osc.am2.redprophet-第4部分

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　　Somebody　knocked　on　the　door。　〃e　in；〃　said　Harrison。　At　the　same　time　he　waved　Hooch　to　stay　in　his　chair。　A　soldier　stepped　in；　saluted；　and　said；　〃Mr。　Andrew　Jackson　here　to　see　you；　sir。　From　the　Tennizy　country；　he　says。〃
　　〃Days　before　I　looked　for　him；〃　said　Harrison。　〃But　I'm　delighted；　couldn't　be　more　pleased；　show　him　in；　show　him　in。〃
　　Andrew　Jackson。　Had　to　be　that　lawyer　fellow　they　called　Mr。　Hickory。　Back　in　the　days　when　Hooch　was　working　the　Tennizy　country；　Hickory　Jackson　was　a　real　country　boy　　killed　a　man　in　a　duel；　put　his　fists　into　a　few　faces　now　and　then；　had　a　name　for　keeping　his　word；　and　the　story　was　that　he　wasn't　exactly　pletely　married　to　his　wife；　who　might　well　have　another　husband　in　her　past　who　wasn't　even　dead。　That　was　the　difference　between　Hickory　and　Hooch　　Hooch　would've　made　sure　the　husband　was　dead　and　buried　long　since。　So　Hooch　was　a　little　surprised　that　this　Jackson　was　big　enough　now　to　have　business　that　would　take　him　clear　from　Tennizy　up　to　Carthage　City。
　　But　that　was　nothing　to　his　surprise　when　Jackson　stepped　through　the　door；　ramrod　straight　with　eyes　like　fire。　He　strode　across　the　room　and　offered　his　hand　to　Governor　Harrison。　Called　him　Mr。　Harrison；　though。　Which　meant　he　was　either　a　fool；　or　he　didn't　figure　he　needed　Harrison　as　much　as　Harrison　needed　him。
　　〃You　got　too　many　Reds　around　here；〃　said　Jackson。　〃That　one…eyed　drunk　by　the　door　is　enough　to　make　a　body　puke。〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　Harrison；　〃I　think　of　him　as　kind　of　a　pet。　My　own　pet　Red。〃
　　〃Lolla…Wossiky；〃　said　Hooch　helpfully。　Well；　not　really　helpfully。　He　just　didn't　like　how　Jackson　hadn't　noticed　him；　and　Harrison　hadn't　bothered　to　introduce　him。　Jackson　turned　to　look　at　him。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　　〃Loila…Wossiky；〃　said　Hooch。
　　〃The　one…eyed　Red's　name；〃　said　Harrison。
　　Jackson　eyed　Hooch　coldly。　〃The　only　time　I　need　to　know　the　name　of　a　horse；〃　he　said；　〃is　when　I　plan　to　ride　it。〃
　　〃My　name's　Hooch　Palmer；〃　said　Hooch。　He　offered　his　hand。
　　Jackson　didn't　take　it。　〃Your　name　is　Ulysses　Brock；〃　said　Jackson；　〃and　you　owe　more　than　ten　pounds　in　unpaid　debts　back　in　Nashville。　Now　that　Appalachee　has　adopted　U。S。　currency；　that　means　you　owe　two　hundred　and　twenty　dollars　in　gold。　I　bought　those　debts　and　it　happens　that　I　have　the　papers　with　me；　since　I　heard　you　were　trading　whisky　up　in　these　parts；　and　so　I　think　I'll　place　you　under　arrest。　〃
　　It　never　occurred　to　Hooch　that　Jackson　would　have　that　kind　of　memory；　or　be　such　a　skunk　as　to　buy　a　man's　paper；　especially　seven…year…old　paper；　which　by　now　should　be　pretty　much　forgot。　But　sure　enough；　Jackson　took　a　warrant　out　of　his　coat　pocket　and　laid　it　on　Governor　Harrison's　desk。
　　〃Since　I　appreciate　your　already　having　this　man　in　custody　when　I　arrived；〃　said　Jackson；　〃I　am　glad　to　tell　you　that　under　Appalachee　law　the　apprehending　officer　is　entitled　to　ten　percent　of　the　funds　collected。　〃
