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o busily afoot in the country roads。 Let me add； also； for this is one of the most important parts of my present experience； that this new desire was far from being wholly esoteric。 I had also begun to have cravings which would not in the least be satisfied by landscapes or dulled by the sights and sounds of the road。 A whiff here and there from a doorway at mealtime had made me long for my own home； for the sight of Harriet calling from the steps：
〃Dinner； David。〃
But I had covenanted with myself long before starting that I would literally 〃live light in spring。〃 It was the one and primary condition I made with myselfand made with serious purposeand when I came away I had only enough money in my pocket and sandwiches in my pack to see me through the first three or four days。 Any man may brutally pay his way anywhere； but it is quite another thing to be accepted by your humankind not as a paid lodger but as a friend。 Always； it seems to me； I have wanted to submit myself； and indeed submit the stranger； to that test。 Moreover； how can any man look for true adventure in life if he always knows to a certainty where his next meal is coming from？ In a world so completely dominated by goods； by things； by possessions； and smothered by security； what fine adventure is left to a man of spirit save the adventure of poverty？
I do not mean by this the adventure of involuntary poverty； for I maintain that involuntary poverty； like involuntary riches； is a credit to no man。 It is only as we dominate life that we really live。 What I mean here； if I may so express it； is an adventure in achieved poverty。 In the lives of such true men as Francis of Assisi and Tolstoi； that which draws the world to them in secret sympathy is not that they lived lives of poverty； but rather； having riches at their hands； or for the very asking； that they chose poverty as the better way of life。
As for me； I do not in the least pretend to have accepted the final logic of an achieved poverty。 I have merely abolished temporarily from my life a few hens and cows； a comfortable old farmhouse； andcertain other emoluments and hereditamentsbut remain the slave of sundry cloth upon my back and sundry articles in my gray bagincluding a fat pocket volume or so； and a tin whistle。 Let them pass now。 To…morrow I may wish to attempt life with still less。 I might survive without my battered copy of 〃Montaigne〃 or even submit to existence without that sense of distant companionship symbolized by a postage…stamp； and as for trousers
In this deceptive world； how difficult attainment is perfection！
No； I expect I shall continue for a long time to owe the worm his silk； the beast his hide； the sheep his wool； and the cat his perfume！ What I am seeking is something as simple and as quiet as the trees or the hills just to look out around me at the pleasant countryside； to enjoy a little of this show； to meet （and to help a little if I may） a few human beings； and thus to get nearly into the sweet kernel of human life）。 My friend； you may or may not think this a worthy object； if you do not； stop here； go no further with me； but if you do； why； we'll exchange great words on the road； we'll look up at the sky together； we'll see and hear the finest things in this world！ We'll enjoy the sun！ We'll live light in spring！
Until last Tuesday； then； I was carried easily and comfortably onward by the corn； the eggs； and the honey of my past labours； and before Wednesday noon I began to experience in certain vital centres recognizable symptoms of a variety of discomfort anciently familiar to man。 And it was all the sharper because I did not know how or where I could assuage it。 In all my life； in spite of various ups and downs in a fat world； I don't think I was ever before genuinely hungry。 Oh； I've been hungry in a reasonable； civilized way； but I have always known where in an hour or so I could get all I wanted to eata condition accountable； in this world； I am convinced； for no end of stupidity。 But to be both physically and； let us say； psychologically hungry； and not to know where or how to get anything to eat； adds something to the zest of life。
By noon on Wednesday； then； I was reduced quite to a point of necessity。 But where was I to begin； and how？ I know from long experience the suspicion with which the ordinary farmer meets the Man of the Road the man who appears to wish to enjoy the fruits of the earth without working for them： with his hands。 It is a distrust deep…seated and ages old。 Nor can the Man of the Road ever quite understand the Man of the Fields。 And here was I； for so long the stationary Man of the Fields； essaying the role of the Man of the Road。 I experienced a sudden sense of the enlivenment of the faculties： I must now depend upon wit or cunning or human nature to win my way； not upon mere skill of the hand or strength in the bent back。 Whereas in my former life； when I was assailed by a Man of the Road； whether tramp or peddler or poet； I had only to stand stock…still within my fences and say nothingthough indeed I never could do that； being far too much interested in every one who came my wayand the invader was soon repelled。 There is nothing so resistant as the dull security of possession the stolidity of ownership！
Many times that day I stopped by a field side or at the end of a lane； or at a house…gate； and considered the possibilities of making an attack。 Oh； I measured the houses and barns I saw with a new eye！ The kind of country I had known so long and familiarly became a new and foreign land； full of strange possibilities。 I spied out the men in the fields and did not fail； also； to see what I could of the commissary department of each farmstead as I passed。 I walked for miles looking thus for a favourable openingand with a sensation of embarrassment at once disagreeable and pleasurable。 As the afternoon began to deepen I saw that I must absolutely do something： a whole day tramping in the open air without a bite to eat is an irresistible argument。
Presently I saw from the road a farmer and his son planting potatoes in a sloping field。 There was no house at all in view。 At the bars stood a light wagon half filled with bags of seed potatoes； and the horse which had drawn it stood quietly； not far off； tied to the fence。 The man and the boy； each with a basket on his arm； were at the farther end of the field； dropping potatoes。 I stood quietly watching them。 They stepped quickly and kept their eyes on the furrows： good workers。 I liked the looks of them。 I liked also the straight； clean furrows； I liked the appearance of the horse。
〃I will stop here；〃 I said to myself。
I cannot at all convey the sense of high adventure I had as I stood there。 Though I had not the slightest idea of what I should do or say； yet I was determined upon the attack。
Neither father nor son saw me until they had nearly reached the end of the field。
〃Step lively； Ben；〃 I heard the man say with some impatience； 〃we've got to finish this field to…day。〃
〃I AM steppin' lively； dad；〃 responded the boy； 〃but it's awful hot。 We can't possibly finish to…day。 It's too much。〃
〃We've got to get through here to…day；〃 the man replied grimly； 〃we're al