19-on the duty of civil disobedience-第4章

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stone　wall。　　I　could　not　but　smile　to　see　how　industriously　they

locked　the　door　on　my　meditations；　which　followed　them　out　again

without　let　or　hindrance；　and　they　were　really　all　that　was

dangerous。　　As　they　could　not　reach　me；　they　had　resolved　to　punish

my　body；　just　as　boys；　if　they　cannot　come　at　some　person　against

whom　they　have　a　spite；　will　abuse　his　dog。　　I　saw　that　the　State

was　half…witted；　that　it　was　timid　as　a　lone　woman　with　her　silver

spoons；　and　that　it　did　not　know　its　friends　from　its　foes；　and　I

lost　all　my　remaining　respect　for　it；　and　pitied　it。

　　　　Thus　the　State　never　intentionally　confronts　a　man's　sense；

intellectual　or　moral；　but　only　his　body；　his　senses。　　It　is　not

armed　with　superior　wit　or　honesty；　but　with　superior　physical

strength。　　I　was　not　born　to　be　forced。　　I　will　breathe　after　my　own

fashion。　　Let　us　see　who　is　the　strongest。　　What　force　has　a

multitude？　　They　only　can　force　me　who　obey　a　higher　law　than　I。

They　force　me　to　become　like　themselves。　　I　do　not　hear　of　men　being

forced　to　have　this　way　or　that　by　masses　of　men。　　What　sort　of　life

were　that　to　live？　　When　I　meet　a　government　which　says　to　me；　〃Your

money　or　your　life；〃　why　should　I　be　in　haste　to　give　it　my　money？

It　may　be　in　a　great　strait；　and　not　know　what　to　do：　I　cannot　help

that。　　It　must　help　itself；　do　as　I　do。　　It　is　not　worth　the　while

to　snivel　about　it。　　I　am　not　responsible　for　the　successful　working

of　the　machinery　of　society。　　I　am　not　the　son　of　the　engineer。　　I

perceive　that；　when　an　acorn　and　a　chestnut　fall　side　by　side；　the

one　does　not　remain　inert　to　make　way　for　the　other；　but　both　obey

their　own　laws；　and　spring　and　grow　and　flourish　as　best　they　can；

till　one；　perchance；　overshadows　and　destroys　the　other。　　If　a　plant

cannot　live　according　to　its　nature；　it　dies；　and　so　a　man。

　　　　The　night　in　prison　was　novel　and　interesting　enough。　　The

prisoners　in　their　shirt…sleeves　were　enjoying　a　chat　and　the

evening　air　in　the　doorway；　when　I　entered。　　But　the　jailer　said；

〃Come；　boys；　it　is　time　to　lock　up〃；　and　so　they　dispersed；　and　I

heard　the　sound　of　their　steps　returning　into　the　hollow　apartments。

My　room…mate　was　introduced　to　me　by　the　jailer　as　〃a　first…rate

fellow　and　a　clever　man。〃　　When　the　door　was　locked；　he　showed　me

where　to　hang　my　hat；　and　how　he　managed　matters　there。　　The　rooms

were　whitewashed　once　a　month；　and　this　one；　at　least；　was　the

whitest；　most　simply　furnished；　and　probably　the　neatest　apartment

in　the　town。　　He　naturally　wanted　to　know　where　I　came　from；　and

what　brought　me　there；　and；　when　I　had　told　him；　I　asked　him　in　my

turn　how　he　came　there；　presuming　him　to　be　an　honest　man；　of

course；　and；　as　the　world　goes；　I　believe　he　was。　　〃Why；〃　said　he；

〃they　accuse　me　of　burning　a　barn；　but　I　never　did　it。〃　　As　near　as

I　could　discover；　he　had　probably　gone　to　bed　in　a　barn　when　drunk；

and　smoked　his　pipe　there；　and　so　a　barn　was　burnt。　　He　had　the

reputation　of　being　a　clever　man；　had　been　there　some　three　months

waiting　for　his　trial　to　come　on；　and　would　have　to　wait　as　much

longer；　but　he　was　quite　domesticated　and　contented；　since　he　got

his　board　for　nothing；　and　thought　that　he　was　well　treated。

　　　　He　occupied　one　window；　and　I　the　other；　and　I　saw　that　if　one

stayed　there　long；　his　principal　business　would　be　to　look　out　the

window。　　I　had　soon　read　all　the　tracts　that　were　left　there；　and

examined　where　former　prisoners　had　broken　out；　and　where　a　grate

had　been　sawed　off；　and　heard　the　history　of　the　various　occupants

