the friendly road-第21章

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and　distant　the　sound　of　its　voices。　Suddenly　I　shut　my　book　with　a　snap。

〃Musty　coaches　and　Latin　quotations！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Montaigne's　no　writer　for　the　open　air。　He　belongs　at　a　study　fire　on　a　quiet　evening！〃

I　had　anticipated；　when　I　started　out；　many　a　pleasant　hour　by　the　roadside　or　in　the　woods　with　my　books；　but　this　was　almost　the　first　opportunity　I　had　found　for　reading　（as　it　was　almost　the　last）；　so　full　was　the　present　world　of　stirring　events。　As　for　poor　old　Montaigne；　I　have　been　out　of　harmony　with　him　ever　since；　nor　have　I　wanted　him　in　the　intimate　case　at　my　elbow。

After　a　long　time　in　the　forest；　and　the　sun　having　reached　the　high　heavens；　I　gathered　up　my　pack　and　set　forth　again　along　the　slope　of　the　hillsnot　hurrying；　just　drifting　and　enjoying　every　sight　and　sound。　And　thus　walking　I　came　in　sight；　through　the　trees；　of　a　glistening　pool　of　water　and　made　my　way　straight　toward　it。


A　more　charming　spot　I　have　rarely　seen。　In　some　former　time　an　old　mill　had　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　little　valley；　and　a　ruinous　stone　dam　still　held　the　water　in　a　deep；　quiet　pond　between　two　round　hills。　Above　it　a　brook　ran　down　through　the　woods；　and　below；　with　a　pleasant　musical　sound；　the　water　dripped　over　the　mossy　stone　lips　of　the　dam　and　fell　into　the　rocky　pool　below。　Nature　had　long　ago　healed　the　wounds　of　men；　she　had　half…covered　the　ruined　mill　with　verdure；　had　softened　the　stone　walls　of　the　dam　with　mosses　and　lichens；　and　had　crept　down　the　steep　hillside　and　was　now　leaning　so　far　out　over　the　pool　that　she　could　see　her　reflection　in　the　quiet　water。

Near　the　upper　end　of　the　pond　I　found　a　clear　white　sand…bank；　where　no　doubt　a　thousand　fishermen　had　stood；　half　hidden　by　the　willows；　to　cast　for　trout　in　the　pool　below。　I　intended　merely　to　drink　and　moisten　my　face；　but　as　I　knelt　by　the　pool　and　saw　my　reflection　in　the　clear　water　wanted　something　more　than　that！　In　a　moment　I　had　thrown　aside　my　bag　and　clothes　and　found　myself　wading　naked　into　the　water。

It　was　cold！　I　stood　a　moment　there　in　the　sunny　air；　the　great　world　open　around　me；　shuddering；　for　I　dreaded　the　plungeand　then　with　a　run；　a　shout　and　a　splash　I　took　the　deep　water。　Oh；　but　it　was　fine！　With　long；　deep　strokes　I　carried　myself　fairly　to　the　middle　of　the　pond。　The　first　chill　was　succeeded　by　a　tingling　glow；　and　I　can　convey　no　idea　whatever　of　the　glorious　sense　of　exhilaration　I　had。　I　swam　with　the　broad　front　stroke；　I　swam　on　my　side；　head　half　submerged；　with　a　deep　under　stroke；　and　I　rolled　over　on　my　back　and　swam　with　the　water　lapping　my　chin。　Thus　I　came　to　the　end　of　the　pool　near　the　old　dam；　touched　my　feet　on　the　bottom；　gave　a　primeval　whoop；　and　dove　back　into　the　water　again。　I　have　rarely　experienced　keener　physical　joy。　After　swimming　thus　boisterously　for　a　time；　I　quieted　down　to　long；　leisurely　strokes；　conscious　of　the　water　playing　across　my　shoulders　and　singing　at　my　ears；　and　finally；　reaching　the　centre　of　the　pond；　I　turned　over　on　my　back　and；　paddling　lazily；　watched　the　slow　procession　of　light　clouds　across　the　sunlit　openings　of　the　trees　above　me。　Away　up　in　the　sky　I　could　see　a　hawk　slowly　swimming　about　（in　his　element　as　I　was　in　mine）；　and　nearer　at　hand；　indeed　fairly　in　the　thicket　about　the　pond；　I　could　hear　a　wood…thrush　singing。

And　so；　shaking　the　water　out　of　my　hair　and　swimming　with　long　and　leisurely　strokes；　I　returned　to　the　sand…bank；　and　there；　standing　in　a　spot　of　warm　sunshine；　I　dried　myself　with　the　towel　from　my　bag。　And　I　said　to　myself：

〃Surely　it　is　good　to　be　alive　at　a　time　like　this！〃

Slowly　I　drew　on　my　clothes；　idling　there　in　the　sand；　and　afterward　I　found　an　inviting　spot　in　an　old　meadow　where　I　threw　myself　down　on　the　grass　under　an　apple…tree　and　looked　up　into　the　shadowy　places　in　the　foliage　above　me。　I　felt　a　delicious　sense　of　physical　well…being；　and　I　was　pleasantly　tired。

So　I　lay　thereand　the　next　thing　I　knew；　I　turned　over；　feeling　cold　and　stiff；　and　opened　my　eyes　upon　the　dusky　shadows　of　late　evening。　I　had　been　sleeping　for　hours！


