osc.am1.seventhson-第11节

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　　Then　Measure　looked　up　at　Alvin　Junior　and　winked。
　　〃I　saw　that；〃　said　Mama；　〃and　if　you　don't　go　to　hell；　Measure；　I'll　get　up　a　petition　to　Saint　Peter　to　send　you　there。〃
　　〃I'd　sign　that　petition　myself；〃　said　Measure；　looking　meek　as　a　puppy　dog　that　just　piddled　on　a　big　man's　boot。
　　〃That's　right　you　would；〃　said　Mama；　〃and　you'd　sign　it　in　blood；　too；　because　by　the　time　I'm　through　with　you　there'll　be　enough　open　wounds　to　keep　ten　clerks　in　bright　red　ink　for　a　year。〃
　　Alvin　Junior　couldn't　help　himself。　Her　dire　threat　just　struck　him　funny。　And　even　though　he　knew　he　was　taking　his　life　in　his　hands；　he　opened　up　his　mouth　to　laugh。　He　knew　that　if　he　laughed　he'd　have　Mama's　thimble　hard　on　his　head；　or　maybe　her　hand　clapped　hard　on　his　ear；　or　even　her　hard　little　foot　smashed　right　down　on　his　bare　foot；　which　she　did　once　to　David　the　time　he　told　her　she　should　have　learnt　the　word　no　sometime　before　she　had　thirteen　mouths　to　cook　for。
　　This　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　This　was　more　frightening　than　the　ridgebeam；　which　after　all　never　hit　him；　which　was　more　than　he　could　say　for　Mama。　So　he　caught　that　laugh　before　it　got　loose；　and　he　turned　it　into　the　first　thing　he　could　think　of　to　say。
　　〃Mama；〃　he　said；　〃Measure　can't　sign　no　petition　in　blood；　cause　he'd　already　be　dead；　and　dead　people　don't　bleed。〃
　　Mama　looked　him　in　the　eye　and　spoke　slow　and　careful。　〃They　do　when　I　tell　them　to。〃
　　Well；　that　did　it。　Alvin　Junior　just　laughed　out　loud。　And　that　set　half　the　girls　to　laughing。　Which　made　Measure　laugh。　And　finally　Mama　laughed；　too。　They　all　just　laughed　and　laughed　till　they　were　mostly　crying　and　Mama　started　sending　people　upstairs　to　bed；　including　Alvin　Junior。
　　All　the　excitement　had　Alvin　Junior　feeling　pretty　spunky；　and　he　hadn't　figured　out　yet　that　sometimes　he　ought　to　keep　all　that　jumpiness　locked　up　tight。　It　happened　that　Matilda；　who　was　sixteen　and　fancied　herself　a　lady；　was　walking　up　the　stairs　right　in　front　of　him。　Everybody　hated　walking　anywhere　behind　Matilda；　she　took　such　delicate；　ladylike　steps。　Measure　always　said　he'd　rather　walk　in　line　behind　the　moon；　cause　it　moved　faster。　Now　Matilda's　backside　was　right　in　Al　Junior's　face；　swaying　back　and　forth；　and　he　thought　of　what　Measure　said　about　the　moon；　and　reckoned　how　Matilda's　backside　was　just　about　as　round　as　the　moon；　and　then　he　got　to　wondering　what　it　would　be　like　to　touch　the　moon；　and　whether　it　would　be　hard　like　a　beetle's　back　or　squishy　as　a　slug。　And　when　a　boy　six　years　old　who's　already　feeling　spunky　gets　a　thought　like　that　in　his　head；　it's　not　even　half　a　second　till　his　finger　is　two　inches　deep　in　delicate　flesh。
　　Matilda　was　a　real　good　screamer。
