09-the ponds-第4节

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glass　cooled　but　not　congealed；　and　the　few　motes　in　it　are　pure　and

beautiful　like　the　imperfections　in　glass。　　You　may　often　detect　a

yet　smoother　and　darker　water；　separated　from　the　rest　as　if　by　an

invisible　cobweb；　boom　of　the　water　nymphs；　resting　on　it。　　From　a

hilltop　you　can　see　a　fish　leap　in　almost　any　part；　for　not　a

pickerel　or　shiner　picks　an　insect　from　this　smooth　surface　but　it

manifestly　disturbs　the　equilibrium　of　the　whole　lake。　　It　is

wonderful　with　what　elaborateness　this　simple　fact　is　advertised　

this　piscine　murder　will　out　　and　from　my　distant　perch　I

distinguish　the　circling　undulations　when　they　are　half　a　dozen　rods

in　diameter。　　You　can　even　detect　a　water…bug　（Gyrinus）　ceaselessly

progressing　over　the　smooth　surface　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　for

they　furrow　the　water　slightly；　making　a　conspicuous　ripple　bounded

by　two　diverging　lines；　but　the　skaters　glide　over　it　without

rippling　it　perceptibly。　　When　the　surface　is　considerably　agitated

there　are　no　skaters　nor　water…bugs　on　it；　but　apparently；　in　calm

days；　they　leave　their　havens　and　adventurously　glide　forth　from　the

shore　by　short　impulses　till　they　completely　cover　it。　　It　is　a

soothing　employment；　on　one　of　those　fine　days　in　the　fall　when　all

the　warmth　of　the　sun　is　fully　appreciated；　to　sit　on　a　stump　on

such　a　height　as　this；　overlooking　the　pond；　and　study　the　dimpling

circles　which　are　incessantly　inscribed　on　its　otherwise　invisible

surface　amid　the　reflected　skies　and　trees。　　Over　this　great　expanse

there　is　no　disturbance　but　it　is　thus　at　once　gently　smoothed　away

and　assuaged；　as；　when　a　vase　of　water　is　jarred；　the　trembling

circles　seek　the　shore　and　all　is　smooth　again。　　Not　a　fish　can　leap

or　an　insect　fall　on　the　pond　but　it　is　thus　reported　in　circling

dimples；　in　lines　of　beauty；　as　it　were　the　constant　welling　up　of

its　fountain；　the　gentle　pulsing　of　its　life；　the　heaving　of　its

breast。　　The　thrills　of　joy　and　thrills　of　pain　are

undistinguishable。　　How　peaceful　the　phenomena　of　the　lake！　　Again

the　works　of　man　shine　as　in　the　spring。　　Ay；　every　leaf　and　twig

and　stone　and　cobweb　sparkles　now　at　mid…afternoon　as　when　covered

with　dew　in　a　spring　morning。　　Every　motion　of　an　oar　or　an　insect

produces　a　flash　of　light；　and　if　an　oar　falls；　how　sweet　the　echo！

　　　　In　such　a　day；　in　September　or　October；　Walden　is　a　perfect

forest　mirror；　set　round　with　stones　as　precious　to　my　eye　as　if

fewer　or　rarer。　　Nothing　so　fair；　so　pure；　and　at　the　same　time　so

large；　as　a　lake；　perchance；　lies　on　the　surface　of　the　earth。　　Sky

water。　　It　needs　no　fence。　　Nations　come　and　go　without　defiling　it。

It　is　a　mirror　which　no　stone　can　crack；　whose　quicksilver　will

never　wear　off；　whose　gilding　Nature　continually　repairs；　no　storms；

no　dust；　can　dim　its　surface　ever　fresh；　　a　mirror　in　which　all

impurity　presented　to　it　sinks；　swept　and　dusted　by　the　sun's　hazy

brush　　this　the　light　dust…cloth　　which　retains　no　breath　that

is　breathed　on　it；　but　sends　its　own　to　float　as　clouds　high　above

its　surface；　and　be　reflected　in　its　bosom　still。

　　　　A　field　of　water　betrays　the　spirit　that　is　in　the　air。　　It　is

continually　receiving　new　life　and　motion　from　above。　　It　is

intermediate　in　its　nature　between　land　and　sky。　　On　land　only　the

grass　and　trees　wave；　but　the　water　itself　is　rippled　by　the　wind。

I　see　where　the　breeze　dashes　across　it　by　the　streaks　or　flakes　of

light。　　It　is　remarkable　that　we　can　look　down　on　its　surface。　　We

shall；　perhaps；　look　down　thus　on　the　surface　of　air　at　length；　and

mark　where　a　still　subtler　spirit　sweeps　over　it。

　　　　The　skaters　and　water…bugs　finally　disappear　in　the　latter　part

of　October；　when　the　severe　frosts　have　come；　and　then　and　in

November；　usually；　in　a　calm　day；　there　is　absolutely　nothing　to

ripple　the　surface。　　One　November　afternoon；　in　the　calm　at　the　end

of　a　rain…storm　of　several　days'　duration；　when　the　sky　was　still

completely　overcast　and　the　air　was　full　of　mist；　I　observed　that

the　pond　was　remarkably　smooth；　so　that　it　was　difficult　to

distinguish　its　surface；　though　it　no　longer　reflected　the　bright

tints　of　October；　but　the　sombre　November　colors　of　the　surrounding

hills。　　Though　I　passed　over　it　as　gently　as　possible；　the　slight

undulations　produced　by　my　boat　extended　almost　as　far　as　I　could

see；　and　gave　a　ribbed　appearance　to　the　reflections。　　But；　as　I　was

