osc.am2.redprophet-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　One　eye　sees　night；　other　eye　sees　black　noise。　Have　to　stop。　Have　to　stop。
　　Very　carefully　Lolla…Wossiky　found　a　tree；　put　down　the　keg；　sat　down　and　leaned　against　the　tree；　keg　between　his　legs。　Very　slowly　because　he　couldn't　see；　he　felt　the　keg　all　over　to　make　sure　of　the　bung。　Tap　tap　tap　with　the　tommy…hawk；　tap；　tap；　tap　till　the　bung　was　loose。　Slowly　he　wiggled　it　out　with　his　fingers。　Then　he　leaned　over　and　put　his　mouth　over　the　bunghole；　tight　as　a　kiss；　tight　as　a　baby　on　the　nipple；　that's　how　tight；　then　up　with　the　keg；　very　slow；　very　slow；　not　very　high；　there's　the　taste；　there's　the　likker；　one　swallow；　two　swallows；　three　swallows；　four。
　　Four　is　all。　Four　is　the　end。　Four　is　the　true　number；　the　whole　number；　the　square　number。　Four　swallows。
　　He　put　the　bung　back　into　the　keg　and　tapped　it　into　place；　tight。　Already　the　likker　is　getting　to　his　head。　Already　the　black　noise　is　fading；　fading。
　　Into　silence。　Into　beautiful　green　silence。
　　But　the　green　also　goes　away；　fading　with　the　black。　Every　time　it　goes　this　way。　The　land　sense；　the　green　vision　that　every　Red　has；　nobody　ever　saw　it　clearer　than　Lolla…Wossiky。　But　now　when　it　es；　right　behind　it　es　the　black　noise　every　time。　And　when　the　black　noise　goes；　when　the　likker　chases　it　off；　right　behind　it　goes　away　the　green　living　silence　every　time。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　is　left　like　a　White　man　then。　Cut　off　from　the　land。　Ground　crunching　underfoot。　Branches　snagging。　Roots　tripping。　Animals　running　away。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　hoped；　hoped　for　years　to　find　just　the　right　amount　of　likker　to　drink；　to　still　the　black　noise　and　still　leave　the　green　vision。　Four　swallows；　that　was　as　close　as　he　ever　came。　It　left　the　black　noise　just　out　of　reach；　just　behind　the　nearest　tree。　But　it　also　left　the　green　where　he　could　just　touch　it。　Just　reach　it。　So　he　could　pretend　to　be　a　true　Red　instead　of　a　whisky…Red；　which　was　really　a　White。
　　Tonight；　though；　he　had　been　without　likker　so　long；　two　months　except　for　a　cup　now　and　then；　that　four　swallows　was　too　strong　for　him。　The　green　was　gone　with　the　black。　But　he　didn't　care；　not　today。　Didn't　care；　had　to　sleep。
　　
　　***
　　
　　When　he　woke　up　in　the　morning；　the　black　noise　was　just　ing　back。　He　wasn't　sure　whether　the　sun　or　the　noise　woke　him；　and　he　didn't　care。　Tap　on　the　bung；　four　swallows；　tap　it　closed。　This　time　the　land　sensed　stayed　close　by；　he　could　feel　it　a　little。　Enough　to　find　the　rabbit　in　the　hole。
　　Thick　old　stick。　Cut　it　here；　slice　it；　slice　it；　so　splintery　burrs　of　wood　stuck　out　in　every　direction。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　knelt　down　in　front　of　the　rabbit　hole。
　　〃I　am　very　hungry；〃　he　whispered。　〃And　I　am　not　very　strong。　Will　you　give　me　meat？〃
　　He　strained　to　hear　the　answer；　strained　to　know　if　it　was　right。　But　it　was　too　far　off；　and　rabbits　were　very　quiet　in　their　land…voice。　Once；　he　remembered；　he　could　hear　all　the　voices；　and　from　miles　and　miles　away。　Maybe　if　the　black　noise　ever　went　away；　he　could　hear　again。　But　for　now；　he　had　no　way　of　knowing　if　the　rabbits　gave　consent　or　not。
