osc.am1.seventhson-第41节

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　　〃It　is；　when　your　thoughts　chastise　me　for　my　actions。　Beware　of　hubris；　my　friend。　Do　not　fancy　yourself　so　righteous　that　you　can　judge　the　acts　of　angels。〃
　　It　was　the　first　time　the　Visitor　had　ever　called　himself　an　angel。
　　〃I　did　not　call　myself　anything；〃　said　the　Visitor。　〃You　must　learn　to　control　your　thoughts；　Thrower。　You　leap　to　conclusions　far　too　easily。〃
　　〃Why　have　you　e　to　me？〃
　　〃It's　a　matter　of　the　maker　of　this　altar；〃　said　the　Visitor。　He　patted　one　of　the　crosses　Alvin　Junior　had　burnt　into　the　wood。
　　〃I've　done　my　best；　but　the　boy　is　unteachable。　He　doubts　everything；　and　contests　each　point　of　theology　as　if　it　were　required　to　meet　the　same　tests　of　logic　and　consistency　that　prevail　in　the　world　of　science。〃
　　〃In　other　words；　he　expects　your　doctrines　to　make　sense。〃
　　〃He　is　unwilling　to　accept　the　idea　that　some　things　remain　mysteries；　prehensible　only　to　the　mind　of　God。　Ambiguity　makes　him　saucy；　and　paradox　causes　open　rebellion。〃
　　〃An　obnoxious　child。〃
　　〃The　worst　I　have　ever　seen；〃　said　Thrower。
　　The　Visitor's　eyes　flashed。　Thrower　felt　a　stab　in　his　heart。
　　〃I've　tried；〃　said　Thrower。　〃I've　tried　to　turn　him　to　serve　the　Lord。　But　the　influence　of　his　father〃
　　〃It　is　a　weak　man　who　blames　his　failures　on　the　strength　of　others；〃　said　the　Visitor。
　　〃I　haven't　failed　yet！〃　said　Thrower。　〃You　told　me　I　had　until　the　boy　was　fourteen〃
　　〃No。　I　told　you　I　had　until　the　boy　was　fourteen。　You　only　have　him　as　long　as　he　lives　here。〃
　　〃I've　heard　nothing　about　the　Millers　moving。　They　just　got　their　millstone　in　place；　they're　going　to　start　grinding　in　the　spring；　they　wouldn't　leave　without〃
　　The　Visitor　stood　up　from　the　altar。　〃Let　me　put　a　case　to　you；　Reverend　Thrower。　Purely　hypothetical。　Let　us　suppose　you　were　in　the　same　room　with　the　worst　enemy　of　all　that　I　stand　for。　Let　us　suppose　that　he　were　ill；　and　lay　helpless　in　his　bed。　If　he　recovered；　he　would　be　removed　from　your　reach；　and　would　thus　go　on　to　destroy　all　that　you　and　I　love　in　this　world。　But　if　he　died；　our　great　cause　would　be　safe。　Now　suppose　that　someone　put　a　knife　into　your　hand；　and　begged　you　to　perform　a　delicate　surgery　upon　the　boy。　And　suppose　that　if　you　were　to　slip；　just　the　tiniest　bit；　your　knife　could　cut　a　great　artery。　And　suppose　that　if　you　simply　delayed；　his　lifeblood　would　flow　out　so　quickly　that　in　moments　he　would　die。　In　that　case；　Reverend　Thrower；　what　would　be　your　duty？〃
　　Thrower　was　aghast。　All　his　life　he　had　prepared　to　teach；　persuade；　exhort；　expound。　Never　to　perform　a　bloody…handed　act　like　the　one　the　Visitor　suggested。　〃I'm　not　suited　for　such　things；〃　he　said。
　　〃Are　you　suited　for　the　kingdom　of　God？〃　asked　the　Visitor。
　　〃But　the　Lord　said　Thou　shalt　not　kill。〃
　　〃Oh？　Is　that　what　he　said　to　Joshua；　when　he　sent　him　into　the　promised　land？　Is　that　what　he　said　to　Saul；　when　he　sent　him　against　the　Amalekites？〃
　　Thrower　thought　of　those　dark　passages　in　the　Old　Testament；　and　trembled　with　fear　at　the　thought　of　taking　part　in　such　things　himself。
