12-brute neighbors-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Brute　Neighbors



　　　　Sometimes　I　had　a　companion　in　my　fishing；　who　came　through　the

village　to　my　house　from　the　other　side　of　the　town；　and　the

catching　of　the　dinner　was　as　much　a　social　exercise　as　the　eating

of　it。

　　　　Hermit。　　I　wonder　what　the　world　is　doing　now。　　I　have　not　heard

so　much　as　a　locust　over　the　sweet…fern　these　three　hours。　　The

pigeons　are　all　asleep　upon　their　roosts　　no　flutter　from　them。

Was　that　a　farmer's　noon　horn　which　sounded　from　beyond　the　woods

just　now？　　The　hands　are　coming　in　to　boiled　salt　beef　and　cider　and

Indian　bread。　　Why　will　men　worry　themselves　so？　　He　that　does　not

eat　need　not　work。　　I　wonder　how　much　they　have　reaped。　　Who　would

live　there　where　a　body　can　never　think　for　the　barking　of　Bose？

And　oh；　the　housekeeping！　to　keep　bright　the　devil's　door…knobs；　and

scour　his　tubs　this　bright　day！　　Better　not　keep　a　house。　　Say；　some

hollow　tree；　and　then　for　morning　calls　and　dinner…parties！　　Only　a

woodpecker　tapping。　　Oh；　they　swarm；　the　sun　is　too　warm　there；　they

are　born　too　far　into　life　for　me。　　I　have　water　from　the　spring；

and　a　loaf　of　brown　bread　on　the　shelf。　　Hark！　　I　hear　a　rustling

of　the　leaves。　　Is　it　some　ill…fed　village　hound　yielding　to　the

instinct　of　the　chase？　or　the　lost　pig　which　is　said　to　be　in　these

woods；　whose　tracks　I　saw　after　the　rain？　　It　comes　on　apace；　my

sumachs　and　sweetbriers　tremble。　　Eh；　Mr。　Poet；　is　it　you？　　How　do

you　like　the　world　to…day？

　　　　Poet。　　See　those　clouds；　how　they　hang！　　That's　the　greatest

thing　I　have　seen　to…day。　　There's　nothing　like　it　in　old　paintings；

nothing　like　it　in　foreign　lands　　unless　when　we　were　off　the

coast　of　Spain。　　That's　a　true　Mediterranean　sky。　　I　thought；　as　I

have　my　living　to　get；　and　have　not　eaten　to…day；　that　I　might　go

a…fishing。　　That's　the　true　industry　for　poets。　　It　is　the　only

trade　I　have　learned。　　Come；　let's　along。

　　　　Hermit。　　I　cannot　resist。　　My　brown　bread　will　soon　be　gone。　　I

will　go　with　you　gladly　soon；　but　I　am　just　concluding　a　serious

meditation。　　I　think　that　I　am　near　the　end　of　it。　　Leave　me　alone；

then；　for　a　while。　　But　that　we　may　not　be　delayed；　you　shall　be

digging　the　bait　meanwhile。　　Angleworms　are　rarely　to　be　met　with　in

these　parts；　where　the　soil　was　never　fattened　with　manure；　the　race

is　nearly　extinct。　　The　sport　of　digging　the　bait　is　nearly　equal　to

that　of　catching　the　fish；　when　one's　appetite　is　not　too　keen；　and

this　you　may　have　all　to　yourself　today。　　I　would　advise　you　to　set

in　the　spade　down　yonder　among　the　ground…nuts；　where　you　see　the

johnswort　waving。　　I　think　that　I　may　warrant　you　one　worm　to　every

three　sods　you　turn　up；　if　you　look　well　in　among　the　roots　of　the

grass；　as　if　you　were　weeding。　　Or；　if　you　choose　to　go　farther；　it

will　not　be　unwise；　for　I　have　found　the　increase　of　fair　bait　to　be

very　nearly　as　the　squares　of　the　distances。

　　　　Hermit　alone。　　Let　me　see；　where　was　I？　　Methinks　I　was　nearly

in　this　frame　of　mind；　the　world　lay　about　at　this　angle。　　Shall　I

go　to　heaven　or　a…fishing？　　If　I　should　soon　bring　this　meditation

to　an　end；　would　another　so　sweet　occasion　be　likely　to　offer？　　I

was　as　near　being　resolved　into　the　essence　of　things　as　ever　I　was

