子浪小说

第4部分（第2页）

clatter　of　a　stout　maid　performing　a　jig　in　the　kitchen。　One　day；　in　the

dining…room　of　an　hotel；　a　tactual　dissonance　arrested　my　attention。　I

sat　still　and　listened　with　my　feet。　I　found　that　two　waiters　were

walking　back　and　forth；　but　not　with　the　same　gait。　A　band　was　playing；

and　I　could　feel　the　music…waves　along　the　floor。　One　of　the　waiters

walked　in　time　to　the　band；　graceful　and　light；　while　the　other

disregarded　the　music　and　rushed　from　table　to　table　to　the　beat　of　some

discord　in　his　own　mind。　Their　steps　reminded　me　of　a　spirited　war…steed

harnessed　with　a　cart…horse。

Often　footsteps　reveal　in　some　measure　the　character　and　the　mood　of　the

walker。　I　feel　in　them　firmness　and　indecision；　hurry　and　deliberation；

activity　and　laziness；　fatigue；　carelessness；　timidity；　anger；　and

sorrow。　I　am　most　conscious　of　these　moods　and　traits　in　persons　with

whom　I　am　familiar。

Footsteps　are　frequently　interrupted　by　certain　jars　and　jerks；　so　that

I　know　when　one　kneels；　kicks；　shakes　something；　sits　down；　or　gets　up。

Thus　I　follow　to　some　extent　the　actions　of　people　about　me　and　the

changes　of　their　postures。　Just　now　a　thick；　soft　patter　of　bare；　padded

feet　and　a　slight　jolt　told　me　that　my　dog　had　jumped　on　the　chair　to

look　out　of　the　window。　I　do　not；　however；　allow　him　to　go

uninvestigated；　for　occasionally　I　feel　the　same　motion；　and　find　him；

not　on　the　chair；　but　trespassing　on　the　sofa。

When　a　carpenter　works　in　the　house　or　in　the　barn　near　by；　I　know　by

the　slanting；　up…and…down；　toothed　vibration；　and　the　ringing　concussion

of　blow　upon　blow；　that　he　is　sawing　or　hammering。　If　I　am　near　enough；

a　certain　vibration；　travelling　back　and　forth　along　a　wooden　surface；

brings　me　the　information　that　he　is　using　a　plane。

A　slight　flutter　on　the　rug　tells　me　that　a　breeze　has　blown　my　papers

off　the　table。　A　round　thump　is　a　signal　that　a　pencil　has　rolled　on　the

floor。　If　a　book　falls；　it　gives　a　flat　thud。　A　wooden　rap　on　the

balustrade　announces　that　dinner　is　ready。　Many　of　these　vibrations　are

obliterated　out　of　doors。　On　a　lawn　or　the　road；　I　can　feel　only

running；　stamping；　and　the　rumble　of　wheels。

By　placing　my　hand　on　a　persons　lips　and　throat；　I　gain　an　idea　of　many

specific　vibrations；　and　interpret　them：　a　boys　chuckle；　a　mans

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