　　So　he　didn't　know　if　he　had　the　right　or　not。　Didn't　know　if　he　was　taking　like　a　Red　man；　just　what　the　land　offered；　or　stealing　like　a　White　man；　murdering　whatever　it　pleased　him　to　kill。　He　had　no　choice。　He　thrust　the　stick　into　the　burrow；　twisting　it。　He　felt　it　quiver；　heard　the　squeal；　and　pulled　it　out；　still　twisting。　Little　rabbit；　not　a　big　one；　just　a　little　rabbit　squirming　to　get　away　from　the　splinters；　but　Lolla…Wossiky　was　quick；　just　at　the　moment　the　rabbit　was　at　the　burrow　mouth；　ready　to　get　free　and　run；　Lolla…Wossiky　had　his　hand　there；　held　the　rabbit　by　the　head；　lifted　it　quickly　into　the　air　and　gave　it　a　snap　and　a　shake。　It　came　down　dead；　little　rabbit；　and　Lolla…Wossiky　carried　it　away　from　the　burrow；　back　to　the　keg；　because　it　is　very　bad；　it　makes　an　empty　place　in　the　land；　if　you　skin　a　baby　animal　where　its　kin　can　see　or　hear　you。
　　He　did　not　make　a　fire。　Too　dangerous；　and　there　was　no　time　to　smoke　the　meat；　not　this　close　to　White　Murderer　Harrison's　fort。　There　wasn't　much　meat　anyway；　he　ate　it　all；　raw　so　it　took　chewing　but　the　flavor　was　very　strong　and　good。　If　you　can't　smoke　meat；　Red　man　knows；　carry　all　you　can　in　your　belly。　He　tucked　the　hide　into　the　waist　of　his　loincloth；　hoisted　the　keg　over　his　shoulder；　and　started　north。　The　white　light　was　on　ahead　of　him；　dream　beast　calling；　dream　beast　urging　him　on。　I　will　wake　you　up；　said　the　dream　beast。　I　will　end　your　dream。
　　White　man　heard　about　dream　beasts。　White　man　thought　the　Red　man　went　out　into　the　forest　and　had　dreams。　Stupid　White　man；　never　understood。　All　of　life　at　first　is　a　long　sleep；　a　long　dream。　You　fall　asleep　at　the　moment　you　are　born；　and　never　wake　up；　never　wake　up　until　finally　one　day　the　dream　beast　calls　you。　You　go　then；　into　the　forest；　sometimes　only　a　few　steps；　sometimes　to　the　edge　of　the　world。　You　go　until　you　meet　the　beast　who　calls　you。　The　beast　is　not　in　a　dream。　The　beast　wakes　you　up　from　the　dream。　The　beast　shows　you　who　you　are；　teaches　you　your　place　in　the　land。　Then　you　go　home　awake；　awake　at　last；　and　tell　the　shaman　and　your　mother　and　your　sisters　who　the　dream　beast　was。　A　bear？　A　badger？　A　bird？　A　fish？　A　hawk　or　an　eagle？　A　bee　or　a　wasp？　The　shaman　will　tell　you　stories　and　help　you　choose　your　woke…up　name。　Your　mother　and　sisters　will　name　all　your　children；　whether　they　have　been　born　yet　or　not。
　　All　of　Lolla…Wossiky's　brothers　met　their　dream　beasts　long　ago。　Now　his　mother　was　dead；　his　two　sisters　were　gone　to　live　with　another　tribe。　Who　would　name　his　children？
　　I　know；　said　Lolla…Wossiky。　I　know。　Lolla…Wossiky　will　never　have　children；　this　old　one…eyed　whisky…Red。　But　Lolla…Wossiky　will　find　his　dream　beast。　Lolla…Wossiky　will　wake　up。　Lolla…Wossiky　will　have　his　woke…up　name。
