestic　swept　the　floor　and

dusted　the　furniture　and　kept　the　things　in　order。

　　　　If　one　guest　came　he　sometimes　partook　of　my　frugal　meal；　and　it

was　no　interruption　to　conversation　to　be　stirring　a　hasty…pudding；

or　watching　the　rising　and　maturing　of　a　loaf　of　bread　in　the　ashes；

in　the　meanwhile。　　But　if　twenty　came　and　sat　in　my　house　there　was

nothing　said　about　dinner；　though　there　might　be　bread　enough　for

two；　more　than　if　eating　were　a　forsaken　habit；　but　we　naturally

practised　abstinence；　and　this　was　never　felt　to　be　an　offence

against　hospitality；　but　the　most　proper　and　considerate　course。

The　waste　and　decay　of　physical　life；　which　so　often　needs　repair；

seemed　miraculously　retarded　in　such　a　case；　and　the　vital　vigor

stood　its　ground。　　I　could　entertain　thus　a　thousand　as　well　as

twenty；　and　if　any　ever　went　away　disappointed　or　hungry　from　my

house　when　they　found　me　at　home；　they　may　depend　upon　it　that　I

sympathized　with　them　at　least。　　So　easy　is　it；　though　many

housekeepers　doubt　it；　to　establish　new　and　better　customs　in　the

place　of　the　old。　　You　need　not　rest　your　reputation　on　the　dinners

you　give。　　For　my　own　part；　I　was　never　so　effectually　deterred　from

frequenting　a　man's　house；　by　any　kind　of　Cerberus　whatever；　as　by

the　parade　one　made　about　dining　me；　which　I　took　to　be　a　very

polite　and　roundabout　hint　never　to　trouble　him　so　again。　　I　think　I

shall　never　revisit　those　scenes。　　I　should　be　proud　to　have　for　the

motto　of　my　cabin　those　lines　of　Spenser　which　one　of　my　visitors

inscribed　on　a　yellow　walnut　leaf　for　a　card：



　　　　　　　〃Arrived　there；　the　little　house　they　fill；

　　　　　　　　　　　Ne　looke　for　entertainment　where　none　was；

　　　　　　　　Rest　is　their　feast；　and　all　things　at　their　will：

　　　　　　　　　　　The　noblest　mind　the　best　contentment　has。〃



　　　　When　Winslow；　afterward　governor　of　the　Plymouth　Colony；　went

with　a　companion　on　a　visit　of　ceremony　to　Massasoit　on　foot　through

the　woods；　and　arrived　tired　and　hungry　at　his　lodge；　they　were　well

received　by　the　king；　but　nothing　was　said　about　eating　that　day。

When　the　night　arrived；　to　quote　their　own　words　　〃He　laid　us　on

the　bed　with　himself　and　his　wife；　they　at　the　one　end　and　we　at　the

other；　it　being　only　planks　laid　a　foot　from　the　ground　and　a　thin

mat　upon　them。　　Two　more　of　his　chief　men；　for　want　of　room；　pressed

by　and　upon　us；　so　that　we　were　worse　weary　of　our　lodging　than　of

our　journey。〃　　At　one　o'clock　the　next　day　Massasoit　〃brought　two

fishes　that　he　had　shot；〃　about　thrice　as　big　as　a　bream。　　〃These

being　boiled；　there　were　at　least　forty　looked　for　a　share　in　them；

the　most　eat　of　them。　　This　meal　only　we　had　in　two　nights　and　a

day；　and　had　not　one　of　us　bought　a　partridge；　we　had　taken　our

journey　fasting。〃　　Fearing　that　they　would　be　light…headed　for　want

of　food　and　also　sleep；　owing　to　〃the　savages'　barbarous　singing；

（for　they　use　to　sing　themselves　asleep；）〃　and　that　they　might　get

home　while　they　had　strength　to　travel；　they　departed。　　As　for

lodging；　it　is　true　they　were　but　poorly　entertained；　though　what

they　found　an　inconvenience　was　no　doubt　intended　for　an　honor；　but

as　far　as　eating　was　concerned；　I　do　not　see　how　the　Indians　could

have　done　better。　　They　had　nothing　to　eat　themselves；　and　they　were

wiser　than　to　think　that　apologies　could　supply　the　place　of　food　to

their　guests；　so　they　drew　their　belts　tighter　and　said　nothing

about　it。　　Another　time　when　Winslow　visited　them；　it　being　a　season

of　plenty　with　them；　there　was　no　deficiency　in　this　respect。

　　　　As　for　men；　they　will　hardly　fail　one　anywhere。　　I　had　more

visitors　while　I　lived　in　the　woods　than　at　any　other　period　in　my

life；　I　mean　that　I　had　some。　　I　met　several　there　under　more

favorable　circumstances　than　I　could　anywhere　else。　　But　fewer　came

to　see　me　on　trivial　business。　　In　this　respect；　my　company　was

winnowed　by　my　mere　distance　from　town。　　I　had　withdrawn　so　far

within　the　great　ocean　of　solitude；　into　which　the　rivers　of　society

empty；　that　for　the　most　part；　so　far　as　my　needs　were　concerned；

only　the　finest　sediment　was　deposited　around　me。　　Beside；　there

were　wafted　to　me　evidences　of　unexplored　and　uncultivated

continents　on　the　other　side。

　　　　Who　should　come　to　my　lodge　this　morning　but　a　true　Homeric　or

Paphlagonian　man　　he　had　so　suitable　and　poetic　a　name　that　I　am

sorry　I　cannot　print　it　here　　a　Canad