osc.am1.seventhson-第42节

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e　sickness。　But　he　couldn't　actually　see　what　was　happening。　He　couldn't　undo　it。　He　was　going　to　die。
　　He　wasn't　alone　in　the　room；　he　knew。　Someone　always　sat　at　his　bedside。　He　would　open　his　eyes　and　see　Mama；　or　Papa；　or　one　of　the　girls。　Sometimes　even　one　of　the　brothers；　even　though　it　meant　he　had　left　his　wife　and　his　chores。　It　was　a　fort　to　Alvin；　but　it　was　also　a　burden。　He　kept　thinking　he　ought　to　hurry　up　and　die　so　they　could　all　get　back　to　their　regular　lives。
　　This　afternoon　it　was　Measure　sitting　there。　Alvin　said　howdy　to　him　when　he　first　came；　but　there　wasn't　much　to　talk　about。　Howdy　do？　I'm　dying；　thanks；　and　you？　Kind　of　hard　to　keep　chatting。　Measure　talked　about　how　he　and　the　twins　had　tried　to　cut　a　grindstone。　They　chose　a　softer　stone　than　what　Alvin　worked　with；　and　still　they　had　a　devil　of　a　time　cutting。　〃We　finally　gave　right　up；〃　said　Measure。　〃It's　just　going　to　have　to　wait　till　you　can　go　up　the　mountain　and　get　us　a　stone　yourself。〃
　　Alvin　didn't　answer　that；　and　they　neither　one　said　a　word　since　then。　Alvin　just　lay　there；　sweating；　feeling　the　rot　in　his　bone　as　it　slowly；　steadily　grew。　Measure　sat　there；　lightly　holding　his　hand。
　　Measure　started　to　whistle。
　　The　sound　of　it　startled　Alvin。　He'd　been　so　caught　up　inside　himself　that　the　music　seemed　to　e　from　a　great　distance；　and　he　had　to　travel　some　distance　to　discover　where　it　was　ing　from。
　　〃Measure；〃　he　cried；　but　the　sound　of　his　voice　was　a　whisper。
　　The　whistling　stopped。　〃Sorry；〃　said　Measure。　〃Does　it　bother　you？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Alvin。
　　Measure　started　in　whistling　again。　It　was　a　strange　tune；　one　that　Alvin　didn't　recollect　he　ever　heard　before。　In　fact　it　didn't　sound　like　any　kind　of　tune　at　all。　It　never　did　repeat　itself；　just　went　on　with　new　patterns　all　the　time；　；like　as　if　Measure　was　making　it　up　on　the　way。　As　Alvin　lay　there　and　listened；　the　melody　seemed　like　it　was　a　map；　winding　through　a　wilderness；　and　he　started　to　follow　it。　Not　that　he　saw　anything；　the　way　he　would　following　a　real　map。　It　just　seemed　always　to　show　him　the　center　of　things；　and　everything　he　thought　about；　he　thought　about　as　if　he　was　standing　in　that　place。　Almost　like　he　could　see　all　the　thinking　he　had　done　before；　trying　to　figure　out　a　way　to　fix　the　bad　place　on　his　bone；　only　now　he　was　looking　from　a　ways　off；　maybe　higher　up　a　mountain　or　in　a　clearing；　somewhere　that　he　could　see　more。
　　Now　he　thought　of　something　he　never　thought　of　before。　When　his　leg　was　first　broke；　with　the　skin　all　tore　up；　everybody　could　see　how　bad　off　he　was；　but　nobody　could　help　him；　only　himself。　He　had　to　fix　it　all　from　inside。　Now；　though；　nobody　else　could　see　the　wound　that　was　killing　him。　And　even　though　he　could　see　it；　he　couldn't　do　a　blame　thing　to　make　it　better。
　　So　maybe　this　time；　somebody　else　could　fix　him　up。　Not　using　any　kind　of　hidden　power　at　all。　Just　plain　old　bloody…handed　surgery。
　　〃Measure；〃　he　whispered。
