06-visitors-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　　　　I　could　not　but　notice　some　of　the　peculiarities　of　my　visitors。

Girls　and　boys　and　young　women　generally　seemed　glad　to　be　in　the

woods。　　They　looked　in　the　pond　and　at　the　flowers；　and　improved

their　time。　　Men　of　business；　even　farmers；　thought　only　of　solitude

and　employment；　and　of　the　great　distance　at　which　I　dwelt　from

something　or　other；　and　though　they　said　that　they　loved　a　ramble　in

the　woods　occasionally；　it　was　obvious　that　they　did　not。　　Restless

committed　men；　whose　time　was　an　taken　up　in　getting　a　living　or

keeping　it；　ministers　who　spoke　of　God　as　if　they　enjoyed　a　monopoly

of　the　subject；　who　could　not　bear　all　kinds　of　opinions；　doctors；

lawyers；　uneasy　housekeepers　who　pried　into　my　cupboard　and　bed　when

I　was　out　　how　came　Mrs。　　to　know　that　my　sheets　were　not　as

clean　as　hers？　　young　men　who　had　ceased　to　be　young；　and　had

concluded　that　it　was　safest　to　follow　the　beaten　track　of　the

professions　　all　these　generally　said　that　it　was　not　possible　to

do　so　much　good　in　my　position。　　Ay！　there　was　the　rub。　　The　old　and

infirm　and　the　timid；　of　whatever　age　or　sex；　thought　most　of

sickness；　and　sudden　accident　and　death；　to　them　life　seemed　full　of

danger　　what　danger　is　there　if　you　don't　think　of　any？　　and

they　thought　that　a　prudent　man　would　carefully　select　the　safest

position；　where　Dr。　B。　might　be　on　hand　at　a　moment's　warning。　　To

them　the　village　was　literally　a　community；　a　league　for　mutual

defence；　and　you　would　suppose　that　they　would　not　go

a…huckleberrying　without　a　medicine　chest。　　The　amount　of　it　is；　if

a　man　is　alive；　there　is　always　danger　that　he　may　die；　though　the

danger　must　be　allowed　to　be　less　in　proportion　as　he　is

dead…and…alive　to　begin　with。　　A　man　sits　as　many　risks　as　he　runs。

Finally；　there　were　the　self…styled　reformers；　the　greatest　bores　of

all；　who　thought　that　I　was　forever　singing；



　　　　　　　This　is　the　house　that　I　built；

　　　　　　　This　is　the　man　that　lives　in　the　house　that　I　built；



but　they　did　not　know　that　the　third　line　was；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　These　are　the　folks　that　worry　the　man

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　lives　in　the　house　that　I　built。



I　did　not　fear　the　hen…harriers；　for　I　kept　no　chickens；　but　I

feared　the　men…harriers　rather。

　　　　I　had　more　cheering　visitors　than　the　last。　　Children　come

a…berrying；　railroad　men　taking　a　Sunday　morning　walk　in　clean

shirts；　fishermen　and　hunters；　poets　and　philosophers；　in　short；　all

honest　pilgrims；　who　came　out　to　the　woods　for　freedom's　sake；　and

really　left　the　village　behind；　I　was　ready　to　greet　with　

〃Welcome；　Englishmen！　welcome；　Englishmen！〃　for　I　had　had

communication　with　that　race。







…