osc.am2.redprophet-第48部分

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　　〃The　Prophet　said　someone　was　with　us；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃She　looked　out　of　his　eye；　too；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃and　she　saw　all　his　futures。　The　Prophet　will　die。　Tomorrow　morning。　Shot　by　your　own　father's　gun；　Alvin。〃
　　〃No！〃　cried　Alvin。
　　〃Unless；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Unless　Measure　es　in　time　to　show　your　father　that　he's　alive；　that　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　never　harmed　him；　or　you　either。〃
　　〃But　Measure　left　days　ago！〃
　　〃That's　right；　Alvin。　But　he　got　captured　by　Governor　Harrison's　men。　Harrison　has　him；　and　today；　maybe　even　right　now；　one　of　Harrison's　men　is　killing　him。　Breaking　his　bones；　breaking　his　neck。　Tomorrow　Harrison　will　attack　Prophetstown　with　his　cannon；　killing　everybody。　Every　soul。　So　much　blood　that　the　Tippy…Canoe　will　flow　scarlet　and　the　Wobbish　will　flow　red　clear　to　the　Hio。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　leaped　to　his　feet。　〃I　have　to　go　back。　I　have　to〃
　　〃You　know　how　far　you　are；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃You　know　where　your　warriors　are。　Even　if　you　ran　all　night　and　all　day；　as　fast　as　you　Reds　can　go〃
　　〃Noon　tomorrow；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃He'll　be　dead　already；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　shouted　in　anguish；　so　loud　that　several　birds　cried　out　and　flew　away　from　the　meadow。
　　〃Now；　hold　your　horses；　just　wait　a　minute。　If　there　were　nothing　we　could　do；　she　wouldn't　very　well　have　sent　me　on　this　chase；　now；　would　she？　Don't　you　see　we're　acting　out　a　plan　that's　bigger　than　all　of　us？　Why　did　it　happen　that　Alvin　and　Measure　were　the　two　boys　that　Harrison's　hired　Chok…Taw　kidnapped？　How　do　you　happen　to　be　here；　and　me　also；　at　the　very　day　when　we're　most　needed？〃
　　〃They　need　us　there；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　think　that　if　they　needed　us　there；　then　there　we'd　be。　They　need　us　here。〃
　　〃You're　like　my　brother；　trying　to　make　me　fit　into　his　plans！〃
　　〃I　wish　I　were　like　your　brother。　He　has　visions　and　sees　what's　going　on；　while　all　I　get　is　a　letter　from　a　torch。　But　here　I　am；　and　here　you　are；　and　if　we　weren't　supposed　to　be　here；　we　just　plain　wouldn't；　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃
　　Alvin　didn't　like　this　talk　of　what　was　supposed　to　happen。　Who　was　doing　all　this　supposing？　What　did　Taleswapper　mean　　they　were　all　poppets　on　sticks？　Was　somebody　making　them　move　any　old　way；　whatever　he　felt　ought　to　happen？　〃If　somebody's　so　all…fired　in　charge　of　everything；〃　said　Alvin；　〃he　hasn't　been　doing　too　good　a　job　of　it；　getting　us　into　a　fix　like　this。〃
　　Taleswapper　grinned。　〃You　really　don't　take　to　religion；　do　you；　boy？〃
　　〃I　just　don't　think　anybody's　making　us　do　anything。〃
　　〃Nor　did　I　say　so；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I'm　just　saying　things　never　get　so　bad　we　can't　do　something　to　make　them　better。〃
　　〃Well　I'll　be　glad　to　take　suggestions。　What　did　this　torch　lady　think　I　ought　to　do？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃She　said　you're　supposed　to　climb　the　mountain　and　heal　Measure。　Don't　ask　me　more　than　that　　that's　all　she　said。　There　isn't　a　mountain　worthy　of　the　name　in　these　parts；　and　Measure's　in　the　root　cellar　behind　Vinegar　Riley's　house〃
　　〃I　know　that　place；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　been　there。　But　I　can't　I　mean　I've　never　tried　to　heal　somebody　who　wasn't　right　there　in　front　of　me。〃
　　〃Enough　talking；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Eight…Face　Mound　called　you　in　a　dream；　White　boy。　This　man　came　to　tell　you　to　go　up　the　mountain。　Everything　begins　when　you　climb　the　Mound。　If　you　can。〃
　　〃Some　things　end　on　Eight…Face　Mound；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃What　does　a　White　man　know　about　this　place？〃　asked　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃Not　a　thing；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　I　knelt　by　the　bed　of　a　dying　Irrakwa　woman；　many　years　ago；　and　she　told　me　that　the　most　important　thing　in　her　life　was；　she　was　the　last　Irrakwa　ever　to　stand　inside　Eight…Face　Mound。〃
　　〃The　Irrakwa　have　all　turned　White　in　their　hearts；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Eight…Face　Mound　would　never　let　them　in　now。〃
　　〃But　I'm　White；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃Very　good　problem；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃The　Mound　will　tell　you　the　answer。　Maybe　the　answer　is　you　don't　go　up　and　everybody　dies。　e。〃
　　He　led　them　along　the　path　the　land　opened　up　for　them；　until　they　came　to　a　steep　hill；　thickly　grown　with　trees　and　brambles。　There　was　no　path。　〃This　is　Red　Man's　Face；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃This　is　where　Red　men　climb。　The　path　is　gone。　You　can't　climb　here。〃
