After hoeing， or perhaps reading and writing， in the forenoon， I usually bathed again in the pond， swimming across one of its coves for a stint， and washed the dust of labor from my person， or smoothed out the last wrinkle which study had made， and for the afternoon was absolutely free.  Every day or two I strolled to the village to hear some of the gossip which is incessantly going on there， circulating either from mouth to mouth， or from newspaper to newspaper， and which， taken in homoeopathic doses， was really as refreshing in its way as the rustle of leaves and the peeping of frogs.  As I walked in the woods to see the birds and squirrels， so I walked in the village to see the men and boys； instead of the wind among the pines I heard the carts rattle.  In one direction from my house there was a colony of muskrats in the river meadows； under the grove of elms and buttonwoods in the other horizon was a village of busy men， as curious to me as if they had been prairie-dogs， each sitting at the mouth of its burrow， or running over to a neighbor's to gossip.  I went there frequently to observe their habits.  The village appeared to me a great news room； and on one side， to support it， as once at Redding & Company's on State Street， they kept nuts and raisins， or salt and meal and other groceries.  Some have such a vast appetite for the former commodity， that is， the news， and such sound digestive organs， that they can sit forever in public avenues without stirring， and let it simmer and whisper through them like the Etesian winds， or as if inhaling ether， it only producing numbness and insensibility to pain ―― otherwise it would often be painful to bear ―― without affecting the consciousness.  I hardly ever failed， when I rambled through the village， to see a row of such worthies， either sitting on a ladder sunning themselves， with their bodies inclined forward and their eyes glancing along the line this way and that， from time to time，with a voluptuous expression， or else leaning against a barn with their hands in their pockets， like caryatides， as if to prop it up. They， being commonly out of doors， heard whatever was in the wind. These are the coarsest mills， in which all gossip is first rudely digested or cracked up before it is emptied into finer and more delicate hoppers within doors.  I observed that the vitals of the village were the grocery， the bar-room， the post-office， and the bank； and， as a necessary part of the machinery， they kept a bell， a big gun， and a fire-engine， at convenient places； and the houses were so arranged as to make the most of mankind， in lanes and fronting one another， so that every traveller had to run the gauntlet， and every man， woman， and child might get a lick at him. Of course， those who were stationed nearest to the head of the line，where they could most see and be seen， and have the first blow at him， paid the highest prices for their places； and the few straggling inhabitants in the outskirts， where long gaps in the line began to occur， and the traveller could get over walls or turn aside into cow-paths， and so escape， paid a very slight ground or window tax.  Signs were hung out on all sides to allure him； some to catch him by the appetite， as the tavern and victualling cellar； some by the fancy， as the dry goods store and the jeweller's； and others by the hair or the feet or the skirts， as the barber， the shoemaker，or the tailor.  Besides， there was a still more terrible standing invitation to call at every one of these houses， and company expected about these times.  For the most part I escaped wonderfully from these dangers， either by proceeding at once boldly and without deliberation to the goal， as is recommended to those who run the gauntlet， or by keeping my thoughts on high things， like Orpheus，who， "loudly singing the praises of the gods to his lyre， drowned the voices of the Sirens， and kept out of danger."  Sometimes I bolted suddenly， and nobody could tell my whereabouts， for I did not stand much about gracefulness， and never hesitated at a gap in a fence.  I was even accustomed to make an irruption into some houses，where I was well entertained， and after learning the kernels and very last sieveful of news ―― what had subsided， the prospects of war and peace， and whether the world was likely to hold together much longer ―― I was let out through the rear avenues， and so escaped to the woods again.