of　that　room；　for　I　found　that　even　here　there　was　a　history　and　a

gossip　which　never　circulated　beyond　the　walls　of　the　jail。

Probably　this　is　the　only　house　in　the　town　where　verses　are

composed；　which　are　afterward　printed　in　a　circular　form；　but　not

published。　　I　was　shown　quite　a　long　list　of　verses　which　were

composed　by　some　young　men　who　had　been　detected　in　an　attempt　to

escape；　who　avenged　themselves　by　singing　them。

　　　　I　pumped　my　fellow…prisoner　as　dry　as　I　could；　for　fear　I　should

never　see　him　again；　but　at　length　he　showed　me　which　was　my　bed；

and　left　me　to　blow　out　the　lamp。

　　　　It　was　like　travelling　into　a　far　country；　such　as　I　had　never

expected　to　behold；　to　lie　there　for　one　night。　　It　seemed　to　me

that　I　never　had　heard　the　town…clock　strike　before；　nor　the　evening

sounds　of　the　village；　for　we　slept　with　the　windows　open；　which

were　inside　the　grating。　　It　was　to　see　my　native　village　in　the

light　of　the　Middle　Ages；　and　our　Concord　was　turned　into　a　Rhine

stream；　and　visions　of　knights　and　castles　passed　before　me。　　They

were　the　voices　of　old　burghers　that　I　heard　in　the　streets。　　I　was

an　involuntary　spectator　and　auditor　of　whatever　was　done　and　said

in　the　kitchen　of　the　adjacent　village…inn　　a　wholly　new　and　rare

experience　to　me。　　It　was　a　closer　view　of　my　native　town。　　I　was

fairly　inside　of　it。　　I　never　had　seen　its　institutions　before。

This　is　one　of　its　peculiar　institutions；　for　it　is　a　shire　town。　　I

began　to　comprehend　what　its　inhabitants　were　about。

　　　　In　the　morning；　our　breakfasts　were　put　through　the　hole　in　the

door；　in　small　oblong…square　tin　pans；　made　to　fit；　and　holding　a

pint　of　chocolate；　with　brown　bread；　and　an　iron　spoon。　　When　they

called　for　the　vessels　again；　I　was　green　enough　to　return　what

bread　I　had　left；　but　my　comrade　seized　it；　and　said　that　I　should

lay　that　up　for　lunch　or　dinner。　　Soon　after　he　was　let　out　to　work

at　haying　in　a　neighboring　field；　whither　he　went　every　day；　and

would　not　be　back　till　noon；　so　he　bade　me　good…day；　saying　that　he

doubted　if　he　should　see　me　again。

　　　　When　I　came　out　of　prison　　for　some　one　interfered；　and　paid

that　tax　　I　did　not　perceive　that　great　changes　had　taken　place　on

the　common；　such　as　he　observed　who　went　in　a　youth　and　emerged　a

tottering　and　gray…headed　man；　and　yet　a　change　had　to　my　eyes　come

over　the　scene　　the　town；　and　State；　and　country　　greater　than

any　that　mere　time　could　effect。　　I　saw　yet　more　distinctly　the

State　in　which　I　lived。　　I　saw　to　what　extent　the　people　among　whom

I　lived　could　be　trusted　as　good　neighbors　and　friends；　that　their

friendship　was　for　summer　weather　only；　that　they　did　not　greatly

propose　to　do　right；　that　they　were　a　distinct　race　from　me　by　their

prejudices　and　superstitions；　as　the　Chinamen　and　Malays　are；　that

in　their　sacrifices　to　humanity；　they　ran　no　risks；　not　even　to

their　property；　that　after　all　they　were　not　so　noble　but　they

treated　the　thief　as　he　had　treated　them；　and　hoped；　by　a　certain

outward　observance　and　a　few　prayers；　and　by　walking　in　a　particular

straight　though　useless　path　from　time　to　time；　to　save　their　souls。

This　may　be　to　judge　my　neighbors　harshly；　for　I　believe　that　many

of　them　are　not　aware　that　they　have　such　an　institution　as　the　jail

in　their　village。

　　　　It　was　formerly　the　custom　in　our　village；　when　a　poor　debtor

came　out　of　jail；　for　his　acquaintances　to　salute　him；　looking

through　their　fingers；　which　were　crossed　to　represent　the　grating

of　a　jail　window；　〃How　do　ye　do？〃　　My　neighbors　did　not　thus　salute

me；　but　first　looked　at　me；　and　then　at　one　another；　as　if　I　had

