osc.am2.redprophet-第5部分

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e　only　good　White　man。　This　is　the　only　White　man　who　doesn't　break　his　word。　This　is　what　you　do　to　White　men。〃　Hooch　knew　it；　Harrison　knew　it；　and　Jackson　knew　it。　That　young　buck　by　the　door　was　death。　That　young　buck　was　White　men　forced　to　live　east　of　the　mountains；　all　crammed　into　the　old　towns　with　all　their　lawyers　and　professors　and　hightoned　people　who　never　gave　you　room　to　breathe。　People　like　Jackson　himself；　in　fact。　Hooch　gave　one　snort　of　laughter　at　that　idea。　Jackson　was　exactly　the　sort　of　man　that　folks　moved　west　to　get　away　from。　How　far　west　will　I　have　to　go　before　the　lawyers　lose　the　trail　and　get　left　behind？
　　〃I　see　you've　noticed　Ta…Kumsaw。　Lolla…Wossiky's　older　brother；　and　my　very；　very　dear　friend。　Why；　I've　known　that　lad　since　before　his　father　died。　Look　what　a　strong　buck　he's　grown　into！〃
　　If　Ta…Kumsaw　noticed　how　he　was　being　ridiculed；　he　showed　no　sign　of　it。　He　looked　at　no　person　in　the　room。　Instead　he　looked　out　the　window　on　the　wall　behind　the　governor。　Didn't　fool　Hooch；　though。　Hooch　knew　what　he　was　watching；　and　had　a　pretty　good　idea　what　Ta…Kumsaw　was　feeling；　too。　These　Reds；　they　took　family　real　serious。　Ta…Kumsaw　was　secretly　watching　his　brother；　and　if　Lolla…Wossiky　was　too　likkered　up　to　feel　any　shame；　that　just　meant　Ta…Kumsaw　would　feel　it　all　the　more。
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw；〃　said　Harrison。　〃You　see　I've　poured　a　drink　for　you。　e；　sit　down　and　drink；　and　we　can　talk。〃
　　At　Harrison's　words；　Lolla…Wossiky　went　rigid。　Was　it　possible　that　the　drink　wasn't　for　him；　after　all？　But　Ta…Kumsaw　did　not　twitch；　did　not　show　any　sign　that　he　heard。
　　〃You　see？〃　said　Harrison　to　Jackson。　〃Ta…Kumsaw　isn't　even　civilized　enough　to　sit　down　and　have　a　convivial　drink　with　friends。　But　his　younger　brother　is　civilized；　isn't　he？　Aren't　you；　Lolly？　I'm　sorry　I　don't　have　a　chair　for　you；　my　friend；　but　you　can　sit　on　the　floor　under　my　table　here；　sit　right　at　my　feet；　and　drink　this　rum。〃
　　〃You　are　remarkable　kind；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky　in　that　clear；　precise　speech　of　his。　To　Hooch's　surprise；　the　one…eyed　Red　did　not　scramble　for　the　cup。　Instead　he　walked　carefully；　each　step　a　labor　of　precision；　and　took　the　cup　between　only　slightly　trembling　hands。　Then　he　knelt　down　before　Harrison's　table　and；　still　balancing　the　cup；　sank　into　a　seated　position；　his　legs　crossed。
　　But　he　was　still　out　in　front　of　the　table；　not　under　it；　and　Harrison　pointed　this　out　to　him。　〃I'd　like　you　to　sit　under　my　table；〃　said　the　governor。　〃I'd　regard　it　as　a　great　courtesy　to　me　if　you　would。〃
　　So　Lolla…Wossiky　bent　his　head　almost　down　into　his　lap　and　waddled　on　his　buttocks　until　he　was　under　the　table。　It　was　very　hard　for　him　to　drink　in　that　position；　since　he　couldn't　lift　his　head　straight　up；　let　alone　tip　it　back　to　drain　the　cup。　But　he　managed　anyway；　drinking　carefully；　rocking　from　one　side　to　the　other。