　　Harrison　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　grinned　at　Hooch。　〃Well；　Hooch；　maybe　you　better　set　down　and　let's　all　get　better　acquainted。　Or　I　guess　maybe　we　don't　have　to；　since　Mr。　Jackson　here　seems　to　know　you　better　than　I　did。　〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know　Ulysses　Brock　all　right；〃　said　Jackson。　〃He's　just　the　sort　of　skunk　we　had　to　get　rid　of　in　Tennizy　before　we　could　lay　claim　to　being　civilized。　And　I　expect　you'll　be　rid　of　his　sort　soon　enough　here；　too；　as　you　get　the　Wobbish　country　ready　to　apply　for　admission　to　the　United　States。〃
　　〃You　take　a　lot　for　granted；〃　said　Harrison。　〃We　might　try　to　go　it　alone　out　here；　you　know。〃
　　〃If　Appalachee　couldn't　make　a　go　of　it　alone；　with　Tom　Jefferson　as　President；　you　won't　do　any　better　here；　I　reckon。〃
　　〃Well　maybe；〃　said　Harrison；　〃just　maybe　we've　got　to　do　something　that　Tom　Jefferson　didn't　have　the　guts　to　do。　And　maybe　we've　got　a　need　for　men　like　Hooch　here。〃
　　〃What　you　have　need　for　is　soldiers；〃　said　Jackson。　〃Not　rummers。〃
　　Harrison　shook　his　head。　〃You're　a　man　who　forces　me　to　e　to　the　point；　Mr。　Jackson；　and　I　can　calculate　right　enough　why　the　folks　in　Tennizy　sent　you　on　up　here　to　meet　with　me。　So　I'll　e　to　the　point。　We've　got　the　same　trouble　up　here　that　you've　got　down　there；　and　that　trouble　can　be　summed　up　in　one　word：　Reds。〃
　　〃Which　is　why　I'm　perplexed　that　you　let　drunken　Reds　sit　around　here　in　your　own　headquarters。　They　all　belong　west　of　the　Mizzipy；　and　that's　as　plain　as　day。　We　won't　have　peace　and　we　won't　have　civilization　until　that's　done。　And　since　Appalachee　and　the　U。S。　alike　are　convinced　that　Reds　can　be　treated　like　human　beings；　we've　got　to　solve　our　Red　problem　before　we　join　the　Union。　It's　as　simple　as　that。〃
　　〃Well；　you　see？〃　said　Harrison。　〃We　already　agree　pletely。〃
　　〃Then　why　is　it　that　you　keep　your　headquarters　as　full　of　Reds　as　Independence　Street　in　Washington　City？　They　have　Cherriky　men　acting　as　clerks　and　even　holding　government　offices　in　Appalachee；　right　in　the　capital；　jobs　that　White　men　ought　to　have；　and　then　I　e　here　and　find　you　keep　Reds　around　you；　too。〃
　　〃Cool　down；　Mr。　Jackson；　cool　right　down。　Don't　the　King　keep　his　Blacks　there　in　his　palace　in　Virginia？〃
　　〃His　Blacks　are　slaves。　Everybody　knows　you　can't　make　slaves　out　of　Reds。　They　aren't　intelligent　enough　to　be　properly　trained。〃
　　〃Well；　you　just　set　yourself　there　in　that　chair；　Mr。　Jackson；　and　I'll　make　my　point　the　best　way　I　know　how；　by　showing　you　two　prime　Shaw…Nee　specimens。　Just　set　down。〃
　　Jackson　picked　up　the　chair　and　moved　it　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　from　Hooch。　It　made　something　gnaw　in　Hooch's　gut；　the　way　Jackson　acted。　Men　like　Jackson　were　so　upright　and　honest…seeming；　but　Hooch　knew　that　there　wasn't　no　such　thing　as　a　good　man；　just　a　man　who　wasn't　bought　yet；　or　wasn't　in　deep　enough　trouble；　or　didri't　have　the　guts　to　reach　out　and　take　what　he　wanted。　That's　all　that　virtue　ever　boiled　down　to；　so　far　as　Hooch　ever　saw　in　his　life。　But　here　was　Jackson；　putting　on　airs　and　calling　for　Bill　Harrison　to　arrest　him！　Think　of　that；　a　stranger　from　Tennizy　country　ing　up　here　and　waving　around　a　warrant　from　an　Appalachee　judge；　of　all　things；　which　didn't　have　no　more　force；　in　Wobbish　country　than　if　it　was　written　by　the　King　of　Ethiopia。　Well；　Mr。　Jackson；　it's　a　long　way　home　from　here；　and　we'll　just　see　if　you　don't　have　some　kind　of　accident　along　the　way。
