osc.am1.seventhson-第39节

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am。　But　he　heard　Cally　say；　〃I　don't　never　wish　you　dead；　Alvin。〃　And　then　he　might　have　said；　〃I　wish　I　was　you。〃　But　anyway　Alvin　drifted　off　to　sleep；　and　when　he　woke　up　again　there　was　nobody　with　him　and　the　house　was　still　except　for　nightsounds；　the　wind　rattling　the　shutters；　the　timbers　popping　as　they　shrunk　from　the　cold；　the　log　snapping　in　the　hearth。
　　One　more　time　Alvin　went　inside　himself　and　worked　his　way　down　to　the　wound。　Only　this　time　he　didn't　have　much　to　do　with　the　skin　and　muscle。　It　was　the　bones　he　worked　on　now。　It　surprised　him　how　lacy　it　was；　pocked　with　little　hollows　all　over；　not　solid　straight　through　like　the　millstone　was。　But　he　learned　the　way　of　it　soon　enough；　and　it　was　easy　after　a　while　to　knit　the　bones　up　tight。
　　Still；　there　was　something　wrong　with　that　bone。　Something　in　his　bad　leg　just　wouldn't　get　exactly　like　the　good　leg。　But　it　was　so　small　he　couldn't　see　it　clear。　Just　knew　that　whatever　it　was；　it　made　the　bone　sick　inside；　just　a　little　patch　of　sickness；　but　he　couldn't　figure　how　to　make　it　better。　Like　trying　to　pick　up　snowflakes　off　the　ground；　whenever　he　thought　he　had　ahold　of　something；　it　turned　out　to　be　nothing；　or　maybe　just　too　small　to　see。
　　Maybe；　though；　it　would　just　go　away。　Maybe　if　everything　else　got　better；　that　sick　place　on　his　bone　would　get　better　by　itself。
　　
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　　Eleanor　was　late　getting　back　from　her　mother's　house。　Armor　believed　that　a　wife　should　have　strong　ties　with　her　family；　but　ing　home　at　dusk　was　too　dangerous。
　　〃There's　talk　of　wild　Reds　up　from　the　south；〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃And　you　traipsing　about　after　dark。〃
　　〃I　hurried　home；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　the　way　in　the　dark。〃
　　〃It's　not　a　question　of　knowing　the　way；〃　he　said　sternly。　〃The　French　are　giving　guns　as　bounty　on　White　scalps　now。　It　won't　tempt　the　Prophet's　people；　but　there's　many　a　Choc…Taw　who'd　be　glad　to　e　up　to　Fort　Detroit；　gathering　scalps　along　the　way。〃
　　〃Alvin　isn't　going　to　die；〃　said　Eleanor。
　　Armor　hated　it　when　she　turned　the　subject　like　that。　But　it　was　such　news　that　he　couldn't　very　well　not　ask　after　it。　〃They　decide　to　take　off　the　leg；　then？〃
　　〃I　saw　the　leg。　It's　getting　better。　And　Alvin　Junior　was　awake　late　this　afternoon。　I　talked　to　him　awhile。〃
　　〃I'm　glad　he　was　awake；　Elly；　I　truly　am；　but　I　hope　you　don't　expect　the　leg　to　get　better。　A　big　wound　like　that　may　look　to　be　healing　for　a　while；　but　the　rot'll　set　in　pretty　soon。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so　this　time；〃　she　said。　〃You　want　supper？〃
　　〃I　must　have　gnawed　down　two　loaves　just　pacing　back　and　forth　wondering　whether　you　were　even　ing　home。〃
　　〃It　isn't　good　for　a　man　to　get　a　belly。〃
　　〃Well；　I　got　one；　and　it　calls　out　for　food　just　like　any　other　man's。〃
　　〃Mama　gave　me　a　cheese　to　bring　home。〃　She　set　it　out　on　the　table。
