osc.am2.redprophet-第53部分

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　　Measure　turned　and　reached　out　his　hands　to　embrace　his　father。　〃Alvin's　alive；　Father；　far　to　the　east　of　us。　He's　with　Ta…Kumsaw；　and　he〃
　　But　Miller　hushed　him；　held　his　son's　hands　out。　They　dripped　blood；　just　like　Miller's　own。　Miller　shook　his　head。　〃It's　my　fault；〃　he　said。　〃All　my　fault。〃
　　〃Not　all；　Father；〃　said　Measure。　〃There's　fault　enough　for　everyone　to　share。〃
　　〃But　not　for　you；　Son。　That's　my　shame　on　your　hands。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　maybe　you'll　feel　it　less；　for　having　two　of　us　to　carry　it。〃　Measure　reached　out　and　took　his　father　by　the　shoulders；　held　him　close。　〃We've　seen　the　worst　that　men　can　do；　Pa；　and　been　the　worst　that　men　can　be。　But　that　don't　mean　that　someday　we　won't　see　the　best；　too。　And　if　we　can　never　be　perfect　after　this；　well；　we　can　still　be　pretty　good；　can't　we？〃
　　Maybe；　thought　Miller。　But　he　doubted　it。　Or　maybe　he　just　doubted　that　he'd　ever　believe　it；　even　if　it　were　true。　He'd　never　look　into　his　own　heart　again　and　like　what　he　found　there。
　　They　waited　there　on　the　riverbank　for　Miller's　other　sons。　They　came　with　bloody　hands　　David；　Calm；　Wastenot；　Wantnot。　David　held　his　hands　in　front　of　him　and　wept。　〃I　wish　that　I　had　died　with　Vigor　in　the　Hatrack　River！〃
　　〃No　you　don't；〃　said　Calm。
　　〃I'd　be　dead；　but　I'd　be　clean。〃
　　The　twins　said　nothing；　but　held　each　other's　cold　and　slimy　hands。
　　〃We　need　to　go　home；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃No；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃They'll　be　worried；〃　said　Measure。　〃Ma；　the　girls；　Cally。〃
　　Miller　remembered　his　parting　from　Faith。　〃She　said　that　if　I　if　this〃
　　〃I　know　how　Ma　talks；　but　I　also　know　your　children　need　their　pa；　and　she　won't　keep　you　out。〃
　　〃I'll　have　to　tell　her。　What　we　did。〃
　　〃Yes；　and　the　girls　and　Cally；　too。　We　each　have　to　tell　them；　and　Calm　and　David　have　their　wives　to　tell。　Best　do　it　now；　and　clean　our　hands；　and　get　on　with　our　lives。　All　of　us　at　once；　all　of　us　together。　And　I　have　a　story　to　tell　you；　too；　about　me　and　Alvin。　When　we've　done　with　this　tale；　I'll　tell　mine；　is　that　good？　Will　you　stay　for　that？〃
　　Armor　met　them　at　the　Wobbish。　The　ferry　was　already　on　the　other　side；　still　unloading；　and　other　men　had　took　all　the　boats　they　used　for　crossing　last　night。　So　they　stood　and　waited。
　　Measure　stripped　off　his　bloody　coat　and　trousers；　but　Armor　wouldn't　put　them　on。　Armor　didn't　make　no　accusations；　but　none　of　the　others　would　look　at　their　brother…in…law。　Measure　took　him　aside　and　told　him　about　the　curse　while　the　ferry　was　slowly　drawn　back　across　the　river。　Armor　listened；　then　walked　to　Miller；　whose　back　was　to　him；　looking　at　the　far　shore。
　　〃Father；〃　said　Armor…of…God。
　　〃You　were　right；　Armor；〃　said　Miller；　still　not　looking　at　him。　He　held　up　his　hands。　〃Here　it　is；　the　proof　that　you　were　right。〃
　　〃Measure　tells　me　that　I　have　to　hear　the　story　once　from　all　of　you；〃　said　Armor；　turning　to　include　them　all　in　his　speech。　〃But　then　you'll　never　hear　another　word　of　it　from　me。　I'm　still　your　son　and　brother；　if　you'll　have　me；　my　wife　is　your　daughter　and　your　sister；　and　you're　the　only　kin　I　have　out　here。〃
