The Village
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小
中
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chlonger,Iwasletoutthroughtherearavenues,andsoescapedtothewoodsagain.
Itwasverypleasant,whenIstayedlateintown,tolaunchmyselfintothenight,especiallyifitwasdarkandtempestuous,andsetsailfromsomebrightvillageparlororlectureroom,withabagofryeorIndianmealuponmyshoulder,formysnugharborinthewoods,havingmadealltightwithoutandwithdrawnunderhatcheswithamerrycrewofthoughts,leavingonlymyoutermanatthehelm,oreventyingupthehelmwhenitwasplainsailing.Ihadmanyagenialthoughtbythecabinfire“asIsailed.”Iwasnevercastawaynordistressedinanyweather,thoughIencounteredsomeseverestorms.Itisdarkerinthewoods,evenincommonnights,thanmostsuppose.Ifrequentlyhadtolookupattheopeningbetweenthetreesabovethepathinordertolearnmyroute,and,wheretherewasnocart-path,tofeelwithmyfeetthefainttrackwhichIhadworn,orsteerbytheknownrelationofparticulartreeswhichIfeltwithmyhands,passingbetweentwopinesforinstance,notmorethaneighteeninchesapart,inthemidstofthewoods,invariably,inthedarkestnight.Sometimes,aftercominghomethuslateinadarkandmuggynight,whenmyfeetfeltthepathwhichmyeyescouldnotsee,dreamingandabsent-mindedalltheway,untilIwasarousedbyhavingtoraisemyhandtoliftthelatch,Ihavenotbeenabletorecallasinglestepofmywalk,andIhavethoughtthatperhapsmybodywouldfinditswayhomeifitsmastershouldforsakeit,asthehandfindsitswaytothemouthwithoutassistance.Severaltimes,whenavisitorchancedtostayintoevening,anditprovedadarknight,Iwasobligedtoconducthimtothecart-pathintherearofthehouse,andthenpointouttohimthedirectionhewastopursue,andinkeepingwhichhewastobeguidedratherbyhisfeetthanhiseyes.OneverydarknightIdirectedthusontheirwaytwoyoungmenwhohadbeenfishinginthepond.Theylivedaboutamileoffthroughthewoods,andwerequiteusedtotheroute.Adayortwoafteroneofthemtoldmethattheywanderedaboutthegreaterpartofthenight,closeby