　　Armor　had　his　doubts。　He　figured　half　the　reason　Faith　Miller's　cheeses　turned　out　so　good　was　because　she　did　things　to　the　milk。　At　the　same　time；　there　wasn't　no　better　cheese　on　the　banks　of　the　Wobbish；　nor　up　Tippy…Canoe　Creek　neither。
　　It　put　him　out　of　sorts　when　he　caught　himself　promising　with　witchery。　And　being　out　of　sorts；　he　wasn't　about　to　let　anything　lie；　even　though　he　knew　Elly　plain　didn't　want　to　talk　about　it。　〃Why　don't　you　think　the　leg　will　rot？〃
　　〃It's　just　getting　better　so　fast；〃　she　said。
　　〃How　much　better？〃
　　〃Oh；　pert　near　fixed。〃
　　〃How　near？〃
　　She　turned　around；　rolled　her　eyes；　and　turned　back　away　from　him。　She　started　cutting　up　an　apple　to　eat　with　the　cheese。
　　〃I　said　how　near；　Elly？　How　near　fixed？〃
　　〃Fixed。〃
　　〃Two　days　after　a　millstone　rips　off　the　front　half　of　his　leg；　and　it's　fixed？〃
　　〃Only　two　days？〃　she　said。　〃Seems　like　a　week　to　me。〃
　　〃Calendar　says　it's　two　days；〃　said　Armor。　〃Which　means　there's　been　witchery　up　there。〃
　　〃As　I　read　the　gospels；　the　one　that　healed　people　wasn't　no　witch。〃
　　〃Who　did　it？　Don't　tell　me　your　pa　or　ma　suddenly　figured　out　something　as　strong　as　that。　Did　they　conjure　up　a　devil？〃
　　She　turned　around；　the　knife　in　her　hands　still　poised　for　cutting。　There　was　a　flash　in　her　eyes。　〃Pa　may　be　no　kind　of　church　man；　but　the　devil　never　set　foot　in　our　house。〃
　　That　wasn't　what　Reverend　Thrower　said；　but　Armor　knew　better　than　to　bring　him　into　the　conversation。　〃It's　that　beggar；　then。〃
　　〃He　works　for　his　room　and　board。　Hard　as　anyone。〃
　　〃They　say　he　knew　that　old　wizard　Ben　Franklin。　And　that　atheist　from　Appalachee；　Tom　Jefferson。〃
　　〃He　tells　good　stories。　And　he　didn't　heal　the　boy　neither。〃
　　〃Well；　somebody　did。〃
　　〃Maybe　he　just　healed　up　himself。　Anyway；　the　leg's　still　broke。　So　it　ain't　a　miracle　or　nothing。　He's　just　a　fast　healer。〃
　　〃Well　maybe　he's　a　fast　healer　cause　the　devil　takes　care　of　his　own。〃
　　From　the　look　in　her　eye　when　she　turned　around；　Armor　kind　of　wished　he　hadn't　said　it。　But　dad…gum　it；　Reverend　Thrower　as　much　as　said　the　boy　was　as　bad　as　the　Beast　of　the　Apocalypse。
　　But　beast　or　boy；　he　was　Elly's　brother；　and　whereas　she　might　be　as　quiet　as　you　please　most　of　the　time；　when　she　got　her　dander　up　she　could　be　a　terror。
　　〃Take　that　back；〃　she　said。
　　〃Now；　that's　about　as　silly　a　thing　as　I　ever　heard。　How　can　I　take　back　what　I　said？〃
　　〃By　saying　you　know　it　ain't　so。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　it　is　and　I　don't　know　it　ain't。　I　said　maybe；　and　if　a　man　can't　say　his　maybes　to　his　wife　then　he　might　as　well　be　dead。〃
　　〃I　reckon　that's　about　true；〃　she　said。　〃And　if　you　don't　take　that　back　you'll　wish　you　was　dead！〃　And　she　started　ing　after　him　with　two　chunks　of　apple；　one　in　each　hand。
　　Now；　most　times　she　came　for　him　like　that；　even　if　she　was　really　mad；　if　he　let　her　chase　him　around　the　house　awhile　she　usually　ended　up　laughing。　But　not　this　time。　She　mushed　one　apple　in　his　hair　and　threw　the　other　one　at　him；　and　then　just　sat　down　in　the　upstairs　bedroom；　crying　her　eyes　out。
　　She　wasn't　one　to　cry；　so　Armor　figured　this　had　got　right　out　of　hand。