　　〃To　your　shame；〃　whispered　David。
　　〃Don't　punish　me　because　my　hands　are　clean；〃　said　Armor。
　　Calm　held　out　a　bloody　hand。　Armor　took　it　without　hesitation；　shook　firmly；　then　let　go。
　　〃Look　at　that；〃　said　Calm。　〃You　touch　us；　it　es　off　on　you。〃
　　In　answer；　Armor　held　out　that　same　stained　hand　to　Miller。　After　a　while；　Miller　took　it。　The　handshake　lasted　till　the　ferry　came。　Then　they　headed　on　home。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　15　　Two…Soul　Man
　　
　　Taleswapper　woke　at　dawn；　instantly　aware　that　something　was　wrong。　It　was　Ta…Kumsaw；　sitting　on　the　grass；　his　face　toward　the　west；　rocking　back　and　forth　and　breathing　heavily；　as　if　he　was　enduring　a　dull　and　heavy　ache。　Was　he　ill？
　　No。　Alvin　had　failed。　The　slaughter　had　begun。　Ta…Kumsaw's　pain　was　not　from　his　own　body。　It　was　Ta…Kumsaw's　people　dying；　somewhere　afar　off；　and　what　he　felt　was　not　grief　or　pity；　it　was　the　pain　of　their　deaths。　Even　for　a　Red　man　as　gifted　as　Ta…Kumsaw；　to　feel　death　from　so　far　away　meant　that　many；　many　souls　had　gone　on　to　their　reward。
　　As　he　had　so　many　times　before；　Taleswapper　addressed　a　few　silent　words　to　God；　which　always　came　down　to　this　question：　Why　do　you　put　us　to　so　much　trouble；　when　it　all　es　to　nought　in　the　end？　Taleswapper　couldn't　bear　the　futility　of　it。　Ta…Kumsaw　and　Alvin　racing　across　country　in　their　way；　Taleswapper　making　the　best　time　a　White　man　can　make；　and　Alvin　going　onto　Eight…Face　Mound；　and　what　does　it　e　to？　Does　it　save　a　life？　So　many　are　dying　now　that　Ta…Kumsaw　can　feel　it　from　clear　away　by　the　Wobbish。
　　And；　as　usual；　God　had　nothing　much　to　say　to　Taleswapper　when　his　questioning　was　done。
　　Taleswapper　had　no　wish　to　interrupt　Ta…Kumsaw。　Or　rather　he　guessed　that　Ta…Kumsaw　had　no　particular　wish　to　get　into　conversation　with　a　White　man　at　this　particular　moment。　Yet　he　felt　a　vision　growing　within　him。　Not　a　vision　such　as　prophets　were　rumored　to　see；　not　a　vision　of　inward　eyes。　To　Taleswapper　visions　came　as　words；　and　he　did　not　know　what　the　vision　was　until　his　own　words　told　him。　Even　then；　he　knew　that　he　was　not　a　prophet；　his　visions　were　never　such　as　would　change　the　world；　only　the　sort　of　thing　that　records　it；　that　understands　the　world。　Now；　however；　he　took　no　thought　of　whether　his　visions　were　worthy　or　not。　It　came；　and　he　must　record　it。　Yet　because　the　writing　of　words　had　been　taken　from　him　in　this　place；　he　could　not　write　it　down。　What　was　there；　then；　but；　to　speak　the　words　aloud？
　　So　Taleswapper　spoke；　forming　the　words　into　couplets　as　he　said　them　because　that　was　how　visions　ought　to　be　expressed；　in　poetry。　It　was　a　confusing　tale　at　first；　and　Taleswapper　could　not　decide　whether　it　was　God　or　Satan　whose　terrible　light　blinded　him　as　the　words　tumbled　forth。　He　only　knew　that　whichever　one　it　was；　whichever　one　had　brought　such　slaughter　to　the　world；　he　richly　deserved　Taleswapper's　anger；　and　so　he　wasn't　bashful　about　lashing　him　with　language。
