osc.am2.redprophet-第47部分

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more　people；　Red　or　White；　than　mine。〃
　　In　the　night；　Alvin　dreamed。　He　saw　himself　walk　all　the　way　around　Eight…Face　Mound；　until　he　found　a　place　where　a　path　seemed　to　lead　up　the　steep　hill。　He　climbed；　then；　and　came　to　the　top。　The　silver…leafed　trees　shook　in　the　breeze；　blinding　him　as　the　sun　shone　off　them。　He　walked　to　one　tree；　and　in　it　there　was　a　nest　of　redbirds。　Every　tree　the　same；　a　single　redbird　nest。
　　Except　one　tree。　It　was　different　from　the　others。　It　was　older；　gnarled；　with　spreading　branches　instead　of　the　up…reaching　kind。　Like　a　fruit　tree。　And　the　leaves　were　gold；　not　silver；　so　they　didn't　shine　so　bright；　but　they　were　soft　and　deep。　In　the　tree；　he　saw　round　white　fruit；　and　he　knew　that　it　was　ripe。　But　when　he　reached　out　his　hand　to　take　the　fruit；　and　eat　it；　he　could　hear　laughter；　jeering。　He　looked　around　him　and　saw　everybody　he　ever　knowed　in　his　whole　life；　laughing　at　him。　Except　one　　Taleswapper。　Taleswapper　was　standing　there；　and　he　said；　〃Eat。〃　Alvin　reached　up　and　plucked　a　single　fruit　out　of　the　tree　and　took　it　to　his　lips　and　bit　into　it。　It　was　juicy　and　firm；　and　the　taste　was　sweet　and　bitter；　salt　and　sour　all　at　once；　so　strong　it　made　him　tingle　all　over　　but　good；　a　taste　he　wanted　to　hold　inside　him　forever。
　　He　was　about　to　take　a　second　bite　when　he　saw　that　the　fruit　was　gone　from　his　hand；　and　not　a　one　hung　from　the　tree。　〃One　bite　is　all　you　need　for　now；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Remember　how　it　tastes。〃
　　〃I'll　never　forget；〃　said　Alvin。
　　Everybody　was　still　laughing；　louder　than　ever；　but　Alvin　paid　them　no　mind。　He'd　took　him　a　bite　of　the　fruit；　and　all　he　wanted　now　was　to　bring　his　family　to　the　same　tree；　and　let　them　eat；　to　bring　everybody　he　ever　knowed；　and　even　strangers；　too；　and　let　them　taste　it。　If　they'd　just　taste　it；　Alvin　figured；　they'd　know。
　　〃What　would　they　know？〃　asked　Taleswapper。
　　Al　couldn't　think　what　it　was。　〃Just　know；〃　he　said。　〃Know　everything。　Everything　that's　good。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃With　the　first　bite；　you　know。〃
　　〃What　about　the　second　bite？〃
　　〃With　the　second　bite；　you　live　forever；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃And　that　isn't　a　thing　you'd　better　plan　on　doing；　my　boy。　Don't　ever　imagine　you　can　live　forever。〃
　　Alvin　woke　up　that　morning　with　the　taste　of　the　fruit　still　in　his　mouth。　He　had　to　force　himself　to　believe　that　it　was　just　a　dream。　Ta…Kumsaw　was　already　up。　He　had　a　low　fire　going；　and　he　had　called　two　fish　out　of　the　Licking　River。　Now　they　were　spitted　with　sticks　down　their　mouths。　He　handed　one　to　Alvin。
　　But　Alvin　didn't　want　to　eat。　If　he　did；　the　taste　of　the　fruit　would　go　out　of　his　mouth。　He'd　begin　to　forget；　and　he　wanted　to　remember。　Oh；　he　knowed　that　he'd　have　to　eat　sometime　　a　body　can　get　remarkable　thin　saying　no　to　food　all　the　time。　But　today；　for　now；　he　didn't　want　to　eat。
　　Still；　he　held　the　spit　and　watched　the　trout　sizzle。　Ta…Kumsaw　talked；　telling　him　about　calling　fish　and　other　animals　when　you　need　to　eat。　Asking　them　to　e。　If　the　land　wants　you　to　eat；　then　they　e；　or　maybe　some　other　animal；　it　doesn't　matter；　just　so　you　eat　what　the　land　gives　you。　Alvin　thought　about　the　fish　he　was　roasting。　Didn't　the　land　know　he　wasn't　going　to　eat　this　morning？　Or　did　it　send　this　fish　to　tell　him　he　ought　to　eat　after　all？