The　next　few　minutes　（or　was　it　an　hour　or　eternity？）；　I　recall　as　containing　some　of　the　most　exciting　and；　when　all　is　said；　amusing　incidents　in　my　whole　life。　And　I　got　quite　a　new　glimpse　of　that　sometimes　bumptious　person　known　as　David　Grayson。

The　first　sensation　I　had　was　one　of　complete　panic。　What　was　I　to　do？　Where　was　I　to　go？

Hastily　seizing　my　bagand　before　I　was　half　awakeI　started　rapidly　across　the　meadow；　in　my　excitement　tripping　and　falling　several　times　in　the　first　hundred　yards。　In　daylight　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　should　easily　have　seen　a　gateway　or　at　least　an　opening　from　the　old　meadow；　but　in　the　fast…gathering　darkness　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　open　field　was　surrounded　on　every　side　by　impenetrable　forests。　Absurd　as　it　may　seem；　for　no　one　knows　what　his　mind　will　do　at　such　a　moment；　I　recalled　vividly　a　passage　from　Stanley's　story　of　his　search　for　Livingstone；　in　which　he　relates　how　he　escaped　from　a　difficult　place　in　the　jungle　by　KEEPING　STRAIGHT　AHEAD。

I　print　these　words　in　capitals　because　they　seemed　written　that　night　upon　the　sky。　KEEPING　STRAIGHT　AHEAD；　I　entered　the　forest　on　one　side　of　the　meadow　（with　quite　a　heroic　sense　of　adventure）；　but　scraped　my　shin　on　a　fallen　log　and　ran　into　a　tree　with　bark　on　it　that　felt　like　a　gigantic　currycomband　stopped！

Up　to　this　point　I　think　I　was　still　partly　asleep。　Now；　however；　I　waked　up。

〃All　you　need；〃　said　I　to　myself　in　my　most　matter…of…fact　tone；　〃is　a　little　cool　sense。　Be　quiet　now　and　reason　it　out。〃

So　I　stood　there　for　some　moments　reasoning　it　out；　with　the　result　that　I　turned　back　and　found　the　meadow　again。

〃What　a　fool　I've　been！〃　I　said。　〃Isn't　it　perfectly　plain　that　I　should　have　gone　down　to　the　pond；　crossed　over　the　inlet；　and　reached　the　road　by　the　way　I　came？〃

Having　thus　settled　my　problem；　and　congratulating　myself　on　my　perspicacity；　I　started　straight　for　the　mill…pond；　but　to　my　utter　amazement；　in　the　few　short　hours　while　I　had　been　asleep；　that　entire　body　of　water　had　evaporated；　the　dam　had　disappeared；　and　the　stream　had　dried　up。　I　must　certainly　present　the　facts　in　this　remarkable　case　to　some　learned　society。

I　then　decided　to　return　to　the　old　apple…tree　where　I　had　slept；　which　now　seemed　quite　like　home；　but；　strange　to　relate；　the　apple…tree　had　also　completely　vanished　from　the　enchanted　meadow。　At　that　I　began　to　suspect　that　in　coming　out　of　the　forest　I　had　somehow　got　into　another　and　somewhat　similar　old　field。　I　have　never　had　a　more　confused　or　eerie　sensation；　not　fear；　but　a　sort　of　helplessness　in　which　for　an　instant　I　actually　began　to　doubt　whether　it　was　I　myself；　David　Grayson；　who　stood　there　in　the　dark　meadow；　or　whether　I　was　the　victim　of　a　peculiarly　bad　dream。　I　suppose　many　other　people　have　had　these　sensations　under　similar　conditions；　but　they　were　new　to　me。

I　turned　slowly　around　and　looked　for　a　light；　I　think　I　never　wanted　so　much　to　see　some　sign　of　human　habitation　as　I　did　at　that　moment。

What　a　coddled　world　we　live　in；　truly。　That　being　out　after　dark　in　a　meadow　should　so　disturb　the　very　centre　of　our　being！　In　all　my　life；　indeed；　and　I　suppose　the　same　is　true　of　ninety…nine　out　of　a　hundred　of　the　people　in　America　to…day；　I　had　never　before　found　myself　where　nothing　stood　between　nature　and　me；　where　I　had　no　place　to　sleep；　no　shelter　for　the　nightnor　any　prospect　of　finding　one。　I　was　infinitely　less　resourceful　at　that　moment　than　a　rabbit；　or　a　partridge；　or　a　gray　squirrel。



Presently　I　sat　down　on　the　ground　where　I　had　been　standing；　with　a　vague　fear　（absurd　to　look　back　upon）　that　it；　too；　in　some　manner　might　slip　away　from　under　me。　And　as　I　sat　there　I　began　to　have　familiar　gnawings　at　the　pit　of　my　stomach；　and　I　remembered　that；　save　for　a　couple　of　Mrs。　Clark's　doughnuts　eaten　while　I　was　sitting　on　the　hillside；　ages　ago；　I　had　had　nothing　since　my　early　breakfast。

With　this　thought　of　my　predicamentand　the　glimpse　I　had　of　myself　〃hungry　and　homeless〃the　humour　of　the　whole　situation　suddenly　came　over　me；　and；　beginning　with