　　It　all　came　down　to　these　words　rushing　forth　in　a　stream　so　intense　that　Taleswapper　hardly　breathed；　certainly　made　no　sensible　break　in　the　rhythms　of　his　speech；　his　voice　growing　louder　and　louder　as　the　lines　were　wrung　from　him　and　dashed　out　against　the　harsh　wall　of　air　around　him；　as　if　he　dared　God　to　hear　him　and　resent　his　resentment：
　　
　　When　I　had　my　defiance　given
　　The　sun　stood　trembling　in　heaven
　　The　moon　that　glowed　remote　below
　　Became　leprous　and　white　as　snow
　　And　every　soul　of　men　on　the　earth
　　Felt　affliction　and　sorrow　and　sickness　and　dearth
　　God　flamed　in　my　path　and　the　Sun　was　hot
　　With　the　bows　of　my　mind　and　the　arrows　of　thought
　　My　bowstring　fierce　with　ardor　breathes
　　My　arrows　glow　in　their　golden　sheaves
　　My　brothers　and　father　march　before
　　The　heavens　drop　with　human　gore
　　
　　〃Stop！〃
　　It　was　Ta…Kumsaw。　Taleswapper　waited　with　his　mouth　open；　more　words；　more　anguish　waiting　to　pour　from　him。　But　Ta…Kumsaw　was　not　to　be　disobeyed。
　　〃It's　finished；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃All　dead？〃　whispered　Taleswapper。
　　〃I　can't　feel　life　from　here；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃I　can　feel　death　　the　world　is　torn　like　an　old　cloth；　it　can　never　be　mended。〃　Despair　gave　way　immediately　to　cold　hate。　〃But　it　can　be　cleaned。〃
　　〃If　I　could　have　prevented　it；　Ta…Kumsaw〃
　　〃Yes；　you're　a　good　man；　Taleswapper。　There　are　others；　too；　among　your　kind。　Armor…of…God　Weaver　is　such　a　man。　And　if　all　White　men　came　like　you；　to　learn　this　land；　then　there'd　be　no　war　between　us。〃
　　〃There　is　no　war　between　you　and　me；　Ta…Kumsaw。〃
　　〃Can　you　change　the　color　of　your　skin？　Can　I　change　mine？〃
　　〃It　isn't　our　skin；　but　our　hearts〃
　　〃When　we　stand　with　all　the　Red　men　on　one　side　of　the　field；　and　all　the　White　men　on　the　other　side　of　the　field；　where　will　you　stand？〃
　　〃In　the　middle；　pleading　with　both　sides　to〃
　　〃You　will　stand　with　your　people；　and　I　will　stand　with　mine。〃
　　How　could　Taleswapper　argue　with　him？　Perhaps　he　would　have　the　courage　to　refuse　such　a　choice。　Perhaps　not。　〃Pray　God　it　never　es　to　such　a　pass。〃
　　〃It　already　has；　Taleswapper。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　nodded。　〃From　this　day's　work；　I　will　have　no　trouble　gathering　my　army　of　Red　men　at　last。〃
　　The　words　leapt　from　Taleswapper　before　he　could　stop　them：　〃Then　it's　a　terrible　work　you've　chosen；　if　the　death　of　so　many　good　folk　helps　it　along！〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　answered　with　a　roar；　springing　on　Taleswapper　all　at　once；　knocking　him　back；　flat　on　the　grass　of　the　meadow。　Ta…Kumsaw's　right　hand　clutched　Taleswapper's　hair；　his　left　pressed　against　Taleswapper's　throat。　〃All　White　men　will　die；　all　who　don't　escape　across　the　sea！〃
　　Yet　it　was　not　murder　he　intended。　Even　in　his　rage；　Ta…Kumsaw　did　not　press　so　hard　as　to　strangle　Taleswapper。　After　a　moment　the　Red　man　pushed　off　and　rolled　away；　burying　his　face　in　the　grass；　his　arms　and　legs　spread　out　to　touch　the　earth　with　as　much　of　his　body　as　he　could。
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Taleswapper　whispered。　〃I　was　wrong　to　say　that。〃
　　〃Lolla…Wossiky！〃　cri