19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第4部分

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principles　of　reason；　riches　and　honors　are　the　subjects　of　shame。〃

No：　until　I　want　the　protection　of　Massachusetts　to　be　extended　to

me　in　some　distant　Southern　port；　where　my　liberty　is　endangered；　or

until　I　am　bent　solely　on　building　up　an　estate　at　home　by　peaceful

enterprise；　I　can　afford　to　refuse　allegiance　to　Massachusetts；　and

her　right　to　my　property　and　life。　　It　costs　me　less　in　every　sense

to　incur　the　penalty　of　disobedience　to　the　State　than　it　would　to

obey。　　I　should　feel　as　if　I　were　worth　less　in　that　case。

　　　　Some　years　ago；　the　State　met　me　in　behalf　of　the　Church；　and

commanded　me　to　pay　a　certain　sum　toward　the　support　of　a　clergyman

whose　preaching　my　father　attended；　but　never　I　myself。　　〃Pay；〃　it

said；　〃or　be　locked　up　in　the　jail。〃　　I　declined　to　pay。　　But；

unfortunately；　another　man　saw　fit　to　pay　it。　　I　did　not　see　why　the

schoolmaster　should　be　taxed　to　support　the　priest；　and　not　the

priest　the　schoolmaster：　for　I　was　not　the　State's　schoolmaster；　but

I　supported　myself　by　voluntary　subscription。　　I　did　not　see　why　the

lyceum　should　not　present　its　tax…bill；　and　have　the　State　to　back

its　demand；　as　well　as　the　Church。　　However；　at　the　request　of　the

selectmen；　I　condescended　to　make　some　such　statement　as　this　in

writing：　〃Know　all　men　by　these　presents；　that　I；　Henry　Thoreau；

do　not　wish　to　be　regarded　as　a　member　of　any　incorporated　society

which　I　have　not　joined。〃　　This　I　gave　to　the　town　clerk；　and　he　has

it。　　The　State；　having　thus　learned　that　I　did　not　wish　to　be

regarded　as　a　member　of　that　church；　has　never　made　a　like　demand　on

me　since；　though　it　said　that　it　must　adhere　to　its　original

presumption　that　time。　　If　I　had　known　how　to　name　them；　I　should

then　have　signed　off　in　detail　from　all　the　societies　which　I　never

signed　on　to；　but　I　did　not　know　where　to　find　a　complete　list。

　　　　I　have　paid　no　poll…tax　for　six　years。　　I　was　put　into　a　jail

once　on　this　account；　for　one　night；　and；　as　I　stood　considering　the

walls　of　solid　stone；　two　or　three　feet　thick；　the　door　of　wood　and

iron；　a　foot　thick；　and　the　iron　grating　which　strained　the　light；　I

could　not　help　being　struck　with　the　foolishness　of　that　institution

which　treated　me　as　if　I　were　mere　flesh　and　blood　and　bones；　to　be

locked　up。　　I　wondered　that　it　should　have　concluded　at　length　that

this　was　the　best　use　it　could　put　me　to；　and　had　never　thought　to

avail　itself　of　my　services　in　some　way。　　I　saw　that；　if　there　was　a

wall　of　stone　between　me　and　my　townsmen；　there　was　a　still　more

difficult　one　to　climb　or　break　through；　before　they　could　get　to　be

as　free　as　I　was。　　I　did　not　for　a　moment　feel　confined；　and　the

walls　seemed　a　great　waste　of　stone　and　mortar。　　I　felt　as　if　I

alone　of　all　my　townsmen　had　paid　my　tax。　　They　plainly　did　not　know

how　to　treat　me；　but　behaved　like　persons　who　are　underbred。　　In

every　threat　and　in　every　compliment　there　was　a　blunder；　for　they

thought　that　my　chief　desire　was　to　stand　the　other　side　of　that

stone　wall。　　I　could　not　but　smile　to　see　how　industriously　they

locked　the　door　on　my　meditations；　which　followed　them　out　again

without　let　or　hindrance；　and　they　were　really　all　that　was

