osc.am2.redprophet-第3部分

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　　What　made　it　even　funnier　was　the　fact　that　Harrison　himself　was　the　man　who　shot　Lolla…Wossiky's　father；　some　fifteen　years　ago；　when　Lolla…Wossiky　was　just　a　little　tyke；　standing　right　there　watching。　Harrison　even　told　the　story　sometimes　right　in　front　of　Lolla…Wossiky；　and　the　one…eyed　drunk　just　nodded　and　laughed　and　grinned　and　acted　like　he　had　no　brains　at　all；　no　human　dignity；　just　about　the　lowest；　crawliest　Red　that　Hooch　ever　seen。　He　didn't　even　care　about　revenge　for　his　dead　papa；　just　so　long　as　he　got　his　likker。　No；　Hooch　wasn't　a　bit　surprised　to　see　that　Lolla…Wossiky　was　lying　right　on　the　floor　outside　Harrison's　office；　so　every　time　the　door　opened；　it　bumped　him　right　in　the　butt。　Incredibly；　even　now；　when　there　hadn't　been　new　likker　in　Carthage　City　in　four　months；　Lolla…Wossiky　was　pickled。　He　saw　Hooch　e　in；　sat　up　on　one　elbow；　waved　an　arm　in　greeting；　and　then　rocked　back　onto　the　floor　without　a　sound。　The　handkerchief　he　kept　tied　over　his　missing　eye　was　out　of　place；　so　the　empty　socket　with　the　sucked…in　eyelids　was　plainly　visible。　Hooch　felt　like　that　empty　eye　was　looking　at　him。　He　didn't　like　that　feeling。　He　didn't　like　Lolla…Wossiky。　Harrison　was　the　kind　of　man　who　liked　having　such　squalid　creatures　around　　made　him　feel　real　good　about　himself；　by　contrast；　Hooch　figured；　but　Hooch　didn't　like　seeing　such　miserable　specimens　of　humanity。　Why　hadn't　Lolla…Wossiky　died　yet？
　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　open　Harrison's　door；　Hooch　looked　up　from　the　drunken　one…eyed　Red　into　the　eyes　of　another　man；　and　here's　the　funny　thing：　He　thought　for　a　second　it　was　Lolla…Wossiky　again；　they　looked　so　much　alike。　Only　it　was　Lolla…Wossiky　with　both　eyes；　and　not　drunk　at　all；　no　sir。　This　Red　must　be　six　feet　from　sole　to　scalp；　leaning　against　the　wall；　his　head　shaved　except　his　scalplock；　his　clothing　clean。　He　stood　straight；　like　a　soldier　at　attention；　and　he　didn't　so　much　as　look　at　Hooch。　His　eyes　stared　straight　into　space。　Yet　Hooch　knew　that　this　boy　saw　everything；　even　though　he　focused　on　nothing。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　Hooch　saw　a　Red　who　looked　like　that；　all　cold　and　in　control　of　things。
　　Dangerous；　dangerous；　is　Harrison　getting　careless；　to　let　a　Red　into　his　own　headquarters　with　eyes　like　those？　With　a　bearing　like　a　king；　and　arms　so　strong　he　looks　like　he　could　pull　a　bow　made　from　the　trunk　of　a　six…year…old　oak？　Lolla…Wossiky　was　so　contemptible　it　made　Hooch　sick。　But　this　Red　who　looked　like　Lolla…Wossiky；　he　was　the　opposite。　And　instead　of　making　Hooch　sick；　he　made　Hooch　mad；　to　be　so　proud　and　defiant　as　if　he　thought　he　was　as　good　a　man　as　any　White。　No；　better。　That's　how　he　looked　　like　he　thought　he　was　better。
　　Then　he　realized　he　was　just　standing　there；　his　hand　on　the　latch　pull；　staring　at　the　Red。　Hadn't　moved　in　how　long？　That　was　no　good；　to　let　folks　see　how　this　Red　made　him　unfortable。　He　pulled　the　door　open　and　stepped　inside。
