osc.am2.redprophet-第33部分

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　　Finally；　though；　they　fell　silent；　weary　to　the　bone　from　all　their　running；　not　to　mention　their　work　moving　the　tree　and　the　plain　terror　when　the　Chok…Taw　was　out　to　torture　them。　Measure　started　snoring　lightly。　And　Alvin；　he　found　himself　drifting。　In　the　very　last　moments　before　sleep；　he　heard　that　green　music　again；　or　saw　it；　or　anyhow　knew　that　it　was　there。　But　before　he　could　even　listen；　he　dozed　off。　Dozed　off　and　slept　real　peaceful；　what　with　the　night　breeze　blowing　cool　off　the　river；　the　blanket　and　the　warmth　of　Measure's　body　keeping　him　warm；　the　nightsounds　of　the　animals；　the　cries　of　a　hungry　infant　from　a　hut　somewhere；　all　of　it　was　part　of　the　green　music　flowing　through　his　head。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　8　　Red…Lover
　　
　　They　gathered　in　the　clearing；　some　thirty　White　men；　grim…faced　and　angry　and　tired　from　walking　through　the　woods。　The　trail　was　easy　enough　to　follow；　but　it　seemed　like　the　branches　grabbed　at　them　and　the　roots　tripped　them　up　　the　forest　was　never　kind　to　a　White　man。　Then　there　was　an　hour　lost　when　the　trail　reached　a　stream；　and　they　had　to　go　up　and　down　the　stream　to　find　where　the　Reds　took　them　boys　out　of　the　water　and　up　onto　land　again。　Old　Alvin　Miller　like　to　went　crazy　when　he　saw　they　dragged　the　boys　through　water　　it　took　his　son　Calm　about　ten　minutes　to　get　him　quiet　and　able　to　go　on。　The　man　was　just　mad　with　fear。
　　〃Shbuldn't've　sent　him　away；　I　never　should've　let　him　go；〃　he　kept　saying。
　　And　Calm　kept　saying；　〃Could've　happened　anywhere；　don't　blame　yourself；　we'll　find　them　all　right；　they're　still　walking　ain't　they？〃　All　kinds　of　talk；　but　mostly　it　was　his　voice　that　soothed　Al　Miller；　it　was　his　manner　　some　folks　even　said　it　was　his　knack；　that　his　ma　named　him　straight　for　what　he　could　best　do。
　　Now　they　were　in　the　clearing；　and　trails　led　off　about　five　different　ways；　and　all　of　them　plumb　disappeared　after　a　few　steps。　They　found　the　boys'　tore…up　underwear　a　few　steps　into　the　woods　heading　northwest。　Nobody　figured　they　ought　to　show　that　to　Al　Miller；　so　by　the　time　he　got　there　　him　bringing　up　the　rear　at　that　point；　with　Calm　by　his　side　　the　underjohns　were　tucked　away　out　of　sight。
　　〃We'll　never　track　them　from　here；〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃The　boys　aren't　leaving　no　footprints　now　　which　don't　mean　nothing；　Mr。　Miller；　so　don't　you　fret。〃　Armor　called　his　father…in…law　Mr。　Miller　ever　since　Al　throwed　him　out　of　the　house　into　the　snow　that　time　he　came　to　say　Al　Junior　was　dying　cause　the　family　mitted　the　sin　of　using　hexes　and　beseechings。　It　just　don't　seem　right　to　call　a　man　Pa　after　he　heaves　you　off　his　porch。　〃They　might　be　toting　the　boys；　or　they　might　be　stepping　after　them；　kind　of　wiping　out　their　prints。　We　all　know　if　a　Red　don't　want　to　leave　a　trail；　there　ain't　no　trail。〃
　　〃We　all　know　about　Reds；〃　said　Al　Miller。　〃And　what　they　do　to　White　boys　when　they〃
　　〃So　far　all　we　know　is　they're　trying　to　scare　us；〃　said　Armor。
