introductory-第2章

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however；　on　ascending　the　steps；　you　would　discern…　in　the　entry；　if

it　were　summer　time；　or　in　their　appropriate　rooms；　if　wintry　or

inclement　weather…　a　row　of　venerable　figures；　sitting　in

old…fashioned　chairs；　which　were　tipped　on　their　hind　legs　back

against　the　wall。　Oftentimes　they　were　asleep；　but　occasionally

might　be　heard　talking　together；　in　voices　between　speech　and　a　snore；

and　with　that　lack　of　energy　that　distinguishes　the　occupants　of

alms…houses；　and　all　other　human　beings　who　depend　for　subsistence　on

charity；　on　monopolised　labour；　or　anything　else　but　their　own

independent　exertions。　These　old　gentlemen…　seated；　like　Matthew；　at

the　receipt　of　customs；　but　not　very　liable　to　be　summoned　thence；

like　him；　for　apostolic　errands…　were　Custom…House　officers。

　　Furthermore；　on　the　left　hand　as　you　enter　the　front　door；　is　a

certain　room　or　office；　about　fifteen　feet　square；　and　of　a　lofty

height；　with　two　of　its　arched　windows　commanding　a　view　of　the

aforesaid　dilapidated　wharf；　and　the　third　looking　across　a　narrow

lane；　and　along　a　portion　of　Derby　Street。　All　three　give　glimpses

of　the　shops　of　grocers；　block…makers；　slop…sellers；　and

ship…chandlers；　around　the　doors　of　which　are　generally　to　be　seen；

laughing　and　gossiping；　clusters　of　old　salts；　and　such　other

wharf…rats　as　haunt　the　Wapping　of　a　seaport。　The　room　itself　is

cobwebbed；　and　dingy　with　old　paint；　its　floor　is　strewn　with　grey

sand；　in　a　fashion　that　has　elsewhere　fallen　into　long　disuse；　and

it　is　easy　to　conclude；　from　the　general　slovenliness　of　the　place；

that　this　is　a　sanctuary　into　which　womankind；　with　her　tools　of

magic；　the　broom　and　mop；　has　very　infrequent　access。　In　the　way　of

furniture；　there　is　a　stove　with　a　voluminous　funnel；　an　old　pine

desk；　with　a　three…legged　stool　beside　it；　two　or　three

wooden…bottom　chairs；　exceedingly　decrepit　and　infirm；　and…　not　to

forget　the　library…　on　some　shelves；　a　score　or　two　of　volumes　of

the　Acts　of　Congress；　and　a　bulky　Digest　of　the　Revenue　Laws。　A　tin

pipe　ascends　through　the　ceiling；　and　forms　a　medium　of　vocal

communication　with　other　parts　of　the　edifice。　And　here；　some　six

months　ago…　pacing　from　corner　to　corner；　or　lounging　on　the

long…legged　stool；　with　his　elbow　on　the　desk；　and　his　eyes

wandering　up　and　down　the　columns　of　the　morning　newspaper…　you

might　have　recognised；　honoured　reader；　the　same　individual　who

welcomed　you　into　his　cheery　little　study；　where　the　sunshine

glimmered　so　pleasantly　through　the　willow　branches；　on　the　western

side　of　the　Old　Manse。　But　now；　should　you　go　thither　to　seek　him；　you

would　inquire　in　vain　for　the　Locofoco　Surveyor。　The　besom　of　reform

has　swept　him　out　of　office；　and　a　worthier　successor　wears　his

dignity；　and　pockets　his　emoluments。

　　This　old　town　of　Salem…　my　native　place；　though　I　have　dwelt　much

away　from　it；　both　in　boyhood　and　maturer　years…　possesses；　or　did

possess；　a　hold　on　my　affections；　the　force　of　which　I　have　never

realised　during　my　seasons　of　actual　residence　here。　Indeed；　so　far　as

its　physical　aspect　is　concerned；　with　its　flat；　unvaried　surface；

covered　chiefly　with　wooden　houses；　few　or　none　of　which　pretend　to

architectural　beauty…　its　irregularity；　which　is　neither　picturesque

nor　quaint；　but　only　tame…　its　long　and　lazy　street；　lounging

wearisomely　through　the　whole　extent　of　the　peninsula；　with　Gallows

Hill　and　New　Guinea　at　one　end；　and　a　view　of　the　alms…house　at　the

other…　such　being　the　features　of　my　native　town；　it　would　be　quite　as

reasonable　to　form　a　sentimental　attachment　to　a　disarranged

checker…board。　And　yet；　though　invariably　happiest　elsewhere；　there　is

within　me　a　feeling　for　old　Salem；　which；　in　lack　of　a　better

phrase；　I　must　be　content　to　call　affection。　The　sentiment　is　probably

assignable　to　the　deep　and　aged　roots　which　my　family　has　struck

into　the　soil。　It　is　now　nearly　two　centuries　and　a　quarter　since

