osc.am1.seventhson-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


own；　can　he；　or　he'd　cease　to　be；　just　like　everything　else。　The　most　evil　creatures　don't　desire　the　destruction　of　everything　　they　only　desire　to　exploit　it　for　themselves。〃
　　Alvin　had　never　heard　the　word　exploit　before；　but　it　sounded　nasty。
　　〃So　in　the　great　war　between　the　Unmaker　and　everything　else；　God　and　the　devil　should　be　on　the　same　side。　But　the　devil；　he　doesn't　know　it；　and　so　he　serves　the　Unmaker　as　often　as　not。〃
　　〃You　mean　the　devil's　out　to　beat　himself？〃
　　〃My　story　isn't　about　the　devil；〃　said　Taleswapper。　He　was　steady　as　rain　when　a　story　was　ing　out　of　him。　〃In　the　great　war　against　the　Unmaker　of　your　vision；　all　the　men　and　women　of　the　world　should　be　allies。　But　the　great　enemy　remains　invisible；　so　that　no　one　guesses　that　they　unwittingly　serve　him。　They　don't　realize　that　war　is　the　Unmaker's　ally；　because　it　tears　down　everything　it　touches。　They　don't　understand　that　fire；　murder；　crime；　cupidity；　and　concupiscence　break　apart　the　fragile　bonds　that　make　human　beings　into　nations；　cities；　families；　friends；　and　souls。〃
　　〃You　must　be　a　prophet　right　enough；〃　said　Alvin　Junior；　〃cause　I　can't　understand　a　thing　you　said。〃
　　〃A　prophet；〃　murmured　Taleswapper；　〃but　it　was　your　eyes　that　saw。　Now　I　know　the　agony　of　Aaron：　to　speak　the　words　of　truth；　yet　never　have　the　vision　for　himself。〃
　　〃You're　making　a　big　lot　out　of　my　nightmares。〃
　　Taleswapper　was　silent；　sitting　on　the　ground；　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　his　chin　propped　all　dismal　on　his　palms。　Alvin　tried　to　figure　out　what　the　man　was　talking　about。　It　was　a　sure　thing　that　what　he　saw　in　his　bad　dreams　wasn't　a　thing　of　any　kind；　so　it　must　be　poetical　to　talk　about　the　Unmaker　like　a　person。　Maybe　it　was　true；　though；　maybe　the　Unmaker　wasn't　just　something　he　imagined　up　in　his　brain；　maybe　it　was　real；　and　Al　Junior　was　the　only　person　who　could　see　it。　Maybe　the　whole　world　was　in　terrible　danger；　and　it　was　Alvin's　job　to　fight　it　off；　to　beat　it　back；　to　keep　the　thing　at　bay。　it　was　sure　enough　that　when　the　dream　was　on　him；　Alvin　couldn't　bear　it；　wanted　to　drive　it　away。　But　he　never　could　figure　out　how。
　　〃Sposing　I　believe　you；〃　said　Alvin。　〃Sposing　there's　such　a　thing　as　the　Unmaker。　There　ain't　a　blamed　thing　I　can　do。〃
　　A　slow　smile　crept　over　Thleswapper's　face。　He　tipped　himself　to　one　side；　to　free　up　his　hand；　which　slowly　reached　down　to　the　ground　and　picked　up　the　little　bug　basket　where　it　lay　in　the　grass。　〃Does　that　look　like　a　blamed　thing？〃
　　〃That's　just　a　bunch　of　grass。〃
　　〃It　was　a　bunch　of　grass；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃And　if　you　tore　it　up　it'd　be　a　bunch　of　grass　again。　But　now；　right　now；　it's　something　more　than　that。〃
　　〃A　little　bug　basket　is　all。〃
　　〃Something　that　you　made。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　a　sure　thing　grass　don't　grow　that　way。〃
　　〃And　when　you　made　it；　you　beat　back　the　Unmaker。〃
　　〃Not　by　much；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃No；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　by　the　making　of　one　bug　basket。　By　that　much；　you　beat　him　back。〃
