Chapter 12
After my first visit to Boston, I spent almost every winter in the North. Once I went on a visit to a New England village with its frozen lakes and vast snow fields. It was then that I had opportunities such as had never been mine to enter into the treasures of the snow.
After my first visit to Boston, I spent almost every winter in the North. Once, I visited a New England village with frozen lakes and vast fields of snow. There, I had chances I had never had before to explore the treasures of the snow.
I recall my surprise on discovering that a mysterious hand had stripped the trees and bushes, leaving only here and there a wrinkled leaf. The birds had flown, and their empty nests in the bare trees were filled with snow. Winter was on hill and field. The earth seemed benumbed by his icy touch, and the very spirits of the trees had withdrawn to their roots, and there, curled up in the dark, lay fast asleep. All life seemed to have ebbed away, and even when the sun shone the day was
I remember my surprise when I discovered that a mysterious hand had stripped the trees and bushes. Only a wrinkled leaf remained here and there. The birds had flown away, and their empty nests in the bare trees were filled with snow. Winter was on the hills and fields. The earth seemed numb from his icy touch. The very spirits of the trees seemed to have retreated to their roots. There, curled up in the dark, they lay fast asleep. All life seemed to have ebbed away, and even when the sun shone, the day was
Shrunk and cold, As if her veins were sapless and old, And she rose up decrepitly For a last dim look at earth and sea.
Shriveled and cold, As if her veins were dry and old, She rose up feebly For one last dim look at the earth and sea.
The withered grass and the bushes were transformed into a forest of icicles.
The dried grass and bushes had become a forest of icicles.
Then came a day when the chill air portended a snowstorm. We rushed out-of-doors to feel the first few tiny flakes descending. Hour by hour the flakes dropped silently, softly from their airy height to the earth, and the country became more and more level. A snowy night closed upon the world, and in the morning one could scarcely recognize a feature of the landscape. All the roads were hidden, not a single landmark was visible, only a waste of snow with trees rising out of it.
Then came a day when the cold air hinted at a snowstorm. We rushed outside to feel the first tiny flakes fall. Hour after hour, the flakes fell silently and softly from the sky to the earth. The countryside grew more and more level. A snowy night fell over the world, and by morning, the landscape was barely recognizable. All the roads were hidden, and not a single landmark was visible. There was only a vast stretch of snow with trees rising out of it.
In the evening a wind from the northeast sprang up, and the flakes rushed hither and thither in furious melee. Around the great fire we sat and told merry tales, and frolicked, and quite forgot that we were in the midst of a desolate solitude, shut in from all communication with the outside world. But during the night the fury of the wind increased to such a degree that it thrilled us with a vague terror. The rafters creaked and strained, and the branches of the trees surrounding the house rattled and beat against the windows, as the winds rioted up and down the country.
In the evening, a wind sprang up from the northeast, and snowflakes swirled wildly in every direction. We sat around the great fire, telling cheerful stories and playing. We completely forgot that we were in a desolate, lonely place, cut off from all contact with the outside world. But during the night, the wind grew so fierce that we felt a vague sense of terror. The rafters creaked and strained. As the wind raged across the countryside, the branches of the trees around the house rattled and beat against the windows.
On the third day after the beginning of the storm the snow ceased. The sun broke through the clouds and shone upon a vast, undulating white plain. High mounds, pyramids heaped in fantastic shapes, and impenetrable drifts lay scattered in every direction.
On the third day after the storm began, the snow stopped. The sun broke through the clouds and shone on a vast, rolling white plain. High mounds, pyramids piled into fantastic shapes, and impassable snowdrifts lay scattered in every direction.
Narrow paths were shoveled through the drifts. I put on my cloak and hood and went out. The air stung my cheeks like fire. Half walking in the paths, half working our way through the lesser drifts, we succeeded in reaching a pine grove just outside a broad pasture. The trees stood motionless and white like figures in a marble frieze. There was no odour of pine-needles. The rays of the sun fell upon the trees, so that the twigs sparkled like diamonds and dropped in showers when we touched them. So dazzling was the light, it penetrated even the darkness that veils my eyes.
Narrow paths had been shoveled through the snowdrifts. I put on my cloak and hood and went outside. The air stung my cheeks like fire. We walked partly along the paths and partly through the smaller drifts. We managed to reach a pine grove just beyond a wide pasture. The trees stood still and white, like figures carved in a marble frieze. There was no smell of pine needles. Sunlight fell on the trees, making the twigs sparkle like diamonds. When we touched them, the twigs fell in showers. The light was so dazzling that it pierced even the darkness that covers my eyes.
As the days wore on, the drifts gradually shrunk, but before they were wholly gone another storm came, so that I scarcely felt the earth under my feet once all winter. At intervals the trees lost their icy covering, and the bulrushes and underbrush were bare; but the lake lay frozen and hard beneath the sun.
As the days passed, the snowdrifts gradually shrank. But before they had completely disappeared, another storm came. So I hardly felt the earth under my feet all winter. At times, the ice fell from the trees, leaving the bulrushes and underbrush bare. But the lake remained frozen and hard beneath the sun.
Our favourite amusement during that winter was tobogganing. In places the shore of the lake rises abruptly from the water's edge. Down these steep slopes we used to coast. We would get on our toboggan, a boy would give us a shove, and off we went! Plunging through drifts, leaping hollows, swooping down upon the lake, we would shoot across its gleaming surface to the opposite bank. What joy! What exhilarating madness! For one wild, glad moment we snapped the chain that binds us to earth, and joining hands with the winds we felt ourselves divine!
Our favorite activity that winter was tobogganing. In some places, the shore rose steeply from the edge of the lake. We used to ride down those slopes. We would get on our toboggan, a boy would give us a push, and off we went! We plunged through snowdrifts, leaped over dips, and swooped down onto the lake. Then we shot across its gleaming surface to the opposite shore. What joy! What thrilling madness! For one wild, happy moment, we broke the chain that binds us to earth. We joined hands with the winds and felt divine!