osc.am1.seventhson-第49节

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d　he　brings　me　things　to　read　from　Dekane。〃　She　talked　about　the　things　she　read；　and　Taleswapper　began　to　see　that　her　heart　yearned　for　places　far　beyond　Hatrack　River。　He　also　saw　other　things　　that　she；　being　a　torch；　knew　the　folks　around　here　too　well；　and　thought　that　in　faraway　places　she'd　find　people　with　jewel…like　souls　that　would　never　disappoint　a　girl　who　could　see　clean　into　their　heart。
　　She's　young；　that's　all。　Give　her　time；　and　she'll　learn　to　love　such　goodness　as　she　finds；　and　forgive　the　rest。
　　After　a　while　the　doctor　came　in；　and　they　chatted　a　bit；　and　it　was　well　into　the　afternoon　by　the　time　Taleswapper　was　alone　with　Peggy　again　and　could　ask　her　what　he　came　to　ask。
　　〃How　far　off　can　you　see；　Peggy？〃
　　He　could　almost　see　wariness　fall　across　her　face　like　a　thick　velvet　curtain。　〃I　don't　reckon　you're　asking　me　whether　I　need　spectacles；〃　she　said。
　　〃I　just　wonder　about　a　girl　who　once　wrote　in　my　book；　A　Maker　is　born。　I　wonder　if　she　still　keeps　an　eye　on　that　Maker；　now　and　then；　so　she　can　see　how　he　fares。〃
　　She　looked　away　from　him；　gazing　at　the　high　window　above　where　the　curtain　gave　privacy。　The　sun　was　low　and　the　sky　outside　was　grey；　but　her　face　was　full　of　light；　Taleswapper　saw　that　right　enough。　Sometimes　you　didn't　have　to　be　a　torch　to　know　full　well　what　was　in　a　person's　heart。
　　〃I　wonder　if　that　torch　saw　a　ridgebeam　failing　on　him　one　time；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said。
　　〃Or　a　millstone。〃
　　〃Could　be。〃
　　〃And　I　wonder　if　somehow　she　didn't　have　some　way　to　split　that　ridgebeam　clean　in　twain；　and　crack　that　millstone　so　a　certain　old　taleswapper　could　see　lantern　light　right　through　the　middle　of　that　stone。〃
　　Tears　glistened　in　her　eyes；　not　like　she　was　about　to　cry；　but　like　she　was　looking　into　the　sun　straight　on；　and　it　made　her　water　up。　〃A　scrap　of　his　birth　caul；　rubbed　into　dust；　and　a　body　can　use　the　boy's　own　power　to　work　a　few　clumsy　makings；〃　she　said　softly。
　　〃But　now　he　knows　something　of　his　own　knack；　and　he　undid　what　you　did　for　him。〃
　　She　nodded。
　　〃Must　be　lonely；　watching　out　for　him　from　so　far　away；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃Not　to　me。　I　got　folks　all　around　me；　all　the　time。〃　She　looked　at　Taleswapper　and　smiled　wanly。　〃It's　almost　a　relief　to　spend　time　with　that　one　boy　who　doesn't　want　a　thing　from　me；　because　he　doesn't　even　know　that　I　exist。〃
　　〃I　know；　though；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃And　I　don't　want　a　thing　from　you；　either。〃
　　She　smiled。　〃You　old　fraud；〃　she　said。
　　〃All　right；　I　do　want　something　from　you；　but　not　something　for　myself。　I've　met　that　boy；　and　even　if　I　can't　see　into　his　heart　the　way　you　can；　I　think　I　know　him。　I　think　I　know　what　he　might　be；　what　he　might　do；　and　I　want　you　to　know　that　if　you　ever　need　my　help　for　anything；　just　send　me　word；　just　tell　me　what　to　do；　and　if　it's　in　my　power　I'll　do　it。〃
　　She　didn't　answer；　nor　did　she　look　at　him。
　　〃So　far　you　didn't　need　help；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃but　now　he　has　a　mind　of　his　own；　and　you　can't　always　do　for　him　the　things　he'll　need。　The　dangers　won't　e　just　from　things　that　fall　on　him　or　hurt　him　in　the　flesh。　He's　in　as　much　danger　from　what　he　decides　to　do　himself。　I'm　just　telling　you　that　if　you　see　such　danger　and　you　need　me　to　help；　I'll　e　no　matter　what。〃
　　〃That's　a　fort；〃　she　said。　That　was　honest　enough；　Taleswapper　knew；　but　she　was　feeling　more　than　she　said；　he　knew　that　too。
　　〃And　I　wanted　to　tell　you　he　was　ing　here；　first　of　April；　to　prentice　with　the　smith。〃
　　〃I　know　he's　ing；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　won't　be　the　first　of　April。〃
　　〃Oh？〃
　　〃Or　even　this　year　at　all。〃
　　Fear　for　the　boy　stabbed　at　Taleswapper's　heart。　〃I　guess　I　did　e　to　hear　the　future　after　all。　What's　in　store　for　him？　What's　to　e？〃