　　Neither　one。　Because　just　at　the　moment　the　fish　were　ready　to　eat；　they　heard　the　crashing　and　thumping　that　told　them　a　White　man　was　ing。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　sat　very　still；　but　he　didn't　so　much　as　pull　out　his　knife。　〃If　the　land　brings　a　White　man　here；　then　he　isn't　my　enemy；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　In　a　few　seconds；　the　White　man　stepped　into　the　clearing。　His　hair　was　white；　where　he　wasn't　bald。　He　was　carrying　his　hat。　He　had　a　slack…looking　pouch　over　his　shoulder；　and　no　weapon　at　all。　Alvin　knew　right　off　what　was　in　that　pouch。　A　change　of　clothes；　a　few　snatches　of　food；　and　a　book。　A　third　of　the　book　contained　single　sentences；　where　folks　had　written　down　the　most　important　thing　they　ever　saw　happen　with　their　own　eyes。　The　last　two…thirds　of　the　book；　though；　were　sealed　with　a　leather　strap。　That　was　where　Taleswapper　wrote　down　his　own　stories；　the　ones　he　believed　and　thought　were　important。
　　Cause　that's　who　it　was；　Taleswapper；　who　Alvin　never　thought　to　see　again　in　his　life。　And　suddenly；　seeing　that　old　friend；　Alvin　knew　why　two　fish　came　at　Ta…Kumsaw's　call。　〃Taleswapper；〃　Alvin　said；　〃I　hope　you're　hungry；　cause　I　got　a　fish　here　that　I　roasted　for　you。〃
　　Taleswapper　led。　〃I'm　right　glad　to　see　you；　Alvin；　and　right　glad　to　see　that　fish。〃
　　Alvin　handed　him　the　spit。　Taleswapper　sat　him　down　in　the　grass；　across；　the　fire　from　Alvin　and　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Thank　you　kindly；　Alvin；〃　said　Taleswapper。　He　pulled　out　his　knife　and　neatly　began　flaking　off　slices　of　fish。　They　sizzled　his　lips；　but　he　just　licked　and　smacked　and　made　short　work　of　the　trout。　Ta…Kumsaw　also　ate　his；　and　Alvin　watched　them　both。　Ta…Kumsaw　never　took　his　eyes　off　Taleswapper。
　　〃This　is　Taleswapper；〃　Alvin　said。　〃He's　the　man　who　taught　me　how　to　heal。〃
　　〃I　didn't　teach　you；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　just　gave　you　some　idea　how　to　teach　yourself。　And　persuaded　you　that　you　ought　to　try。〃　Taleswapper　directed　his　next　sentence　at　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃He　was　set　to　let　himself　die　before　he'd　use　his　knack　to　heal　himself；　can　you　believe　that？〃
　　〃And　this　is　Ta…Kumsaw；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃Oh；　I　knew　that　the　minute　I　saw　you。　Do　you　know　what　a　legend　you　are　among　White　people？　You're　like　Saladin　during　the　Crusade　　they　admire　you　more　than　they　admire　their　own　leaders；　even　though　they　know　you're　sworn　to　fight　until　you've　driven　the　last　White　man　out　of　America。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　said　nothing。
　　〃I've　met　maybe　two　dozen　children　named　after　you；　most　of　them　boys；　all　of　them　White。　And　stories　　about　you　saving　White　captives　from　being　burned　to　death；　about　you　bringing　food　to　people　you　drove　out　of　their　homes；　so　they　wouldn't　starve。　I　even　believe　some　of　those　stories。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　finished　his　fish　and　laid　the　spit　in　the　fire。