　　Al　might　have　got　slapped　right　then；　except　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　were　right　behind　him；　saw　the　whole　thing；　and　laughed　so　hard　at　Matilda　that　she　started　crying　and　fled　on　up　the　stairs　two　steps　at　a　time；　not　ladylike　at　all。　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　carried　Alvin　up　the　stairs　between　them；　so　high　up　he　got　a　little　dizzy；　singing　that　old　song　about　St。　George　killing　the　dragon；　only　they　sang　it　about　St。　Alvin；　and　where　the　song　usually　said　something　about　poking　the　old　dragon　a　thousand　times　and　his　sword　didn't　melt　in　the　fire；　they　changed　sword　to　finger　and　made　even　Measure　laugh。
　　〃That's　a　filthy　filthy　song！〃　shouted　ten…year…old　Mary；　who　stood　guard　outside　the　big　girls'　door。
　　〃Better　stop　singing　that　song；〃　said　Measure；　〃before　Mama　hears　you。〃
　　Alvin　Junior　could　never　understand　why　Mama　didn't　like　that　song；　but　it　was　true　that　the　boys　never　sang　it　where　she　could　hear。　The　twins　stopped　singing　and　clambered　up　the　ladder　to　the　loft。　At　that　moment　the　door　to　the　big　girls'　room　was　flung　open　and　Matilda；　her　eyes　all　red　from　crying；　stuck　her　head　out　and　shouted；　〃You'll　be　sorry！〃
　　〃Ooh；　I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry；〃　Wantnot　said　in　a　squeaky　voice。
　　Only　then　did　Alvin　remember　that　when　the　girls　set　out　to　get　even；　he　would　be　the　main　victim。　Calvin　was　still　considered　the　baby；　so　he　was　safe　enough；　and　the　twins　were　older　and　bigger　and　there　was　always　two　of　them。　So　when　the　girls　got　riled；　Alvin　was　first　in　line　for　their　deadly　wrath。　Matilda　was　sixteen；　Beatrice　was　fifteen；　Elizabeth　was　fourteen；　Anne　was　twelve；　Mary　was　ten；　and　they　all　preferred　picking　on　Alvin　to　practically　any　other　recreation　that　the　Bible　would　permit。　One　time　when　Alvin　was　tormented　past　endurance　and　only　Measure's　strong　arms　held　him　back　from　hot…blooded　murder　with　a　hayfork；　Measure　allowed　as　how　the　punishments　of　hell　would　most　likely　consist　of　living　in　the　same　house　with　five　women　who　were　all　about　twice　a　man's　size。
　　Ever　since　then；　Alvin　wondered　what　sin　he　mitted　before　he　was　born　to　make　him　deserve　to　grow　up　half…damned　to　start　with。
　　Alvin　went　into　the　little　room　he　shared　with　Calvin　and　just　set　there；　waiting　for　Matilda　to　e　and　kill　him。　But　she　didn't　e　and　didn't　e；　and　he　realized　that　she　was　probably　waiting　till　after　the　candles　were　all　out；　so　that　no　one　would　know　which　of　his　sisters　snuck　in　and　snuffed　him　out。　Heaven　knew　he'd　given　them　all　ample　reason　to　want　him　dead　in　the　last　two　months　alone。　He　was　trying　to　guess　whether　they'd　stifle　him　with　Matilda's　goosedown　pillow　　which　would　be　the　first　time　he　was　ever　allowed　to　touch　it　　or　if　he'd　die　with　Beatrice's　precious　sewing　scissors　in　his　heart；　when　all　of　a　sudden　he　realized　that　if　he　didn't　get　outside　to　the　privy　in　about　twenty…five　seconds　he'd　embarrass　himself　right　in　his　trousers。
　　Somebody　was　in　the　privy；　of　course；　and　Alvin　stood　outside　jumping　and　yelling　for　three　minutes　and　still　they　wouldn't　e　out。　It　occurred　to　him　that　it　was　probably　one　of　the　girls；　in　which　case　this　was　the　most　devilish　plan　they'd　ever　e　up　with；　keeping　him　out　of　the　privy　when　they　knew　he　was　scared　to　go　into　the　woods　after　dark。　It　was　a　terrible　vengeance。　If　he　messed　himself　he'd　be　so　ashamed　he'd　probably　have　to　change　his　name　and　run　away；　and　that　was　a　whole　lot　worse　than　a　poke　in　the　behind。　It　made　him　mad　as　a　constipated　buffalo；　it　was　so　unfair。
