14-former inhabitants and winter visitors-第3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！



is　blanched　and　accursed　there；　and　before　that　becomes　necessary

the　earth　itself　will　be　destroyed。　　With　such　reminiscences　I

repeopled　the　woods　and　lulled　myself　asleep。

　　　　At　this　season　I　seldom　had　a　visitor。　　When　the　snow　lay

deepest　no　wanderer　ventured　near　my　house　for　a　week　or　fortnight

at　a　time；　but　there　I　lived　as　snug　as　a　meadow　mouse；　or　as　cattle

and　poultry　which　are　said　to　have　survived　for　a　long　time　buried

in　drifts；　even　without　food；　or　like　that　early　settler's　family　in

the　town　of　Sutton；　in　this　State；　whose　cottage　was　completely

covered　by　the　great　snow　of　1717　when　he　was　absent；　and　an　Indian

found　it　only　by　the　hole　which　the　chimney's　breath　made　in　the

drift；　and　so　relieved　the　family。　　But　no　friendly　Indian　concerned

himself　about　me；　nor　needed　he；　for　the　master　of　the　house　was　at

home。　　The　Great　Snow！　　How　cheerful　it　is　to　hear　of！　　When　the

farmers　could　not　get　to　the　woods　and　swamps　with　their　teams；　and

were　obliged　to　cut　down　the　shade　trees　before　their　houses；　and；

when　the　crust　was　harder；　cut　off　the　trees　in　the　swamps；　ten　feet

from　the　ground；　as　it　appeared　the　next　spring。

　　　　In　the　deepest　snows；　the　path　which　I　used　from　the　highway　to

my　house；　about　half　a　mile　long；　might　have　been　represented　by　a

meandering　dotted　line；　with　wide　intervals　between　the　dots。　　For　a

week　of　even　weather　I　took　exactly　the　same　number　of　steps；　and　of

the　same　length；　coming　and　going；　stepping　deliberately　and　with

the　precision　of　a　pair　of　dividers　in　my　own　deep　tracks　　to　such

routine　the　winter　reduces　us　　yet　often　they　were　filled　with

heaven's　own　blue。　　But　no　weather　interfered　fatally　with　my　walks；

or　rather　my　going　abroad；　for　I　frequently　tramped　eight　or　ten

miles　through　the　deepest　snow　to　keep　an　appointment　with　a　beech

tree；　or　a　yellow　birch；　or　an　old　acquaintance　among　the　pines；

when　the　ice　and　snow　causing　their　limbs　to　droop；　and　so

sharpening　their　tops；　had　changed　the　pines　into　fir　trees；　wading

to　the　tops　of　the　highest　hills　when　the　show　was　nearly　two　feet

deep　on　a　level；　and　shaking　down　another　snow…storm　on　my　head　at

every　step；　or　sometimes　creeping　and　floundering　thither　on　my

hands　and　knees；　when　the　hunters　had　gone　into　winter　quarters。

One　afternoon　I　amused　myself　by　watching　a　barred　owl　（Strix

nebulosa）　sitting　on　one　of　the　lower　dead　limbs　of　a　white　pine；

close　to　the　trunk；　in　broad　daylight；　I　standing　within　a　rod　of

him。　　He　could　hear　me　when　I　moved　and　cronched　the　snow　with　my

feet；　but　could　not　plainly　see　me。　　When　I　made　most　noise　he　would

stretch　out　his　neck；　and　erect　his　neck　feathers；　and　open　his　eyes

wide；　but　their　lids　soon　fell　again；　and　he　began　to　nod。　　I　too

felt　a　slumberous　influence　after　watching　him　half　an　hour；　as　he

sat　thus　with　his　eyes　half　open；　like　a　cat；　winged　brother　of　the

cat。　　There　was　only　a　narrow　slit　left　between　their　lids；　by　which

be　preserved　a　pennisular　relation　to　me；　thus；　with　half…shut　eyes；

looking　out　from　the　land　of　dreams；　and　endeavoring　to　realize　me；

vague　object　or　mote　that　interrupted　his　visions。　　At　length；　on

some　louder　noise　or　my　nearer　approach；　he　would　grow　uneasy　and

sluggishly　turn　about　on　his　perch；　as　if　impatient　at　having　his

dreams　disturbed；　and　when　he　launched　himself　off　and　flapped

through　the　pines；　spreading　his　wings　to　unexpected　breadth；　I

could　not　hear　the　slightest　sound　from　them。　　Thus；　guided　amid　the

pine　boughs　rather　by　a　delicate　sense　of　their　neighborhood　than　by

sight；　feeling　his　twilight　way；　as　it　were；　with　his　sensitive

pinions；　he　found　a　new　perch；　where　he　might　in　peace　await　the

dawning　of　his　day。

　　　　As　I　walked　over　the　long　causeway　made　for　the　railroad　through

the　meadows；　I　encountered　many　a　blustering　and　nipping　wind；　for

nowhere　has　it　freer　play；　and　when　the　frost　had　smitten　me　on　one

