osc.am1.seventhson-第15节

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　　〃I　don't　recollect　that　Jesus　fell　down　that　well；　neither；〃　said　Papa。
　　Alvin　Junior　thought　of　hanging　onto　the　well　bucket；　falling　down　into　the　darkness；　until　the　rope　bound　up　on　the　windlass　and　the　bucket　stopped　just　above　the　water；　where　he　would　have　drowned　for　certain。　They　told　him　he　wasn't　yet　two　years　old　when　that　happened；　but　he　still　dreamed　sometimes　about　the　stones　that　lined　the　inside　of　the　well；　getting　darker　and　darker　as　he　went　down。　In　his　dreams　the　well　was　ten　miles　deep　and　he　fell　forever　before　waking　up。
　　〃Then　think　of　this；　Alvin　Miller；　since　you　think　you　know　scripture。〃
　　Papa　started　to　protest　that　he　didn't　think　nothing　of　the　kind。
　　〃The　devil　hisself　said　to　the　Lord　in　the　desert　that　the　angels　would　bear　Jesus　up　lest　he　dash　his　foot　against　a　stone。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　that　has　to　do　with　water〃
　　〃It's　plain　that　if　I　married　you　for　brains　I　was　plumb　cheated。〃
　　Papa's　face　turned　red。　〃Don't　you　call　me　no　simpleton；　Faith。　I　know　what　I　know　and〃
　　〃He　has　a　guardian　angel；　Alvin　Miller。　He　has　someone　watching　out　for　him。〃
　　〃You　and　your　scriptures。　You　and　your　angels。〃
　　〃You　tell　me　why　else　he　had　those　fourteen　accidents　and　not　one　of　them　so　much　as　gave　him　a　scrape　on　his　arm。　How　many　other　boys　get　to　six　years　old　without　no　injury？〃
　　Papa's　face　looked　strange　then；　twisted　up　a　little；　as　if　it　was　hard　for　him　to　speak　at　all。　〃I　tell　you　that　there's　something　wants　him　dead。　I　know　it。〃
　　〃You　don't　know　any　such　thing。〃
　　Papa　spoke　even　slower；　biting　out　the　words　as　if　each　one　caused　him　pain。　〃I　know。　〃
　　He　had　such　a　hard　time　talking　that　Mama　just　went　on　and　talked　right　over　him。　〃If　there's　some　devil　plot　to　kill　him　　which　I　ain't　saying；　Alvin　　then　there's　an　even　stronger　heavenly　plan　to　preserve　him。〃
　　Then；　suddenly；　Papa　didn't　have　no　trouble　talking　at　all。　Papa　just　gave　up　saying　the　hard　thing；　and　Alvin　Junior　felt　let　down；　like　when　somebody　said　uncle　before　they　even　got　throwed。　But　he　knew；　the　minute　he　thought　about　it；　that　his　papa　wouldn't　give　up　like　that　lessen　it　was　some　terrible　force　stopping　him　from　speaking　up。　Papa　was　a　strong　man；　not　a　bit　cowardly。　And　seeing　Papa　beat　down　like　that；　well；　it　made　the　boy　afraid。　Little　Alvin　knew　that　Mama　and　Papa　were　talking　about　him；　and　even　though　he　didn't　understand　half　what　they　said；　he　knew　that　Papa　was　saying　somebody　wanted　Alvin　Junior　dead；　and　when　Papa　tried　to　tell　his　real　proof；　the　thing　that　made　him　know；　something　stopped　his　mouth　and　kept　him　still。
　　Alvin　Junior　knew　without　a　word　being　said　that　whatever　it　was　stopped　Papa's　mouth；　it　was　the　plain　opposite　of　the　shining　light　that　had　filled　Alvin　and　the　Shining　Man　tonight。　There　was　something　that　wanted　Alvin　to　be　strong　and　good。　And　there　was　something　else　that　wanted　Alvin　dead。　Whatever　the　good　thing　was；　it　could　bring　visions；　it　could　show　him　his　terrible　sin　and　teach　him　how　to　be　shut　of　it　forever。　But　the　bad　thing；　it　had　the　power　to　shut　Papa's　mouth；　to　beat　down　the　strongest；　best　man　Al　Junior　ever　knew　or　heard　of。　And　that　made　Al　afraid。
