osc.am2.redprophet-第42部分

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stead　of　being　something　he　could　do　overnight　it'd　take　days。　And　any　time；　they　might　catch　him　digging。　Or　just　plain　drag　him　out　and　shoot　him。　Or　maybe　even　bring　back　them　Chok…Taws；　to　do　what　they　started　　leave　him　looking　like　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　had　him　tortured。　All　possible。
　　Home　wasn't　ten　miles　away。　That's　what　plain　drove　him　crazy。　So　close　to　home；　and　they　didn't　even　guess　it；　had　no　idea　they　ought　to　e　to　help。　He　remembered　that　torch　girl　from　Hatrack　River；　years　ago；　the　one　who　saw　them　stuck　in　the　river　and　sent　help。　That's　who　I　need　right　now；　I　need　me　a　torch；　somebody　who'd　find　me　and　send　help。
　　But　that　wasn't　too　likely。　Not　for　Measure。　If　it　was　Alvin；　now；　there'd　be　eight　miracles；　whatever　it　took　to　get　him　out　safe。　But　for　Measure；　there'd　be　just　whatever　he　could　work　up　for　hisself。
　　He　broke　a　fingernail　half　off　in　the　first　ten　minutes　of　digging。　The　pain　was　real　bad；　and　he　knew　he　was　bleeding。　If　they　dragged　him　out　now；　they'd　know　he　was　making　a　tunnel。　But　it　was　his　only　chance。　So　he　kept　digging；　pain　and　all；　every　now　and　then　stopping　to　toss　out　a　potato　that　rolled　down　into　the　hole。
　　Pretty　soon　he　took　off　his　loincloth　and　used　it　in　his　work。　He'd　loosen　up　the　soil　with　his　hands；　then　pile　it　onto　the　cloth　and　use　that　to　hoist　it　up　out　of　the　hole。　It　wasn't　as　good　as　having　a　spade；　but　it　sure　beat　moving　the　dirt　out　one　handful　at　a　time。　What　did　he　have；　days？　Hours？
　　
　　
　　Chapter　11　　Red　Boy
　　
　　It　wasn't　an　hour　after　Measure　left。　Ta…Kumsaw　stood　atop　a　dune；　the　White　boy　Alvin　beside　him。　And　in　front　of　him；　Tenskwa…Tawa。　Lolla…Wossiky。　His　brother；　the　boy　who　once　cried　for　the　death　of　bees。　A　prophet；　supposedly。　Speaking　the　will　of　the　land；　supposedly。　Speaking　words　of　cowardice；　surrender；　defeat；　destruction。
　　〃This　is　the　oath　of　the　land　at　peace；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃To　take　none　of　the　White　man's　weapons；　none　of　the　White　man's　tools；　none　of　the　White　man's　clothing；　none　of　the　White　man's　food；　none　of　the　White　man's　drink；　and　none　of　the　White　man's　promises。　Above　all；　never　to　take　a　life　that　doesn't　offer　itself　to　die。〃
　　The　Reds　who　heard　him　had　heard　it　all　before；　as　had　Ta…Kumsaw。　Most　of　those　who　had　e　to　Mizogan　with　them　had　already　refused　the　Prophet's　covenant　of　weakness。　They　took　a　different　oath；　the　oath　of　the　land's　anger；　the　oath　that　Ta…Kumsaw　offered　them。　Every　White　must　live　under　Red　man's　law；　or　leave　the　land；　or　die。　A　White　man's　weapons　can　be　used；　but　only　to　defend　Reds　against　murder　and　theft。　No　Red　man　will　torture　or　kill　a　prisoner　　man；　woman；　or　child。　Above　all；　the　death　of　no　Red　will　go　unavenged。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　knew　that　if　all　the　Reds　of　America　took　his　oath；　they　could　still　defeat　the　White　man。　Whites　had　only　made　such　inroads　because　the　Reds　could　never　unite　under　one　leader。　The　Whites　could　always　ally　themselves　with　a　tribe　or　two；　who　would　lead　them　through　the　trackless　forest　and　help　them　find　their　enemy。　If　Reds　had　not　turned　renegade　　like　the　unspeakable　Irrakwa；　the　half…White　Cherriky　　then　the　White　man　could　not　have　survived　here　in　the　land。　They　would　have　been　swallowed　up；　lost；　as　had　happened　to　every　other　group　that　came　from　the　old　world。