　　〃Where；　then？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃How　do　I　know？〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃The　story　is　that　if　you　climb　a　different　face；　you　find　a　different　Mound。　The　story　is　that　if　you　climb　the　Builders'　Face；　you　find　their　ancient　city；　still　alive　on　the　Mound。　If　you　climb　the　Beasts'　Face；　you　find　a　land　where　a　giant　buffalo　is　king；　a　strange　animal　with　horns　that　e　out　of　his　mouth　and　a　nose　like　a　terrible　snake；　and　huge　cougars　with　teeth　as　long　as　spears　all　bow　before　him　and　worship。　Who　knows　if　these　stories　are　true？　No　one　climbs　those　faces　now。〃
　　〃Is　there　a　White　Man's　Face？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃Red　Man；　Medicine；　Builder；　Beast。　Four　other　faces　we　don't　know　their　names；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Maybe　one　of　them　is　White　Man's　Face。　e。〃
　　He　led　them　around　the　hill。　The　Mound　rose　on　their　left　hand。　No　path　opened。　Alvin　recognized　everything　they　saw。　His　dream　last　night　was　true；　at　least　this　much：　Taleswapper　was　with　him；　and　he　circled　the　Mound　before　climbing。
　　They　came　to　the　last　of　the　unknown　faces。　No　path。　Alvin　made　as　if　to　go　on　to　the　next　face。
　　〃No　use；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃All　eight　faces；　none　will　let　us　up。　The　next　is　Red　Man's　Face　again。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　said　Alvin。　〃But　here's　the　path。〃
　　There　it　was；　straight　as　an　arrow。　Right　on　the　edge　shared　by　Red　Man's　Face　and　the　unknown　face　beside　it。
　　〃You　are　half　Red；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃Go　on　up；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃In　my　dream　you　were　with　me　up　there；〃　said　Al…vin。
　　〃Maybe　so；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　the　fact　is；　I　can't　see　this　path　the　two　of　you　are　talking　about。　It　looks　just　like　all　the　rest　of　the　faces。　So　I　reckon　I'm　not　invited。〃
　　〃Go；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Hurry。〃
　　〃You　e　with　me；　then；〃　said　Alvin。　〃You　see　the　path；　don't　you？〃
　　〃I　didn't　dream　of　the　Mound；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃And　what　you　see　there；　it　will　be　half　what　the　Red　man　sees；　and　half　a　new　place　that　I　should　never　see。　Go　now；　don't　waste　time　anymore。　My　brother　and　your　brother　will　die　unless　you　do　whatever　it　is　the　land　brought　you　here　to　do。〃
　　〃I'm　thirsty；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Drink　there；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw；　〃if　the　Mound　offers　you　water。　Eat　if　the　Mound　offers　you　food。〃
　　Al　set　his　feet　on　the　path　and　scrambled　up　the　hill。　It　was　steep；　but　there　were　roots　to　grab；　plenty　of　footholds；　and　before　long　the　path　crested；　leveled；　and　the　underbrush　ended。
　　He　had　thought　the　Mound　was　a　single　hill；　with　eight　slopes。　Now；　though；　he　could　see　that　each　of　the　eight　slopes　was　a　separate　Mound；　arranged　to　form　a　deep　bowl。in　the　middle。　The　valley　seemed　much　too　large；　the　farthest　Mounds　much　too　far　away。　Hadn't　Alvin　walked　around　the　entire　Mound　this　morning　with　Ta…Kumsaw　and　Taleswapper？　Eight…Face　Mound　was　much　more　inside　than　it　seemed　to　be　outside。
　　He　walked　carefully　down　the　grassy　slope。　It　was　tufted；　irregular；　the　grass　cool；　the　soil　moist　and　firm。　It　seemed　much　farther　going　down　than　it　had　been　going　up。　When　he　finally　reached　the　valley　floor；　he　stood　on　the　verge　of　a　meadow；　with　silver…leafed　trees；　just　like　in　his　dream。　So　his　dream　had　been　true；　showing　him　a　real　place　that　he　could　not　have　imagined。
　　But　how　was　he　supposed　to　find　Measure　and　heal　him？　What　did　the　Mound　have　to　do　with　anything　at　all？　It　was　afternoon　now；　they'd　taken　so　long　circling　the　Mound　　Measure　might　already　be　dying；　and　he　didn't　have　any　idea　how　to　go　about　helping　him。
　　He　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do　but　walk。　He　thought　he'd　cross　the　valley　and　see　one　of　the　other　mounds；　but　it　was　the　strangest　thing。　No　matter　how　far　he　walked；　no　matter　how　many　silver…leafed　trees　he　passed；　the　mound　he　walked　toward　was　always　just　as　far　away。　It　made　him　afraid　　would　he　be　trapped　up　here　forever？　　and　he　hurried　back　in　the　direction　he　started　from。　In　just　a　few　minutes　he　reached　the　place　where　his　footprints　came　down　the　slope。　Surely　he　had　walked　away　from　that　spot　for　much　longer　than　that。　A　couple　more　tries　convinced　him　that　the　valley　went　on　forever　in　every　direction　except　the　one　he　came　from。　In　that　direction；　it　was　just　like　he　was　always　in　the　very　center　of　the　Mound；　no　matter　how　far　he'd　walked　to　get　where　he　was。
　　Alvin　looked　for　the　gold…leafed　tree　with　the　pure　white　fruit；　but　he　couldn't　find　it；　and　he　wasn't　surprised。　The　taste　of　the　fruit　was　still　in　his　mouth　from　the　dream　the　night　before。　He　wouldn't　get　another　taste　of　it；　waking　or　dreaming；　because　the　second　bite　would　make　him　live　forever。　He　didn't　mind　much；　not　getting　that　bite。　Death　didn't　breathe　all　that　heavy　down　the　neck　of　a　boy　his　age。
　　He　heard　water。　A　brook；　clear　cold　water　flowing　rapidly　over　stones。　It　was　impossible；　of　course。　The　valley　of　Eight…Face　Mound　was　pletely　enclosed。　If　water　ran　so　fast　here；　why　didn't　the　valley　fill　r