04-sounds-第2章

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causeway；　and　am；　as　it　were；　related　to　society　by　this　link。　　The

men　on　the　freight　trains；　who　go　over　the　whole　length　of　the　road；

bow　to　me　as　to　an　old　acquaintance；　they　pass　me　so　often；　and

apparently　they　take　me　for　an　employee；　and　so　I　am。　　I　too　would

fain　be　a　track…repairer　somewhere　in　the　orbit　of　the　earth。

　　　　The　whistle　of　the　locomotive　penetrates　my　woods　summer　and

winter；　sounding　like　the　scream　of　a　hawk　sailing　over　some

farmer's　yard；　informing　me　that　many　restless　city　merchants　are

arriving　within　the　circle　of　the　town；　or　adventurous　country

traders　from　the　other　side。　　As　they　come　under　one　horizon；　they

shout　their　warning　to　get　off　the　track　to　the　other；　heard

sometimes　through　the　circles　of　two　towns。　　Here　come　your

groceries；　country；　your　rations；　countrymen！　　Nor　is　there　any　man

so　independent　on　his　farm　that　he　can　say　them　nay。　　And　here's

your　pay　for　them！　screams　the　countryman's　whistle；　timber　like

long　battering…rams　going　twenty　miles　an　hour　against　the　city's

walls；　and　chairs　enough　to　seat　all　the　weary　and　heavy…laden　that

dwell　within　them。　　With　such　huge　and　lumbering　civility　the

country　hands　a　chair　to　the　city。　　All　the　Indian　huckleberry　hills

are　stripped；　all　the　cranberry　meadows　are　raked　into　the　city。　　Up

comes　the　cotton；　down　goes　the　woven　cloth；　up　comes　the　silk；　down

goes　the　woollen；　up　come　the　books；　but　down　goes　the　wit　that

writes　them。

　　　　When　I　meet　the　engine　with　its　train　of　cars　moving　off　with

planetary　motion　　or；　rather；　like　a　comet；　for　the　beholder　knows

not　if　with　that　velocity　and　with　that　direction　it　will　ever

revisit　this　system；　since　its　orbit　does　not　look　like　a　returning

curve　　with　its　steam　cloud　like　a　banner　streaming　behind　in

golden　and　silver　wreaths；　like　many　a　downy　cloud　which　I　have

seen；　high　in　the　heavens；　unfolding　its　masses　to　the　light　　as

if　this　traveling　demigod；　this　cloud…compeller；　would　ere　long　take

the　sunset　sky　for　the　livery　of　his　train；　when　I　hear　the　iron

horse　make　the　hills　echo　with　his　snort　like　thunder；　shaking　the

earth　with　his　feet；　and　breathing　fire　and　smoke　from　his　nostrils

（what　kind　of　winged　horse　or　fiery　dragon　they　will　put　into　the

new　Mythology　I　don't　know）；　it　seems　as　if　the　earth　had　got　a　race

now　worthy　to　inhabit　it。　　If　all　were　as　it　seems；　and　men　made　the

elements　their　servants　for　noble　ends！　　If　the　cloud　that　hangs

over　the　engine　were　the　perspiration　of　heroic　deeds；　or　as

beneficent　as　that　which　floats　over　the　farmer's　fields；　then　the

elements　and　Nature　herself　would　cheerfully　accompany　men　on　their

errands　and　be　their　escort。

　　　　I　watch　the　passage　of　the　morning　cars　with　the　same　feeling

that　I　do　the　rising　of　the　sun；　which　is　hardly　more　regular。

Their　train　of　clouds　stretching　far　behind　and　rising　higher　and

higher；　going　to　heaven　while　the　cars　are　going　to　Boston；　conceals

the　sun　for　a　minute　and　casts　my　distant　field　into　the　shade；　a

celestial　train　beside　which　the　petty　train　of　cars　which　hugs　the

earth　is　but　the　barb　of　the　spear。　　The　stabler　of　the　iron　horse

was　up　early　this　winter　morning　by　the　light　of　the　stars　amid　the

mountains；　to　fodder　and　harness　his　steed。　　Fire；　too；　was　awakened

thus　early　to　put　the　vital　heat　in　him　and　get　him　off。　　If　the

enterprise　were　as　innocent　as　it　is　early！　　If　the　snow　lies　deep；

they　strap　on　his　snowshoes；　and；　with　the　giant　plow；　plow　a　furrow

from　the　mountains　to　the　seaboard；　in　which　the　cars；　like　a

following　drill…barrow；　sprinkle　all　the　restless　men　and　floating

merchandise　in　the　country　for　seed。　　All　day　the　fire…steed　flies

over　the　country；　stopping　only　that　his　master　may　rest；　and　I　am

awakened　by　his　tramp　and　defiant　snort　at　midnight；　when　in　some

remote　glen　in　the　woods　he　fronts　the　elements　incased　in　ice　and

snow；　and　he　will　reach　his　stall　only　with　the　morning　star；　to

