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第23章 这就是纽约 2（第1页）

第23章这就是纽约（2）

&hesemerelytoshowthatNewYorkispeculiarlystructedtoabsorbalmostanythingthatesalohousand-footlioftheEastoratwenty-thousand-maoftheWest）withoutinf?litheeventonitsinhabitants，sothateveryeventis，iional，aantisinthehappypositionofbeiochoosehisspedsoservehissoul。Iropolises，smallahechoiceisoftennotwiththeindividualatall。HeisthrowheLionsare;theeventisunavoidable。Aicefalls，andithitseverythehead，everylastmanintowhinkthattheohitseveryheheadistheannualSt。Patrick’sDayparade，whichisfairlypeing—theIrishareahardraeout，andthereare500，000oftheminresidence。

&yihatisinhabitantsfromlifemaysimplyweakenthemasindividuals。Perhapsitishealthiertoliveinaunitywhere，whenaicefalls，youfeeltheblohenthegovernorpasses，youseeata。

IamnotdefendingNewYorkinthisregard。Manyofitssettlersareprobablyheremerelytoesotface，reality。Butwhateveritmeans，itisaratherraregift，ahasapositiveeffethecreativecapacitiesofNewYorker—forisihebusinessthegreatandsmalldistras。

AlthoughNewYorkoftenimpartsafeeliforlornnessorforsakeseldomseemsdeadorunresourdyoualwaysfeelthateitherbyshiftingyourloblocksyourfortunebyf?ivedollarsyouexperieion。Manypeoplewhohavenorealindependenceofspiritdeperemendousvarietyandsourentforspiritualsustenandmaintenanorale。Irythereareafewcesofsuddeion—ashiftiher，perhaps，orsomethingarrivinginthemail。Butihedless。Ithinkthatalthoughmanypersonsareherefromsomeexcessofspirit（whichcausedthemtobreakawayfromtheirsmalltowoo，areherefromadef?icyofspirit，whof?indinNerote，oraitution。

ThereareroughlythreeNewYorks。Thereis，f?irst，theNewYorkofthemanorasborakesthecityfrantedassizeanditsturbuleuralaable。Sed，thereistheNewYorkoftheuter—thecitythatisdevouredbylocustseadspatouteaight。Third，thereistheNewYorkofthepersonwhowasbornsomewhereelseaoNewYorkiofsomethihreetrembliilegreatestisthelast—thecityoff?iiohatisagoal。Itisthisthirdcitythatatsfht-strungdispositioieios，anditsinparableats。utersgivethecityitstidalrestlessivegiveitsolidityanduity，butthesettlersgiveitpassioisafarmerarrivingfromItalytosetupasmalltowninMississippitoescapetheindignityofbeingobservedbyherneighbors，orabfromtheBelttinhissuitdapainimakesnodifference:eachabsorbsNewYorkwiththefresheyesofaurer，eaeratesheatandlighttodwarfthesolidatedEdisonpany。

&eristhequeerestbirdofall。Thesuburbheinhabitshasalityofitsownawhereheesatday’sendtogottosleep。Exrarecases，themanwholivesitleeanedworksinNewYork，disuchaboutthecityexceptthetimeofarrivalaureoftrainsahepathtoaquich。Heisdesk-bound，andhasnever，idlyroaminginthegloaming，stumbledsuddeowerinthePark，seesrisesheerfromthewaterofthepond，andtheboysalongtheshoref?ishingforminnows，girlsstretegligentlyoherocks;hehasneveresuddenlyonanythingatallinNewYorkasaloiterer，becausehehashadrains。Hehasf?ishedinManhattaanddugoutsbuthaseoManhattahing，neverawakesm，neverdroppedofftosleepinitsnight。About400，000menandwomenegontotheislandeachweekdaym，outofthemouthsoftubesamanyamongthemhaveeverspentadrowsyafternoorustlingoakehereadingroomofthePublicLibrary，withthebookelevator（likeanoldwaterwheel）spewingoutbooksoheytendtheirfurheBowery，thef?iresthatburninoildrumsoernights。Theymayworkinthef?inancialdistritowheextravagantplantingsofRockefellerter—thedaffodilsahsahef?lagstrimmedtothewindonaf?ineminspring。Ortheymayworkinamidtownoff?idmayletawhroundwithoutsightingGovernorsIslandfromtheseawall。Theuterdieswithtremeohiscreditbutheisnorover。Hisentrasaremoredeviousthanthoseinaprairie-dogvillage，andhecalmlyplaysbridgewhileburiedihebottomoftheEastRiver。TheLongIslandRailRoadaloymillioyear，butmahesamefellhissteps。