　　〃All　kinds　of　things　might　happen；〃　she　said；　〃and　I'd　be　a　fool　to　guess　which　one。　I　see　it　open　like　a　thousand　roads　before　him；　all　the　time。　But　there's　precious　few　of　those　roads　that　bring　him　here　by　April；　and　a　whole　lot　more　that　leave　him　dead　with　a　Red　man's　hatchet　in　his　head。〃
　　Taleswapper　leaned　across　the　doctor's　writing　table　and　rested　his　hand　on　hers。　〃Will　he　live？〃
　　〃As　long　as　I　have　breath　in　my　body；〃　she　said。
　　〃Or　I　in　mine；〃　he　answered。
　　They　sat　in　silence　for　a　moment；　hand　on　hand；　eye　to　eye；　until　she　burst　into　laughter　and　looked　away。
　　〃Usually　when　folks　laugh　I　get　the　joke；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃I　was　just　thinking　we're　a　poor　excuse　for　a　conspiracy；　the　two　of　us；　against　the　enemies　that　boy　will　face。〃
　　〃True；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃but　then；　our　cause　is　good；　and　so　all　nature　will　conspire　with　us；　don't　you　think？〃
　　〃And　God；　too；〃　she　added　firmly。
　　〃I　can't　say　about　that；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃The　preachers　and　priests　seem　to　have　him　so　fenced　up　with　doctrine　that　the　poor　old　Father　hardly　has　room　to　act　anymore。　Now　that　they've　got　the　Bible　safely　interpreted；　the　last　thing　they　ever　want　is　for　him　to　speak　another　word；　or　show　his　hand　of　power　in　this　world。〃
　　〃I　saw　his　hand　of　power　in　the　birth　of　a　seventh　son　of　a　seventh　son；　some　years　back；〃　she　said。　〃Call　it　nature　if　you　want　to；　since　you've　got　all　kinds　of　learning　from　philosophers　and　wizards。　I　just　know　that　he's　tied　as　tight　to　my　life　as　if　we　was　born　from　the　same　womb。〃
　　Taleswapper　didn't　plan　his　next　question；　it　just　came　unthought…of　from　his　lips。　〃Are　you　glad　of　it？〃
　　She　looked　at　him　with　terrible　sadness　in　her　eyes。　〃Not　often；〃　she　said。　She　looked　so　weary　then　that　Taleswapper　couldn't　help　himself；　he　walked　around　the　table　and　stood　beside　her　chair　and　held　her　tight　like　a　father　holds　his　daughter；　held　her　for　a　good　long　while。　If　she　was　crying　or　just　holding　on；　he　couldn't　say。　They　spoke　not　a　word。　Finally　she　let　go　of　him　and　turned　back　to　the　account　book。　He　left　without　breaking　the　silence。
　　Taleswapper　wandered　on　over　to　the　inn　to　take　his　supper。　There　were　tales　to　tell　and　chores　to　do　in　order　to　earn　his　keep。　Yet　all　the　stories　seemed　to　pale　beside　the　one　story　that　he　could　not　tell；　the　one　story　whose　end　he　didn't　know。
　　
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　　On　the　meadow　around　the　millhouse　were　a　half　dozen　farm　wagons；　watched　over　by　farmers　who　had　e　a　good　long　way　to　get　high…quality　flour。　No　more　would　their　wives　sweat　over　a　mortar　and　pestle　to　make　coarse　meal　for　hard　and　lumpy　bread。　The　mill　was　in　business；　and　everyone　for　miles　around　would　bring　their　grain　to　the　town　of　Vigor　Church。
　　The　water　poured　through　the　millrace；　and　the　great　wheel　turned。　Inside　the　millhouse；　the　force　of　the　wheel　was　carried　by　interlocking　gears；　to　make　the　grindstone　roll　around　and　around；　riding　on　the　face　of　a　quarter　dress　millstone。
　　The　miller　poured　out　the　wheat　upon　the　stone。　The　grindstone　passed　over　it；　crushing　it　to　flour。　The　miller　swept　it　smooth　for　a　second　pass；　then　brushed　it　off　into　a　basket　held　by　his　son；　a　ten…year…old　boy。　His　son　poured　the　flour　into　a　sieve；　and　shook　the　good　flour　into　a　cloth　sack。　He　emptied　what　stayed　in　the　sieve　into　a　silage　barrel。　Then　he　returned　to　his　father's　side　for　the　next　basket　of　wheat。
　　Their　thoughts　were　remarkably　alike；　as　they　worked　silently　together。　This　is　what　I　want　to　do　forever；　each　one　thought。　Rise　in　the　morning；　e　to　the　mill；　and　work　all　day　with　him　beside　me。　Never　mind　that　the　wish　was　impossible。　Never　mind　that　they　might　never　see　each　other　again；　once　the　boy　left　for　his　apprenticeship　back　in　the　place　of　his　birth。　That　only　added　to　the　sweetness　of　the　moment；　which　would　soon　bee　a　memory；　would　soon　bee　a　dream。



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