　　When　Papa　went　on　with　his　arguments；　his　seventh　son　knew　that　he　wasn't　using　the　proof　that　counted。　〃Not　devils；　not　angels；〃　said　Papa；　〃it's　the　elements　of　the　universe；　don't　you　see　that　he's　an　offense　against　nature？　There's　power　in　him　like　you　nor　I　can't　even　guess。　So　much　power　that　one　part　of　nature　itself　can't　bear　it　so　much　power　that　he　protects　hisself　even　when　he　don't　know　he's　doing　it。〃
　　〃If　there's　so　much　power　in　being　seventh　son　of　a　seventh　son；　then　where's　your　power；　Alvin　Miller？　You're　a　seventh　son　　that　ain't　nothing；　supposedly；　but　I　don't　see　you　doodlebugging　or〃
　　〃You　don't　know　what　I　do〃
　　〃I　know　what　you　don't　do。　I　know　that　you　don't　believe〃
　　〃I　believe　in　every　true　thing〃
　　〃I　know　that　every　other　man　is　down　at　the　mons　building　that　fine　church；　except　for　you〃
　　〃That　preacher　is　a　fool〃
　　〃Don't　you　ever　think　that　maybe　God　is　using　your　precious　seventh　son　to　try　to　wake　you　up　and　call　you　to　repentance？〃
　　〃Oh；　is　that　the　kind　of　God　you　believe　in？　The　kind　what　tries　to　kill　little　boys　so　their　papas　will　go　to　meeting？〃
　　〃The　Lord　has　saved　your　boy；　as　a　sign　to　you　of　his　loving　and　passionate　nature〃
　　〃The　love　and　passion　that　let　my　Vigor　die〃
　　〃But　someday　his　patience　will　run　out〃
　　〃And　then　he'll　murder　another　of　my　sons。〃
　　She　slapped　his　face。　Alvin　Junior　saw　it　with　his　own　eyes。　And　it　wasn't　the　offhand　kind　of　cuffing　she　gave　her　sons　when　they　lipped　or　loafed　around。　It　was　a　slap　that　like　to　took　his　face　off；　and　he　fell　over　to　sprawl　on　the　floor。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　this；　Alvin　Miller。〃　Her　voice　was　so　cold　it　burned。　〃If　that　church　is　finished；　and　there's　none　of　your　handiwork　in　it；　then　you　will　cease　to　be　my　husband　and　I　will　cease　to　be　your　wife。〃
　　If　there　were　more　words；　Alvin　Junior　didn't　hear　them。　He　was　up　in　his　bed　a…trembling　that　such　a　terrible　thought　could　be　thought；　not　to　mention　being　spoke　out　loud。　He　had　been　afraid　so　many　times　tonight；　afraid　of　pain；　afraid　of　dying　when　Anne　whispered　murder　in　his　ear；　and　most　of　all　afraid　when　the　Shining　Man　came　to　him　and　named　his　sin。　But　this　was　something　else。　This　was　the　end　of　the　whole　universe；　the　end　of　the　one　sure　thing；　to　hear　Mama　talk　about　not　being　with　Papa　anymore。　He　lay　there　in　his　bed；　all　kinds　of　thoughts　dancing　in　his　head　so　fast　he　couldn't　lay　hold　of　any　one　of　them；　and　finally　in　a　that　confusion　there　wasn't　nothing　for　it　but　to　sleep。
　　In　the　morning　he　thought　maybe　it　was　all　a　dream；　it　had　to　be　a　dream。　But　there　were　new　stains　on　the　floor　at　the　foot　of　his　bed；　where　the　blood　of　the　Shining　Man　had　dripped；　so　that　wasn't　a　dream。　And　his　parents'　quarrel；　that　wasn't　no　dream　neither。　Papa　stopped　him　after　breakfast　and　told　him；　〃You　stay　up　here　with　me　today；　Al。〃
　　The　look　on　Mama's　face　told　him　plain　as　day　that　what　was　said　last　night　was　still　meant　today。