　　It　came　together　in　Alvin's　mind。　The　whole　story　that　the　Taleswapper　was　trying　to　tell。　Alvin　knew　all　kinds　of　opposites　in　the　world：　good　and　evil；　light　and　dark；　free　and　slave；　love　and　hate。　But　deeper　than　all　those　opposites　was　making　and　unmaking。　So　deep　that　hardly　anybody　noticed　that　it　was　the　most　important　opposite　of　all。　But　he　noticed；　and　so　that　made　the　Unmaker　his　enemy。　That's　why　the　Unmaker　came　after　him　in　his　sleep。　After　all；　Alvin　had　his　knack。　His　knack　for　setting　things　in　order；　putting　things　in　the　shape　they　ought　to　be　in。
　　〃I　think　my　real　vision　was　about　the　same　thing；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃You　don't　have　to　tell　me　about　the　Shining　Man；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　never　mean　to　pry。〃
　　〃You　mean　you　just　pry　by　accident？〃　said　Alvin。
　　That　was　the　kind　of　remark　that　got　him　a　slap　across　the　face　at　home；　but　Taleswapper　only　laughed。
　　〃I　did　something　evil　and　I　didn't　even　know　it；〃　said　Alvin。　〃The　Shining　Man　came　and　stood　by　the　foot　of　my　bed；　and　first　he　showed　me　a　vision　of　what　I　done；　so　I　knowed　it　was　bad。　I　tell　you　I　cried；　to　know　I　was　so　wicked。　But　then　he　showed　me　what　my　knack　was　for；　and　now　I　see　it's　the　same　thing　you're　talking　about。　I　saw　a　stone　that　I　pulled　out　of　a　mountain；　and　it　was　round　as　a　ball；　and　when　I　looked　close　I　saw　it　was　the　whole　world；　with　forests　and　animals　and　oceans　and　fish　and　all　on　it。　That's　what　my　knack　is　for；　to　try　to　put　things　in　order。〃
　　Taleswapper's　eyes　were　gleaming。　〃The　Shining　Man　showed　you　such　a　vision；〃　he　said。　〃Such　a　vision　as　I'd　give　my　life　to　see。〃
　　〃Only　cause　I'd　used　my　knack　to　cause　harm　to　others；　just　for　my　own　pleasure；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　made　a　promise　then；　my　most　solemn　vow；　that　I'd　never　use　my　knack　for　my　own　good。　Only　for　others。〃
　　〃A　good　promise；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　wish　all　men　and　women　in　the　world　would　take　such　an　oath　and　keep　it。〃
　　〃Anyway；　that's　how　I　know　that　the　the　Unmaker；　it　isn't　a　vision。　The　Shining　Man　wasn't　even　a　vision。　What　he　showed　me；　that　was　a　vision；　but　him　standing　there；　he　was　real。〃
　　〃And　the　Unmaker？〃
　　〃Real；　too。　I　don't　just　see　it　in　my　head；　it's　there。〃
　　Taleswapper　nodded；　his　eyes　never　leaving　Alvin's　face。
　　〃I've　got　to　make　things；〃　said　Alvin。　〃Faster　than　he　can　tear　them　down。〃
　　〃Nobody　can　make　things　fast　enough　for　that；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃If　all　the　men　in　all　the　world　made　all　the　earth　into　a　million　million　million　million　bricks；　and　built　a　wall　all　the　days　of　their　lives；　the　wall　would　crumble　faster　than　they　could　build　it。　Sections　of　the　wall　would　fall　apart　even　before　they　built　them。〃
　　〃Now　that's　silly；〃　said　Alvin。　〃A　wall　can't　fall　down　before　you　build　it　up。〃
　　〃If　they　keep　at　it　long　enough；　the　bricks　will　crumble　into　dust　when　they　pick　them　up；　their　own　hands　will　rot　and　slough　like　slime　from　their　bones；　until　brick　and　flesh　and　bone　alike　all　break　down　into　the　same　indistinguishable　dust。　Then　the　Unmaker　will　sneeze；　and　the　dust　win　be　infinitely　dispersed　so　that　it　can　never　e　together　again。　The　universe　will　be　cold；　still；　silent；　dark；　and　at　last　the　Unmaker　will　be　at　rest。〃