　　No；　no；　no；　Hooch　told　himself　silently。　Getting　even　don't　amount　to　nothing　in　this　world。　Getting　even　only　gets　you　behind。　The　best　revenge　is　to　get　rich　enough　to　make　them　all　call　you　sir；　that's　how　you　get　even　with　these　boys。　No　bushwhacking。　If　you　ever　get　a　name　for　bushwhacking；　that's　the　end　of　you；　Hooch　Palmer。
　　So　Hooch　sat　there　and　smiled；　as　Harrison　called　for　his　aide。　〃Why　don't　you　invite　Lolla…Wossiky　in　here？　And　while　you're　at　it；　tell　his　brother　he　can　e　in；　too。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky's　brother　　had　to　be　the　defiant　Red　who　was　standing　up　against　the　wall。　Funny；　how　two　peas　from　the　same　pod　could　grow　up　so　different。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　came　in　fawning；　smiling；　looking　quickly　from　one　White　face　to　the　next；　wondering　what　they　wanted；　how　he　could　make　them　happy　enough　to　reward　him　with　whisky。　It　was　written　all　over　him；　how　thirsty　he　was；　even　though　he　was　already　so　drunk　he　didn't　walk　straight。　Or　had　he　already　drunk　so　much　likker　that　he　couldn't　walk　straight　even　when　he　was　sober？　Hooch　wondered　　but　soon　enough　he　knew　the　answer。　Harrison　reached　into　the　bureau　behind　him　and　took　out　a　jug　and　a　cup。　Lolla…Wossiky　watched　the　brown　liquid　splash　into　the　cup；　his　one　eye　so　intense　it　was　like　he　could　taste　the　likker　by　vision　alone。　But　he　didn't　take　even　a　single　step　toward　the　cup。　Harrison　reached　out　and　set　the　cup　on　the　table　near　the　Red；　but　still　the　man　stood　there；　smiling；　looking　now　at　the　cup；　now　at　Harrison；　waiting；　waiting。
　　Harrison　turned　to　Jackson　and　smiled。　〃Lolla…Wossiky　is　just　about　the　most　civilized　Red　in　the　whole　Wobbish　country；　Mr。　Jackson。　He　never　takes　things　that　don't　belong　to　him。　He　never　speaks　except　when　spoken　to。　He　obeys　and　does　whatever　I　tell　him。　And　all　he　ever　asks　in　return　is　just　a　cup　of　liquid。　Doesn't　even　have　to　be　good　likker。　Corn　whisky　or　bad　Spanish　rum　are　just　fine　with　him；　isn't　that　right；　Lolla…Wossiky？〃
　　〃Very　so　right；　Mr。　Excellency；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。　His　speech　was　surprisingly　clear；　for　a　Red。　Especially　a　drunken　Red。
　　Hooch　saw　Jackson　study　the　one…eyed　Red　with　disgust。　Then　the　Tennizy　lawyer's　gaze　shifted　to　the　door；　where　the　tall；　strong；　defiant　Red　was　standing。　Hooch　enjoyed　watching　Jackson's　face。　From　disgust；　his　expression　plainly　changed　to　anger。　Anger　and；　yes；　fear。　Oh；　yes；　you　aren't　fearless；　Mr。　Jackson。　You　know　what　Lolla…Wossiky's　brother　is。　He's　your　enemy；　and　my　enemy；　the　enemy　of　every　White　man　who　ever　wants　to　have　this　land；　because　sometime　this　uppity　Red　is　going　to　put　his　tommy…hawk　in　your　head　and　peel　off　your　scalp　real　slow；　and　he　won't　sell　it　to　no　Frenchman；　neither；　Mr。　Jackson；　he'll　keep　it　and　give　it　to　his　children；　and　say　to　them；　〃This　is　the　only　good　Wh