　　It was very pleasant， when I stayed late in town， to launch myself into the night， especially if it was dark and tempestuous，and set sail from some bright village parlor or lecture room， with a bag of rye or Indian meal upon my shoulder， for my snug harbor in the woods， having made all tight without and withdrawn under hatches with a merry crew of thoughts， leaving only my outer man at the helm， or even tying up the helm when it was plain sailing.  I had many a genial thought by the cabin fire "as I sailed."  I was never cast away nor distressed in any weather， though I encountered some severe storms.  It is darker in the woods， even in common nights，than most suppose.  I frequently had to look up at the opening between the trees above the path in order to learn my route， and，where there was no cart-path， to feel with my feet the faint track which I had worn， or steer by the known relation of particular trees which I felt with my hands， passing between two pines for instance，not more than eighteen inches apart， in the midst of the woods，invariably， in the darkest night.  Sometimes， after coming home thus late in a dark and muggy night， when my feet felt the path which my eyes could not see， dreaming and absent-minded all the way， until I was aroused by having to raise my hand to lift the latch， I have not been able to recall a single step of my walk， and I have thought that perhaps my body would find its way home if its master should forsake it， as the hand finds its way to the mouth without assistance.  Several times， when a visitor chanced to stay into evening， and it proved a dark night， I was obliged to conduct him to the cart-path in the rear of the house， and then point out to him the direction he was to pursue， and in keeping which he was to be guided rather by his feet than his eyes.  One very dark night I directed thus on their way two young men who had been fishing in the pond.  They lived about a mile off through the woods， and were quite used to the route.  A day or two after one of them told me that they wandered about the greater part of the night， close by their own premises， and did not get home till toward morning， by which time，as there had been several heavy showers in the meanwhile， and the leaves were very wet， they were drenched to their skins.  I have heard of many going astray even in the village streets， when the darkness was so thick that you could cut it with a knife， as the saying is.  Some who live in the outskirts， having come to town a-shopping in their wagons， have been obliged to put up for the night； and gentlemen and ladies making a call have gone half a mile out of their way， feeling the sidewalk only with their feet， and not knowing when they turned.  It is a surprising and memorable， as well as valuable experience， to be lost in the woods any time.  Often in a snow-storm， even by day， one will come out upon a well-known road and yet find it impossible to tell which way leads to the village. Though he knows that he has travelled it a thousand times， he cannot recognize a feature in it， but it is as strange to him as if it were a road in Siberia.  By night， of course， the perplexity is infinitely greater.  In our most trivial walks， we are constantly，though unconsciously， steering like pilots by certain well-known beacons and headlands， and if we go beyond our usual course we still carry in our minds the bearing of some neighboring cape； and not till we are completely lost， or turned round ―― for a man needs only to be turned round once with his eyes shut in this world to be lost―― do we appreciate the vastness and strangeness of nature.  Every man has to learn the points of compass again as often as be awakes，whether from sleep or any abstraction.  Not till we are lost， in other words not till we have lost the world， do we begin to find ourselves， and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.

　　鋤地之后，上午也許讀讀書，寫寫字，我通常還要在湖水中再洗個澡，游泳經過一個小灣，這卻是最大限度了，從我身體上洗去了勞動的塵垢，或者除去了閱讀致成的最后一條皺紋，我在下午是很自由的。每天或隔天，我散步到村子里去，聽聽那些永無止境的閑話，或者是口口相傳的，或者是報紙上互相轉載的，如用順勢療法小劑量的接受它們，的確也很新鮮，猶如樹葉的瑟瑟有聲和青蛙的咯咯而嗚。正像我散步在森林中時，愛看鳥雀和松鼠一樣，我散步在村中，愛看一些男人和孩童；聽不到松濤和風聲了，我卻聽到了轔轔的車馬聲。從我的屋子向著一個方向望過去，河畔的草地上，有著一個麝鼠的聚居地；而在另一個地平線上，榆樹和懸鈴木底下，卻有一個滿是忙人的村子，使我發生了好奇之心，仿佛他們是大草原上的狗，不是坐在他們的獸穴的人口，便是奔到鄰家閑談去了。我時常到村子里去觀察他們的習慣。在我看來，村子像一個極大的新聞編輯室，在它的一邊支持它的，仿佛國務街上的里亭出版公司的情形，是他們出售干果，葡萄干，鹽，玉米粉，以及其他的食品雜貨。有些人，對于前一種的商品，即新聞，是胃口大，消化能力也一樣大的，他們能永遠一動不動地坐在街道上，聽那些新聞像地中海季風般沸騰著，私語著吹過他們，或者可以說，他們像吸入了一些只是產生局部麻醉作用的乙醚，因此意識還是清醒的，苦痛卻被麻痹了，――要不然有一些新聞，聽到了是要使人苦痛的。每當我倘徉經過那村子的時候，沒有一次不看到這些寶貝一排排坐在石階上曬太陽，身子微偏向前，他們的眼睛時不時地帶著淫欲的表情向這邊或那邊瞟一眼，要不然便是身子倚在一個谷倉上，兩手插在褲袋里，像女像柱在支撐著它似的。他們因為一般都在露天，鳳中吹過的什么都聽見了。這些是最粗的磨坊，凡有流長飛短的閑話都經他們第一道碾過，然后進入戶內，傾倒入更精細的漏斗中去。我觀察到村中最有生氣的是食品雜貨店，酒吧間，郵政局和銀行；此外像機器中少不了的零件，還有一只大鐘，一尊大炮，一輛救火車，都放在適當的地方；為了盡量利用人類的特點，房屋都面對面地排成巷子，任何旅行者都不得不受到夾道鞭打，男女老少都可以揍他一頓。