　　Alvin　tried　to　make　sense　out　of　what　Taleswapper　was　saying。　It　was　the　same　thing　he　did　whenever　Thrower　talked　about　religion　in　school；　so　Alvin　thought　of　it　as　kind　of　a　dangerous　thing　to　do。　But　he　couldn't　stop　himself　from　doing　it；　and　from　asking　his　questions；　even　if　they　made　people　mad。　〃If　things　are　breaking　down　faster　than　they're　getting　made；　then　how　e　anything's　still　around？　Why　hasn't　the　Unmaker　already　won？　What　are　we　doing　here？〃
　　Taleswapper　wasn't　Reverend　Thrower。　Alvin's　question　didn't　make　him　angry。　He　just　knit　his　brow　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know。　You're　right。　We　can't　be　here。　Our　existence　is　impossible。〃
　　〃Well　we　are　here；　in　case　you　didn't　notice；〃　said　Alvin。　〃What　kind　of　stupid　tale　is　that；　when　we　just　have　to　look　at　each　other　to　know　it　isn't　true？〃
　　〃It　has　problems；　I　admit。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　only　told　stories　you　believe。〃
　　〃I　believed　it　while　I　was　telling　it。〃
　　Taleswapper　looked　so　mournful　that　Alvin　reached　out　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　man's　shoulder；　though　his　coat　was　so　thick　and　Alvin's　hand　so　small　that　he　wasn't　altogether　sure　Taleswapper　felt　his　touch。　〃I　believed　it；　too。　Parts　of　it。　For　a　while。〃
　　〃Then　there　is　truth　in　it。　Maybe　not　much；　but　some。〃　Taleswapper　looked　relieved。
　　But　Alvin　couldn't　leave　well　enough　alone。　〃Just　because　you　believe　it　doesn't　make　it　so。〃
　　Taleswapper's　eyes　went　wide。　Now　I've　done　it；　thought　Alvin。　Now　I've　made　him　mad；　just　like　I　make　Thrower　mad。　I　do　it　to　everbody。　So　he　wasn't　surprised　when　Taleswapper　reached　out　both　arms　toward　him；　took　Alvin's　face　between　his　hands；　and　spoke　with　such　force　as　to　drive　the　words　deep　into　Alvin's　forehead。　〃Everything　possible　to　be　believed　is　an　image　of　truth。〃
　　And　the　words　did　pierce　him；　and　he　understood　them；　though　he　could　not　have　put　in　words　what　it　was　he　understood。　Everything　possible　to　be　believed　is　an　image　of　truth。　If　it　feels　true　to　me；　then　there　is　something　true　in　it；　even　if　it　isn't　all　true。　And　if　I　study　it　out　in　my　mind；　then　maybe　I　can　find　what　parts　of　it　are　true；　and　what　parts　are　false；　and　And　Alvin　realized　something　else。　That　all　his　arguments　with　Thrower　came　down　to　this：　that　if　something　just　plain　didn't　make　sense　to　Alvin；　he　didn't　believe　it；　and　no　amount　of　quoting　from　the　Bible　would　convince　him。　Now　Taleswapper　was　telling　him　that　he　was　right　to　refuse　to　believe　things　that　made　no　sense。　〃Taleswapper；　does　that　mean　that　what　I　don't　believe　can't　be　true？〃
　　Taleswapper　raised　his　eyebrows　and　came　back　with　another　proverb。　〃Truth　can　never　be　told　so　as　to　be　understood；　and　not　be　believed。〃
　　Alvin　was　fed　up　with　proverbs。　〃For　once　would　you　tell　me　straight！〃
　　〃The　proverb　is　the　straight　truth；　lad。　I　refuse　to　twist　it　up　to　fit　a　confused　mind。〃
　　〃Well；　if　my　mind's　confused；　it's　all　your　fault。　All　your　talk　about　bricks　crumbling　before　the　wall　is　built〃