下载辰思小说免费APP
Fartherinthewoodsthananyofthese，wheretheroadapproachesnearesttothepond，Wymanthepottersquatted，andfurnishedhistownsmenwithearthenware，andleftdescendantstosucceedhim。Neitherweretheyrichinworldlygoods，holdingthelandbysufferancewhiletheylived；andthereoftenthesheriffcameinvaintocollectthetaxes，and“attachedachip，“forform’ssake，asIhavereadinhisaccounts，therebeingnothingelsethathecouldlayhishandson。Onedayinmidsummer，whenIwashoeing，amanwhowascarryingaloadofpotterytomarketstoppedhishorseagainstmyfieldandinquiredconcerningWymantheyounger。Hehadlongagoboughtapotter’swheelofhim，andwishedtoknowwhathadbecomeofhim。Ihadreadofthepotter’sclayandwheelinScripture，butithadneveroccurredtomethatthepotsweusewerenotsuchashadcomedownunbrokenfromthosedays，orgrownontreeslikegourdssomewhere，andIwaspleasedtohearthatsofictileanartwaseverpracticedinmyneighborhood。
ThelastinhabitantofthesewoodsbeforemewasanIrishman，HughQuoil(ifIhavespelthisnamewithcoilenough)，whooccupiedWyman’stenement——Col。Quoil，hewascalled。RumorsaidthathehadbeenasoldieratWaterloo。IfhehadlivedIshouldhavemadehimfighthisbattlesoveragain。Histradeherewasthatofaditcher。NapoleonwenttoSt。Helena；QuoilcametoWaldenWoods。
AllIknowofhimistragic。Hewasamanofmanners，likeonewhohadseentheworld，andwascapableofmorecivilspeechthanyoucouldwellattendto。Heworeagreatcoatinmidsummer，beingaffectedwiththetremblingdelirium，andhisfacewasthecolorofcarmine。HediedintheroadatthefootofBrister’sHillshortlyafterIcametothewoods，sothatIhavenotrememberedhimasaneighbor。Beforehishousewaspulleddown，whenhiscomradesavoideditas“anunluckycastle，“Ivisitedit。Therelayhisoldclothescurledupbyuse，asiftheywerehimself，uponhisraisedplankbed。Hispipelaybrokenonthehearth，insteadofabowlbrokenatthefountain。Thelastcouldneverhavebeenthesymbolofhisdeath，forheconfessedtomethat，thoughhehadheardofBrister’sSpring，hehadneverseenit；andsoiledcards，kingsofdiamonds，spades，andhearts，werescatteredoverthefloor。Oneblackchickenwhichtheadministratorcouldnotcatch，blackasnightandassilent，notevencroaking，awaitingReynard，stillwenttoroostinthenextapartment。Inthereartherewasthedimoutlineofagarden，whichhadbeenplantedbuthadneverreceiveditsfirsthoeing，owingtothoseterribleshakingfits，thoughitwasnowharvesttime。ItwasoverrunwithRomanwormwoodandbeggar-ticks，whichlaststucktomyclothesforallfruit。Theskinofawoodchuckwasfreshlystretcheduponthebackofthehouse，atrophyofhislastWaterloo；butnowarmcapormittenswouldhewantmore。
Nowonlyadentintheearthmarksthesiteofthesedwellings，withburiedcellarstones，andstrawberries，raspberries，thimble-berries，hazel-bushes，andsumachsgrowinginthesunnyswardthere；somepitchpineorgnarledoakoccupieswhatwasthechimneynook，andasweet-scentedblackbirch，perhaps，waveswherethedoor-stonewas。Sometimesthewelldentisvisible，whereonceaspringoozed；nowdryandtearlessgrass；oritwascovereddeep——nottobediscoveredtillsomelateday——withaflatstoneunderthesod，whenthelastoftheracedeparted。Whatasorrowfulactmustthatbe——thecoveringupofwells！coincidentwiththeopeningofwellsoftears。Thesecellardents，likedesertedfoxburrows，oldholes，areallthatisleftwhereoncewerethestirandbustleofhumanlife，and“fate，freewill，foreknowledgeabsolute，“insomeformanddialectorotherwerebyturnsdiscussed。ButallIcanlearnoftheirconclusionsamountstojustthis，that“CatoandBristerpulledwool“；whichisaboutasedifyingasthehistoryofmorefamousschoolsofphilosophy。
Stillgrowsthevivaciouslilacagenerationafterthedoorandlintelandthesillaregone，unfoldingitssweet-scentedflowerseachspring，tobepluckedbythemusingtraveller；plantedandtendedoncebychildren’shands，infront-yardplots——nowstandingbywallsidesinretiredpastures，andgivingplacetonew-risingforests；——thelastofthatstirp，solesurvivorofthatfamily。
Littledidtheduskychildrenthinkthatthepunyslipwithitstwoeyesonly，whichtheystuc