　　Finally　he　was　mad　enough　to　make　the　ultimate　threat。　〃If　you　don't　e　out　I'll　do　it　right　in　front　of　the　door　so　you'll　step　in　it　when　you　e　out！〃
　　He　waited；　but　whoever　was　in　there　didn't　say；　〃If　you　do　I'll　make　you　lick　it　off　my　shoe；〃　and　since　that　was　the　customary　response；　Al　realized　for　the　first　time　that　the　person　inside　the　privy　might　not　be　one　of　his　sisters　after　all。　It　was　certainly　not　one　of　the　boys。　Which　left　only　two　possibilities；　each　one　worse　than　the　other。　Al　was　so　mad　at　himself　he　smacked　his　own　head　with　his　fist；　but　it　didn't　make　him　feel　no　better。　Papa　would　probably　give　him　a　lick；　but　even　worse　would　be　Mama。　She　might　give　him　a　tongue…lashing；　which　was　bad　enough；　but　if　she　was　in　a　real　vile　temper；　she'd　get　that　cold　look　on　her　face　and　say　real　soft；　〃Alvin　Junior；　I　used　to　hope　that　at　least　one　of　my　boys　would　be　a　born　gentleman；　but　now　I　see　my　life　was　wasted；〃　which　always　made　him　feel　about　as　low　as　he　knew　how　to　feel　without　dying。
　　So　he　was　almost　relieved　when　the　door　opened　and　Papa　stood　there；　still　buttoning　his　trousers　and　looking　none　too　happy。　〃Is　it　safe　for　me　to　step　out　this　door？〃　he　asked　coldly。
　　〃Yup；〃　said　Alvin　Junior。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Yes　sir。〃
　　〃Are　you　sure？　There's　some　wild　animals　around　here　that　think　it's　smart　to　leave　their　do　on　the　ground　outside　privy　doors。　I　tell　you　that　if　there's　any　such　animal　I'll　lay　a　trap　and　catch　it　by　the　back　end　one　of　these　nights。　And　when　I　find　it　in　the　morning；　I'll　stitch　up　its　bung　hole　and　turn　it　loose　to　bloat　up　and　die　in　the　woods。〃
　　〃Sorry；　Papa。〃
　　Papa　shook　his　head　and　started　walking　toward　the　house。　〃I　don't　know　what's　wrong　with　your　bowel；　boy。　One　minute　you　don't　need　to　go　and　the　next　minute　you're　about　to　die。〃
　　〃Well　if　you'd　just　build　another　outhouse　I'd　be　fine；〃　Al　Junior　muttered。　Papa　didn't　hear　him；　though；　because　Alvin　didn't　actually　say　it　till　the　privy　door　was　closed　and　Papa'd　gone　back　to　the　house；　and　even　then　he　didn't　say　it　very　loud。
　　Alvin　rinsed　his　hands　at　the　pump　a　long　time；　because　he　feared　what　was　waiting　for　him　back　in　the　house。　But　then；　alone　outside　in　the　darkness；　he　began　to　be　afraid　for　another　reason。　Everybody　said　that　a　White　man　never　could　hear　when　a　Red　man　was　walking　through　the　woods；　and　his　big　brothers　got　some　fun　out　of　telling　Alvin　that　whenever　he　was　alone　outside；　especially　at　night；　there　was　Reds　in　the　forest；　watching　him；　playing　with　their　flint…bladed　tommy…hawks　and　itching　to　have　his　scalp。　In　broad　daylight；　Al　didn't　believe　them；　but　at　night；　his　hands　cold　with　the　water；　a　chill　ran　through　him；　and　he　thought　he　even　knew　where　the　Red　was　standing。　Just　over　his　shoulder；　back　over　near　the　pigsty；　moving　so　quiet　that　the　pigs　didn't　even　grunt　and　the　dogs　didn't　bark　or　nothing。　And　they'd　find　Al's　body；　all　hairless　and　bloody；　and　then　it'd　be　too