　　自然，有一些安置在最靠近巷子口上的人最先看到的，也最先被看到，是第一個動手揍他的，所以要付最高的房租了；而少數零零落落散居在村外的居民，在他們那兒開始有很長的間隙，旅行者可以越墻而過，或抄小路逃走掉的，他們自然只付很少一筆地租或窗稅。四面掛起了招牌，引誘著他，有的在胃口上把他抓住了，那便是酒店和食品店；有的抓住他的幻覺，如干貨店和珠寶店，有的抓住他的頭發，或他的腳或他的下擺，那些是理發店，鞋于店和成衣店。此外，還有一個更可怕的危險，老是要你挨戶逐屋地訪問，而且在這種場合里總有不少人。大體說來，這一切危險，我都能夠很巧妙地逃避過去，或者我立刻勇往直前，走向我的目的地，毫不猶豫，那些遭到夾道鞭打的人實在應該采取我的辦法，或者我一心一意地想著崇高的事物，像俄耳甫斯，“彈奏著七弦琴，高歌諸神之贊美詩，把妖女的歌聲壓過，因此沒有遭難。”有時候，我閃電似的溜走了，沒有人知道我在哪里，因為我不大在乎禮貌，籬笆上有了洞，我不覺得有猶豫的必要。

　　我甚至還習慣于闖進一些人的家里去，那里招待得我很好，就在聽取了最后一些精選的新聞之后，知道了剛平息下來的事情，戰爭與和平的前景，世界還能夠合作多久，我就從后面幾條路溜掉，又逸入我的森林中間了。

　　當我在城里待到了很晚的時候，才出發回入黑夜之中，這是很愉快的，特別在那些墨黑的、有風暴的夜晚，我從一個光亮的村屋或演講廳里開航，在肩上帶了一袋黑麥或印第安玉米粉，駛進林中我那安樂的港埠，外面的一切都牢靠了，帶著快樂的思想退到甲板下面，只留我的外表的人把著舵，但要是航道平靜，我索性用繩子把舵拴死了。當我航行的時候，烤著艙中的火爐，我得到了許多歡欣的思想。任何氣候，我都不會憂悒，都不感悲愴，雖然我遇到過幾個兇惡的風景。就是在平常的晚上，森林里也比你們想象的來得更黑。在最黑的夜晚，我常常只好看那樹葉空隙間的天空，一面走，一面這樣認路，走到一些沒有車道的地方，還只能用我的腳來探索我自己走出來的道路，有時我用手來摸出幾枝熟悉的樹，這樣才能辨向航行，譬如，從兩枝松樹中間穿過，它們中間的距離不過十八英寸，總是在森林中央。有時，在一個墨黑而潮濕的夜晚，很晚地回來，我的腳摸索著眼睛看不到的道路，我的心卻一路都心不在焉，像在做夢似的，突然我不得不伸手開門了，這才清醒過來，我簡直不記得我是怎么走過來的，我想也許我的身體，就在靈魂遺棄了它之后，也還是能夠找到它的歸途的，就好像手總可以摸到嘴，不需任何幫忙一樣。好幾次，當一個訪客一直待到夜深，而這一夜湊巧又是墨黑的時候，我可不能不從屋后送他到車道上去了。同時就把他要去的方向指點了給他，勸他不是靠他的眼睛，而是靠他的兩條腿摸索前進。有一個非常暗黑的晚上，我這樣給兩個到湖邊來釣魚的年輕人指點了他們的路。他們住在大約離森林一英里外的地方，還是熟門熟路的呢。

　　一兩天后，他們中的一個告訴我，他們在自己的住所附近兜來兜去兜了大半夜，直到黎明才回到了家，其間逢到了幾場大雨，樹葉都濕淋淋的，他們給淋得皮膚都濕了。我聽說村中有許多人在街上走走，都走得迷了路，那是在黑暗最濃厚的時候，正如老古話所說，黑得你可以用刀子一塊一塊把它割下來。有些人是住在郊外的，駕車到村里來辦貨，卻不得不留在村里過夜了；還有一些紳士淑女們，出門訪客，離開他們的路線不過半英里路，可憐只能用腳來摸索人行道，在什么時候拐彎都不曉得了。任何時候在森林里迷路，真是驚險而值得回憶的，是寶貴的經歷。在暴風雪中，哪怕是白天，走到一條走慣的路上了，也可以迷失方向，不知道哪里通往村子。雖然他知道他在這條路上走過一千次了，但是什么也不認得了，它就跟西伯利亞的一條路同樣地陌生了。如果在晚上，自然還要困難得多。在我們的日常散步中，我們經常地，雖然是不知不覺地，像領港的人一樣，依據著某某燈塔，或依據某某海角，向前行進，如果我們不在走慣的航線上，我們依然在腦中有著鄰近的一些海角的印象；除非我們完全迷了路，或者轉了一次身，在森林中你只要閉上眼睛，轉一次身，你就迷路了，――到那時候，我們才發現了大自然的浩瀚與奇異。不管是睡覺或其他心不在焉，每一個人都應該在清醒過來之后，經常看看羅盤上的方向。非到我們迷了路，換句話說，非到我們失去了這個世界之后，我們才開始發現我們自己，認識我們的處境，并且認識了我們的聯系之無窮的界限。

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