　　Then　Lolla…Wossiky　will　see　if　he　should　live　or　die。　If　the　black　noise　goes　on；　and　waking　up　teaches　him　nothing　more　than　he　knows　now；　Lolla…Wossiky　will　go　sleep　in　the　river　and　let　it　roll　him　to　the　sea；　far　away　from　the　land　and　the　black　noise。　But　if　waking　up　teaches　him　some　reason　to　live　on；　black　noise　or　not；　then　Lolla…Wossiky　will　live；　many　long　years　of　drink　and　pain；　pain　and　drink。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　drank　four　swallows　every　morning；　four　swallows　every　night；　and　then　went　to　sleep　hoping　that　when　the　dream　beast　woke　him　up；　he　then　could　die。
　　
　　***
　　
　　One　day　he　stood　on　the　banks　of　a　clearwater　stream；　with　the　black　noise　thick　in　his　vision　and　loud　in　his　ears。　A　great　brown　bear　stood　in　the　water。　It　slapped　the　face　of　the　water　and　a　fish　flew　into　the　air。　The　bear　caught　it　in　his　teeth；　chomped　twice；　and　swallowed。　It　was　not　the　eating　that　Lolla…Wossiky　cared　about。　It　was　the　bear's　eyes。
　　The　bear　had　one　eye　missing；　just　like　Lolla…Wossiky。　This　made　Lolla…Wossiky　wonder　if　the　bear　could　be　his　dream　beast。　But　that　could　not　be。　The　white　light　that　called　him　was　still　north　and　somewhat　west　of　this　place。　So　this　bear　was　not　the　dream　beast；　it　was　part　of　the　dream。
　　Still；　it　might　have　a　message　for　Lolla…Wossiky。　This　bear　might　be　here　because　the　land　wanted　to　tell　Lolla…Wossiky　a　story。
　　This　is　the　first　thing　Lolla…Wossiky　noticed：　When　the　bear　caught　the　fish　in　his　jaws；　he　was　looking　with　his　single　eye；　seeing　the　glimmer　of　sunlight　shining　on　the　fish。　Lolla…Wossiky　knew　about　this；　cause　Lolla…Wossiky　tilted　his　head　to　one　side　just　like　the　bear。
　　This　is　the　second　thing　Lolla…Wossiky　noticed：　When　the　bear　looked　into　the　water　to　see　the　fish　swimming；　so　he　could　slap　at　it；　he　looked　with　the　other　eye；　with　the　eye　that　wasn't　there。　Lolla…Wossiky　didn't　understand　this。　It　was　very　strange；
　　This　is　the　last　thing　Lolla…Wossiky　noticed：　As　he　watched　the　bear；　his　own　good　eye　was　closed。　And　when　he　opened　his　eye；　the　river　was　still　there；　the　sunlight　was　still　there；　the　fishes　still　danced　into　the　air　and　then　disappeared；　but　the　bear　was　gone。　Lolla…Wossiky　could　see　the　bear　only　if　he　closed　his　good　eye。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　drank　two　swallows；　from　the　keg；　and　the　bear　went　away。
　　
　　***
　　
　　One　day　Lolla…Wossiky　crossed　a　White　man's　road；　and　felt　it　like　a　river　moving　under　his　feet。　The　current　of　the　road　swept　him　along。　He　staggered　with　it；　then　caught　the　stride　and　jogged　along；　the　keg　on　his　shoulder。　A　Red　man　never　walked　on　the　White　man's　road　　the　dirt　was　packed　too　hard　in　dry　weather；　mud　too　deep　in　rain；　and　the　wagon　wheel　ruts　reached　out　like　White　man's　hands　to　turn　the　Red　man's　ankle；　trip　him　up；　break　him　down。　This　time；　though；　the　ground　was　soft　like　spring　grass　on　a　riverbank；　as　long　as　Lolla…Wossiky　ran　along　the　road　the　right　direction。　Not　toward　the　light　anymore；　cause　the　light　was　soft　around　him；　and　he　knew　the　dream　beast　was　very　very　close。
　　The　road　three　times　went　over　water　　two　little　streams　and　a　big　one　　and　each　time　there　was　a　bridge；　made　of　great　heavy　logs　and　sturdy　planks；　with　a　roof　like　a　White　man's　house。　Lolla…Wossiky　stood　on　the　first　bridge　a　long　time。