.Itoofeltaslumberousinfluenceafterwatchinghimhalfanhour,ashesatthuswithhiseyeshalfopen,likeacat,wingedbrotherofthecat.Therewasonlyanarrowslitleftbetweentheirlids,bywhichhepreservedapeninsularrelationtomethus,withhalf-shuteyes,lookingoutfromthelandofdreams,andendeavoringtorealizeme,vagueobjectormotethatinterruptedhisvisions.Atlength,onsomeloudernoiseormynearerapproach,hewouldgrowuneasyandsluggishlyturnaboutonhisperch,asifimpatientathavinghisdreamsdisturbedandwhenhelaunchedhimselfoffandflappedthroughthepines,spreadinghiswingstounexpectedbreadth,Icouldnotheartheslightestsoundfromthem.Thus,guidedamidthepineboughsratherbyadelicatesenseoftheirneighborhoodthanbysight,feelinghistwilightwayasitwerewithhissensitivepinions,hefoundanewperch,wherehemightinpeaceawaitthedawningofhisday.
AsIwalkedoverthelongcausewaymadefortherailroadthroughthemeadows,Iencounteredmanyablusteringandnippingwind,fornowherehasitfreerplayandwhenthefrosthadsmittenmeononecheek,heathenasIwas,Iturnedtoittheotheralso.NorwasitmuchbetterbythecarriageroadfromBrister’sHill.ForIcametotownstill,likeafriendlyIndian,whenthecontentsofthebroadopenfieldswereallpiledupbetweenthewallsoftheWaldenroad,andhalfanhoursufficedtoobliteratethetracksofthelasttraveller.AndwhenIreturnednewdriftswouldhaveformed,throughwhichIfloundered,wherethebusynorth-westwindhadbeendepositingthepowderysnowroundasharpangleintheroad,andnotarabbit’strack,noreventhefineprint,thesmalltype,ofameadowmousewastobeseen.YetIrarelyfailedtofind,eveninmid-winter,somewarmandspringlyswampwherethegrassandtheskunk-cabbagestillputforthwithperennialverdure,andsomehardierbirdoccasionallyawaitedthereturnofspring.
Sometimes,notwithstandingthesnow,whenIreturnedfrommywalkateveningIcrossedthedeeptracksofawoodchopperleadingfrommydoor,andfoundhispileofwhittlingsonthehearth,andmyhousefilledwiththeodorofhispipe.OronaSundayafternoon,ifIchancedtobeathome,Iheardthecronchingofthesnowmadebythestepofalong-headedfarmer,whofromfarthroughthewoodssoughtmyhouse,tohaveasocial“crack”oneofthefewofhisvocationwhoare“menontheirfarms”whodonnedafrockinsteadofaprofessor’sgown,andisasreadytoextractthemoraloutofchurchorstateas