osc.am2.redprophet-第27部分

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　　Mother　always　worried；　but　she　had　good　cause。　All　his　life　Al　was　kind　of　clumsy；　always　having　accidents。　Things　turned　out　fine　in　the　end；　but　it　was　nip　and　tuck　a　lot　of　the　time。　Worst　was　a　few　months　ago；　when　the　new　millstone　fell　on　his　leg　and　gave　it　a　real　ugly　break。　It　looked　like　he　was　going　to　die；　and　he　pretty　much　expected　to　himself。　Would　have；　too。　Surely　would　have。　Even　though　he　knew　he　had　the　power　to　heal　himself。
　　Ever　since　the　Shining　Man　came　to　him　in　his　room　that　night　when　he　was　six；　Al　had　never　used　his　knack　to　help　himself。　Cutting　stone　for　his　father；　that　he　could　do；　cause　it　would　help　everybody。　He'd　run　his　fingers　on　the　stone；　get　the　feel　of　it；　find　the　hidden　places　in　the　stone　where　it　could　break；　and　then　set　it　all　in　order；　just　make　it　go　that　way；　and　the　stone　would　e　out；　just　right；　just　the　way　he　asked。　But　never　for　his　own　good。
　　Then　with　his　leg　broke　and　the　skin　tore　up；　everybody　knowed　he　was　bound　to　die。　And　Al　never　would've　used　his　knack　for　fixing　things　to　heal　himself；　never　would've　tried；　except　old　Taleswapper　was　there。　Taleswapper　asked　him；　why　don't　you　fix　your　leg　yourself？　And　so　Al　told　him　what　he　never　told　a　soul　before；　about　the　Shining　Man。　Taleswapper　believed　him；　too；　didn't　think　he　was　crazy　or　dreaming。　He　made　Al　think　back；　think　real　hard；　and　remember　what　the　Shining　Man　said。　And　when　Al　remembered；　it　e　to　him　that　it　was　Al　himself　who　said　that　about　never　doing　it　for　himself。　The　Shining　Man　just　said；　〃Make　all　things　whole。〃
　　Make　all　things　whole。　Well；　wasn't　his　leg　part　of　〃all　things〃？　So　he　fixed　it；　best　he　could。　There　was　a　lot　more　to　it　than　that；　but　all　in　all　he　used　his　own　power；　with　the　help　of　his　family；　to　heal　himself。　That's　why　he　was　alive。
　　But　during　those　days　he　looked　death　in　the　face　　and　he　wasn't　as　scared　of　it　as　he　thought　he'd　be。　Lying　there　with　death　seeping　through　his　bone；　he　began　to　feel　like　his　body　was　just　a　kind　of　lean…to；　a　shelter　he　lived　in　during　bad　weather　till　his　house　was　built。　Like　them　shanty　cabins　new　folks　built　till　they　could　get　a　log　house　set　up　proper。　And　if　he　died；　it　wouldn't　be　awful　at　all。　Just　different；　and　maybe　better。
　　So　when　his　ma　went　on　and　on　about　the　Reds　and　how　dangerous　it　was　and　how　they　ought　get　killed；　he　didn't　give　no　heed。　Not　because　he　thought　that　she　was　wrong；　but　because　he　didn't　much　care　whether　he　died　or　not。
　　Well；　no；　that　wasn't　quite　so。　He　had　a　lot　of　things　to　do；　though　he　didn't　know　yet　what　they　were；　and　so　he'd　be　annoyed　about　dying。　He　sure　didn't　plan　to　die。　It　just　didn't　fill　him　up　with　fear　like　it　did　some　folks。
　　Al's　big　brother　Measure　was　trying　to　get　Ma　to　ease　off　and　not　get　herself　all　worked　up。　〃We'll　be　all　right；　Mama；〃　said　Measure。　〃All　the　trouble's　down　south；　and　we'll　be　on　good　roads　all　the　way。〃
