《瓦尔登湖·第一章·经济篇·Economy》第42节
Before winter I built a chimney, and shingled the sides of my house, which were already impervious to rain, with imperfect and sappy shingles made of the first slice of the log, whose edges I was obliged to straighten with a plane. I have thus a tight shingled and plastered house, ten feet wide by fifteen long, and eight-feet posts, with a garret and a closet, a large window on each side, two trap doors, one door at the end, and a brick fireplace opposite. The exact cost of my house, paying the usual price for such materials as I used, but not counting the work, all of which was done by myself, was as follows; and I give the details because very few are able to tell exactly what their houses cost, and fewer still, if any, the separate cost of the various materials which compose them:— Boards.......................... $ 8.03½, mostly shanty boards. | Refuse shingles for roof sides,.. 4.00 | Laths,........................... 1.25 | Two second-hand windows | with glass,................... 2.43 | One thousand old brick,.......... 4.00 | Two casks of lime,............... 2.40 That was high. | Hair,............................ 0.31 More than I needed. | Mantle-tree iron,................ 0.15 | Nails,........................... 3.90 | Hinges and screws,............... 0.14 | Latch,........................... 0.10 | Chalk,........................... 0.01 | Transportation,.................. 1.40 I carried a good part | ———— on my back. | In all,..................... $28.12½ These are all the materials excepting the timber stones and sand, which I claimed by squatter’s right. I have also a small wood-shed adjoining, made chiefly of the stuff which was left after building the house. I intend to build me a house which will surpass any on the main street in Concord in grandeur and luxury, as soon as it pleases me as much and will cost me no more than my present one.
注释摘要
梭罗在描述房屋完工时，刻意先指出他用的木瓦是"imperfect and sappy shingles"，即从原木第一次切下来的、带汁液的不完美木瓦，边缘还得自己用刨子修直。这个细节本身就是一则声明：他不追求材料的精致与规整，只要达到"tight"（密实不漏）的功能就足够了。十英尺宽、十五英尺长、八英尺高的柱间，搁楼加壁橱，两侧大窗，两头活板门，一端是门，…