01-economy-第9节

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but　for　the　most　part　when　I　came　out　on　to　the　railroad；　on　my　way

home；　its　yellow　sand　heap　stretched　away　gleaming　in　the　hazy

atmosphere；　and　the　rails　shone　in　the　spring　sun；　and　I　heard　the

lark　and　pewee　and　other　birds　already　come　to　commence　another　year

with　us。　　They　were　pleasant　spring　days；　in　which　the　winter　of

man's　discontent　was　thawing　as　well　as　the　earth；　and　the　life　that

had　lain　torpid　began　to　stretch　itself。　　One　day；　when　my　axe　had

come　off　and　I　had　cut　a　green　hickory　for　a　wedge；　driving　it　with

a　stone；　and　had　placed　the　whole　to　soak　in　a　pond…hole　in　order　to

swell　the　wood；　I　saw　a　striped　snake　run　into　the　water；　and　he　lay

on　the　bottom；　apparently　without　inconvenience；　as　long　as　I　stayed

there；　or　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　perhaps　because　he　had　not

yet　fairly　come　out　of　the　torpid　state。　　It　appeared　to　me　that　for

a　like　reason　men　remain　in　their　present　low　and　primitive

condition；　but　if　they　should　feel　the　influence　of　the　spring　of

springs　arousing　them；　they　would　of　necessity　rise　to　a　higher　and

more　ethereal　life。　　I　had　previously　seen　the　snakes　in　frosty

mornings　in　my　path　with　portions　of　their　bodies　still　numb　and

inflexible；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　thaw　them。　　On　the　1st　of　April

it　rained　and　melted　the　ice；　and　in　the　early　part　of　the　day；

which　was　very　foggy；　I　heard　a　stray　goose　groping　about　over　the

pond　and　cackling　as　if　lost；　or　like　the　spirit　of　the　fog。

　　　　So　I　went　on　for　some　days　cutting　and　hewing　timber；　and　also

studs　and　rafters；　all　with　my　narrow　axe；　not　having　many

communicable　or　scholar…like　thoughts；　singing　to　myself；　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Men　say　they　know　many　things；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　But　lo！　they　have　taken　wings　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　arts　and　sciences；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　a　thousand　appliances；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　wind　that　blows