in　my　life。　　I　fear　my　thoughts　will　not　come　back　to　me。　　If　it

would　do　any　good；　I　would　whistle　for　them。　　When　they　make　us　an

offer；　is　it　wise　to　say；　We　will　think　of　it？　　My　thoughts　have

left　no　track；　and　I　cannot　find　the　path　again。　　What　was　it　that　I

was　thinking　of？　　It　was　a　very　hazy　day。　　I　will　just　try　these

three　sentences　of　Confutsee；　they　may　fetch　that　state　about　again。

I　know　not　whether　it　was　the　dumps　or　a　budding　ecstasy。　　Mem。

There　never　is　but　one　opportunity　of　a　kind。

　　　　Poet。　　How　now；　Hermit；　is　it　too　soon？　　I　have　got　just

thirteen　whole　ones；　beside　several　which　are　imperfect　or

undersized；　but　they　will　do　for　the　smaller　fry；　they　do　not　cover

up　the　hook　so　much。　　Those　village　worms　are　quite　too　large；　a

shiner　may　make　a　meal　off　one　without　finding　the　skewer。

　　　　Hermit。　　Well；　then；　let's　be　off。　　Shall　we　to　the　Concord？

There's　good　sport　there　if　the　water　be　not　too　high。

　　　　Why　do　precisely　these　objects　which　we　behold　make　a　world？

Why　has　man　just　these　species　of　animals　for　his　neighbors；　as　if

nothing　but　a　mouse　could　have　filled　this　crevice？　　I　suspect　that

Pilpay　&　Co。　have　put　animals　to　their　best　use；　for　they　are　all

beasts　of　burden；　in　a　sense；　made　to　carry　some　portion　of　our

thoughts。

　　　　The　mice　which　haunted　my　house　were　not　the　common　ones；　which

are　said　to　have　been　introduced　into　the　country；　but　a　wild　native

kind　not　found　in　the　village。　　I　sent　one　to　a　distinguished

naturalist；　and　it　interested　him　much。　　When　I　was　building；　one　of

these　had　its　nest　underneath　the　house；　and　before　I　had　laid　the

second　floor；　and　swept　out　the　shavings；　would　come　out　regularly

at　lunch　time　and　pick　up　the　crumbs　at　my　feet。　　It　probably　had

never　seen　a　man　before；　and　it　soon　became　quite　familiar；　and

would　run　over　my　shoes　and　up　my　clothes。　　It　could　readily　ascend

the　sides　of　the　room　by　short　impulses；　like　a　squirrel；　which　it

resembled　in　its　motions。　　At　length；　as　I　leaned　with　my　elbow　on

the　bench　one　day；　it　ran　up　my　clothes；　and　along　my　sleeve；　and

round　and　round　the　paper　which　held　my　dinner；　while　I　kept　the

latter　close；　and　dodged　and　played　at　bopeep　with　it；　and　when　at

last　I　held　still　a　piece　of　cheese　between　my　thumb　and　finger；　it

came　and　nibbled　it；　sitting　in　my　hand；　and　afterward　cleaned　its

face　and　paws；　like　a　fly；　and　walked　away。

　　　　A　phoebe　soon　built　in　my　shed；　and　a　robin　for　protection　in　a

pine　which　grew　against　the　house。　　In　June　the　partridge　（Tetrao

umbellus）；　which　is　so　shy　a　bird；　led　her　brood　past　my　windows；

from　the　woods　in　the　rear　to　the　front　of　my　house；　clucking　and

calling　to　them　like　a　hen；　and　in　all　her　behavior　proving　herself

the　hen　of　the　woods。　　The　young　suddenly　disperse　on　your　approach；

at　a　signal　from　the　mother；　as　if　a　whirlwind　had　swept　them　away；

and　they　so　exactly　resemble　the　dried　leaves　and　twigs　that　many　a

traveler　has　placed　his　foot　in　the　midst　of　a　brood；　and　heard　the

whir　of　the　old　bird　as　she　flew　off；　and　her　anxious　calls　and

mewing；　or　seen　her　trail　her　wings　to　attract　his　attention；

without　suspecting　their　neighborhood。　　The　parent　will　sometimes

roll　and　spin　round　before　you　in　such　a　dishabille；　that　you

cannot；　for　a　few　moments；　detect　what　kind　of　creature　it　is。　　The