　　But　the　Visitor　did　not　relent。　〃The　high　priest　Samuel　manded　King　Saul　to　kill　all　the　Amalekites；　every　man　and　woman；　every　child。　But　Saul　hadn't　the　stomach　for　it。　He　saved　the　king　of　the　Amalekites　and　brought　him　back　alive。　For　that　crime　of　disobedience；　what　did　the　Lord　do？〃
　　〃Chose　David　to　be　king　in　his　place；〃　murmured　Thrower。
　　The　Visitor　stood　close　to　Thrower；　his　eyes　wounding　him　with　their　fire。　〃And　then　Samuel；　the　high　priest；　the　gentle　servant　of　God；　what　did　he　do？〃
　　〃He　called　for　Agag　the　king　of　the　Amalekites　to　be　brought　before　him。〃
　　The　Visitor　would　not　relent。　〃And　what　did　Samuel　do？〃
　　〃Killed　him；〃　whispered　Thrower。
　　〃What　does　the　scripture　say　that　he　did！〃　roared　the　Visitor。　The　walls　of　the　meetinghouse　shook；　the　glass　of　the　windows　rattled。
　　Thrower　wept　in　fear；　but　he　spoke　the　words　that　the　Visitor　demanded：　〃Samuel　hacked　Agag　in　pieces　in　the　presence　of　the　Lord。〃
　　Now　the　only　sound　in　the　church　was　Thrower's　own　ragged　breath　as　he　tried　to　control　his　hysterical　weeping。　The　Visitor　smiled　at　him；　his　eyes　filled　with　love　and　forgiveness。　Then　he　was　gone。
　　Thrower　sank　to　his　knees　before　the　altar　and　prayed。　O　Father；　I　would　die　for　Thee；　but　do　not　ask　me　to　kill。　Take　away　this　cup　from　my　lips；　I　am　too　weak；　I　am　unworthy；　do　not　lay　this　burden　upon　my　shoulders。
　　His　tears　fell　on　the　altar。　He　heard　a　sizzling　sound　and　jumped　back　from　the　altar；　startled。　His　tears　skittered　along　the　surface　of　the　altar　like　water　on　a　hot　skillet；　until　finally　they　were　consumed。
　　The　Lord　has　rejected　me；　he　thought。　I　pledged　to　serve　Him　however　He　required；　and　now；　when　He　asks　something　difficult；　when　He　mands　me　to　be　as　strong　as　the　great　prophets　of　old；　I　discover　myself　to　be　a　broken　vessel　in　the　hands　of　the　Lord。　I　cannot　contain　the　destiny　He　wanted　to　pour　into　me。
　　The　door　of　the　church　opened；　letting　in　a　wave　of　freezing　air　that　rushed　along　the　floor　and　sent　a　chill　through　the　minister's　flesh。　He　looked　up；　fearing　that　it　was　an　angel　sent　to　punish　him。
　　It　was　no　angel；　though。　Merely　Armor…of…God　Weaver。
　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　interrupt　you　in　prayer；〃　said　Armor。
　　〃e　in；〃　said　Thrower。　〃Close　the　door。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　　〃Not　for　me；〃　said　Armor。
　　〃e　here。　Sit　down。　Tell　me。〃
　　Thrower　hoped　that　perhaps　it　was　a　sign　from　God　that　Armor　had　e　just　now。　A　member　of　the　congregation；　ing　to　him　for　help；　right　after　he　prayed　　surely　the　Lord　was　letting　him　know　that　he　was　accepted　after　all。
　　〃It's　my　wife's　brother；〃　said　Armor。　〃The　boy；　Alvin　Junior。〃
　　Thrower　felt　a　thrill　of　dread　run　through　him；　freezing　him　to　the　bone。　〃I　know　him。　What　about　him？〃
　　〃You　know　he　got　his　leg　mashed。〃
　　〃I　heard　of　it。〃
　　〃You　didn't　happen　to　go　visit　and　see　him　afore　it　healed　up？〃
　　〃I've　been　given　to　believe　that　I'm　not　wele　in　that　house。〃
　　〃Well；　let　me　tell　you；　it　was　bad。　A　whole　patch　of　skin　tore　off。　Bones　broke。　But　two　days　later；　it　was　healed　right　up。　Couldn't　even　see　no　scar。　Three　days　later　he　was　walking。〃
