osc.am2.redprophet-第62部分

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　　Becca　shook　her　head。　〃Even　if　Isaac　refused　to　go；　the　battle　would　take　place　without　him。　No；　the　threads　aren't　broken　by　anything　Isaac　did。　They　broke　the　moment　some　Red　man　chose　a　course　of　action　that　would　surely　end　in　his　death　in　battle；　you　and　Isaac　weren't　going　around　spreading　death；　if　that's　what　worries　you。　No　more　than　Old　Hickory's　been　killing　people。　You　were　just　going　spreading　choices。　They　didn't　have　to　believe　in　you。　They　didn't　have　to　choose　to　die。〃
　　〃But　they　didn't　know　that's　what　they　was　choosing。〃
　　〃They　knew；〃　said　Becca。　〃We　always　know。　We　don't　admit　it　to　ourselves；　not　until　the　very　moment　of　death；　but　in　that　moment；　Alvin；　we　see　all　the　life　before　us　and　we　understand　how　we　chose；　every　day　of　our　lives；　the　manner　of　our　death。〃
　　〃What　if　something　just　happens　to　fall　on　somebody's　head　and　mashes　him？〃
　　〃He　chose　to　be　in　a　place　where　such　things　happen。　And　he　wasn't　looking　up。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　think　folks　can　always　change　what's　ing；　and　I　think　some　things　happen　that　ain't　nobody　ever　chose　to　happen；〃
　　Becca　smiled　at　him；　reached　out　her　arm。　〃e　here；　Alvin。　Let　me　hold　you　close　to　me。　I　love　your　simple　faith；　child。　I　want　to　hold　on　to　that　faith；　even　if　I　can't　believe　it。〃
　　So　she　held　him　for　a　time；　and　her　arm　around　him　felt　so　much　like　his　own　mama's；　strong　and　gentle；　that　he　cried　a　little。　In　fact　he　cried　a　good　deal　more　than　he　would　ever　have　meant　to　cry；　if　he'd　meant　to　cry　at　all。　And　he　knew　better　than　to　ask　to　see　his　own　thread；　even　though　he　imagined　his　thread　would　be　easy　to　find　　the　one　thread　born　in　the　White　man's　section　of　the　cloth；　but　migrating　over　and　being　green。　Surely　being　green；　like　the　Prophet's　people　did。
　　One　thing　he　was　also　sure　of；　so　sure　that　he　didn't　even　ask；　though　heaven　knows　he　wasn't　shy　about　asking　any　question　popped　into　his　head：　He　was　sure　that　Becca　knew　which　thread　was　Ta…Kumsaw's；　and　knew　as　well　that　his　and　Ta…Kumsaw's　threads　were　all　bound　up　with　each　other；　for　a　while　at　least。　As　long　as　Alvin　was　with　him；　Ta…Kumsaw'd　be　alive。　Alvin　knew　that　there　was　two　endings　to　the　prophecy：　the　one　in　which　Alvin　died　first；　leaving　Ta…Kumsaw　by　himself；　in　which　case　he'd　die　too；　or　the　one　in　which　neither　one　of　them　died　and　their　threads　went　on　until　they　disappeared。　There　might've　been　a　third　way　it　could　e　out：　Alvin　might　just　up　and　leave　Ta…Kumsaw。　But　then　if　he　did　that；　he　wouldn't　be　Alvin　anymore；　so　there　wasn't　no　point　in　considering　that　as　a　possibility；　cause　it　wasn't　one。
　　Alvin　slept　the　night　on　a　mat　on　the　library　floor；　after　reading　a　few　pages　in　a　book　by　a　man　named　Adam　Smith。　Where　Ta…Kumsaw　slept；　Alvin　didn't　know　or　care　to　ask。　What　a　man　does　with　his　wife　is　no　affair　for　children；　Alvin　knew；　but　he　wondered　if　the　main　reason　Ta…Kumsaw　had　e　back　here　wasn't　his　wish　to　see　the　loom；　but　the　hungering　that　Becca　spoke　of。　The　need　to　make　another　daughter　to　care　for　Becca's　loom。　It　wasn't　a　bad　idea；　in　Alvin's　mind；　to　have　the　cloth　of　White　America　in　the　hands　of　a　Red　man's　daughter。
