《瓦尔登湖·第一章·经济篇·Economy》第14节
For a long time I was reporter to a journal, of no very wide circulation, whose editor has never yet seen fit to print the bulk of my contributions, and, as is too common with writers, I got only my labor for my pains. However, in this case my pains were their own reward. For many years I was self-appointed inspector of snow storms and rain storms, and did my duty faithfully; surveyor, if not of highways, then of forest paths and all across-lot routes, keeping them open, and ravines bridged and passable at all seasons, where the public heel had testified to their utility. I have looked after the wild stock of the town, which give a faithful herdsman a good deal of trouble by leaping fences; and I have had an eye to the unfrequented nooks and corners of the farm; though I did not always know whether Jonas or Solomon worked in a particular field to-day; that was none of my business. I have watered the red huckleberry, the sand cherry and the nettle tree, the red pine and the black ash, the white grape and the yellow violet, which might have withered else in dry seasons. In short, I went on thus for a long time, I may say it without boasting, faithfully minding my business, till it became more and more evident that my townsmen would not after all admit me into the list of town officers, nor make my place a sinecure with a moderate allowance. My accounts, which I can swear to have kept faithfully, I have, indeed, never got audited, still less accepted, still less paid and settled. However, I have not set my heart on that.
注释摘要
梭罗在这一段里玩了一个绵长的自嘲游戏。他把自己在林中和镇上的漫游，重新描述成一份份没有人雇他去做的工作——给一家根本发行不了的刊物当记者，当暴风雪和雷雨的视察员，当森林小径而非公路的测量员，当野生浆果和乔木的浇水人。这些职务全是自封的，没有任何薪水，也不可能得到镇公所的承认。他故意使用账本式的口吻，说自己的账目从未被审计，更不用说被接受、被付清，紧接着又轻…