　　〃I　take　it　back；　Elly；〃　he　said。　〃He's　a　good　boy；　I　know　that。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　care　what　you　think；〃　she　said。　〃You　don't　know　a　thing　about　it　anyway。〃
　　There　weren't　many　husbands　who'd　let　their　wife　say　such　a　thing　without　slapping　her　upside　the　head。　Armor　wished　sometimes　that　Elly'd　appreciate　how　him　being　a　Christian　worked　to　her　advantage。
　　〃I　know　a　thing　or　two；〃　he　said。
　　〃They're　going　to　send　him　off；〃　she　said。　〃Once　spring　es；　they're　going　to　prentice　him　out。　He's　none　too　happy　about　it；　I　can　tell；　but　he　don't　argue　none；　he　just　lies　there　in　his　bed；　talking　real　quiet；　but　looking　at　me　and　everybody　else　like　he　was　saying　good…bye　all　the　time。〃
　　〃What　are　they　wanting　to　send　him　off　for？〃
　　〃I　told　you；　to　prentice　him。〃
　　〃The　way　they　baby　that　boy；　I　can't　hardly　believe　they'd　let　him　out　of　their　sight。〃
　　〃They　ain't　talking　about　nothing　close　by；　neither。　Clear　back　at　the　east　end　of　Hio　Territory；　near　Fort　Dekane。　Why；　that's　halfway　to　the　ocean。〃
　　〃You　know；　it　just　makes　sense；　when　you　think　about　it。〃
　　〃It　does？〃
　　〃With　Red　trouble　starting　up；　they　want　him　plumb　gone。　The　others　can　all　stick　around　to　get　an　arrow　in　their　face；　but　not　Alvin　Junior。〃
　　She　looked　at　him　with　withering　contempt。　〃Sometimes　you're　so　suspicious　you　make　me　want　to　puke；　Armor…of…God。〃
　　〃It　ain't　suspicion　to　say　what's　really　happening。〃
　　〃You　can't　tell　real　from　a　rutabaga。〃
　　〃You　going　to　wash　this　apple　out　of　my　hair；　or　do　I　have　to　make　you　lick　it　out？〃
　　〃I　expect　I'll　have　to　do　something；　or　you'll　rub　it　all　over　the　bed　linen。〃
　　
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　　Taleswapper　felt　almost　like　a　thief；　to　take　so　much　with　him　as　he　left。　Two　pair　of　thick　stockings。　A　new　blanket。　An　elkhide　cloak。　Jerky　and　cheese。　A　good　whetstone。
　　And　things　they　couldn't　even　know　they　gave　him。　A　rested　body；　free　of　aches　and　bruises。　A　jaunty　step。　Kind　faces　fresh　in　his　mind。　And　stories。　Stories　jotted　in　the　sealed…up　part　of　the　book；　the　ones　he　wrote　down　himself。　And　true　stories　painfully　inscribed　by　their　own　hands。
　　Still；　he　gave　them　fair　return；　or　tried　to。　Roofs　patched　for　winter；　other　jobs　here　and　there。　More　important；　they'd　seen　a　book　with　Ben　Franklin's　own　handwriting　in　it；　with　sentences　from　Tom　Jefferson；　Ben　Arnold；　Pat　Henry；　John　Adams；　Alex　Hamilton　even　Aaron　Burr；　from　before　the　duel；　and　Daniel　Boone；　from　after。　Before　Taleswapper　came　they　were　part　of　their　family；　and　part　of　the　Wobbish　country；　and　that's　all。　Now　they　belonged　to　much　larger　stories。　The　War　of　Appalachee　Independence。　The　American　pact。　They　saw　their　own　trek　through　the　wilderness　as　one　thread　among　many；　and　felt　the　strength　of　the　whole　tapestry　woven　from　those　threads。　Not　a　tapestry；　really。　A　rug。　A　good；　thick；　solid　rug　that　generations　of　Americans　after　them　could　tread　on。　There　was　a　poem　in　that；　he'd　work　that　into　a　poem　sometime。
　　He　left　them　a　few　other　things；　too。　A　beloved　son　he　pulled　from　under　a　falling　millstone。　A　father　who　now　had　the　strength　to　send　away　his　son　before　he　killed　him