aboutnineo’clock,Iwasstartledbytheloudhonkingofagoose,and,steppingtothedoor,heardthesoundoftheirwingslikeatempestinthewoodsastheyflewlowovermyhouse.TheypassedoverthepondtowardFairHaven,seeminglydeterredfromsettlingbymylight,theircommodorehonkingallthewhilewitharegularbeat.Suddenlyanunmistakablecat-owlfromverynearme,withthemostharshandtremendousvoiceIeverheardfromanyinhabitantofthewoods,respondedatregularintervalstothegoose,asifdeterminedtoexposeanddisgracethisintruderfromHudson’sBaybyexhibitingagreatercompassandvolumeofvoiceinanative,andboo-hoohimoutofConcordhorizon.Whatdoyoumeanbyalarmingthecitadelatthistimeofnightconsecratedtome?DoyouthinkIamevercaughtnappingatsuchanhour,andthatIhavenotgotlungsandalarynxaswellasyourself?Boo-hoo,boo-hoo,boo-hoo!ItwasoneofthemostthrillingdiscordsIeverheard.Andyet,ifyouhadadiscriminatingear,therewereinittheelementsofaconcordsuchastheseplainsneversawnorheard.
Ialsoheardthewhoopingoftheiceinthepond,mygreatbed-fellowinthatpartofConcord,asifitwererestlessinitsbedandwouldfainturnover,weretroubledwithflatulencyandhaddreamsorIwaswakedbythecrackingofthegroundbythefrost,asifsomeonehaddrivenateamagainstmydoor,andinthemorningwouldfindacrackintheearthaquarterofamilelongandathirdofaninchwide.
SometimesIheardthefoxesastheyrangedoverthesnowcrust,inmoonlightnights,insearchofapartridgeorothergame,barkingraggedlyanddemoniacallylikeforestdogs,asiflaboringwithsomeanxiety,orseekingexpression,strugglingforlightandtobedogsoutrightandrunfreelyinthestreetsforifwetaketheagesintoouraccount,maytherenotbeacivilizationgoingonamongbrutesaswellasmen?Theyseemedtometoberudimental,burrowingmen,stillstandingontheirdefence,awaitingtheirtransformation.Sometimesonecameneartomywindow,attractedbymylight,barkedavulpinecurseatme,andthenretreated.
Usually