　　All　this　time；　Ta…Kumsaw　said　nary　a　word。　Didn't　even　show　that　he　saw　how　his　brother　was　being　humiliated。　Oh；　thought　Hooch；　oh；　the　fire　that　burns　in　that　boy's　heart。　Harrison's　taking　a　real　risk　here。　Besides；　if　he's　Lolla…Wossiky's　brother；　he　must　know　Harrison　shot　his　daddy　during　the　Red　uprisings　back　in　the　nineties　sometime；　when　General　Wayne　was　fighting　the　French。　A　man　doesn't　forget　that　kind　of　thing；　especially　a　Red　man；　and　here　Harrison　was　testing　him；　testing　him　right　to　the　limit。
　　〃Now　that　everybody's　fortable；〃　said　Harrison；　〃why　don't　you　set　down　and　tell　us　what　you　came　for；　Ta…Kumsaw。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　sit。　Didn't　close　the　door；　didn't　take　a　step　farther　into　the　room。　〃I　speaking　for　Shaw…Nee；　Caska…Skeeaw；　Pee…Orawa；　Winny…Baygo。〃
　　〃Now；　Ta…Kumsaw；　you　know　that　you　don't　even　speak　for　all　the　Shaw…Nee；　and　you　sure　don't　speak　for　the　others。〃
　　〃All　tribes　who　sip　General　Wayne's　treaty。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　went　on　as　if　Harrison　hadn't　said　a　thing。　〃Treaty　says　Whites　don't　sell　whisky　to　Reds。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　said　Harrison。　〃And　we're　keeping　that　treaty。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　look　at　Hooch；　but　he　lifted　his　hand　and　pointed　at　him。　Hooch　felt　the　gesture　as　if　Ta…Kumsaw　had　actually　touched　him　with　that　finger。　It　didn't　make　him　mad　this　time；　it　plain　scared　him。　He　heard　that　some　Reds　had　a　e…hither　so　strong　that　didn't　no　hex　protect　you；　so　they　could　lure　you　off　into　the　woods　alone　and　slice　you　to　bits　with　their　knives；　just　to　hear　you　scream。　That's　what　Hooch　thought　of；　when　he　felt　Ta…Kumsaw　point　to　him　with　hatred。
　　〃Why　are　you　pointing　at　my　old　friend　Hooch　Palmer？〃　asked　Harrison。
　　〃Oh；　I　reckon　nobody　likes　me　today；〃　Hooch　said。　He　laughed；　but　it　didn't　dispel　his　fear　after　all。
　　〃He　bring　his　flatboat　of　whisky；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃Well；　he　brought　a　lot　of　things；〃　said　Harrison。　〃But　if　he　brought　whisky；　it'll　be　delivered　to　the　sutler　here　in　the　fort　and　not　a　drop　of　it　will　be　sold　to　the　Reds；　you　can　be　sure。　We　uphold　that　treaty；　Ta…Kumsaw；　even　though　you　Reds　aren't　keeping　it　too　good　lately。　It's　got　so　flatboats　can't　travel　alone　down　the　Hio　no　more；　my　friend；　and　if　things　don't　let　up；　I　reckon　the　army's　going　to　have　to　take　some　action。〃
　　〃Burn　a　village？〃　asked　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Shoot　down　our　babies？　Our　old　people？　Our　women？〃
　　〃Where　do　you　get　these　ideas？〃　said　Harrison。　He　sounded　downright　offended；　even　though　Hooch　knew　right　well　that　Ta…Kumsaw　was　describing　the　typical　army　operation。
　　Hooch　spoke　right　up；　in　fact。　〃You　Reds　burn　out　helpless　farmers　in　their　cabins　and　pioneers　on　their　flatboats；　don't　you？　So　why　do　you　figure　your　villages　should　be　any　safer；　you　tell　me　that！〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　still　didn't　look　at　him。　〃English　law　says；　Kill　the　man　who　steals　your　land；　you　are　not　bad。　Kill　a　man　to　steal　his　land；　and　you　are　very　bad。　When　we　kill　White　farmers；　we　are　not　bad。　When　you　kill　Red　people　who　live　here　a　thousand　years；　you　are　very　bad。　Treaty　says；　stay　all　east　of　My…Ammy　River；　but　they　don't　stay；　and　you　help　them。〃