cheek；　heathen　as　I　was；　I　turned　to　it　the　other　also。　　Nor　was　it

much　better　by　the　carriage　road　from　Brister's　Hill。　　For　I　came　to

town　still；　like　a　friendly　Indian；　when　the　contents　of　the　broad

open　fields　were　all　piled　up　between　the　walls　of　the　Walden　road；

and　half　an　hour　sufficed　to　obliterate　the　tracks　of　the　last

traveller。　　And　when　I　returned　new　drifts　would　have　formed；

through　which　I　floundered；　where　the　busy　northwest　wind　had　been

depositing　the　powdery　snow　round　a　sharp　angle　in　the　road；　and　not

a　rabbit's　track；　nor　even　the　fine　print；　the　small　type；　of　a

meadow　mouse　was　to　be　seen。　　Yet　I　rarely　failed　to　find；　even　in

midwinter；　some　warm　and　springly　swamp　where　the　grass　and　the

skunk…cabbage　still　put　forth　with　perennial　verdure；　and　some

hardier　bird　occasionally　awaited　the　return　of　spring。

　　　　Sometimes；　notwithstanding　the　snow；　when　I　returned　from　my

walk　at　evening　I　crossed　the　deep　tracks　of　a　woodchopper　leading

from　my　door；　and　found　his　pile　of　whittlings　on　the　hearth；　and　my

house　filled　with　the　odor　of　his　pipe。　　Or　on　a　Sunday　afternoon；

if　I　chanced　to　be　at　home；　I　heard　the　cronching　of　the　snow　made

by　the　step　of　a　long…headed　farmer；　who　from　far　through　the　woods

sought　my　house；　to　have　a　social　〃crack〃；　one　of　the　few　of　his

vocation　who　are　〃men　on　their　farms〃；　who　donned　a　frock　instead　of

a　professor's　gown；　and　is　as　ready　to　extract　the　moral　out　of

church　or　state　as　to　haul　a　load　of　manure　from　his　barn…yard。　　We

talked　of　rude　and　simple　times；　when　men　sat　about　large　fires　in

cold；　bracing　weather；　with　clear　heads；　and　when　other　dessert

failed；　we　tried　our　teeth　on　many　a　nut　which　wise　squirrels　have

long　since　abandoned；　for　those　which　have　the　thickest　shells　are

commonly　empty。

　　　　The　one　who　came　from　farthest　to　my　lodge；　through　deepest

snows　and　most　dismal　tempests；　was　a　poet。　　A　farmer；　a　hunter；　a

soldier；　a　reporter；　even　a　philosopher；　may　be　daunted；　but　nothing

can　deter　a　poet；　for　he　is　actuated　by　pure　love。　　Who　can　predict

his　comings　and　goings？　　His　business　calls　him　out　at　all　hours；

even　when　doctors　sleep。　　We　made　that　small　house　ring　with

boisterous　mirth　and　resound　with　the　murmur　of　much　sober　talk；

making　amends　then　to　Walden　vale　for　the　long　silences。　　Broadway

was　still　and　deserted　in　comparison。　　At　suitable　intervals　there

were　regular　salutes　of　laughter；　which　might　have　been　referred

indifferently　to　the　last…uttered　or　the　forth…coming　jest。　　We　made

many　a　〃bran　new〃　theory　of　life　over　a　thin　dish　of　gruel；　which

combined　the　advantages　of　conviviality　with　the　clear…headedness

which　philosophy　requires。

　　　　I　should　not　forget　that　during　my　last　winter　at　the　pond　there

was　another　welcome　visitor；　who　at　one　time　came　through　the

village；　through　snow　and　rain　and　darkness；　till　he　saw　my　lamp

through　the　trees；　and　shared　with　me　some　long　winter　evenings。

One　of　the　last　of　the　philosophers　　Connecticut　gave　him　to　the

world　　he　peddled　first　her　wares；　afterwards；　as　he　declares；　his

brains。　　These　he　peddles　still；　prompting　God　and　disgracing　man；

bearing　for　fruit　his　brain　only；　like　the　nut　its　kernel。　　I　think

that　he　must　be　the　man　of　the　most　faith　of　any　alive。　　His　words

and　attitude　always　suppose　a　better　state　of　things　than　other　men

are　acquainted　with；　and　he　will　be　the　last　man　to　be　disappointed

as　the　ages　revolve。　　He　has　no　venture　in　the　present。　　But　though

comparatively　disregarded　now；　when　his　day　comes；　laws　unsuspected

by　most　will　take　effect；　and　masters　of　families　and　rulers　will

come　to　him　for　advice。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃How　blind　that　cannot　see　serenity！〃



A　true　friend　of　man；　almost　the　only　friend　of　human　progress。　　An

Old　Mortality；　say　rather　an　Immortality；　with　unwearied　patience

and　faith　making　plain　the　image　engraven　in　men's　bodies；　the　God

of　whom　they　are　but　defaced　and　leaning　monuments。　　With　his

hospitable　intellect　he　embraces　children；　beggars；