　　〃Folks　disappear　every　week　on　those　good　roads；〃　she　said。　〃Those　French　up　in　Detroit　are　buying　scalps；　they　don't　never　let　up　on　that；　don't　matter　one　bit　what　Ta…Kumsaw　and　his　savages　are　doing；　it　only　takes　one　arrow　to　kill　you〃
　　〃Ma；〃　said　Measure。　〃If　you're　a…scared　of　Reds　getting　us；　you　ought　to　want　us　to　go。　I　mean　there's　ten　thousand　Reds　at　least　living　in　Prophetstown　right　across　the　river。　It's　the　biggest　city　west　of　Philadelphia　right　now；　and　every　one　of　them　is　a　Red。　We're　getting　away　from　Reds　by　going　east〃
　　〃That　one…eyed　Prophet　don't　worry　me；〃　she　said。　〃He　never　talks　about　killing。　I　just　think　you　shouldn't〃
　　〃It　don't　matter　what　you　think；〃　said　Pa。
　　Ma　turned　to　face　him。　He'd　been　slopping　the　hogs　out　back；　but　now　he　was　e　around　to　say　good…bye。
　　'Don't　you　tell　me　it　don't　matter　what　I〃
　　〃It　don't　matter　what　I　think；　neither；〃　said　Pa。　〃It　don't　matter　what　anybody　thinks；　and　you　know　it。〃
　　〃Then　I　don't　see　why　the　good　Lord　gave　us　brains；　then；　if　that's　how　things　are；　Alvin　Miller！〃
　　〃Al's　going　east　to　Hatrack　River　to。　be　an　apprentice　blacksmith；〃　said　Pa。　〃I'll　miss　him；　you'll　miss　him；　everybody　except　maybe　Reverend　Thrower　is　going　to　miss　the　boy；　but　the　papers　are　signed　and　Al　Junior　is　going。　So　instead　of　jawing　how　you　don't　want　them　to　go；　kiss　the　boys　good…bye　and　wave　them　off。〃
　　If　Pa'd　been　milk　she　would've　curdled　him　on　the　spot；　she　gave　him　such　a　look。　〃I'll　kiss　my　boys；　and　I'll　wave　them　off；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　need　you　to　tell　me　that。　I　don't　need　you　to　tell　me　anything。〃
　　〃I　reckon　not；〃　said　Pa。　〃But　I'll　tell　you　anyway；　and　I　reckon　you'll　return　the　favor；　just　like　you　always　done。〃　He　reached　up　a　hand　to　shake　with　Measure；　saying　good…bye　like　a　man　does。　〃You　get　him　there　safe　and　e　right　back；〃　he　told　Measure。
　　〃You　know　I　will；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃Your　ma's　right；　it's　dangerous　every　step　of　the　way；　so　keep　your　eyes　open。　We　named　you　right；　you　got　such　keen　eyes；　boy；　so　use　them。〃
　　〃I　will；　Pa。〃
　　Ma　said　her　good…bye　to　Measure　while　Pa　came　on　over　to　Al。　He　gave　Al　a　good　stinging　slap　on　the　leg　and　shook　his　hand；　too；　and　that　felt　good；　Pa　treating　him　like　a　man；　just　like　Measure。　Maybe　if　Al　wasn't　sitting　up　on　a　horse；　Pa　would've　roughed　his　hair　like　a　little　boy；　but　then　maybe　he　wouldn't　have；　either；　and　it　still　felt　grown…up；　all　the　same。
　　〃I　ain't　scared　of　the　Reds；〃　said　Al。　He　spoke　real　soft；　so　Ma　wouldn't　hear。　〃But　I　sure　wish　I　didn't　have　to　go。〃
　　〃I　know　it；　Al；〃　said　Pa。　〃But　you　got　to。　For　your　own　good。〃
　　Then　Pa　got　that　faraway　sad　look　on　his　face；　which　Al　Junior　had　seen　before　more　than　once；　and　never　understood。　Pa　was　a　strange　man。　It　took　Al　a　long　time　to　realize　that；　since　for　the　longest　time　while　Al　was　just　little；　Pa　was　Pa；　and　he　didn't　try　to　understand　him。