　　In　the　morning　Ta…Kumsaw　led　him　away；　back　into　the　forest。　They　did　not　speak　of　Becca；　or　anything　else；　it　was　back　to　the　old　way；　with　Ta…Kumsaw　speaking　only　to　get　things　done。　Alvin　never　heard　him　speak　in　his　Isaac　voice　again；　so　that　Alvin　began　to　wonder　if　he　really　heard　it。
　　On　the　north　bank　of　the　Hio；　near　where　the　Wobbish　empties　into　it；　the　Red　army　gathered；　more　Reds　than　Alvin　knew　existed　in　the　whole　world。　More　people　than　Alvin　had　ever　imagined　together　in　the　same　place　at　the　same　time。
　　Because　such　a　pany　was　bound　to　get　hungry；　the　animals　also　came　to　them；　sensing　their　need　and　fulfilling　what　they　all　was　born　for。　Did　the　forest　know　that　all　its　hopes　of　withstanding　White　men's　axes　depended　on　Ta…Kumsaw's　victory？
　　No；　Alvin　decided；　the　forest　was　just　doing　what　it　always　did　　making　shift　to　feed　its　own。
　　It　was　raining　and　the　breeze　was　cool　on　the　morning　they　set　out　from　the　Hio；　bound　northward。　But　what　was　rain　to　Red　men？　The　messenger　had　e　from　the　French　in　Detroit。　It　was　time　to　join　forces；　and　lure　Old　Hickory's　army　north。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　18　　Detroit
　　
　　It　was　a　glorious　time　for　Frederic；　te　de　Maurepas。　Far　from　living　in　hell　here　in　Detroit；　with　none　of　the　amenities　of　Paris；　he　found　the　exhilaration　of；　for　once；　being　part　of　something　larger　than　himself。　War　was　afoot；　the　fort　was　stirring；　the　heathen　Reds　were　gathering　from　the　far　corners　of　the　wilderness；　and　soon；　under　de　Maurepas's　mand；　the　French　would　destroy　the　ragtag　American　army　Old　Chestnut　had　brought　north　of　the　Maw…Mee。　Old　Willow？　Whatever　they　called　him。
　　Of　course　a　part　of　him　was　rather　unnerved　by　all　this。　Frederic　had　never　been　a　man　of　action；　and　now　so　much　action　was　going　on　that　he　could　hardly　fathom　it。　It　bothered　him　sometimes　that　Napoleon　was　letting　the　savages　fight　from　behind　trees。　Surely　Europeans；　even　the　barbarous　Americans；　should　be　courteous　enough　not　to　let　the　Reds　take　unfair　advantage　of　their　ability　to　hide　in　the　woods。　But　never　mind。　Napoleon　was　sure　it　would　work　out。　What　could　go　wrong；　really？　Everything　was　working　as　Napoleon　said　it　would。　Even　Governor　La　Fayette；　traitorous　effete　Feuillant　dog　that　he　was；　seemed　enthusiastic　about　the　battle　ahead。　He　had　even　sent　another　ship　with　more　troops；　which　Frederic　had　seen　pull　into　harbor　not　ten　minutes　ago。
　　〃My　lord；〃　said　Whoever…it…was；　the　servant　who　handled　things　in　the　evening。　He　was　announcing　somebody；　of　all　things。
　　〃Who？〃　Who　is　it　visiting　at　such　an　ungodly　hour？
　　〃A　messenger　from　the　Governor。〃
　　〃In；〃　said　Frederic。　He　was　feeling　too　pleasant　to　bother　keeping　the　man　cooling　his　heels　for　a　while。　After　all；　it　was　evening　　no　need　to　pretend　to　be　hard　at　work　at　an　hour　like　this。　After　four　o'clock；　in　fact！
　　The　man　came　in；　smart　in　his　uniform。　A　major　officer；　in　fact。　Frederic　should　know　his　name；　probably；　but　then　he　wasn't　anybody；　hadn't　even　a　cousin　with　a　title。　So　Frederic　waited；　not　greeting　him。