　　〃I　want　to　help　on　the　church；〃　Alvin　Junior　said。　〃I　ain't　afraid　of　no　ridgebeams。〃
　　〃You're　going　to　stay　here　with　me；　today。　You're　going　to　help　me　build　something。〃　Papa　swallowed；　and　stopped　himself　from　looking　at　Mama。　〃That　church　is　going　to　need　an　altar；　and　I　figure　we　can　build　a　right　nice　one　that　can　go　inside　that　church　as　soon　as　the　roof　is　on　and　the　walls　are　up。〃　Papa　looked　at　Mama　and　smiled　a　smile　that　sent　a　shiver　up　Alvin　Junior's　back。　〃You　think　that　preacher'll　like　it？〃
　　That　took　Mama　back；　it　was　plain。　But　she　wasn't　the　kind　to　back　off　from　a　wrestling　match　just　because　the　other　guy　got　one　throw；　Alvin　Junior　knew　that　much。　〃What　can　the　boy　do？〃　she　asked。　〃He　ain't　no　carpenter。〃
　　〃He's　got　a　good　eye；〃　said　Papa。　〃If　he　can　patch　and　tool　leather；　he　can　put　some　crosses　onto　the　altar。　Make　it　look　good。〃
　　〃Measure's　a　better　whittler；〃　said　Mama。
　　〃Then　I'll　have　the　boy　burn　the　crosses　in。〃　Papa　put　his　hand　on　Alvin　Junior's　head。　〃Even　if　he　sits　here　all　day　and　reads　in　the　Bible；　this　boy　ain't　going　down　to　that　church　till　the　last　pew　is　in。〃
　　Papa's　voice　sounded　hard　enough　to　carve　his　words　in　stone。　Mama　looked　at　Alvin　Junior　and　then　at　Alvin　Senior。　Finally　she　turned　her　back　and　started　filling　the　basket　with　dinner　for　them　as　was　going　to　the　church。
　　Alvin　Junior　went　outside　to　where　Measure　was　hitching　the　team　and　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　were　loading　roof　shakes　onto　the　wagon　for　the　church。
　　〃You　aim　to　stand　inside　the　church　again？〃　asked　Wantnot。
　　〃We　can　drop　logs　down　on　you；　and　you　can　split　them　into　shakes　with　your　head；〃　said　Wastenot。
　　〃Ain't　going；〃　said　Alvin　Junior。
　　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　exchanged　identical　knowing　looks。
　　〃Well；　too　bad；〃　said　Measure。　〃But　when　Mama　and　Papa　get　cold；　the　whole　Wobbish　Valley　has　a　snowstorm。〃　He　winked　at　Alvin　Junior；　just　the　way　he　had　last　night；　when　it　got　him　in　so　much　trouble。
　　That　wink　made　Alvin　figure　he　could　ask　Measure　a　question　that　he　wouldn't　normally　speak　right　out。　He　walked　over　closer；　so　his　voice　wouldn't　carry　to　the　others。　Measure　caught　on　to　what　Alvin　wanted；　and　he　squatted　down　right　there　by　the　wagon　wheel；　to　hear　what　Alvin　had　to　say。
　　〃Measure；　if　Mama　believes　in　God　and　Papa　doesn't；　how　do　I　know　which　one　is　right？〃
　　〃I　think　Pa　believes　in　God；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃But　if　he　don't。　That's　what　I'm　asking。　How　do　I　know　about　things　like　that；　when　Mama　says　one　thing　and　Papa　says　another？〃
　　Measure　started　to　answer　something　easy；　but　he　stopped　himself　Alvin　could　see　in　his　face　how　he　made　up　his　mind　to　say　something　serious。　Something　true；　instead　of　something　easy。　〃Al；　I　got　to　tell　you；　I　wisht　I　knew。　Sometimes　I　figure　ain't　nobody　knows　nothing。〃
　　〃Papa　says　you　know　what　you　see　with　your　eyes。　Mama　says　you　know　what　you　feel　in　your　heart。〃
　　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　　〃How　do　I　know；　Measure？　I'm　only　six。〃
　　〃I'm　twenty…two；　Alvin；　I'm　a　growed　m