　　〃I'm　here；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃I　know　a　way　to　fix　my　leg；〃　he　said。
　　Measure　leaned　in　close。　Alvin　didn't　open　his　eyes；　but　he　could　feel　his　brother's　breath　on　his　cheek。
　　〃The　bad　place　on　my　bone；　it's　growing；　but　it　ain't　spread　all　over　yet；〃　Alvin　said。　〃I　can't　make　it　better；　but　I　reckon　if　somebody　cut　off　that　part　of　my　bone　and　took　it　right　out　of　my　leg；　I　could　heal　it　up　the　rest　of　the　way。〃
　　〃Cut　it　out？〃
　　〃Pa's　bone　saw　that　he　uses　when　he's　cutting　up　meat；　that'd　do　the　trick　I　think。〃
　　〃But　there　ain't　a　surgeon　in　three　hundred　mile。〃
　　〃Then　I　reckon　somebody　better　learn　how　real　quick；　or　I'm　dead。〃
　　Measure　was　breathing　quicker　now。　〃You　think　cutting　your　bone　would　save　your　life？〃
　　〃It's　the　best　I　can　think　of。〃
　　〃It　might　mess　up　your　leg　real　bad；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃If　I'm　dead；　I　won't　care。　And　if　I　live；　it'll　be　worth　a　messed…up　leg。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　fetch　Pa。〃　Measure　scuffed　back　his　chair　and　thumped　out　of　the　room。
　　
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　　Thrower　let　Armor　lead　the　way　onto　the　Millers'　porch。　They　couldn't　very　well　turn　away　their　daughter's　husband。　His　concern　was　unfounded；　however。　It　was　Goody　Faith　who　opened　the　door；　not　her　pagan　husband。
　　〃Why；　Reverend　Thrower；　if　you　ain't　being　too　kind　to　us；　stopping　up　here；〃　she　said。　The　cheerfulness　of　her　voice　was　a　lie；　though；　if　her　haggard　face　was　telling　the　truth。　There　hadn't　been　much　good　sleep　in　this　house　lately。
　　〃I　brought　him　along；　Mother　Faith；〃　said　Armor。　〃He　e　only　cause　I　asked　him。〃
　　〃The　pastor　of　our　church　is　wele　in　my　home　whenever　it　pleases　him　to　e　by；〃　said　Faith。
　　She　ushered　them　into　the　great　room。　A　group　of　girls　making　quilt　squares　looked　up　at　him　from　their　chairs　near　the　hearth。　The　little　boy；　Cally；　was　doing　his　letters　on　a　board；　writing　with　charcoal　from　the　fire。
　　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　doing　your　letters；〃　said　Thrower。
　　Cally　just　looked　at　him。　There　was　a　hint　of　hostility　in　his　eyes。　Apparently　the　boy　resented　having　his　teacher　look　at　his　work　here　at　home；　which　he　had　supposed　was　a　sanctuary。
　　〃You're　doing　them　well；〃　said　Thrower；　trying　to　put　the　boy　at　ease。　Cally　said　nothing；　just　looked　down　again　at　his　makeshift　slate　and　kept　on　scrawling　out　words。
　　Armor　brought　up　their　business　right　away。　〃Mother　Faith；　we　e　cause　of　Alvin。　You　know　how　I　feel　about　witchery；　but　I　never　before　said　a　word　against　what　you　folks　do　in　your　house。　I　always　reckoned　that　was　your　business　and　none　of　mine。　But　that　boy　is　paying　the　price　for　the　evil　ways　that　you've　let　go　on　here。　He　witched　his　leg；　and　now　there's　a　devil　in　him；　killing　him　off；　and　I　brought　Reverend　Thrower　here　to　wring　that　devil　on　out　of　him。〃
　　Goody　Faith　looked　puzzled。　〃There　ain't　no　devil　in　this　house。〃
　　Ah；　poor　woman；　said　Thrower　silently。　If　you　only　knew　how　long　a　devil　has　dwelt　here。　〃It　is　possible　to　bee　so　accustomed　to　the　presence　of　a　devil　as　not　to　recognize　that　it　is　presene。〃
