14-former inhabitants and winter visitors-第2章

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Wyman's　tenement　　Col。　Quoil；　he　was　called。　　Rumor　said　that　he

had　been　a　soldier　at　Waterloo。　　If　he　had　lived　I　should　have　made

him　fight　his　battles　over　again。　　His　trade　here　was　that　of　a

ditcher。　　Napoleon　went　to　St。　Helena；　Quoil　came　to　Walden　Woods。

All　I　know　of　him　is　tragic。　　He　was　a　man　of　manners；　like　one　who

had　seen　the　world；　and　was　capable　of　more　civil　speech　than　you

could　well　attend　to。　　He　wore　a　greatcoat　in　midsummer；　being

affected　with　the　trembling　delirium；　and　his　face　was　the　color　of

carmine。　　He　died　in　the　road　at　the　foot　of　Brister's　Hill　shortly

after　I　came　to　the　woods；　so　that　I　have　not　remembered　him　as　a

neighbor。　　Before　his　house　was　pulled　down；　when　his　comrades

avoided　it　as　〃an　unlucky　castle；〃　I　visited　it。　　There　lay　his　old

clothes　curled　up　by　use；　as　if　they　were　himself；　upon　his　raised

plank　bed。　　His　pipe　lay　broken　on　the　hearth；　instead　of　a　bowl

broken　at　the　fountain。　　The　last　could　never　have　been　the　symbol

of　his　death；　for　he　confessed　to　me　that；　though　he　had　heard　of

Brister's　Spring；　he　had　never　seen　it；　and　soiled　cards；　kings　of

diamonds；　spades；　and　hearts；　were　scattered　over　the　floor。　　One

black　chicken　which　the　administrator　could　not　catch；　black　as

night　and　as　silent；　not　even　croaking；　awaiting　Reynard；　still　went

to　roost　in　the　next　apartment。　　In　the　rear　there　was　the　dim

outline　of　a　garden；　which　had　been　planted　but　had　never　received

its　first　hoeing；　owing　to　those　terrible　shaking　fits；　though　it

was　now　harvest　time。　　It　was　overrun　with　Roman　wormwood　and

beggar…ticks；　which　last　stuck　to　my　clothes　for　all　fruit。　　The

skin　of　a　woodchuck　was　freshly　stretched　upon　the　back　of　the

house；　a　trophy　of　his　last　Waterloo；　but　no　warm　cap　or　mittens

would　he　want　more。

　　　　Now　only　a　dent　in　the　earth　marks　the　site　of　these　dwellings；

with　buried　cellar　stones；　and　strawberries；　raspberries；

thimble…berries；　hazel…bushes；　and　sumachs　growing　in　the　sunny

sward　there；　some　pitch　pine　or　gnarled　oak　occupies　what　was　the

chimney　nook；　and　a　sweet…scented　black　birch；　perhaps；　waves　where

the　door…stone　was。　　Sometimes　the　well　dent　is　visible；　where　once

a　spring　oozed；　now　dry　and　tearless　grass；　or　it　was　covered　deep

　not　to　be　discovered　till　some　late　day　　with　a　flat　stone

under　the　sod；　when　the　last　of　the　race　departed。　　What　a　sorrowful

act　must　that　be　　the　covering　up　of　wells！　coincident　with　the

opening　of　wells　of　tears。　　These　cellar　dents；　like　deserted　fox

burrows；　old　holes；　are　all　that　is　left　where　once　were　the　stir

and　bustle　of　human　life；　and　〃fate；　free　will；　foreknowledge

absolute；〃　in　some　form　and　dialect　or　other　were　by　turns

discussed。　　But　all　I　can　learn　of　their　conclusions　amounts　to　just

this；　that　〃Cato　and　Brister　pulled　wool〃；　which　is　about　as

edifying　as　the　history　of　more　famous　schools　of　philosophy。

　　　　Still　grows　the　vivacious　lilac　a　generation　after　the　door　and

lintel　and　the　sill　are　gone；　unfolding　its　sweet…scented　flowers

each　spring；　to　be　plucked　by　the　musing　traveller；　planted　and

tended　once　by　children's　hands；　in　front…yard　plots　　now　standing

by　wallsides　in　retired　pastures；　and　giving　place　to　new…rising

forests；　　the　last　of　that　stirp；　sole　survivor　of　that　family。

Little　did　the　dusky　children　think　that　the　puny　slip　with　its　two

eyes　only；　which　they　stuck　in　the　ground　in　the　shadow　of　the　house

and　daily　watered；　would　root　itself　so；　and　outlive　them；　and　house

itself　in　the　rear　that　shaded　it；　and　grown　man's　garden　and

orchard；　and　tell　their　story　faintly　to　the　lone　wanderer　a

half…century　after　they　had　grown　up　and　died　　blossoming　as　fair；

and　smelling　as　sweet；　as　in　that　first　spring。　　I　mark　its　still

tender；　civil；　cheerful　lilac　colors。

　　　　But　this　small　village；　germ　of　something　more；　why　did　it　fail

while　Concord　keeps　its　ground？　　Were　there　no　natural　advantages　

no　water　privileges；　forsooth？　　Ay；　the　deep　Walden　Pond　and　cool

Brister's　Spring　　privilege　to　drink　long　and　healthy　draughts　at

these；　all　unimproved　by　these　men　but　to　dilute　their　glass。　　They

were　universally　a　thirsty　race。　　Might　not　the　basket；

stable…broom；　mat…making；　corn…parching；　linen…spinning；　and　pottery

business　have　thrived　here；　making　the　wilderness　to　blossom　like

the　rose；　and　a　numerous　posterity　have　inherited　the　land　of　their

fathers？　　The　sterile　soil　would　at　least　have　been　proof　against　a

low…land　degeneracy。　　Alas！　how　little　does　the　memory　of　these

human　inhabitants　enhance　the　beauty　of　the　landscape！　　Again；

perhaps；　Nature　will　try；　with　me　for　a　first　settler；　and　my　house

raised　last　spring　to　be　the　oldest　in　the　hamlet。

　　　　I　am　not　aware　that　any　man　has　ever　built　on　the　spot　which　I

occupy。　　Deliver　me　from　a　city　built　on　the　site　of　a　more　ancient

city；　whose　materials　are　ruins；　whose　gardens　cemeteries。　　The　soil

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