young　squat　still　and　flat；　often　running　their　heads　under　a　leaf；

and　mind　only　their　mother's　directions　given　from　a　distance；　nor

will　your　approach　make　them　run　again　and　betray　themselves。　　You

may　even　tread　on　them；　or　have　your　eyes　on　them　for　a　minute；

without　discovering　them。　　I　have　held　them　in　my　open　hand　at　such

a　time；　and　still　their　only　care；　obedient　to　their　mother　and

their　instinct；　was　to　squat　there　without　fear　or　trembling。　　So

perfect　is　this　instinct；　that　once；　when　I　had　laid　them　on　the

leaves　again；　and　one　accidentally　fell　on　its　side；　it　was　found

with　the　rest　in　exactly　the　same　position　ten　minutes　afterward。

They　are　not　callow　like　the　young　of　most　birds；　but　more　perfectly

developed　and　precocious　even　than　chickens。　　The　remarkably　adult

yet　innocent　expression　of　their　open　and　serene　eyes　is　very

memorable。　　All　intelligence　seems　reflected　in　them。　　They　suggest

not　merely　the　purity　of　infancy；　but　a　wisdom　clarified　by

experience。　　Such　an　eye　was　not　born　when　the　bird　was；　but　is

coeval　with　the　sky　it　reflects。　　The　woods　do　not　yield　another

such　a　gem。　　The　traveller　does　not　often　look　into　such　a　limpid

well。　　The　ignorant　or　reckless　sportsman　often　shoots　the　parent　at

such　a　time；　and　leaves　these　innocents　to　fall　a　prey　to　some

prowling　beast　or　bird；　or　gradually　mingle　with　the　decaying　leaves

which　they　so　much　resemble。　　It　is　said　that　when　hatched　by　a　hen

they　will　directly　disperse　on　some　alarm；　and　so　are　lost；　for　they

never　hear　the　mother's　call　which　gathers　them　again。　　These　were

my　hens　and　chickens。

　　　　It　is　remarkable　how　many　creatures　live　wild　and　free　though

secret　in　the　woods；　and　still　sustain　themselves　in　the

neighborhood　of　towns；　suspected　by　hunters　only。　　How　retired　the

otter　manages　to　live　here！　　He　grows　to　be　four　feet　long；　as　big

as　a　small　boy；　perhaps　without　any　human　being　getting　a　glimpse　of

him。　　I　formerly　saw　the　raccoon　in　the　woods　behind　where　my　house

is　built；　and　probably　still　heard　their　whinnering　at　night。

Commonly　I　rested　an　hour　or　two　in　the　shade　at　noon；　after

planting；　and　ate　my　lunch；　and　read　a　little　by　a　spring　which　was

the　source　of　a　swamp　and　of　a　brook；　oozing　from　under　Brister's

Hill；　half　a　mile　from　my　field。　　The　approach　to　this　was　through　a

succession　of　descending　grassy　hollows；　full　of　young　pitch　pines；

into　a　larger　wood　about　the　swamp。　　There；　in　a　very　secluded　and

shaded　spot；　under　a　spreading　white　pine；　there　was　yet　a　clean；

firm　sward　to　sit　on。　　I　had　dug　out　the　spring　and　made　a　well　of

clear　gray　water；　where　I　could　dip　up　a　pailful　without　roiling　it；

and　thither　I　went　for　this　purpose　almost　every　day　in　midsummer；

when　the　pond　was　warmest。　　Thither；　too；　the　woodcock　led　her

brood；　to　probe　the　mud　for　worms；　flying　but　a　foot　above　them　down

the　bank；　while　they　ran　in　a　troop　beneath；　but　at　last；　spying　me；

she　would　leave　her　young　and　circle　round　and　round　me；　nearer　and

nearer　till　within　four　or　five　feet；　pretending　broken　wings　and

legs；　to　attract　my　attention；　and　get　off　her　young；　who　would

already　have　taken　up　their　march；　with　faint；　wiry　peep；　single

file　through　the　swamp；　as　she　directed。　　Or　I　heard　the　peep　of　the

young　when　I　could　not　see　the　parent　bird。