introductory-第13部分

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safely　on　his　shoulders；　had　brought　himself　to　the　comfortable

conclusion　that　everything　was　for　the　best；　and；　making　an　investment

in　ink；　paper；　and　steel…pens；　had　opened　his　long…disused

writing…desk；　and　was　again　a　literary　man。

　　Now　it　was　that　the　lucubrations　of　my　ancient　predecessor；　Mr。

Surveyor　Pue；　came　into　play。　Rusty　through　long　idleness；　some　little

space　was　requisite　before　my　intellectual　machinery　could　be

brought　to　work　upon　the　tale；　with　an　effect　in　any　degree

satisfactory。　Even　yet；　though　my　thoughts　were　ultimately　much

absorbed　in　the　task；　it　wears；　to　my　eye；　a　stern　and　sombre

aspect；　too　much　ungladdened　by　genial　sunshine；　too　little　relieved

by　the　tender　and　familiar　influences　which　soften　almost　every

scene　of　nature　and　real　life；　and；　undoubtedly；　should　soften　every

picture　of　them。　This　uncaptivating　effect　is　perhaps　due　to　the

period　of　hardly　accomplished　revolution；　and　still　seething

turmoil；　in　which　the　story　shaped　itself。　It　is　no　indication；

however；　of　a　lack　of　cheerfulness　in　the　writer's　mind；　for　he　was

happier；　while　straying　through　the　gloom　of　these　sunless

fantasies；　than　at　any　time　since　he　had　quitted　the　Old　Manse。　Some

of　the　briefer　articles；　which　contribute　to　make　up　the　volume；

have　likewise　been　written　since　my　involuntary　withdrawal　from　the

toils　and　honours　of　public　life；　and　the　remainder　are　gleaned　from

annuals　and　magazines；　of　such　antique　date　that　they　have　gone

round　the　circle；　and　come　back　to　novelty　again。　Keeping　up　the

metaphor　of　the　political　guillotine；　the　whole　may　be　considered　as

the　POSTHUMOUS　PAPERS　OF　A　DECAPITATED　SURVEYOR；　and　the　sketch

which　I　am　now　bringing　to　a　close；　if　too　autobiographical　for　a

modest　person　to　publish　in　his　life…time；　will　readily　be　excused

in　a　gentleman　who　writes　from　beyond　the　grave。　Peace　be　with　all　the

world！　My　blessing　on　my　friends！　My　forgiveness　to　my　enemies！　For

I　am　in　the　realm　of　quiet！

　　The　life　of　the　Custom…House　lies　like　a　dream　behind　me。　The　old

Inspector…　who；　by…the…bye；　I　regret　to　say；　was　overthrown　and　killed

by　a　horse；　some　time　ago；　else　he　would　certainly　have　lived　forever…

he；　and　all　those　other　venerable　personages　who　sat　with　him　at　the

receipt　of　custom；　are　but　shadows　in　my　view；　white…headed　and

wrinkled　images；　which　my　fancy　used　to　sport　with；　and　has　now

flung　aside　forever。　The　merchants…　Pingree；　Phillips；　Shepard；　Upton；

Kimball；　Bertram；　Hunt…　these；　and　many　other　names；　which　had　such

a　classic　familiarity　for　my　ear　six　months　ago…　these　men　of　traffic；

who　seemed　to　occupy　so　important　a　position　in　the　world…　how

little　time　has　it　required　to　disconnect　me　from　them　all；　not　merely

in　act；　but　recollection！　It　is　with　an　effort　that　I　recall　the

figures　and　appellations　of　these　few。　Soon；　likewise；　my　old　native

town　will　loom　upon　me　through　the　haze　of　memory；　a　mist　brooding

over　and　around　it；　as　if　it　were　no　portion　of　the　real　earth；　but　an

overgrown　village　in　cloudland；　with　only　imaginary　inhabitants　to

people　its　wooden　houses；　and　walk　its　homely　lanes；　and　the

unpicturesque　prolixity　of　its　main　street。　Henceforth；　it　ceases　to

be　a　reality　of　my　life；　I　am　a　citizen　of　somewhere　else。　My　good

townspeople　will　not　much　regret　me；　for…　though　it　has　been　as　dear

an　object　as　any；　in　my　literary　efforts；　to　be　of　some　importance

in　their　eyes；　and　to　win　myself　a　pleasant　memory　in　this　abode　and

burial…place　of　so　many　of　my　forefathers…　there　has　never　been；　for

me；　the　general　atmosphere　which　a　literary　man　requires；　in　order

to　ripen　the　best　harvest　of　his　mind。　I　shall　do　better　amongst　other

faces；　and　these　familiar　ones；　it　need　hardly　be　said；　will　do　just

as　well　without　me。

　　It　may　be；　however…　oh；　transporting　and　triumphant　thought！…　that

the　great…grandchildren　of　the　present　race　may　sometimes　think　kindly

of　the　scribbler　of　bygone　days；　when　the　antiquary　of　days　to　come；

among　the　sites　memorable　in　the　town's　history；　shall　point　out　the

locality　of　THE　TOWN　PUMP！