dangerous。　　As　they　could　not　reach　me；　they　had　resolved　to　punish

my　body；　just　as　boys；　if　they　cannot　come　at　some　person　against

whom　they　have　a　spite；　will　abuse　his　dog。　　I　saw　that　the　State

was　half…witted；　that　it　was　timid　as　a　lone　woman　with　her　silver

spoons；　and　that　it　did　not　know　its　friends　from　its　foes；　and　I

lost　all　my　remaining　respect　for　it；　and　pitied　it。

　　　　Thus　the　State　never　intentionally　confronts　a　man's　sense；

intellectual　or　moral；　but　only　his　body；　his　senses。　　It　is　not

armed　with　superior　wit　or　honesty；　but　with　superior　physical

strength。　　I　was　not　born　to　be　forced。　　I　will　breathe　after　my　own

fashion。　　Let　us　see　who　is　the　strongest。　　What　force　has　a

multitude？　　They　only　can　force　me　who　obey　a　higher　law　than　I。

They　force　me　to　become　like　themselves。　　I　do　not　hear　of　men　being

forced　to　have　this　way　or　that　by　masses　of　men。　　What　sort　of　life

were　that　to　live？　　When　I　meet　a　government　which　says　to　me；　〃Your

money　or　your　life；〃　why　should　I　be　in　haste　to　give　it　my　money？

It　may　be　in　a　great　strait；　and　not　know　what　to　do：　I　cannot　help

that。　　It　must　help　itself；　do　as　I　do。　　It　is　not　worth　the　while

to　snivel　about　it。　　I　am　not　responsible　for　the　successful　working

of　the　machinery　of　society。　　I　am　not　the　son　of　the　engineer。　　I

perceive　that；　when　an　acorn　and　a　chestnut　fall　side　by　side；　the

one　does　not　remain　inert　to　make　way　for　the　other；　but　both　obey

their　own　laws；　and　spring　and　grow　and　flourish　as　best　they　can；

till　one；　perchance；　overshadows　and　destroys　the　other。　　If　a　plant

cannot　live　according　to　its　nature；　it　dies；　and　so　a　man。

　　　　The　night　in　prison　was　novel　and　interesting　enough。　　The

prisoners　in　their　shirt…sleeves　were　enjoying　a　chat　and　the

evening　air　in　the　doorway；　when　I　entered。　　But　the　jailer　said；

〃Come；　boys；　it　is　time　to　lock　up〃；　and　so　they　dispersed；　and　I

heard　the　sound　of　their　steps　returning　into　the　hollow　apartments。

My　room…mate　was　introduced　to　me　by　the　jailer　as　〃a　first…rate

fellow　and　a　clever　man。〃　　When　the　door　was　locked；　he　showed　me

where　to　hang　my　hat；　and　how　he　managed　matters　there。　　The　rooms

were　whitewashed　once　a　month；　and　this　one；　at　least；　was　the

whitest；　most　simply　furnished；　and　probably　the　neatest　apartment

in　the　town。　　He　naturally　wanted　to　know　where　I　came　from；　and

what　brought　me　there；　and；　when　I　had　told　him；　I　asked　him　in　my

turn　how　he　came　there；　presuming　him　to　be　an　honest　man；　of

course；　and；　as　the　world　goes；　I　believe　he　was。　　〃Why；〃　said　he；

〃they　accuse　me　of　burning　a　barn；　but　I　never　did　it。〃　　As　near　as

I　could　discover；　he　had　probably　gone　to　bed　in　a　barn　when　drunk；

and　smoked　his　pipe　there；　and　so　a　barn　was　burnt。　　He　had　the

reputation　of　being　a　clever　man；　had　been　there　some　three　months

waiting　for　his　trial　to　come　on；　and　would　have　to　wait　as　much

longer；　but　he　was　quite　domesticated　and　contented；　since　he　got

his　board　for　nothing；　and　thought　that　he　was　well　treated。

　　　　He　occupied　one　window；　and　I　the　other；　and　I　saw　that　if　one

stayed　there　long；　his　principal　business　would　be　to　look　out　the

window。　　I　had　soon　read　all　the　tracts　that　were　left　there；　and

examined　where　former　prisoners　had　broken　out；　and　where　a　grate

had　been　sawed　off；　and　heard　the　history　of　the　various　occupants