　　〃Doing　a　good　job　so　far；〃　said　one　of　the　Swedes。　〃Scared　mostly　to　death；　my　family　and　me。〃
　　〃Besides；　everybody　knows　Armor…of…God　here　is　a　Red…lover。〃
　　Armor　looked　around；　trying　to　see　who　said　that。　〃If　by　Red…lover　you　mean　I　think　Reds　are　human　beings　just　like　Whites；　then　it's　true。　But　if　you　mean　I　like　Reds　better　than　Whites；　then　you　best　work　up　some　courage　to　step　out　here　and　say　it　to　my　face；　so　I　can　mash　your　face　into　the　bark　of　a　tree。〃
　　〃No　need　to　quarrel；〃　said　Reverend　Thrower；　panting。　He　wasn't　much　for　exercise；　was　Thrower；　so　he　only　just　now　caught　up　with　the　rest　of　them。　〃The　Lord　God　loves　all　his　children；　even　the　heathens。　Armor…of…God　is　a　good　Christian。　But　we　all　know　that　if　it　ever　es　to　fighting　between　Christian　and　heathen；　Armor…of…God　will　stand　on　the　side　of　righteousness。〃
　　The　crowd　murmured　their　agreement。　After　all；　they　all　liked　Armor；　he'd　loaned　most　of　them　money　or　given　them　credit　at　his　store；　and　never　nagged　them　for　payment　　a　good　many　of　them　might　not　have　made　it　through　their　first　few　years　in　Wobbish　country　if　it　wasn't　for　Armor。　Grateful　or　not；　though；　they　all　knew　he　treated　Reds　like　they　was　almost　White；　which　was　a　bit　suspicious　at　a　time　like　this。
　　〃It's　ing　to　fighting　right　now；〃　said　a　man。　〃We　don't　have　to　track　down　these　Reds。　We　got　their　names　on　the　saddles；　carved　right　in。〃
　　〃Now　just　wait　a　minute！〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃You　just　think　a　minute！　In　all　this　time　Prophetstown's　been　a…growing　there　across　the　Wobbish　from　Vigor　Church；　has　any　Red　so　much　as　stole　a　thing　from　you？　Slapped　one　of　your　children？　Snatched　a　pig？　Done　any　single　bad　thing　to　any　one　of　you？〃
　　〃I　think　stealing　Al　Miller's　boys　is　a　pretty　bad　thing！〃　said　a　man。
　　〃I'm　talking　about　the　Reds　in　Prophetstown！　You　know　they　never　done　nothing　wrong；　you　know　that！　And　you　know　why；　too。　You　know　it's　cause　the　Prophet　tells　them　to　live　in　peace；　keep　to　their　own　land　and　do　no　harm　to　the　White　man。〃
　　〃That　ain't　what　Ta…Kumsaw　says！〃
　　〃Well　even　if　they　did　want　to　do　some　terrible　crime　against　White　folks　　which　I　ain't　saying　　is　there　any　one　of　you　thinks　Ta…Kumsaw　or　Tenskwa…Tawa　is　so　blamed　stupid　he's　going　to　sign　his　name？〃
　　〃They're　proud　of　killing　White　folks！〃
　　〃If　the　Red　man　was　smart；　he'd　be　White！〃
　　〃See　what　I　mean　about　Red…lovers？〃
　　Armor…of…God　knew　these　people；　and　he　knew　that　most　of　them　were　still　with　him。　Even　the　grumblers　weren't　about　to　go　off　half…cocked；　they'd　sit　tight　until　the　whole　group　decided　on　action。　So　let　them　call　him　a　Red…lover；　that　was　fine；　when　men　was　scared　and　mad　they　said　things　that　later　they　repented　of。　As　long　as　they　waited。　As　long　as　they　didn't　jump　into　war　against　the　Reds。