returned　from　a　long　journey。　　I　was　put　into　jail　as　I　was　going　to

the　shoemaker's　to　get　a　shoe　which　was　mended。　　When　I　was　let　out

the　next　morning；　I　proceeded　to　finish　my　errand；　and；　having　put

on　my　mended　shoe；　joined　a　huckleberry　party；　who　were　impatient　to

put　themselves　under　my　conduct；　and　in　half　an　hour　　for　the

horse　was　soon　tackled　　was　in　the　midst　of　a　huckleberry　field；

on　one　of　our　highest　hills；　two　miles　off；　and　then　the　State　was

nowhere　to　be　seen。

　　　　This　is　the　whole　history　of　〃My　Prisons。〃

　　　　I　have　never　declined　paying　the　highway　tax；　because　I　am　as

desirous　of　being　a　good　neighbor　as　I　am　of　being　a　bad　subject；

and　as　for　supporting　schools；　I　am　doing　my　part　to　educate　my

fellow…countrymen　now。　　It　is　for　no　particular　item　in　the　tax…bill

that　I　refuse　to　pay　it。　　I　simply　wish　to　refuse　allegiance　to　the

State；　to　withdraw　and　stand　aloof　from　it　effectually。　　I　do　not

care　to　trace　the　course　of　my　dollar；　if　I　could；　till　it　buys　a

man　or　a　musket　to　shoot　one　with　　the　dollar　is　innocent　　but　I

am　concerned　to　trace　the　effects　of　my　allegiance。　　In　fact；　I

quietly　declare　war　with　the　State；　after　my　fashion；　though　I　will

still　make　what　use　and　get　what　advantage　of　her　I　can；　as　is　usual

in　such　cases。

　　　　If　others　pay　the　tax　which　is　demanded　of　me；　from　a　sympathy

with　the　State；　they　do　but　what　they　have　already　done　in　their　own

case；　or　rather　they　abet　injustice　to　a　greater　extent　than　the

State　requires。　　If　they　pay　the　tax　from　a　mistaken　interest　in　the

individual　taxed；　to　save　his　property；　or　prevent　his　going　to

jail；　it　is　because　they　have　not　considered　wisely　how　far　they　let

their　private　feelings　interfere　with　the　public　good。

　　　　This；　then；　is　my　position　at　present。　　But　one　cannot　be　too

much　on　his　guard　in　such　a　case；　lest　his　action　be　biased　by

obstinacy　or　an　undue　regard　for　the　opinions　of　men。　　Let　him　see

that　he　does　only　what　belongs　to　himself　and　to　the　hour。

　　　　I　think　sometimes；　Why；　this　people　mean　well；　they　are　only

ignorant；　they　would　do　better　if　they　knew　how：　why　give　your

neighbors　this　pain　to　treat　you　as　they　are　not　inclined　to？　　But　I

think；　again；　This　is　no　reason　why　I　should　do　as　they　do；　or

permit　others　to　suffer　much　greater　pain　of　a　different　kind。

Again；　I　sometimes　say　to　myself；　When　many　millions　of　men；　without

heat；　without　ill…will；　without　personal　feeling　of　any　kind；　demand

of　you　a　few　shillings　only；　without　the　possibility；　such　is　their

constitution；　of　retracting　or　altering　their　present　demand；　and

without　the　possibility；　on　your　side；　of　appeal　to　any　other

millions；　why　expose　yourself　to　this　overwhelming　brute　force？　　You

do　not　resist　cold　and　hunger；　the　winds　and　the　waves；　thus

obstinately；　you　quietly　submit　to　a　thousand　similar　necessities。

You　do　not　put　your　head　into　the　fire。　　But　just　in　proportion　as　I

regard　this　as　not　wholly　a　brute　force；　but　partly　a　human　force；

and　consider　that　I　have　relations　to　those　millions　as　to　so　many

millions　of　men；　and　not　of　mere　brute　or　inanimate　things；　I　see

that　appeal　is　possible；　first　and　instantaneously；　from　them　to　the

Maker　of　them；　and；　secondly；　from　them　to　themselves。　　But；　if　I

put　my　head　deliberately　into　the　fire；　there　is　no　appeal　to　fire

or　to　the　Maker　of　fire；　and　I　have　only　myself　to　blame。　　If　I

could　convince　myself　that　I　have　any　right　to　be　satisfied　with　men

as　they　are；　and　to　treat　them　accordingly；　and　not　according；　in

some　respects；　to　my　requisitions　and　expectations　of　what　they　and

I　ought　to　be；　then；　like　a　good　Mussulman　and　fatalist；　I　should

endeavor　to　be　satisfied　with　thi