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is　all　that　any　body　knows。



　　　　I　hewed　the　main　timbers　six　inches　square；　most　of　the　studs　on

two　sides　only；　and　the　rafters　and　floor　timbers　on　one　side；

leaving　the　rest　of　the　bark　on；　so　that　they　were　just　as　straight

and　much　stronger　than　sawed　ones。　　Each　stick　was　carefully

mortised　or　tenoned　by　its　stump；　for　I　had　borrowed　other　tools　by

this　time。　　My　days　in　the　woods　were　not　very　long　ones；　yet　I

usually　carried　my　dinner　of　bread　and　butter；　and　read　the

newspaper　in　which　it　was　wrapped；　at　noon；　sitting　amid　the　green

pine　boughs　which　I　had　cut　off；　and　to　my　bread　was　imparted　some

of　their　fragrance；　for　my　hands　were　covered　with　a　thick　coat　of

pitch。　　Before　I　had　done　I　was　more　the　friend　than　the　foe　of　the

pine　tree；　though　I　had　cut　down　some　of　them；　having　become　better

acquainted　with　it。　　Sometimes　a　rambler　in　the　wood　was　attracted

by　the　sound　of　my　axe；　and　we　chatted　pleasantly　over　the　chips

which　I　had　made。

　　　　By　the　middle　of　April；　for　I　made　no　haste　in　my　work；　but

rather　made　the　most　of　it；　my　house　was　framed　and　ready　for　the

raising。　　I　had　already　bought　the　shanty　of　James　Collins；　an

Irishman　who　worked　on　the　Fitchburg　Railroad；　for　boards。　　James

Collins'　shanty　was　considered　an　uncommonly　fine　one。　　When　I

called　to　see　it　he　was　not　at　home。　　I　walked　about　the　outside；　at

first　unobserved　from　within；　the　window　was　so　deep　and　high。　　It

was　of　small　dimensions；　with　a　peaked　cottage　roof；　and　not　much

else　to　be　seen；　the　dirt　being　raised　five　feet　all　around　as　if　it

were　a　compost　heap。　　The　roof　was　the　soundest　part；　though　a　good

deal　warped　and　made　brittle　by　the　sun。　　Doorsill　there　was　none；

but　a　perennial　passage　for　the　hens　under　the　door　board。　　Mrs。　C。

came　to　the　door　and　asked　me　to　view　it　from　the　inside。　　The　hens

were　driven　in　by　my　approach。　　It　was　dark；　and　had　a　dirt　floor

for　the　most　part；　dank；　clammy；　and　aguish；　only　here　a　board　and

there　a　board　which　would　not　bear　removal。　　She　lighted　a　lamp　to

show　me　the　inside　of　the　roof　and　the　walls；　and　also　that　the

board　floor　extended　under　the　bed；　warning　me　not　to　step　into　the

cellar；　a　sort　of　dust　hole　two　feet　deep。　　In　her　own　words；　they

were　〃good　boards　overhead；　good　boards　all　around；　and　a　good

window〃　　of　two　whole　squares　originally；　only　the　cat　had　passed

out　that　way　lately。　　There　was　a　stove；　a　bed；　and　a　place　to　sit；

an　infant　in　the　house　where　it　was　born；　a　silk　parasol；

gilt…framed　looking…glass；　and　a　patent　new　coffee…mill　nailed　to　an

oak　sapling；　all　told。　　The　bargain　was　soon　concluded；　for　James

had　in　the　meanwhile　returned。　　I　to　pay　four　dollars　and

twenty…five　cents　tonight；　he　to　vacate　at　five　tomorrow　morning；

selling　to　nobody　else　meanwhile：　I　to　take　possession　at　six。　　It

were　well；　he　said；　to　be　there　early；　and　anticipate　certain

indistinct　but　wholly　unjust　claims　on　the　score　of　ground　rent　and

fuel。　　This　he　assured　me　was　the　only　encumbrance。　　At　six　I　passed

him　and　his　family　on　the　road。　　One　large　bundle　held　their　all　

bed；　coffee…mill；　looking…glass；　hens　　all　but　the　cat；　she　took

to　the　woods　and　became　a　wild　cat；　and；　as　I　learned　afterward；

trod　in　a　trap　set　for　woodchucks；　and　so　became　a　dead　cat　at　last。

　　　　I　took　down　this　dwelling　the　same　morning；　drawing　the　nails；

and　removed　it　to　the　pond…side　by　small　cartloads；　spreading　the

boards　on　the　grass　there　to　bleach　and　warp　back　again　in　the　sun。

One　early　thrush　gave　me　a　note　or　two　as　I　drove　along　the　woodland

path。　　I　was　informed　treacherously　by　a　young　Patrick　that　neighbor

Seeley；　an　Irishman；　in　the　intervals　of　the　carting；　transferred

the　still　tolerable；　straight；　and　drivable　nails；　staples；　and

spikes　to　his　pocket；　and　then　stood　when　I　came　back　to　pass　the

time　of　day；　and　look　freshly　up；　unconcerned；　with　spring　thoughts；

at　the　devastation；　there　being　a　dearth　of　work；　as　he　said。　　He

was　there　to　represent　spectatordom；　and　help　make　this　seemingly

insignificant　event　one　with　the　removal　of　the　gods　of　Troy。

　　　　I　dug　my　cellar　in　the　side　of　a　hill　sloping　to　the　south；

where　a　woodchuck　had　formerly　dug　his　burrow；　down　through　sumach

and　blackberry　roots；　and　the　lowest　stain　of　vegetation；　six　feet

square　by　seven　deep；　to　a　fine　sand　where　potatoes　would　not　freeze

in　any　winter。　　The　sides　were　left　shelving；　and　not　stoned；　but

the　sun　having　never　shone　on　them；　the　sand　still　keeps　its　place。

It　was　but　two　hours'　work。　　I　took　particular　pleasure　in　this

breaking　of　ground；　for　in　almost　all　latitudes　men　dig　into　the

earth　for　an　equable　temperature。　　Under　the　most　splendid　house　in

the　city　is　still　to　be　found　the　cellar　where　they　store　their

roots　as　of　old；　and　long　after　the　superstructure　has　disappeared

posterity　remark　its　dent　in　the　earth。　　The　house　is　still　but　a

sort　of　porch　at　the　entrance　of　a　burrow。

　　　　At　length；　in　the　beginning　of　May；　with　the　help　of　some　of　my

acquaintances；　rather　to　improve　so　good　an　occasion　for

neighborliness　than　from　any　necessity；　I　set　up　the　frame　of　my

house。　　No　man　was　ever　more　honored　in　the　character　of　his　raisers

than　I。　　They　are　destined；　I　trust；　to　assist　at　the　raising　of

loftier　structures　one　day。　　I　began　to　occupy　my　house　on　the　4th

of　July；　as　soon　as　it　was　boarded　and　roofed；　for　the　boards　were

carefully　feather…edged　and　lapped；　so　that　it　was　perfectly

impervious　to　rain；　but　before　boarding　I　laid　the　foundation　of　a

chimney　at　one　end；　bringing　two　cartloads　of　stones　up　the　hill

from　the　pond　in　my　arms。　　I　built　the　chimney　after　my　hoeing　in

the　fall；　before　a　fire　became　necessary　for　warmth；　doing　my

cooking　in　the　meanwhile　out　of　doors　on　the　ground；　early　in　the

morning：　which　mode　I　still　think　is　in　some　respects　more

convenient　and　agreeable　than　the　usual　one。　　When　it　stormed　before

my　bread　was　baked；　I　fixed　a　few　boards　over　the　fire；　and　sat

under　them　to　watch　my　loaf；　and　passed　some　pleasant　hours　in　that

way。　　In　those　days；　when　my　hands　were　much　employed；　I　read　but

little；　but　the　least　scraps　of　paper　which　lay　on　the　ground；　my

holder；　or　tablecloth；　afforded　me　as　much　entertainment；　in　fact

answered　the　same　purpose　as　the　Iliad。

　　　　It　would　be　worth　the　while　to　build　still　more　deliberately

than　I　did；　considering；　for　instance；　what　foundation　a　door；　a

window；　a　cellar；　a　garret；　have　in　the　nature　of　man；　and　perchance

never　raising　any　superstructure　until　we　found　a　better　reason　for

it　than　our　temporal　necessities　even。　　There　is　some　of　the　same

fitness　in　a　man's　building　his　own　house　that　there　is　in　a　bird's

building　its　own　nest。　　Who　knows　but　if　men　constructed　their

dwellings　with　their　own　hands；　and　provided　food　for　themselves　and

families　simply　and　honestly　enough；　the　poetic　faculty　would　be

universally　developed；　as　birds　universally　sing　when　they　are　so

engaged？　　But　alas！　we　do　like　cowbirds　and　cuckoos；　which　lay　their

eggs　in　nests　wh