　　Cause　Armor　had　his　suspicions　about　this　whole　thing。　It　was　just　too　easy；　the　way　them　horses　was　sent　on　home　with　names　carved　in　the　saddle。　It　wasn't　the　way　Reds　did　things；　even　the　bad　ones　that　would　kill　you　soon　as　look　at　you。　Armor　knew　enough　about　Reds　to　know　they　only　tortured　to　give　a　man　a　chance　to　show　brave；　not　to　terrorize　people。　（Or　most　Reds　anyway　　there　were　stories　about　the　Irrakwa　before　they　got　civilized。）　So　whoever　did　this　wasn't　acting　like　a　natural　Red。　Armor　was　near　convinced　it　was　a　hired…out　job。　The　French　in　Detroit　had　been　trying　to　cause　war　between　Reds　and　American　settlers　for　years　　it　might've　been　them。　And　it　might　have　been　Bill　Harrison。　Oh　yes；　it　might　well　have　been　that　man；　down　there　like　a　spider　in　his　fort　on　the　Hio。　Armor　thought　that　was　the　most　likely　thing。　Course　he　wouldn't　dare　to　say　it　out　loud；　cause　folks　would　think　he　was　just　jealous　of　Bill　Harrison；　which　was　true　　he　was　jealous。　But　he　also　knew　that　Harrison　was　a　wicked　man；　who'd　do　anything　to　make　things　go　his　way。　Maybe　even　get　some　wild　Reds　to　e　up　and　kill　a　few　White　boys　near　Prophetstown。　After　all；　it　was　Tenskwa…Tawa　who　got　most　of　the　Reds　from　Harrison's　part　of　the　country　to　lay　off　whisky　and　e　to　Prophetstown。　And　it　was　Ta…Kumsaw　who　ran　off　half　the　White　settlers　down　there。　It　looked　to　Armor　like　Harrison　was　behind　this；　a　lot　more　likely　than　the　French。
　　But　he　couldn't　say　none　of　this；　cause　there　was　no　proof。　He　just　had　to　try　to　keep　things　calm；　till　some　real　evidence　showed　up。
　　Which　might　be　right　now。　They'd　brought　along　old　Tack　Sweeper；　wheezing　his　way　with　the　best　of　them　　it　was　remarkable　how　vigorous　he　was；　for　a　man　whose　lungs　sounded　like　a　baby's　rattle　when　he　breathed。　Tack　Sweeper　had　him　a　knack；　which　wasn't　all　that　reliable；　he　was　the　first　to　say。　But　sometimes　it　worked　remarkable　well。　What　he　did　was　stand　around　in　a　place　for　a　while　with　his　eyes　closed　and　sort　of　see　the　things　that　happened　there　in　the　past。　Just　quick　little　visions；　a　few　faces。　Like　that　time　they　was　afraid　maybe　Jan　de　Vries　killed　hisself　on　purpose；　or　maybe　was　murdered；　Tack　was　able　to　see　how　it　was　an　accident　when　his　gun　went　off　in　his　own　face；　so　they　could　bury　him　in　the　churchyard　and　not　have　to　worry　about　hunting　for　no　killer。
　　So　the　hope　was　Tack　could　tell　them　something　about　what　happened　in　this　clearing。　He　shooed　them　all　back　to　the　edges　of　the　wood；　so　they'd　be　out　of　the　way。　Then　he　walked　around　in　the　middle；　his　eyes　closed；　moving　slow。　〃You　boys　shouldn't　have　got　so　mad　here；〃　he　said　after　a　while。　〃All　I　can　see　is　you　all　jawing。〃　They　laughed；　kind　of　embarrassed。　They　should've　knowed　better　than　to　mess　up　the　memories　of　a　place　before　Tack　got　there。
　　〃It　don't　look　good。　I　keep　seeing　them　Red　faces。　Knife；　all　kind　of　knives　getting　slashed　on　folks'　skin。　A　hatchet　falling。〃
　　Al　Miller　moaned。
　　〃It's　all　just　a　mess　here；　so　much　happened；〃　said　Tack。　〃I　can't　see　right。　No。　No；　I　can　one　man。　A　Red　man；　I　know　his　face；　I　seen　him　　he's　just　standing　there；　just　still　as　you　please；　I　know　that　face。〃
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Armor…of…God。　But　he　knew；　he　had　that　sickening　feeling　of　dread；　oh　he　knew。
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw；〃　said　Tack。　He　opened　his　eyes　wide　and　looked　at　Armor；　almost　apologetic。　〃I　wouldn't've　believed　it　either