SometimesIhadacompanioninmyfishing,whocamethroughthevillagetomyhousefromtheothersideofthetown,andthecatchingofthedinnerwasasmuchasocialexerciseastheeatingofit.
Hermit.Iwonderwhattheworldisdoingnow.Ihavenotheardsomuchasalocustoverthesweet-fernthesethreehours.Thepigeonsareallasleepupontheirroosts,—noflutterfromthem.Wasthatafarmer’snoonhornwhichsoundedfrombeyondthewoodsjustnow?ThehandsarecomingintoboiledsaltbeefandciderandIndianbread.Whywillmenworrythemselvesso?Hethatdoesnoteatneednotwork.Iwonderhowmuchtheyhavereaped.WhowouldlivetherewhereabodycanneverthinkforthebarkingofBose?AndO,thehousekeeping!tokeepbrightthedevil’sdoor-knobs,andscourhistubsthisbrightday!Betternotkeepahouse.Say,somehollowtreeandthenformorningcallsanddinner-parties!Onlyawoodpeckertapping.O,theyswarmthesunistoowarmtheretheyareborntoofarintolifeforme.Ihavewaterfromthespring,andaloafofbrownbreadontheshelf.—Hark!Iheararustlingoftheleaves.Isitsomeill-fedvillagehoundyieldingtotheinstinctofthechase?orthelostpigwhichissaidtobeinthesewoods,whosetracksIsawaftertherain?Itcomesonapacemysumachsandsweet-brierstremble.—Eh,Mr.Poet,isityou?Howdoyouliketheworldto-day?
Poet.Seethosecloudshowtheyhang!That’sthegreatestthingIhaveseento-day.There’snothinglikeitinoldpaintings,nothinglikeitinforeignlands,—unlesswhenwewereoffthecoastofSpain.That’satrueMediterraneansky.Ithought,asIhavemylivingtoget,andhavenoteatento-day,thatImightgoa-fishing.That’sthetrueindustryforpoets.ItistheonlytradeIhavelearned.Come,let’salong.
Hermit.Icannotresist.Mybrownbreadwillsoonbegone.Iwillgowithyougladlysoon,butIamjustconcludingaseriousmeditation.IthinkthatIamneartheendofit.Leavemealone,then,forawhile.Butthatwemaynotbedelayed,youshallbediggingthebaitmeanwhile.Angle-wormsarerarelytobemetwithintheseparts,wherethesoilwasneverfattenedwithmanuretheraceisnearlyextinct.Thesportofdiggingthebaitisnearlyequaltothatofcatchingthefish,whenone’sappetiteisnottookeenandthisyoumayhavealltoyourselfto-day.Iwouldadviseyoutosetinthespadedownyonderamongtheground-nuts,whereyouseethejohnswortwaving.IthinkthatImaywarrantyouonewormtoeveryt