looking　over　the　surface；　I　saw　here　and　there　at　a　distance　a　faint

glimmer；　as　if　some　skater　insects　which　had　escaped　the　frosts

might　be　collected　there；　or；　perchance；　the　surface；　being　so

smooth；　betrayed　where　a　spring　welled　up　from　the　bottom。　　Paddling

gently　to　one　of　these　places；　I　was　surprised　to　find　myself

surrounded　by　myriads　of　small　perch；　about　five　inches　long；　of　a

rich　bronze　color　in　the　green　water；　sporting　there；　and　constantly

rising　to　the　surface　and　dimpling　it；　sometimes　leaving　bubbles　on

it。　　In　such　transparent　and　seemingly　bottomless　water；　reflecting

the　clouds；　I　seemed　to　be　floating　through　the　air　as　in　a　balloon；

and　their　swimming　impressed　me　as　a　kind　of　flight　or　hovering；　as

if　they　were　a　compact　flock　of　birds　passing　just　beneath　my　level

on　the　right　or　left；　their　fins；　like　sails；　set　all　around　them。

There　were　many　such　schools　in　the　pond；　apparently　improving　the

short　season　before　winter　would　draw　an　icy　shutter　over　their

broad　skylight；　sometimes　giving　to　the　surface　an　appearance　as　if

a　slight　breeze　struck　it；　or　a　few　rain…drops　fell　there。　　When　I

approached　carelessly　and　alarmed　them；　they　made　a　sudden　splash

and　rippling　with　their　tails；　as　if　one　had　struck　the　water　with　a

brushy　bough；　and　instantly　took　refuge　in　the　depths。　　At　length

the　wind　rose；　the　mist　increased；　and　the　waves　began　to　run；　and

the　perch　leaped　much　higher　than　before；　half　out　of　water；　a

hundred　black　points；　three　inches　long；　at　once　above　the　surface。

Even　as　late　as　the　fifth　of　December；　one　year；　I　saw　some　dimples

on　the　surface；　and　thinking　it　was　going　to　rain　hard　immediately；

the　air　being　fun　of　mist；　I　made　haste　to　take　my　place　at　the　oars

and　row　homeward；　already　the　rain　seemed　rapidly　increasing；　though

I　felt　none　on　my　cheek；　and　I　anticipated　a　thorough　soaking。　　But

suddenly　the　dimples　ceased；　for　they　were　produced　by　the　perch；

which　the　noise　of　my　oars　had　seared　into　the　depths；　and　I　saw

their　schools　dimly　disappearing；　so　I　spent　a　dry　afternoon　after

all。

　　　　An　old　man　who　used　to　frequent　this　pond　nearly　sixty　years

ago；　when　it　was　dark　with　surrounding　forests；　tells　me　that　in

those　days　he　sometimes　saw　it　all　alive　with　ducks　and　other

water…fowl；　and　that　there　were　many　eagles　about　it。　　He　came　here

a…fishing；　and　used　an　old　log　canoe　which　he　found　on　the　shore。

It　was　made　of　two　white　pine　logs　dug　out　and　pinned　together；　and

was　cut　off　square　at　the　ends。　　It　was　very　clumsy；　but　lasted　a

great　many　years　before　it　became　water…logged　and　perhaps　sank　to

the　bottom。　　He　did　not　know　whose　it　was；　it　belonged　to　the　pond。

He　used　to　make　a　cable　for　his　anchor　of　strips　of　hickory　bark

tied　together。　　An　old　man；　a　potter；　who　lived　by　the　pond　before

the　Revolution；　told　him　once　that　there　was　an　iron　chest　at　the

bottom；　and　that　he　had　seen　it。　　Sometimes　it　would　come　floating

up　to　the　shore；　but　when　you　went　toward　it；　it　would　go　back　into

deep　water　and　disappear。　　I　was　pleased　to　hear　of　the　old　log

canoe；　which　took　the　place　of　an　Indian　one　of　the　same　material

but　more　graceful　construction；　which　perchance　had　first　been　a

tree　on　the　bank；　and　then；　as　it　were；　fell　into　the　water；　to

float　there　for　a　generation；　the　most　proper　vessel　for　the　lake。

I　remember　that　when　I　first　looked　into　these　depths　there　were

many　large　trunks　to　be　seen　indistinctly　lying　on　the　bottom；　which

had　either　been　blown　over　formerly；　or　left　on　the　ice　at　the　last

cutting；　when　wood　was　cheaper；　but　now　they　have　mostly

disappeared。

　　　　When　I　first　paddled　a　boat　on　Walden；　it　was　completely

surrounded　by　thick　and　lofty　pine　and　oak　woods；　and　in　some　of　its

coves　grape…vines　had　run　over　the　trees　next　the　water　and　formed

bowers　under　which　a　boat　could　pass。　　The　hills　which　form　its

shores　are　so　steep；　and　the　woods　on　them　were　then　so　high；　that；

as　you　looked　down　from　the　west　end；　it　had　the　appearance　of　an

amphitheatre　for　some　land　of　sylvan　spectacle。　　I　have　spent　many

an　hour；　when　I　was　younger；　floating　over　its　surface　as　the　zephyr

willed；　having　paddled　my　boat　to　the　middle；　and　lying　on　my　back

across　the　seats；　in　a　summer　forenoon；　dreaming　awake；　until　I　was

aroused　by　the　boat　touching　the　sand；　and　I　arose　to　see　what　shore

my　fates　had　impelled　me　to；　days　when　idleness　was　the　most

attractive　and　productive　industry。　　Many　a　forenoon　have　I　stolen

away；　preferring　to　spend　thus　the　most　valued