osc.am1.seventhson-第23节

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　　〃Oh；　he　gave　you　his　fish　hand。　When　he　gets　to　wringing　and　wrenching　on　you；　he　like　to　pops　your　palm　like　a　razzleberry。〃　The　younger　boy　shook　hands；　too。
　　〃I'm　seven　years　old；　and　Al　Junior；　he's　ten。〃　Younger　than　they　looked。　They　both　had　that　nasty　bitter　body　stench　that　young　boys　get　when　they've　been　playing　hard。　But　Taleswapper　never　minded　that。　It　was　the　father　who　puzzled　him。　Was　it　just　a　fancy　in　his　own　mind；　that　Taleswapper　thought　he　meant　to　kill　the　boys？　What　man　could　take　a　murderous　hand　to　boys　as　sweet　and　fine　as　these？
　　The　man　had　left　the　pitchfork　in　the　loft；　clambered　down　the　ladder；　and　now　strode　toward　Taleswapper　with　his　arms　out　as　if　to　hug　him。　〃Wele　here；　stranger；〃　said　the　man。　〃I'm　Alvin　Miller；　and　these　are　my　two　youngest　sons；　Alvin　Junior　and　Calvin。〃
　　〃Cally；〃　corrected　the　younger　boy。
　　〃He　doesn't　like　the　way　our　names　rhyme；〃　said　Alvin　Junior。　〃Alvin　and　Calvin。　See；　they　named　him　like　me　hoping　he'd　grow　up　to　be　as　fine　a　specimen　of　manhood　as　I　am。　Too　bad　it　ain't　working。〃
　　Calvin　gave　him　a　shove　of　mock　anger。　〃Near　as　I　can　tell；　he　was　the　first　try；　and　when　I　came　along　they　finally　got　it　right！〃
　　〃Mostly　we　call　thern　Al　and　Cally；〃　said　the　father。
　　〃Mostly　you　call　us　'shutup'　and　'get　over　here；'〃　said　Cally。
　　Al　Junior　gave　him　a　whack　on　the　shoulder　and　sent　him　sprawling　in　the　dirt。　Whereupon　his　father　placed　a　boot　on　his　backside　and　sent　him　head　over　heels　out　the　door。　All　in　fun。　Nobody　was　hurt。　How　could　I　have　thought　there　was　murder　going　on　here？
　　〃You　e　with　a　message？　A　letter？〃　asked　Alvin　Miller。　Now；　that　the　boys　were　outside；　yelling　at　each　other　across　the　meadow；　the　grown　men　could　get　a　word　in。
　　〃Sorry；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Just　a　traveler。　A　young　lady　in　town　said　I　might　find　a　place　to　sleep　up　here。　In　exchange　for　whatever　good　hard　work　you　might　have　for　my　arms。〃
　　Alvin　Miller　grinned。　〃Let　me　see　how　much　work　those　arms　can　do。〃　He　thrust　out　an　arm；　but　it　wasn't　to　shake　hands。　He　gripped　Taleswapper　by　the　forearm　and　braced　his　right　foot　against　Taleswapper's　right　foot。　〃Think　you　can　throw　me？〃　asked　Alvin　Miller。
　　〃Just　tell　me　before　we　start；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃whether　I'll　get　a　better　supper　if　I　throw　you；　or　if　I　don't　throw　you。〃
　　Alvin　Miller　leaned　back　his　head　and　whooped　like　a　Red。　〃What's　your　name；　stranger？〃
　　〃Taleswapper。〃
　　〃Well；　Mr。　Taleswapper；　I　hope　you　like　the　taste　of　dirt；　cause　that's　what　you'll　eat　before　you　eat　anything　else　here！〃
　　Taleswapper　felt　the　grip　on　his　forearm　tighten。　His　own　arms　were　strong；　but　not　like　this　man's　grip。　Still；　a　game　of　throws　wasn't　all　strength。　It　was　also　wit；　and　Taleswapper　had　a　bit　of　that。　He　let　himself　slowly　flinch　under　Alvin　Miller's　pressure；　long　before　he　had　forced　the　man　to　use　his　full　strength。　Then；　suddenly；　he　pulled　with　all　his　might　in　the　direction　Miller　was　pushing。　Usually　that　was　enough　to　topple　the　bigger　man；　using　his　own　weight　against　him　　but　Alvin　Miller　was　ready；　pulled　the　other　way；　and　flung　Taleswapper　so　far　that　he　landed　right　among　the　stones　that　formed　the　foundation　for　the　missing　millstone。
