ThoreauReader瓦尔登湖中英文原版

2.WhereILived,andWhatILivedforThoreauReader-WaldenContents-NextChapterAtacertainseasonofourlifeweareaccustomedtoconsidereveryspotasthepossiblesiteofahouse.IhavethussurveyedthecountryoneverysidewithinadozenmilesofwhereIlive.InimaginationIhaveboughtallthefarmsinsuccession,forallweretobebought,andIknewtheirprice.Iwalkedovereachfarmer'spremises,tastedhiswildapples,discoursedonhusbandrywithhim,tookhisfarmathisprice,atanyprice,mortgagingittohiminmymind;evenputahigherpriceonit--tookeverythingbutadeedofit--tookhiswordforhisdeed,forIdearlylovetotalk--cultivatedit,andhimtootosomeextent,Itrust,andwithdrewwhenIhadenjoyeditlongenough,leavinghimtocarryiton.Thisexperienceentitledmetoberegardedasasortofreal-estatebrokerbymyfriends.WhereverIsat,thereImightlive,andthelandscaperadiatedfrommeaccordingly.Whatisahousebutasedes,aseat?--betterifacountryseat.Idiscoveredmanyasiteforahousenotlikelytobesoonimproved,whichsomemighthavethoughttoofarfromthevillage,buttomyeyesthevillagewastoofarfromit.Well,thereImightlive,Isaid;andthereIdidlive,foranhour,asummerandawinterlife;sawhowIcouldlettheyearsrunoff,buffetthewinterthrough,andseethespringcomein.Thefutureinhabitantsofthisregion,wherevertheymayplacetheirhouses,maybesurethattheyhavebeenanticipated.Anafternoonsufficedtolayoutthelandintoorchard,wood-lot,andpasture,andtodecidewhatfineoaksorpinesshouldbelefttostandbeforethedoor,andwhenceeachblastedtreecouldbeseentothebestadvantage;andthenIletitlie,fallow,perchance,foramanisrichinproportiontothenumberofthingswhichhecanaffordtoletalone.MyimaginationcarriedmesofarthatIevenhadtherefusalofseveralfarms--therefusalwasallIwanted--butInevergotmyfingersburnedbyactualpossession.ThenearestthatIcametoactualpossessionwaswhenIboughttheHollowellplace,andhadbeguntosortmyseeds,andcollectedmaterialswithwhichtomakeawheelbarrowtocarryitonoroffwith;butbeforetheownergavemeadeedofit,hiswife--everymanhassuchawife--changedhermindandwishedtokeepit,andheofferedmetendollarstoreleasehim.Now,tospeakthetruth,Ihadbuttencentsintheworld,anditsurpassedmyarithmetictotell,ifIwasthatmanwhohadtencents,orwhohadafarm,ortendollars,oralltogether.However,Ilethimkeepthetendollarsandthefarmtoo,forIhadcarrieditfarenough;orrather,tobegenerous,IsoldhimthefarmforjustwhatIgaveforit,and,ashewasnotarichman,madehimapresentoftendollars,andstillhadmytencents,andseeds,andmaterialsforawheelbarrowleft.IfoundthusthatIhadbeenarichmanwithoutanydamagetomypoverty.ButIretainedthelandscape,andIhavesinceannuallycarriedoffwhatityieldedwithoutawheelbarrow.Withrespecttolandscapes,IammonarchofallIsurvey,Myrightthereisnonetodispute.(1)Ihavefrequentlyseenapoetwithdraw,havingenjoyedthemostvaluablepartofafarm,whilethecrustyfarmersupposedthathehadgotafewwildapplesonly.Why,theownerdoesnotknowitformanyyearswhenapoethasputhisfarminrhyme,themostadmirablekindofinvisiblefence,hasfairlyimpoundedit,milkedit,skimmedit,andgotallthecream,andleftthefarmeronlytheskimmedmilk.TherealattractionsoftheHollowellfarm,tome,were:itscompleteretirement,being,abouttwomilesfromthevillage,halfamilefromthenearestneighbor,andseparatedfromthehighwaybyabroadfield;itsboundingontheriver,whichtheownersaidprotecteditbyitsfogsfromfrostsinthespring,thoughthatwasnothingtome;thegraycolorandruinousstateofthehouseandbarn,andthedilapidatedfences,whichputsuchanintervalbetweenmeandthelastoccupant;thehollowandlichen-coveredappletrees,nawedbyrabbits,showingwhatkindofneighborsIshouldhave;butaboveall,therecollectionIhadofitfrommyearliestvoyagesuptheriver,whenthehousewasconcealedbehindadensegroveofredmaples,throughwhichIheardthehouse-dogbark.Iwasinhastetobuyit,beforetheproprietorfinishedgettingoutsomerocks,cuttingdownthehollowappletrees,andgrubbingupsomeyoungbircheswhichhadsprungupinthepasture,or,inshort,hadmadeanymoreofhisimprovements.ToenjoytheseadvantagesIwasreadytocarryiton;likeAtlas,(2)totaketheworldonmyshoulders--Ineverheardwhatcompensationhereceivedforthat--anddoallthosethingswhichhadnoothermotiveorexcusebutthatImightpayforitandbeunmolestedinmypossessionofit;forIknewallthewhilethatitwouldyieldthemostabundantcropofthekindIwanted,ifIcouldonlyaffordtoletitalone.ButitturnedoutasIhavesaid.AllthatIcouldsay,then,withrespecttofarmingonalargescale--Ihavealwayscultivatedagarden--was,thatIhadhadmyseedsready.Manythinkthatseedsimprovewithage.Ihavenodoubtthattimediscriminatesbetweenthegoodandthebad;andwhenatlastIshallplant,Ishallbelesslikelytobedisappointed.ButIwouldsaytomyfellows,onceforall,Aslongaspossiblelivefreeanduncommitted.Itmakesbutlittledifferencewhetheryouarecommittedtoafarmorthecountyjail.OldCato,(3)whoseDeReRusticaismyCultivator,says--andtheonlytranslationIhaveseenmakessheernonsenseofthepassage--Whenyouthinkofgettingafarmturnitthusinyourmind,nottobuygreedily;norspareyourpainstolookatit,anddonotthinkitenoughtogorounditonce.Theofteneryougotherethemoreitwillpleaseyou,ifitisgood.IthinkIshallnotbuygreedily,butgoroundandrounditaslongasIlive,andbeburiedinitfirst,thatitmaypleasemethemoreatlast.---------------------------------------------------------------------------