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1、THEMESSENGERSTHEMESSENGERSByRichardHardingDavis1THEMESSENGERSWhenAinsleyfirstmovedtoLoneLakeFarmallofhisfriendsaskedhimthesamequestion.Theywantedtoknow,ifthefarmerwhosoldittohimhadabandoneditasworthless,howoneoftheidlerich,whocouldnotdistinguishaplou
2、ghfromaharrow,hopedtomakeitpay?Hisanswerwasthathehadnotpurchasedthefarmasameansofgettingricherbyhonesttoil,butasaretreatfromtheworldandasatestoftruefriendship.HearguedthatthepeopleheknewacceptedhishospitalityatSherry'sbecause,inanyevent,theythemselve
3、swouldbediningwithinataxicabfareofthesameplace.ButiftoseehimtheytravelledallthewaytoLoneLakeFarm,hemightfeelassuredthattheywerefriendsindeed.LoneLakeFarmwasspreadovermanyacresofrockyravineandforest,atapointwhereConnecticutapproachesNewYork,andbetween
4、itandthenearestrailroadstationstretchedsixmilesofanexecrablewoodroad.Inthiswilderness,directlyuponthelonelylake,andataspotequallydistantfromeachofhisboundarylines,Ainsleybuilthimselfaredbrickhouse.Here,insolitude,heexiledhimself;ostensiblytobecomeage
5、ntlemanfarmer;inrealitytowaituntilPollyKirklandhadmadeuphermindtomarryhim.LoneLake,whichgavethefarmitsname,wasapondhardlylargerthanacityblock.Itwasfedbyhiddensprings,andfringedaboutwithreedsandcat-tails,stuntedwillowsandshiveringbirch.Fromitssurfacej
6、uttedpointsofthesamerockthathadmadefarmingunremunerative,andtotheseminiaturepromontoriesandislandsAinsley,inkeepingwithafanciedresemblance,gavesuchnamesastheNeedles,St.Helena,theIsleofPines.Fromtheedgeofthepondthatwasfartherfromthehouseroseahighhill,
7、heavilywooded.Atitsbase,oakandchestnuttreesspreadtheirbranchesoverthewater,andwhentheairwasstillweresoclearlyreflectedinthepondthattheleavesseemedtofloatuponthesurface.To2THEMESSENGERSthesmilingexpanseofthefarmthelakewaswhattheeyeistothehumancountena
8、nce.Theoakswereitseyebrows,thefringeofreedsitslashes,and,inchangingmood,itflashedwithhappinessorbroodedinsombremelancholy.ForAinsleyitheldadeepattraction.Throughthesummerevenings,asthesunset,hewouldsitonthebrickterraceandwatchthefishleaping,andlisten