　　There　had　been　no　malice　in　it；　though；　just　the　love　of　the　contest。　No　sooner　was　Taleswapper　down　than　Miller　was　helping　him　up；　asking　him　if　anything　was　broken。
　　〃I'm　just　glad　your　millstone　wasn't　in　place　yet；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃or　you'd　be　stuffing　brains　back　into　my　head。〃
　　〃What？　You're　in　Wobbish　country；　man！　There　ain't　no　need　for　brains　out　here。〃
　　〃Well；　you　threw　me；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Does　that　mean　you　won't　let　me　earn　a　bed　and　a　meal？〃
　　〃Earn　it？　No　sir。　I　won't　allow　such　a　thing。〃　But　the　grin　on　his　face　denied　the　harshness　of　his　words。　〃No；　no；　you　can　work　if　you　like；　because　a　man　likes　to　feel　that　he　pays　his　way　in　the　world。　But　truth　is　I'd　let　you　stay　even　if　you　had　two　legs　broke　and　couldn't　help　a　lick。　We've　got　a　bed　all　ready　for　you；　just　off　the　kitchen；　and　I'll　bet　a　hog　against　a　huckleberry　that　them　boys　already　told　Faith　to　set　another　bowl　for　supper。〃
　　〃That's　kind　of　you；　sir。〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Alvin　Miller。　〃You　sure　nothing　got　broke？　You　hit　them　stones　awful　hard。〃
　　〃Then　I　imagine　you　ought　to　check　to　make　sure　none　of　those　stones　got　split；　sir。〃
　　Alvin　laughed　again；　slapped　him　on　the　back；　and　led　him　up　to　the　house。
　　Such　a　house　it　was。　There　couldn't　be　more　screeching　and　shouting　in　hell。　Miller　tried　to　sort　out　all　the　children　for　him。　The　four　older　girls　were　his　daughters；　busy　as　could　be　at　half　a　dozen　jobs；　each　one　carrying　on　separate　arguments　with　each　of　her　sisters；　at　the　top　of　her　voice；　passing　from　quarrel　to　quarrel　as　her　work　took　her　from　room　to　room。　The　screaming　baby　was　a　grandchild；　as　were　the　five　toddlers　playing　Roundheads　and　Cavaliers　on　and　under　the　dining　table。　The　mother；　Faith；　seemed　oblivious　to　it　all　as　she　labored　in　the　kitchen。　Occasionally　she'd　reach　out　to　cuff　a　nearby　child；　but　otherwise　she　didn't　let　them　interrupt　her　work　　or　her　steady　stream　of　orders；　rebukes；　threats；　and　plaints。
　　〃How　do　you　keep　your　wits　together；　in　all　this？〃　Taleswapper　asked　her。
　　〃Wits？〃　she　asked　him　sharply。　〃Do　you　think　anyone　with　wits　would　put　up　with　this？〃
　　Miller　showed　him　to　his　room。　That's　what　he　called　it；　〃your　room；　as　long　as　you　care　to　stay。〃　It　had　a　large　bed　and　a　feather　pillow；　and　blankets；　too；　and　half　of　one　wall　was　the　back　of　the　chimney；　so　it　was　warm。　Taleswapper　hadn't　been　offered　a　bed　like　this　in　all　his　wandering。　〃Promise　me　that　your　name　isn't　really　Procrustes；〃　he　said。
　　Miller　didn't　understand　the　allusion；　but　it　didn't　matter；　he　knew　the　look　on　Taleswapper's　face。　No　doubt　he'd　seen　it　before。　〃We　don't　put　our　guests　in　the　worst　room；　Taleswapper；　we　put　them　in　the　best。　And　no　more　talk　about　that。〃
　　〃You　have　to　let　me　work　for　you　tomorrow；　then。〃