　　But　he　didn't　talk　about　that　Red；　no　sir；　that　wouldn't　do　at　all。　It　wouldn't　do　to　let　Harrison　know　how　much　that　one　proud　Shaw…Nee　bothered　him；　made　him　angry。　Because　there　sat　Governor　Bill　behind　a　big　old　table；　like　God　on　his　throne；　and　Hooch　realized　things　had　changed　around　here。　It　wasn't　just　the　fort　that　had　got　bigger　　so　had　Bill　Harrison's　vanity。　And　if　Hooch　was　going　to　make　the　profit　he　expected　to　on　this　trip；　he'd　have　to　make　sure　Governor　Bill　came　down　a　peg　or　two；　so　they　could　deal　as　equals　instead　of　dealing　as　a　tradesman　and　a　governor。
　　〃Noticed　your　cannon；〃　said　Hooch；　not　bothering　even　to　say　howdy。　〃What's　the　artillery　for；　French　from　Detroit；　Spanish　from　Florida；　or　Reds？〃
　　〃No　matter　who's　buying　the　scalps；　it's　always　Reds；　one　way　or　another；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Now　sit　down；　relax；　Hooch。　When　my　door　is　closed　there's　no　ceremony　between　us。〃　Oh；　yes；　Governor　Bill　liked　to　play　his　games；　just　like　a　politician。　Make　a　man　feel　like　you're　doing　him　a　favor　just　to　let　him　sit　in　your　presence；　flatter　him　by　making　him　feel　like　a　real　chum　before　you　pick　his　pocket。　Well；　thought　Hooch；　I　have　some　games　of　my　own　to　play；　and　we'll　see　who　es　out　on　top。
　　Hooch　sat　down　and　put　his　feet　up　on　Governor　Bill's　desk。　He　took　out　a　pinch　of　tobacco　and　tucked　it　into　his　cheek。　He　could　see　Bill　flinch　a　little。　It　was　a　sure　sign　that　his　wife　had　broke　him　of　some　manly　habits。　〃Care　for　a　pinch？〃　asked　Hooch。
　　It　took　a　minute　before　Harrison　allowed　as　how　he　wouldn't　mind　a　bit　of　it。　〃I　mostly　swore　off　this　stuff；〃　he　said　ruefully。
　　So　Harrison　still　missed　his　bachelor　ways。　Well；　that　was　good　news　to　Hooch。　Gave　him　a　handle　to　get　the　Gov　off　balance。　〃Hear　you　got　yourself　a　white　bedwarmer　from　Manhattan；〃　said　Hooch。
　　It　worked：　Harrison's　face　flushed。　〃I　married　a　lady　from　New　Amsterdam；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　quiet　and　cold。　Didn't　bother　Hooch　a　bit　　that's　just　what　he　wanted。
　　〃A　wife！〃　said　Hooch。　〃Well；　I'll　be！　I　beg　your　pardon；　Governor；　that　wasn't　what　I　heard；　you'll　have　to　forgive　me；　I　was　only　going　by　what　the　what　the　rumors　said。〃
　　〃Rumors？〃　asked　Harrison
　　〃Oh；　no；　you　just　never　mind。　You　know　how　soldiers　talk。　I'm　ashamed　I　listened　to　them　in　the　first　place。　Why；　you've　kept　the　memory　of　your　first　wife　sacred　all　these　years；　and　if　I　was　any　kind　of　friend　of　yours；　I　would've　known　any　woman　you　took　into　your　house　would　be　a　lady；　and　a　properly　married　wife。〃
　　〃What　I　want　to　know；〃　said　Harrison；　〃is　who　told　you　she　was　anything　else？〃
　　〃Now；　Bill；　it　was　just　loose　soldiers'　talk；　I　don't　want　any　man　to　get　in　trouble　because　he　can't　keep　his　tongue。　A　likker　shipment　just　came　in；　for　heaven's　sake；　Bill！　You　won't　hold　it　against　them；　what　they　said　with　their　minds　on　whisky。　No；　you　just　take　a　pinch　of　this　tobacky　and　remember　that　your　boys　all　like　you　fine。〃