　　〃It　must　not　have　been　as　bad　as　you　thought。〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you；　that　leg　was　broke　and　the　wound　was　bad。　The　whole　family　figured　the　boy　was　bound　to　die。　They　asked　me　about　buying　nails　for　a　coffin。　And　they　looked　so　bad　from　grieving　that　I　wasn't　sure　but　what　we'd　bury　the　boy's　ma　and　pa；　too。〃
　　〃Then　it　can't　be　as　fully　healed　as　you　say。〃
　　〃Well；　it　ain't　fully　healed；　and　that's　why　I　e　to　you。　I　know　you　don't　believe　in　such　things；　but　I　tell　you　they　witched　the　boy's　leg　to　heal　somehow。　Elly　says　the　boy　did　the　witching　himself。　He　was　even　walking　on　the　leg　for　a　few　days；　no　splint　even。　But　the　pain　never　let　up；　and　now　he　says　there's　a　sick　place　on　his　bone。　He's　got　a　fever；　too。〃
　　〃There's　a　perfectly　natural　explanation　for　everything；〃　said　Thrower。
　　〃Well；　be　that　as　you　like；　the　way　I　see　it　the　boy　invited　the　devil　with　his　witchery；　and　now　the　devil's　eating　him　alive　inside。　And　seeing　how　you're　an　ordained　minister　of　God；　I　thought　maybe　you　could　cast　out　that　devil　in　the　name　of　the　Lord　Jesus。〃
　　Superstitions　and　sorceries　were　nonsense；　of　course；　but　when　Armor　brought　up　the　possibility　of　a　devil　being　in　the　boy；　it　made　sense；　it　fit　with　what　he　knew　from　the　Visitor。　Maybe　the　Lord　wanted　him　to　exorcise　the　child；　to　purge　the　evil　from　him；　not　to　kill　the　boy　at　all。　It　was　a　chance　for　him　to　redeem　himself　from　his　failure　of　will　a　few　minutes　before。
　　〃I'll　go；〃　he　said。　He　reached　for　his　heavy　cloak　and　whipped　it　around　his　shoulders。
　　〃I　better　warn　you；　nobody　up　at　their　house　asked　me　to　bring　you。〃
　　〃I'm　prepared　to　deal　with　the　anger　of　the　unfaithful；〃　said　Thrower。　〃It's　the　victim　of　deviltry　that　concerns　me；　not　his　foolish　and　superstitious　family。〃
　　
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　　Alvin　lay　on　his　bed；　burning　with　the　heat　of　his　fever。　Now；　in　the　daylight；　they　kept　his　shutters　closed；　so　the　light　wouldn't　hurt　his　eyes。　At　night；　though；　he　made　them　open　things　up；　let　some　of　the　cold　air　in。　He　would　breathe　it　in　relief。　During　the　few　days　when　he　could　walk；　he　had　seen　the　snow　covering　the　meadow。　Now　he　tried　to　imagine　himself　lying　under　that　blanket　of　snow。　Relief　from　the　fire　burning　through　his　body。
　　He　just　couldn't　see　small　enough　inside　himself。　What　he　did　with　the　bone；　with　the　strands　of　muscle　and　layers　of　skin；　it　was　harder　than　ever　it　was　to　find　the　cracks　in　the　quarry　stone。　But　he　could　feel　his　way　through　the　labyrinth　of　his　body；　find　the　large　wounds；　help　them　to　close。　Most　of　what　went　on；　though；　was　too　small　and　fast　for　him　to　prehend。　He　could　see　the　result；　but　he　couldn't　see　the　pieces；　couldn't　make　out　how　it　happened。
　　That's　how　it　was　with　the　bad　place　in　his　bone。　Just　a　patch　of　it　that　was　weakening；　rotting　away。　He　could　feel　the　difference　between　the　bad　place　and　the　good　healthy　bone；　he　could　find　the　borders　of　the　sickness。　But　he　couldn't　actually　see