Walden [?w?ld?n] (Issue 193) 16. The Pond in Winter(1) AFTER A STILL winter night I awoke with the impression that some question had been put to me, which I had been endeavoring in vain to answer in my sleep, as what - how - when - where? But there was dawning Nature, in whom all creatures live, looking in at my broad windows with serene[s??ri?n] and satisfied face, and no question on her lips. I awoke to an answered question, to Nature and daylight. The snow lying[?la???] deep on the earth dotted with young pines, and the very slope of the hill on which my house is placed, seemed to say, Forward! Nature puts no question and answers none which we mortals ask. She has long ago taken her resolution. "O Prince, our eyes contemplate with admiration and transmit[tr?nz?m?t] to the soul the wonderful and varied spectacle of this universe. The night veils without doubt a part of this glorious creation; but day comes to reveal to us this great work, which extends from earth even into the plains of the ether[?i?θ?]." [2] Then to my morning work. First I take an axe and pail and go in search of water, if that be not a dream. After a cold and snowy night it needed a divining-rod to find it. Every winter the liquid and trembling surface of the pond, which was so sensitive to every breath, and reflected every light and shadow, becomes solid to the depth of a foot or a foot and a half, so that it will support the heaviest teams, and perchance the snow covers it to an equal depth, and it is not to be distinguished from any level field. Like the marmots[?ma?m?ts]旱獺 in the surrounding hills, it closes its eyelids and becomes dormant[?d??m?nt] for three months or more. Standing on the snow-covered plain, as if in a pasture amid the hills, I cut my way first through a foot of snow, and then a foot of ice, and open a window under my feet, where, kneeling to drink, I look down into the quiet parlor of the fishes, pervaded[p??ve?did] by a softened light as through a window of ground glass, with its bright sanded floor the same as in summer; there a perennial waveless serenity reigns as in the amber twilight sky, corresponding to the cool and even temperament of the inhabitants. Heaven is under our feet is well as over our heads. 經(jīng)過(guò)了一個(gè)寂靜的冬夜我醒來(lái)，明顯感到有某個(gè)問(wèn)題對(duì)我提出，在睡夢(mèng)里我徒然尋找答案，比如“是什么——如何——什么時(shí)候——在哪里？” 但是這里有正在破曉的大自然，所有的生靈活在其中，頂著凝重和滿足的臉從我大敞的窗戶往里望，在她的嘴唇上沒(méi)有問(wèn)題。我醒來(lái)面對(duì)大自然和白晝，面對(duì)一個(gè)已經(jīng)回答了的問(wèn)題。大雪深埋的大地點(diǎn)綴著年輕的松樹(shù)，就在我房子坐落的山坡，仿佛在說(shuō)，向上！大自然不會(huì)提問(wèn)，也不會(huì)回答我們?nèi)祟惖膯?wèn)題。她好早以前就下定決心。“哦，王子，我們的眼睛欽佩地凝視，并把這宇宙奇妙和形形色色的景觀傳遞入我們的靈魂。那夜晚無(wú)疑對(duì)我們遮蓋了這輝煌創(chuàng)造的一部分；但是白晝到來(lái)為我們揭示了這偉大的工作，它甚至從大地?cái)U(kuò)展進(jìn)入了蒼天的平原?！薄驹ⅲ阂杂《仁吩?shī)《摩訶婆羅多》的附錄，梭羅熟悉一個(gè)法文譯本?！? 接下來(lái)就是我早晨的工作。首先我?guī)Я税迅犹崃酥凰叭フ宜?，如果那不是?mèng)，經(jīng)過(guò)了一個(gè)寒冷落雪的晚上需要一根探測(cè)杖才能發(fā)現(xiàn)它。那湖的液體和顫動(dòng)的水面對(duì)于每一種呼吸是那樣敏感，反射著光與影，每年冬天的現(xiàn)在，會(huì)變得凝固成一或一英尺半深，那就能撐得起最沉的馬車；偶爾雪也會(huì)蓋上同樣的厚度，那它就與任何平疇莫辨，像那群山中的旱獺，它合上眼瞼就進(jìn)入三或更多個(gè)月的休眠。站在白雪覆蓋的平原，就如同身置于群山環(huán)繞的草場(chǎng)，我先在一英尺的雪中開(kāi)出我的道路，接著是一英尺的冰，在我的腳下開(kāi)一扇窗戶，在那里，跪下喝。我望進(jìn)了魚們靜靜的客廳，彌漫了一片柔光就如同透過(guò)一扇帶毛玻璃的窗戶，那里閃亮的沙床還和夏天一樣；那里多年生植物以無(wú)波的寧?kù)o統(tǒng)治著，就如同置身于琥珀[pò]色黃昏的天穹，回應(yīng)那冷冷甚至動(dòng)靜適度的居民。天堂就在我們腳下，恰如同在我們頭頂。