the　original　Briton；　the　earliest　emigrant　of　my　name；　made　his

appearance　in　the　wild　and　forest…bordered　settlement；　which　has　since

become　a　city。　And　here　his　descendants　have　been　born　and　died；　and

have　mingled　their　earthy　substance　with　the　soil；　until　no　small

portion　of　it　must　necessarily　be　akin　to　the　mortal　frame

wherewith；　for　a　little　while；　I　walk　the　streets。　In　part；　therefore；

the　attachment　which　I　speak　of　is　the　mere　sensuous　sympathy　of

dust　for　dust。　Few　of　my　countrymen　can　know　what　it　is；　nor；　as

frequent　transplantation　is　perhaps　better　for　the　stock；　need　they

consider　it　desirable　to　know。

　　But　the　sentiment　has　likewise　its　moral　quality。　The　figure　of　that

first　ancestor；　invested　by　family　tradition　with　a　dim　and　dusky

grandeur；　was　present　to　my　boyish　imagination；　as　far　back　as　I　can

remember。　It　still　haunts　me；　and　induces　a　sort　of　home…feeling

with　the　past；　which　I　scarcely　claim　in　reference　to　the　present

phase　of　the　town。　I　seem　to　have　a　stronger　claim　to　a　residence　here

on　account　of　this　grave；　bearded；　sable…cloaked　and　steeple…crowned

progenitor…　who　came　so　early；　with　his　Bible　and　his　sword；　and

trod　the　unworn　street　with　such　a　stately　port；　and　made　so　large　a

figure；　as　a　man　of　war　and　peace…　a　stronger　claim　than　for　myself；

whose　name　is　seldom　heard　and　my　face　hardly　known。　He　was　a　soldier；

legislator；　judge；　he　was　a　ruler　in　the　Church；　he　had　all　the

Puritanic　traits；　both　good　and　evil。　He　was　likewise　a　bitter

persecutor；　as　witness　the　Quakers；　who　have　remembered　him　in　their

histories；　and　relate　an　incident　of　his　hard　severity　towards　a　woman

of　their　sect；　which　will　last　longer；　it　is　to　be　feared；　than　any

record　of　his　better　deeds；　although　these　were　many。　His　son；　too；

inherited　the　persecuting　spirit；　and　made　himself　so　conspicuous　in

the　martyrdom　of　the　witches；　that　their　blood　may　fairly　be　said　to

have　left　a　stain　upon　him。　So　deep　a　stain；　indeed；　that　his　old

dry　bones；　in　the　Charter　Street　burial…ground；　must　still　retain

it；　if　they　have　not　crumbled　utterly　to　dust！　I　know　not　whether

these　ancestors　of　mine　bethought　themselves　to　repent；　and　ask　pardon

of　Heaven；　for　their　cruelties；　or　whether　they　are　now　groaning　under

the　heavy　consequences　of　them；　in　another　state　of　being。　At　all

events；　I；　the　present　writer；　as　their　representative；　hereby　take

shame　upon　myself　for　their　sakes；　and　pray　that　any　curse　incurred　by

them…　as　I　have　heard；　and　as　the　dreary　and　unprosperous　condition　of

the　race；　for　many　a　long　year　back；　would　argue　to　exist…　may　be

now　and　henceforth　removed。

　　Doubtless；　however；　either　of　these　stern　and　black…browed

Puritans　would　have　thought　it　quite　a　sufficient　retribution　for

his　sins；　that；　after　so　long　a　lapse　of　years；　the　old　trunk　of　the

family　tree；　with　so　much　venerable　moss　upon　it；　should　have　borne；

as　its　topmost　bough；　an　idler　like　myself。　No　aim；　that　I　have　ever

cherished；　would　they　recognise　as　laudable；　no　success　of　mine…　if

my　life；　beyond　its　domestic　scope；　had　ever　been　brightened　by

success…　would　they　deem　otherwise　than　worthless；　if　not　positively

disgraceful。　〃Where　is　he？〃　murmurs　one　grey　shadow　of　my

forefathers　to　the　other。　〃A　writer　of　story…books！　What　kind　of　a

business　in　life…　what　mode　of　glorifying　God；　or　being　serviceable　to

mankind　in　his　day　and　generation…　may　that　be？　Why；　the　degenerate

fellow　might　as　well　have　been　a　fiddler！〃　Such　are　the　compliments

bandied　between　my　great…grandsires　and　myself；　across　the　gulf　of

time！　And　yet；　let　them　scorn　me　as　they　will；　strong　traits　of

their　nature　have　intertwined　themselves　with　mine。

　　Planted　deep；　in　the　town's　earliest　infancy　and　childhood；　by　these

two　earnest　and　energetic　men；　the　race　has　ever　since　subsisted　here；

always；　too；　in　respectability；　never；　so　far　as　I　have　known；

disgraced　by　a　single　unworthy　member；　but　seldom　or　never；　on　the

other　hand；　after　the　first　two　generations；　performing　any