　　Harrison　took　a　good…sized　chaw　from　the　offered　tobacco　pouch　and　tucked　it　into　his　cheek。　〃Oh；　I　know；　Hooch；　they　don't　bother　me。〃　But　Hooch　knew　thatit　did　bother　him；　that　Harrison　was　so　angry　he　couldn't　spit　straight；　which　he　proved　by　missing　the　spittoon。　A　spittoon；　Hooch　noticed；　which　had　been　sparkling　clean。　Didn't　anybody　spit　around　here　anymore；　except　Hooch？
　　〃You're　getting　civilized；〃　said　Hooch。　〃Next　thing　you　know　you'll　have　lace　curtains。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　do；〃　said　Harrison。　〃In　my　house。〃
　　〃And　little　china　chamber　pots？〃
　　〃Hooch；　you　got　a　mind　like　a　snake　and　a　mouth　like　a　hog。〃
　　〃That's　why　you　love　me；　Bill　　cause　you　got　a　mind　like　a　hog　and　a　mouth　like　a　snake。〃
　　〃Keep　that　in　mind；〃　said　Harrison。　〃You　just　keep　that　in　mind；　how　I　might　bite；　and　bite　deep；　and　bite　with　poison　in　it。　You　keep　that　in　mind　before　you　try　to　play　your　diddly　games　with　me。〃
　　〃Diddly　games！〃　cried　Hooch。　〃What　do　you　mean；　Bill　Harrison！　What　do　you　accuse　me　of！〃
　　〃I　accuse　you　of　arranging　for　us　to　have　no　likker　at　all　for　four　long　months　of　springtime；　till　I　had　to　hang　three　Reds　for　breaking　into　military　stores；　and　even　my　soldiers　ran　out！〃
　　〃Me！　I　brought　this　load　here　as　fast　as　I　could！〃
　　Harrison　just　smiled。
　　Hooch　kept　his　look　of　pained　outrage　　it　was　one　of　his　best　expressions；　and　besides　it　was　even　partly　true。　If　even　one　of　the　other　whisky　traders　had　half　a　head　on　him；　he'd　have　found　a　way　downriver　despite　Hooch's　efforts。　It　wasn't　Hooch's　fault　if　he　just　happened　to　be　the　sneakiest；　most　malicious；　lowdown；　petent　skunk　in　a　business　that　wasn't　none　too　clean　and　none　too　bright　to　start　with。
　　Hooch's　look　of　injured　innocence　lasted　longer　than　Harrison's　smile；　which　was　about　what　Hooch　figured　would　happen。
　　〃Look　here；　Hooch；〃　said　Harrison。
　　〃Maybe　you　better　start　calling　me　Mr。　Ulysses　Palmer；〃　said　Hooch。　〃Only　my　friends　call　me　Hooch。〃
　　But　Harrison　did　not　take　the　bait。　He　did　not　start　to　make　protests　of　his　undying　friendship。　〃Look　here；　Mr。　Palmer；〃　said　Harrison；　〃you　know　and　I　know　that　this　hasn't　got　a　thing　to　do　with　friendship。　You　want　to　be　rich；　and　I　want　to　be　governor　of　a　real　state。　I　need　your　likker　to　be　governor；　and　you　need　my　protection　to　be　rich。　But　this　time　you　pushed　too　far。　You　understand　me？　You　can　have　a　monopoly　for　all　I　care；　but　if　I　don't　get　a　steady　supply　of　whisky　from　you；　I'll　get　it　from　someone　else。〃
　　〃Now　Governor　Harrison；　I　can　understand　you　might've　started　fretting　along　in　there　sometime；　and　I　can　make　it　right　with　you。　What　if　you　had　six　kegs　of　the　best　whisky　all　on　your　own〃
　　But　Harrison　wasn't　in　the　mood　to　be　bribed；　either。　〃What　you　forget；　Mr。　Palmer；　is　that　I　can　have　all　this　whisky；　if　I　want　it。〃
　　Well；　if　Harrison　could　be　blunt；　so　could　Hooch；　though　he　made　it　a　practice　to　say　things　like　this　with　a　smile。　〃Mr。　Governor；　you　can　take　all　my　whisky　once。　But　then　what　trader　will　want　to　deal　with　you？〃
　　Harrison　laughed　and　laughed。　〃Any　trader　at　all；　Hooch　Palmer；　and　you　know　it！〃
　　Hooch　knew　when　he'd　been　beat。　He　joined　right　in　with　the　laughing。
　　Somebody　knocked　on　the　door。　〃e　in；〃　said　Harrison。　At　the　same　time　he　waved　Hooch　to　stay　in