　　When　the　Prophet　finished　his　challenge；　there　were　only　a　handful　who　took　his　oath；　who　would　go　back　with　him。　He　seemed　sad；　Ta…Kumsaw　thought。　Weighed　down。　He　turned　his　back　on　the　ones　who　remained　　on　the　warriors；　who　would　fight　the　White　man。
　　〃Those　men　are　yours；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I　wish　there　weren't　so　many。〃
　　〃Mine；　yes；　but　I　wish　there　weren't　so　few。〃
　　〃Oh；　you'll　find　allies　enough。　Chok…Taw；　Cree…Ek；　Chicky…Saw；　the　vicious　Semmy…Noll　of　the　Oky…Fenoky。　Enough　to　raise　the　greatest　army　of　Reds　ever　seen　in　this　land；　all　thirsting　for　White　man's　blood。〃
　　〃Stand　at　my　side　in　that　battle；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃You'll　lose　your　cause　by　killing；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I'll　win　my　cause。〃
　　〃By　dying。〃
　　〃If　the　land　calls　for　my　death；　I'll　answer。〃
　　〃And　all　your　people　with　you。〃
　　The　Prophet　shook　his　head。　〃I've　seen　what　I've　seen。　The　people　of　my　oath　are　as　much　a　part　of　the　land　as　the　bear　or　the　buffalo；　the　squirrel　or　the　beaver；　the　turkey　or　the　pheasant　or　the　grouse。　All　those　animals　have　stood　still　to　take　your　arrow；　haven't　they？　Or　stretched　out　their　neck　for　your　knife。　Or　lain　down　their　head　for　your　tommy…hawk。〃
　　〃They're　animals；　meant　to　be　meat。〃
　　〃They're　alive；　meant　to　live　until　they　die；　and　when　they　die；　die　so　that　others　can　live。〃
　　〃Not　me。　Not　my　people。　We　won't　stretch　out　our　neck　for　the　White　man's　knife。〃
　　The　Prophet　took　Ta…Kumsaw　by　the　shoulders；　tears　streaming　down　his　face。　He　pressed　his　cheek　against　Ta…Kumsaw's　cheek；　putting　his　tears　on　his　brother's　face。
　　〃e　find　me　across　the　Mizzipy；　when　all　this　is　done；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　〃I'll　never　let　the　land　be　divided；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃The　east　doesn't　belong　to　the　White　man。〃
　　〃The　east　will　die；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃Follow　me　west；　where　the　White　man　will　never　go。〃
　　Ta…Kurnsaw　said　nothing。　The　White　boy　Alvin　touched　the　Prophet's　hand。　〃Tenskwa…Tawa；　does　that　mean　I　can　never　go　west？〃
　　The　Prophet　laughed。　〃Why　do　you　think　I'm　sending　you　with　Ta…Kumsaw？　If　anyone　can　turn　a　White　boy　Red；　Ta…Kumsaw　can。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　him；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃Take　him　or　die；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　Then　the　Prophet　walked　down　the　slope　of　the　dune；　to　the　dozen　men　who　waited　for　him；　their　palms　dripping　blood　to　seal　the　covenant。　They　walked　off　along　the　shore　of　the　lake；　to　where　their　families　waited。　Tomorrow　they'd　be　back　in　Prophetstown。　Ripe　to　be　slaughtered。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　waited　until　the　Prophet　had　disappeared　behind　a　dune。　Then　he　cried　out　to　the　hundreds　who　remained。　〃When　will　the　White　man　have　peace？〃