　　〃Oh；　there's　jobs　to　do；　if　you're　good　with　your　hands。　And　if　you　ain't　ashamed　of　women's　work；　my　wife　could　use　a　help　or　two。　We'll　see　what　happens。〃　At　that；　Miller　left　the　room　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　　The　noise　of　the　house　was　only　partly　dampened　by　the　closed　door；　but　it　was　a　music　that　Taleswapper　didn't　mind　hearing。　It　was　only　afternoon；　but　he　couldn't　help　himself。　He　swung　off　his　pack　and　pried　off　his　boots　and　eased　himself　down　on　the　mattress。　It　rustled　like　a　straw　tick；　but　there　was　a　feather　mattress　on　top　of　that；　so　it　was　deep　and　soft。　And　the　straw　was　fresh；　and　dried　herbs　hung　by　the　hearthstones　to　give　it　the　smell　of　thyme　and　rosemary。　Did　I　ever　lie　upon　so　soft　a　bed　in　Philadelphia？　Or　before　that；　in　England？　Not　since　I　left　my　mother's　womb；　he　thought。
　　There　was　nothing　shy　about　the　use　of　powers　in　this　house；　the　hex　was　right　in　the　open；　painted　above　the　door。　But　he　recognized　the　pattern。　It　wasn't　a　peacemaker；　designed　to　quell　any　violence　in　the　soul　that　slept　here。　It　wasn't　a　warning；　and　it　wasn't　a　fending。　Not　a　bit　of　it　was　designed　to　protect　the　house　from　the　guest；　or　the　guest　from　the　house。　It　was　for　fort；　pure　and　simple。　And　it　was　perfectly；　exquisitely　drawn；　exactly　the　right　proportions。　An　exact　hex　wasn't　easy　to　draw；　being　made　of　threes。　Taleswapper　couldn't　remember　seeing　a　more　perfect　one。
　　So　it　didn't　surprise　him；　as　he　lay　on　the　bed；　to　feel　the　muscles　of　his　body　unknotting；　as　if　this　bed　and　this　room　were　undoing　the　weariness　of　twenty…five　years　of　wandering。　It　occurred　to　him　that　when　he　died；　he　hoped　the　grave　was　as　fortable　as　this　bed。
　　When　Alvin　Junior　rocked　him　awake；　the　whole　house　smelled　of　sage　and　pepper　and　simmered　beef。　〃You've　just　got　time　to　use　the　privy；　wash　up；　and　e　eat；〃　said　the　boy。
　　〃I　must　have　fallen　asleep；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃That's　what　I　made　that　hex　to　do；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Works　good；　don't　it？〃　Then　he　charged　out　of　the　room。
　　Almost　immediately　Taleswapper　heard　one　of　the　girls　yelling　the　most　alarming　series　of　threats　at　the　boy。　The　quarrel　continued　at　top　volume　as　Taleswapper　went　out　to　the　privy；　and　when　he　came　back　inside；　the　yelling　was　still　going　on　　though　Taleswapper　thought　perhaps　now　it　was　a　different　sister　yelling。
　　〃I　swear　tonight　in　your　sleep　Al　Junior　I'll　sew　a　skunk　to　the　soles　of　your　feet！〃　Al's　answer　was　muffled　by　distance；　but　it　caused　another　bout　of　screaming。　Taleswapper　had　heard　yelling　before。　Sometimes　it　was　love　and　sometimes　it　was　hate。　When　it　was　hate；　he　got　out　as　quickly　as　he　could。　In　this　house；　he　could　stay。
　　Hands　and　face　washed；　he　was　clean　enough　that　Goody　Faith　allowed　him　to　carry　the　loaves　of　bread　to　ihe　table　　〃as　long　as　you　don't　let　the　bread　touch　that　gamy　shirt　of　yours。〃　Then　Taleswapper　took　his　place　in　line；　bowl　in　hand；　as　the　whole　family　trooped　into　the　kitchen　and　emerged　with　the　majority　of　a　hog　parceled　out　among　them。
　　It　was　Faith；　not　Miller　himself；　who　called　on　one　of　the　girls　to　pray；　and　Taleswapper　took　note　that　Miller　didn't　so　much　as　close　his　ey