梭罗独居在湖畔的小屋，有意疏离了城市生活。现在，这成了你的个性。

Inspiration in solitude is a major commodity for poets and philosophers.

独处的灵感是诗人和哲学家最有用的东西。

They're all for it.

他们都赞成独处，

They all speak highly of themselves for seeking it out, at least for an hour or even two before they hurry home for tea.

都因能够独处而自视甚高，至少在他们匆忙赶回家喝茶之前的一两个小时之内是这样。

Consider Dorothy Wordsworth, for instance, helping her brother William put on his coat, finding his notebook and pencil for him, and waving as he sets forth into the early spring sunlight to look at flowers all by himself.

就拿多萝西·华兹华斯来说吧，她帮哥哥威廉穿上外衣，为他找到笔记本和铅笔，向他挥手告别，目送他走进早春的阳光去独自对花沉思。

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他写道：“独处多么优雅，惬意。”

No doubt about it, solitude is improved by being voluntary.

毫无疑问，如果自愿独处，感觉要好得多。

Look at Milton's daughters arranging his cushions and blankets before they silently creep away, so he can create poetry.

看看弥尔顿的女儿们：她们为他准备好垫子和毯子，然后蹑手蹑脚地走开，以便他能创作诗歌。

Then, rather than trouble to put it in his own handwriting, he calls the girls to come back and write it down while he dictates.

然而他并不自己费神将诗歌写下来，而是唤回女儿们，向她们口述，由她们记下来。

You may have noticed that most of these artistic types went outdoors to be alone.

也许你已经注意到，这些艺术家类型的人，大多是到户外独处，

The indoors was full of loved ones keeping the kettle warm till they came home.

而家里则自有亲人备好了热茶，等着他们回家。

The American high priest of solitude was Thoreau.

美国的独处代表人物是梭罗。

We admire him, not for his self-reliance, but because he was all by himself out there at Walden Pond, and he wanted to be—all alone in the woods.

我们钦佩他，并非因为他能自力更生，而是因为他孤身一人在瓦尔登湖畔生活，他喜欢这样──独居在湖畔的树林中。

Actually, he lived a mile, or 20 minutes' walk, from his nearest neighbor; half a mile from the railroad; three hundred yards from a busy road.

实际上，他最近的邻居离他只有一英里，走路也就20分钟；铁路离他半英里；交通繁忙的大路距他300码。

He had company in and out of the hut all day, asking him how he could possibly be so noble.

整天都有人进出他的小屋，请教他何以能够如此高洁。

Apparently the main point of his nobility was that he had neither wife nor servants, used his own axe to chop his own wood, and washed his own cups and saucers.

显然，他的高洁之处主要在于：他既没有妻子也没有仆人，自己动手用斧头砍柴，自己洗杯洗碟。

I don't know who did his laundry; he doesn't say, but he certainly doesn't mention doing his own, either.

我不知道谁为他洗衣服，他没说，但他也肯定没提是他自己洗。

Listen to him: \never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.\

听听他是怎么说的：“我从未发现比独处更好的伙伴。”

Thoreau had his own self-importance for company.

梭罗以自尊自重为伴。

Perhaps there's a message here: The larger the ego, the less the need for other egos around.

也许这里的启示是：自我意识越强，就越不需要其他的人在周围。

The more modest and humble we feel, the more we suffer from solitude, feeling ourselves inadequate company.

我们越是感觉谦卑，就越受孤独的折磨，感到仅与自己相处远远不够。

If you live with other people, their temporary absence can be refreshing.

若与别人同住，他们的小别会使你感到耳目一新。

Solitude will end on Thursday.

孤独将会于星期四结束。

If today I use a singular personal pronoun to refer to myself, next week I will use the plural form.

如果今天我提到自己时使用的是单数人称代词，那么下星期我就会使用复数形式。

While the others are absent you can stretch out your soul until it fills up the whole room, and use your freedom, coming and going as you please without apology, staying up late to read, soaking in the bath, eating a whole pint of ice cream at one sitting, moving at your own pace.

其他人不在的时候，你可以放飞自己的灵魂，让它充满整个房间。你可以充分享受自由，随意来去而无需道歉。你可以熬夜读书、大泡浴缸、一口气吃掉整整一品脱的冰淇淋。你可以按自己的节奏行动。

Those absent will be back.

暂别的人会回来。