　　Now　Al　was　getting　older；　and　he　began　to　pare　his　father　to　the　other　men　around。　To　Armor…of…God　Weaver；　for　instance；　the　most　important　man　in　town；　always　talking　about　peace　with　the　Red　man；　sharing　the　land　with　him；　mapping　out　Red　lands　and　White　lands　　everybody　listened　to　him　with　respect。　Nobody　listened　to　Pa　that　way；　considering　his　words　real　serious；　maybe　arguing　a　little；　but　knowing　that　what　he　said　was　important。　And　Reverend　Thrower；　with　his　highfalutin　educated　way　of　talking；　shouting　from　his　pulpit　about　death　and　resurrection　and　the　fires　of　hell　and　the　rewards　of　heaven；　everybody　listened　to　him；　too。　It　was　different　from　the　way　they　listened　to　Armor；　cause　it　was　always　about　religion　and　so　it　didn't　have　nothing　to　do　with　little　stuff　like　farming　and　chores　and　how　folks　lived。　But　respect。
　　When　Pa　talked；　other　folks　listened　to　him；　all　right；　but　they　just　scoffed　sometimes。　〃Oh；　Alvin　Miller；　you　just　go　on；　don't　you！〃　Al　noticed　that；　and　it　made　him　mad　at　first。　But　then　he　realized　that　when　folks　was　in　trouble　and　needed　help；　they　didn't　go　to　Reverend　Thrower；　no　sir；　and　they　didn't　go　to　Armor…of…God；　cause　neither　of　them　knew　all　that　much　about　how　to　solve　the　kind　of　problems　folks　had　from　time　to　time。　Thrower　might　tell　them　how　to　stay　out　of　hell；　but　that　wasn't　till　they　was　dead；　and　Armor　might　tell　them　how　to　keep　peace　with　the　Reds；　but　that　was　politics　except　when　it　was　war。　When　they　had　a　quarrel　about　a　boundary　line；　or　didn't　know　what　to　do　about　a　boy　that　always　sassed　his　ma　no　matter　how　many　lickings　he　got；　or　when　the　weevils　got　their　seed　corn　and　they　didn't　have　nothing　to　plant；　they　e　to　Al　Miller。　And　he'd　say　his　piece；　just　a　few　words　usually；　and　they'd　go　off　shaking　their　heads　and　saying；　〃Oh；　Alvin　Miller；　you　just　go　on；　don't　you！〃　But　then　they'd　go　ahead　and　settle　that　boundary　line　and　build　them　a　stone　fence　there；　and　they'd　let　their　smart…mouth　boy　move　on　out　of　the　house　and　take　up　as　a　hired　man　on　a　neighbor's　farm；　and　e　planting　time　a　half…dozen　folks'd　e　by　with　sacks　of　〃spare〃　seed　cause　Al　Miller　mentioned　they　might　be　a　little　shy。
　　When　Al　Junior　pared　his　pa　to　other　men；　he　knew　Pa　was　strange；　knew　Pa　did　things　for　reasons　known　only　to　himself。　But　he　also　knew　that　Pa　could　be　trusted。　Folks　might　give　their　respect　to　Armor…of…God　and　Reverend　Philadelphia　Thrower；　but　they　trusted　Al　Miller。
　　So　did　Al　Junior。　Trusted　his　pa。　Even　though　he　didn't　want　to　leave　home；　even　though　having　been　so　close　to　death　he　felt　like　apprenticing　and　suchlike　was　a　waste　of　time　　what　did　it　matter　what　his　trade　was；　would　there　be　smiths　in　heaven？　　still　he　knew　that　if　Pa　said　it　was　right　for　him　to　go；　then　Al　would　go。　The　way　folks　always　knew　that　if　Al　Miller　said；　〃Just　do　this　and　it'll　work　out；〃　why；　they　should　do　the　thing　he　said；　and　it'd　work　out　like　he　said。
　　He　had　told　Pa　he　didn't　want　to　go；　Pa　had　said；　Go　anyway；　it's　for　your　own　good。　That's　all　Alvin　Junior　needed　to　hear。　He　nodded　his　head　and　did　what　Pa　said；　not　cause　he　had　no　spunk；　not　cause　he　was　scared　of　his　pa　like　other　boys　he　knew。　He　just　knew　his　pa　well　enough　to　trust　his　judgment。　Simple　as　that。
　　〃I'll　miss　you；　Pa。〃　And　then　he　did　a　crazy　fool　thing；　which　if　he　stopped　to　think　about　it　he　never