　　〃Mr。　Palmer　here　spoke　out　of　turn；〃　said　Harrison。　〃No　matter　what　you　savages　do　to　our　people　　torturing　the　men；　raping　the　women；　carrying　off　the　children　to　be　slaves　　we　don't　make　war　on　the　helpless。　We　are　civilized；　and　so　we　behave　in　a　civilized　manner。〃
　　〃This　man　will　sell　his　whisky　to　Red　men。　Make　them　lie　in　dirt　like　worms。　He　will　give　his　whisky　to　Red　women。　Make　them　weak　like　bleeding　deer；　do　all　things　he　says。〃
　　〃If　he　does；　we　will　arrest　him；〃　said　Harrison。　〃We　will　try　him　and　punish　him　for　breaking　the　law。〃
　　〃If　he　does；　you　not　will　arrest　him；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃You　will　share　pelts　with　him。　You　will　keep　him　safe。　〃
　　〃Don't　call　me　a　liar；〃　said　Harrison。
　　〃Don't　lie；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃If　you　go　around　talking　to　White　men　like　this；　Ta…Kumsaw；　old　boy；　one　of　them's　going　to　get　real　mad　at　you　and　blast　your　head　off。〃
　　〃Then　I　know　you　will　arrest　him。　I　know　you　will　try　him　and　punish　him　for　breaking　the　law。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　said　it　without　cracking　a　smile；　but　Hooch　had　traded　with　the　Reds　enough　to　know　their　kind　of　joke。
　　Harrison　nodded　gravely。　It　occurred　to　Hooch　that　Harrison　might　not　realize　it　was　a　joke。　He　might　think　Ta…Kumsaw　actually　believed　it。　But　no；　Harrison　knew　he　and　Ta…Kumsaw　was　lying　to　each　other；　and　it　came　into　Hooch's　mind　that　when　both　parties　are　lying　and　they　both　know　the　other　party's　lying；　it　es　powerful　close　to　being　the　same　as　telling　the　truth。
　　What　was　really　hilarious　was　that　Jackson　actually　did　believe　all　this　stuff。　〃That's　right；〃　said　the　Tennizy　lawyer。　〃Rule　of　law　is　what　separates　civilized　men　from　savages。　Red　men　just　aren't　advanced　enough　yet；　and　if　you　aren't　willing　to　be　subject　to　White　man's　law；　you'll　just　have　to　make　way。〃
　　For　the　first　time；　Ta…Kumsaw　looked　one　of　them　in　the　eye。　He　stared　coldly　at　Jackson　and　said；　〃These　men　are　liars。　They　know　what　is　true；　but　they　say　it　is　not　true。　You　are　not　a　liar。　You　believe　what　you　say。〃
　　Jackson　nodded　gravely。　He　looked　so　vain　and　upright　and　godly　that　Hooch　couldn't　resist　it；　he　hottened　up　the　chair　under　Jackson　just　a　little；　just　enough　that　Jackson　had　to　wiggle　his　butt。　That　took　off　a　few　layers　of　dignity。　But　Jackson　still　kept　his　airs。　〃I　believe　what　I　say　because　I　tell　the　truth。〃
　　〃You　say　what　you　believe。　But　still　it　is　not　true。　What　is　your　name？〃
　　〃Andrew　Jackson。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　nodded。　〃Hickory。〃
　　Jackson　looked　downright　surprised　and　pleased　that　Ta…Kumsaw　had　heard　of　him。　〃Some　folks　call　me　that。〃　Hooch　hottened　up　his　chair　a　little　more。
　　〃Blue　Jacket　says；　Hickory　is　a　good　man。〃
　　Jackson　still　had　no　idea　why　his　chair　was　so　unfortable；　but　it　was　too　much　for　him。　He　popped　right　up；　stepped　away　from　the　chair；　kind　of　shaking　his　legs　with　each　step　to　cool　himself　off。　But　still　he　kept　talking　with　all　the　dignity　in　the　world。　〃I'm　glad　Blue　Jacket　feels　that　way。　He's　chief　of　the　Shaw…Nee　down　in　Tennizy　country；　isn't　he？〃
　　〃Sometimes；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃What　do　you　mean　sometimes？〃　said　Harrison。　〃Either　he's　a　chief　or　he　isn't。〃
　　〃When　he　talks　straight；　he　is　chief；〃　said