　　〃I　also　heard　a　story　as　I　was　ing　here；　about　how　you　captured　two　Whites　from　Vigor　Church　and　sent　their　bloody　torn…up　clothes　to　their　parents。　How　you　tortured　them　to　death　to　show　how　you　meant　to　destroy　every　White…man；　woman；　and　child。　How　you　said　the　time　for　being　civilized　was　past；　and　now　you'd　use　pure　terror　to　drive　the　White　man　out　of　America。〃
　　For　the　first　time　since　Taleswapper　arrived；　Ta…Kumsaw　spoke。　〃Did　you　believe　that　story？〃
　　〃Well；　I　didn't；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　that's　because　I　already　knew　the　truth。　You　see；　I　got　a　message　from　a　girl　I　knew　　a　young　lady　now；　she　is。　It　was　a　letter。〃　He　took　a　folded　letter　from　his　coat；　three　sheets　of　paper　covered　with　writing。　He　handed　them　to　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Without　looking　at　it；　Ta…Kumsaw　handed　the　letter　to　Alvin。　〃Read　it　to　me；〃　he　said。
　　〃But　you　can　read　English；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃Not　here；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Alvin　looked　at　the　letter；　at　all　three　pages　of　it；　and　to　his　surprise　he　couldn't　read　it　either。　The　letters　all　looked　familiar。　When　he　studied　them　out；　he　could　even　name　them　　T…H…E…M…A…K…E…R…N…E…E…D…S…Y…O…U；　that's　how　it　started；　but　it　made　no　sense　to　Al　at　all；　he　couldn't　even　say　for　sure　what　language　it　was　in。　〃I　can't　read　it　either；〃　he　said；　and　handed　it　back　to　Taleswapper。
　　Taleswapper　studied　it　for　a　minute；　then　laughed　and　put　it　back　into　his　coat　pocket。　〃Well；　that's　a　story　for　my　book。　A　place　where　a　man　can't　read。〃
　　To　Alvin's　surprise；　Ta…Kumsaw　smiled。　〃Even　you？〃
　　〃I　know　what　it　says；　because　I　read　it　before；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　I　can't　make　out　a　single　word　of　it　today。　Even　when　I　know　what　the　word　is　supposed　to　be。　What　is　this　place？〃
　　〃We're　in　the　Land　of　Flints；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃We're　in　the　shadow　of　Eight…Face　Mound；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃I　didn't　think　a　White　man　could　get　here；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃Neither　did　I；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃But　here　is　a　White　boy；　and　there　is　a　White　man。〃
　　〃I　dreamed　you　last　night；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　dreamed　I　was　on　top　of　Eight…Face　Mound；　and　you　were　with　me；　explaining　things　to　me。〃
　　〃Don't　count　on　it；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　doubt　there's　a　thing　on　Eight…Face　Mound　that　I　could　explain　to　anybody。〃
　　〃How　did　you　e　here；〃　asked　Ta…Kumsaw；　〃if　you　didn't　know　you　were　ing　to　the　Land　of　Flints？〃
　　〃She　told　me　to　e　up　the　Musky…Ingum；　and　when　I　saw　a　white　boulder　on　the　right；　I　should　take　the　fork　that　led　left。　She　said　I'd　find　Alvin　Miller　Junior　sitting　with　Ta…Kumsaw　by　a　fire；　roasting　fish。〃
　　〃Who　told　you　all　this？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃A　woman；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃A　torch。　She　told　me　you　saw　her　in　a　vision；　Alvin；　inside　a　crystal　tower；　not　more　than　a　week　ago　by　now。　She　was　the　one　who　pulled　the　caul　from　your　face；　when　you　were　born。　She's　been　watching　you　ever　since；　in　the　way　a　torch　sees。　She　went　inside　that　tower　with　you　and　saw　out　of　your　eyes。〃
　　〃The　Prophet　said　someone　was　with　us；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃She　looked　out　of　his　eye；　too；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃and　she　saw　all　his　futures。