　　The　major　held　two　letters　in　his　hand。　He　laid　one　on　Frederic's　table。
　　〃Is　the　other　for　me　as　well？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　But　I　have　the　Governor's　instructions　to　give　you　that　one　first；　to　wait　while　you　read　it　in　my　presence；　and　then　decide　whether　to　give　you　the　other。〃
　　〃The　Governor's　instructions！　To　make　me　wait　to　receive　my　mail　until　I've　read　his　letter　first？〃
　　〃The　second　letter　is　not　addressed　to　you；　my　lord；〃　said　the　major。　〃So　it　is　not　your　mail。　But　I　think　you　will　want　to　see　it。〃
　　〃What　if　I'm　weary　of　work；　and　choose　to　read　the　letter　tomorrow？〃
　　〃Then　I　have　still　another　letter；　which　I　will　read　to　your　soldiers　if　you　don't　read　the　first　letter　within　five　minutes。　That　third　letter　relieves　you　of　mand　and　places　me　in　charge　of　Fort　Detroit；　under　the　authority　of　the　Governor。〃
　　〃Audacious！　Offensive！　To　address　me　in　this　manner！〃
　　〃I　but　repeat　the　words　of　the　Governor；　my　lord。　I　urge　you；　read　his　letter。　It　can　do　you　no　harm；　and　not　reading　it　will　have　devastating　effect。〃
　　Unbearable。　Who　did　the　Governor　think　he　was？　Well；　in　fact；　he　was　a　Marquis。　But　then；　La　Fayette　was　actually　farther　out　of　favor　with　the　King　than
　　〃Five　minutes；　my　lord。〃
　　Seething；　Frederic　opened　the　letter。　It　was　heavy；　when　he　unfolded　it；　a　metal　amulet　on　a　chain　spilled　onto　the　desk；　clattering。
　　〃What　is　this？〃
　　〃The　letter；　my　lord。〃
　　Frederic　scanned　it　quickly。　〃An　amulet！　Holy　man！　What　am　I　to　make　of　this？　Has　La　Fayette　bee　superstitious？〃　Yet　despite　his　bravado；　Frederic　knew　at　once　that　he　would　put　on　the　amulet。　A　ward　against　Satan！　He　had　heard　of　such　amulets；　priceless　beyond　pare；　for　all　had　been　touched　by　the　finger　of　the　Holy　Mother　herself；　giving　them　their　power。　Could　this　be　such　a　one？　He　opened　the　chain　and　lowered　it　over　his　head。
　　〃Inside；〃　said　the　major。
　　Frederic　looked　at　him　a　moment　in　bafflement；　then　realized　what　was　expected　and　tucked　the　amulet　into　his　shirt。　Now　it　was　out　of　sight。
　　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　wearing　it。〃
　　〃Excellent；　my　lord；〃　said　the　major。　He　held　out　the　other　letter。
　　It　was　not　fastened　shut；　but　it　had　been　sealed；　and　Frederic　was　astonished　to　see　that　it　was　His　Majesty's　great　seal　imprinted　in　the　wax。　It　was　addressed　to　the　Marquis　de　La　Fayette。　It　contained　the　order　for　Napoleon　Bonaparte　to　be　placed　under　immediate　arrest；　to　be　returned　to　Paris　in　irons　to　stand　trial　for　treason；　sedition；　disloyalty；　and　malfeasance。
　　
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　　〃Do　you　think　your　pleading　moves　me？〃　said　de　Maurepas。
　　〃I　should　hope　that　the　justice　of　my　arguments　would　move　you；〃　said　Napoleon。　〃Tomorrow　will　be　the　battle。　Ta…Kumsaw　expects　to　take　his　orders　from　me；　only　I　understand　fully　what　is　expected　of　the　French　army　in　this　engagement。〃
　　〃Only　you？　What　is　this　sudden　vanity　of　yours；　to　believe　that　only　you　are　capable　of　mand；　that　only　you　understand？〃