　　A　door　by　the　stairs　opened　up；　and　Mr。　Miller　stepped　backward　through　the　doorway。　〃Not　me；〃　he　said；　talking　to　whoever　was　in　that　room。　〃I'll　not　lay　a　knife　to　the　boy。〃
　　Cally　jumped　up　at　the　sound　of　his　father's　voice　and　ran　to　him。　〃Armor　brung　old　Thrower　here；　Papa；　to　kill　the　devil。〃
　　Mr。　Miller　turned　around；　his　face　twisted　with　unidentified　emotion；　and　looked　at　the　visitors　as　if　he　hardly　recognized　them。
　　〃I've　got　good　strong　hexes　on　this　house；〃　said　Goody　Faith。
　　〃Those　hexes　are　a　summons　for　the　devil；〃　said　Armor。　〃You　think　they　protect　your　house；　but　they　drive　away　the　Lord。〃
　　〃No　devil　ever　came　in　here；〃　she　insisted。
　　〃Not　by　itself；〃　said　Armor。　〃You　called　it　in　with　all　you're　conjuring。　You　forced　the　Holy　Spirit　to　leave　your　house　by　your　witchery　and　idolatry；　and　having　swept　goodness　from　your　home；　the　devils　naturally　e　right　in。　They　always　e　in；　where　they　see　a　fair　chance　to　do　mischief。〃
　　Thrower　became　a　little　concerned　that　Armor　was　saying　too　much　about　things　he　didn't　really　understand。　It　would　have　been　better　had　he　simply　asked　if　Thrower　could　pray　for　the　boy　at　Alvin's　bedside。　Now　Armor　was　drawing　battle　lines　that　should　never　have　been　drawn。
　　And　whatever　was　going　on　in　Mr。　Miller's　head　right　now；　it　was　plain　to　see　that　this　wasn't　the　best　of　times　to　provoke　the　man。　He　slowly　walked　toward　Armor。　〃You　telling　me　that　what　es　into　a　man's　house　to　do　mischief　is　the　devil？〃
　　〃I　bear　you　my　witness　as　one　who　loves　the　Lord　Jesus；〃　Armor　began；　but　before　he　could　get　any　further　into　his　testimony；　Miller　had　him　by　the　shoulder　of　his　coat　and　the　waist　of　his　pants；　and　he　turned　him　right　toward　the　door。
　　〃Somebody　better　open　this　door！〃　roared　Miller。　〃Or　there's　going　to　be　a　powerful　big　hole　right　in　the　middle　of　it！〃
　　〃What　do　you　think　you're　doing；　Alvin　Miller！〃　shouted　his　wife。
　　〃Casting　out　devils！〃　cried　Miller。　Cally　had　swung　the　door　open　by　then；　and　Miller　walked　his　son…in…law　to　the　edge　of　the　porch　and　sent　him　flying。　Armor's　cry　of　outrage　ended　up　muffled　by　the　snow　on　the　ground；　and　there　wasn't　much　chance　to　hear　his　yelling　after　that　because　Miller　closed　and　barred　the　door。
　　〃Ain't　you　a　big　man；〃　said　Goody　Faith；　〃throwing　out　your　own　daughter's　husband。〃
　　〃I　didn't　do　but　what　he　said　the　Lord　wanted　done；〃　said　Miller。　Then　he　turned　his　gaze　upon　the　pastor。
　　〃Armor　didn't　speak　for　me；〃　said　Thrower　mildly。
　　〃If　you　lay　a　hand　on　a　man　of　the　cloth；〃　said　Goody　Faith；　〃you'll　sleep　in　a　cold　bed　for　the　rest　of　your　life。〃
　　〃Wouldn't　think　of　touching　the　man；〃　said　Miller。　〃But　the　way　I　figure　it；　I　stay　out　of　his　place；　and　he　ought　to　stay　out　of　mine。〃
　　〃You　may　not　believe　in　the　power　of　prayer；〃　said　Thrower。
　　〃I　reckon　it　depends　on　who's　doing　the　praying；　and　who's　doing　the　listening；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃Even　so；〃　said　Thrower；　〃your　wife　believes　in　the　religion　of　Jesus　Christ；　in　the　which　I　have　been　called　and　ordained　a　minister。　It　is　her　belief；　and　my　belief；　that　for　me　to　pray　at　the　boy's　bedside　might　be　efficacious　in　h