　　〃When　he　leaves！〃　they　shouted。　〃When　he　dies！〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　laughed　and　held　out　his　arms。　He　felt　their　love　and　trust　like　the　heat　of　the　sun　on　a　winter's　day。　Lesser　men　had　felt　that　heat　before；　but　it　had　oppressed　them；　because　they　weren't　worthy　of　the　trust　they　had　been　given。　Not　Ta…Kumsaw。　He　had　measured　himself；　and　he　knew　that　there　was　no　task　ahead　of　him　that　he　couldn't　acplish。　Only　treachery　could　keep　him　from　victory。　And　Ta…Kumsaw　was　very　good　at　knowing　a　man's　heart。　Knowing　if　he　could　be　trusted。　Knowing　if　he　was　a　liar。　Hadn't　he　known　Governor　Harrison　from　the　beginning？　A　man　like　that　couldn't　hide　from　him。
　　They　left　only　minutes　later。　A　few　dozen　men　led　the　women　and　children　to　the　new　place　where　their　wandering　village　would　settle。　They　stayed　no　more　than　three　days　in　any　place　　a　permanent　village　like　Prophetstown　was　an　invitation　to　a　massacre。　The　only　thing　that　kept　the　Prophet　safe　was　sheer　numbers。　Ten　thousand　Reds　lived　there　now；　more　than　had　ever　lived　in　any　one　place　before。　And　it　was　a　miraculous　place；　Ta…Kumsaw　knew　it。　The　maize　grew　up　six　ears　to　the　stalk；　thicker　and　milkier　than　any　corn　had　ever　been　before。　Buffalo　and　deer　wandered　into　the　city　from　a　hundred　miles　around；　walked　to　the　cooking　fires；　and　lay　down　waiting　for　the　knife。　When　the　geese　flew　overhead；　a　few　from　every　flock　would　e　to　land　on　the　Wobbish　and　the　Tippy…Canoe；　waiting　for　the　arrow。　The　fish　swam　up　from　the　Hio　to　leap　into　the　nets　of　Prophetstown。
　　All　that　would　mean　nothing；　if　the　White　man　ever　brought　his　cannons　to　fire　grapeshot　and　shrapnel　through　the　fragile　wigwams　and　lodges　of　the　Red　city。　The　searing　metal　would　cut　through　the　delicate　walls　　that　deadly　driven　rain　would　not　be　held　out　by　sticks　and　mud。　Every　Red　man　in　Prophetstown　would　regret　his　oath　on　that　day。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　led　them　through　the　forest。　The　White　boy　ran　directly　behind　him。　Ta…Kurnsaw　deliberately　set　a　killing　pace；　twice　as　fast　as　they　had　run　before；　bringing　the　boy　and　his　brother　to　Mizogan。　They　had　two　hundred　miles　to　Fort　Detroit；　and　Ta…Kumsaw　was　determined　to　cover　that　distance　in　a　single　day。　No　White　man　could　do　it　　no　White　man's　horse；　either。　A　mile　every　five　minutes；　on　and　on；　the　wind　whipping　through　the　topknot　of　his　hair。　It　would　kill　a　man　to　run　so　fast　for　half　an　hour；　except　that　the　Red　man　called　on　the　strength　of　the　land　to　help　him。　The　ground　pushed　back　against　his　feet；　adding　to　his　strength。　The　bushes　parted；　making　paths；　space　appeared　where　there　was　no　space；　Ta…Kumsaw　raced　across　streams　and　rivers　so　quickly　that　his　feet　did　not　touch　the　bottom　of　the　stream；　merely　sank　just　deep　enough　to　find　purchase　on　the　water　itself。　His　hunger　to　arrive　at　Fort　Detroit　was　so　strong　that　the　land　answered　by　feeding　him；　giving　him　strength。　And　not　just　Ta…Kumsaw；　but　every　man　behind　him；　every　Red　man　who　knew　the　feel　of　the　land　within　him；　he　found　the　same　strength　as　his　leader；　stepped　in　the　same　path；　footfall　by　footfall；　like　one　great　soul　walking　a　long　slender　highway　through　the　wood。
　　I　will　have　to　carry　the　White　boy；　thought　Ta…Kumsaw。　But　the　footsteps　behind　him　　for　Whites　made　no