of　that　room；　for　I　found　that　even　here　there　was　a　history　and　a

gossip　which　never　circulated　beyond　the　walls　of　the　jail。

Probably　this　is　the　only　house　in　the　town　where　verses　are

composed；　which　are　afterward　printed　in　a　circular　form；　but　not

published。　　I　was　shown　quite　a　long　list　of　verses　which　were

composed　by　some　young　men　who　had　been　detected　in　an　attempt　to

escape；　who　avenged　themselves　by　singing　them。

　　　　I　pumped　my　fellow…prisoner　as　dry　as　I　could；　for　fear　I　should

never　see　him　again；　but　at　length　he　showed　me　which　was　my　bed；

and　left　me　to　blow　out　the　lamp。

　　　　It　was　like　travelling　into　a　far　country；　such　as　I　had　never

expected　to　behold；　to　lie　there　for　one　night。　　It　seemed　to　me

that　I　never　had　heard　the　town…clock　strike　before；　nor　the　evening

sounds　of　the　village；　for　we　slept　with　the　windows　open；　which

were　inside　the　grating。　　It　was　to　see　my　native　village　in　the

light　of　the　Middle　Ages；　and　our　Concord　was　turned　into　a　Rhine

stream；　and　visions　of　knights　and　castles　passed　before　me。　　They

were　the　voices　of　old　burghers　that　I　heard　in　the　streets。　　I　was

an　involuntary　spectator　and　auditor　of　whatever　was　done　and　said

in　the　kitchen　of　the　adjacent　village…inn　　a　wholly　new　and　rare

experience　to　me。　　It　was　a　closer　view　of　my　native　town。　　I　was

fairly　inside　of　it。　　I　never　had　seen　its　institutions　before。

This　is　one　of　its　peculiar　institutions；　for　it　is　a　shire　town。　　I

began　to　comprehend　what　its　inhabitants　were　about。

　　　　In　the　morning；　our　breakfasts　were　put　through　the　hole　in　the

door；　in　small　oblong…square　tin　pans；　made　to　fit；　and　holding　a

pint　of　chocolate；　with　brown　bread；　and　an　iron　spoon。　　When　they

called　for　the　vessels　again；　I　was　green　enough　to　return　what

bread　I　had　left；　but　my　comrade　seized　it；　and　said　that　I　should

lay　that　up　for　lunch　or　dinner。　　Soon　after　he　was　let　out　to　work

at　haying　in　a　neighboring　field；　whither　he　went　every　day；　and

would　not　be　back　till　noon；　so　he　bade　me　good…day；　saying　that　he

doubted　if　he　should　see　me　again。

　　　　When　I　came　out　of　prison　　for　some　one　interfered；　and　paid

that　tax　　I　did　not　perceive　that　great　changes　had　taken　place　on

the　common；　such　as　he　observed　who　went　in　a　youth　and　emerged　a

tottering　and　gray…headed　man；　and　yet　a　change　had　to　my　eyes　come

over　the　scene　　the　town；　and　State；　and　country　　greater　than

any　that　mere　time　could　effect。　　I　saw　yet　more　distinctly　the

State　in　which　I　lived。　　I　saw　to　what　extent　the　people　among　whom

I　lived　could　be　trusted　as　good　neighbors　and　friends；　that　their

friendship　was　for　summer　weather　only；　that　they　did　not　greatly

propose　to　do　right；　that　they　were　a　distinct　race　from　me　by　their

prejudices　and　superstitions；　as　the　Chinamen　and　Malays　are；　that

in　their　sacrifices　to　humanity；　they　ran　no　risks；　not　even　to

their　property；　that　after　all　they　were　not　so　noble　but　they

treated　the　thief　as　he　had　treated　them；　and　hoped；　by　a　certain

outward　observance　and　a　few　prayers；　and　by　walking　in　a　particular

straight　though　useless　path　from　time　to　time；　to　save　their　souls。

This　may　be　to　judge　my　neighbors　harshly；　for　I　believe　that　many

of　them　are　not　aware　that　they　have　such　an　institution　as　the　jail

in　their　village。

　　　　It　was　formerly　the　custom　in　our　vil