start　once　more　on　his　travels　without　rest　or　slumber。　　Or

perchance；　at　evening；　I　hear　him　in　his　stable　blowing　off　the

superfluous　energy　of　the　day；　that　he　may　calm　his　nerves　and　cool

his　liver　and　brain　for　a　few　hours　of　iron　slumber。　　If　the

enterprise　were　as　heroic　and　commanding　as　it　is　protracted　and

unwearied！

　　　　Far　through　unfrequented　woods　on　the　confines　of　towns；　where

once　only　the　hunter　penetrated　by　day；　in　the　darkest　night　dart

these　bright　saloons　without　the　knowledge　of　their　inhabitants；

this　moment　stopping　at　some　brilliant　station…house　in　town　or

city；　where　a　social　crowd　is　gathered；　the　next　in　the　Dismal

Swamp；　scaring　the　owl　and　fox。　　The　startings　and　arrivals　of　the

cars　are　now　the　epochs　in　the　village　day。　　They　go　and　come　with

such　regularity　and　precision；　and　their　whistle　can　be　heard　so

far；　that　the　farmers　set　their　clocks　by　them；　and　thus　one

well…conducted　institution　regulates　a　whole　country。　　Have　not　men

improved　somewhat　in　punctuality　since　the　railroad　was　invented？

Do　they　not　talk　and　think　faster　in　the　depot　than　they　did　in　the

stage…office？　　There　is　something　electrifying　in　the　atmosphere　of

the　former　place。　　I　have　been　astonished　at　the　miracles　it　has

wrought；　that　some　of　my　neighbors；　who；　I　should　have　prophesied；

once　for　all；　would　never　get　to　Boston　by　so　prompt　a　conveyance；

are　on　hand　when　the　bell　rings。　　To　do　things　〃railroad　fashion〃　is

now　the　byword；　and　it　is　worth　the　while　to　be　warned　so　often　and

so　sincerely　by　any　power　to　get　off　its　track。　　There　is　no

stopping　to　read　the　riot　act；　no　firing　over　the　heads　of　the　mob；

in　this　case。　　We　have　constructed　a　fate；　an　Atropos；　that　never

turns　aside。　　（Let　that　be　the　name　of　your　engine。）　　Men　are

advertised　that　at　a　certain　hour　and　minute　these　bolts　will　be

shot　toward　particular　points　of　the　compass；　yet　it　interferes　with

no　man's　business；　and　the　children　go　to　school　on　the　other　track。

We　live　the　steadier　for　it。　　We　are　all　educated　thus　to　be　sons　of

Tell。　　The　air　is　full　of　invisible　bolts。　　Every　path　but　your　own

is　the　path　of　fate。　　Keep　on　your　own　track；　then。

　　　　What　recommends　commerce　to　me　is　its　enterprise　and　bravery。

It　does　not　clasp　its　hands　and　pray　to　Jupiter。　　I　see　these　men

every　day　go　about　their　business　with　more　or　less　courage　and

content；　doing　more　even　than　they　suspect；　and　perchance　better

employed　than　they　could　have　consciously　devised。　　I　am　less

affected　by　their　heroism　who　stood　up　for　half　an　hour　in　the　front

line　at　Buena　Vista；　than　by　the　steady　and　cheerful　valor　of　the

men　who　inhabit　the　snowplow　for　their　winter　quarters；　who　have　not

merely　the　three…o'…clock…in…the…morning　courage；　which　Bonaparte

thought　was　the　rarest；　but　whose　courage　does　not　go　to　rest　so

early；　who　go　to　sleep　only　when　the　storm　sleeps　or　the　sinews　of

their　iron　steed　are　frozen。　　On　this　morning　of　the　Great　Snow；

perchance；　which　is　still　raging　and　chilling　men's　blood；　I　bear

the　muffled　tone　of　their　engine　bell　from　out　the　fog　bank　of　their

chilled　breath；　which　announces　that　the　cars　are　coming；　without

long　delay；　notwithstanding　the　veto　of　a　New　England　northeast

snow…storm；　and　I　behold　the　plowmen　covered　with　snow　and　rime；

their　heads　peering；　above　the　mould…board　which　is　turning　down

other　than　daisies　and　the　nests　of　field　mice；　like　bowlders　of　the

Sierra　Nevada；　that　occupy　an　outside　place　in　the　universe。

　　　　Commerce　is　unexpectedly　confident　and　serene；　alert；

adventurous；　and　unwearied。　　It　is　very　natural　in　its　methods

withal；　far　more　so　than　many　fantastic　enterprises　and　sentimental

experiments；　and　hence　its　singular　success。　　I　am　refreshed　and

expanded　when　the　freight　train　rattles　past　me；　and　I　smell　the

stores　which　go　dispensing　their　odors　all　the　way　from　Long　Wharf

to　Lake　Champlain；　reminding　me　of　foreign　parts；　of　coral　reefs；

and　Indian　oceans；　and　tropical　climes；　and　the　extent