osc.am1.seventhson-第6节

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　　〃Seventh　son；〃　whispered　Eleanor。
　　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　asked　Mama。
　　〃If　this　baby's　a　boy；〃　said　Eleanor；　〃and　he's　born　while　Vigor's　still　alive；　then　he's　the　seventh　son　of　a　seventh　son；　and　all　of　them　alive。〃
　　Mama　gasped。　〃No　wonder　the　river〃　she　said。　No　need　to　finish　the　thought。　Instead　she　took　little　Peggy's　hands　and　led　her　to　the　woman　on　the　bed。　〃Look　at　this　baby；　and　see　what　you　see。〃
　　Little　Peggy　had　done　this　before；　of　course。　It　was　the　chief　use　they　had　for　torches；　to　have　them　look　at　an　unborn　baby　just　at　the　birthing　time。　Partly　to　see　how　it　lay　in　the　womb；　but　also　because　sometimes　a　torch　could　see　who　the　baby　was；　what　it　would　be；　could　tell　stories　of　times　to　e。　Even　before　she　touched　the　woman's　belly；　she　could　see　the　baby's　heartfire。　It　was　the　one　that　she　had　seen　before；　that　burned　so　hot　and　bright　that　it　was　like　the　sun　and　the　moon；　to　pare　it　to　the　mother's　fire。　〃It's　a　boy；〃　she　said。
　　〃Then　let　me　bear　this　baby；〃　said　the　mother。　〃Let　him　breathe　while　Vigor　still　breathes！〃
　　〃How's　the　baby　set？〃　asked　Mama。
　　〃Just　right；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　〃Head　first？　Face　down？〃
　　Little　Peggy　nodded。
　　〃Then　why　won't　it　e？〃　demanded　Mama。
　　〃She's　been　telling　him　not　to；〃　said　little　Peggy；　looking　at　the　mother。
　　〃In　the　wagon；〃　the　mother　said。　〃He　was　ing；　and　I　did　a　beseeching。〃
　　〃Well　you　should　have　told　me　right　off；〃　said　Mama　sharply。　〃Speck　me　to　help　you　and　you　don't　even　tell　me　he's　got　a　beseeching　on　him。　You；　girl！〃
　　Several　young　ones　were　standing　near　the　wall；　wide…eyed；　and　they　didn't　know　which　one　she　meant。
　　〃Any　of　you；　I　need　that　iron　key　from　the　ring　on　the　wall。〃
　　The　biggest　of　them　took　it　clumsily　from　the　hook　and　brought　it；　ring　and　all。
　　Mama　dangled　the　large　ring　and　the　key　over　the　mother's　belly；　chanting　softly：
　　〃Here's　the　circle；　open　wide；　Here's　the　key　to　get　outside；　Earth　be　iron；　flame　be　fair；　Fall　from　water　into　air。　〃
　　The　mother　cried　out　in　sudden　agony。　Mama　tossed　away　the　key；　cast　back　the　sheet；　lifted　the　woman's　knees；　and　ordered　little　Peggy　fiercely　to　see。
　　Little　Peggy　touched　the　woman's　womb。　The　boy's　mind　was　empty；　except　for　a　feeling　of　pressure　and　gathering　cold　as　he　emerged　into　the　air。　But　the　very　emptiness　of　his　mind　let　her　see　things　that　would　never　be　plainly　visible　again。　The　billion　billion　paths　of　his　life　lay　open　before　him；　waiting　for　his　first　choices；　for　the　first　changes　in　the　world　around　him　to　eliminate　a　million　futures　every　second。　The　future　was　there　in　everyone；　a　flickering　shadow　that　she　could　only　sometimes　see；　and　never　clearly；　looking　through　the　thoughts　of　the　present　moment；　but　here；　for　a　few　precious　moments；　little　Peggy　could　see　them　sharp。
　　And　what　she　saw　was　death　down　every　path。　Drowning；　drowning；　every　path　of　his　future　led　this　child　to　a　watery　death。
　　〃Why　do　you　hate　him　so！〃　cried　little　Peggy。
　　〃What？〃　demanded　Eleanor。
　　〃Hush；〃　said　Mama。　〃Let　her　see　what　she　sees。〃
　　Inside　the　unborn　child；　the　dark　blot　of　water　that　surrounded　his　heartfire　seemed　so　terribly　strong　that　little　Peggy　was　afraid　he　would　be　swallowed　up。
　　〃Get　him　out　to　breathe！〃　shouted　little　Peggy。
　　Mama　reached　in；　even　though　it　tore　the　mother　something　dreadful；　and　hooked　the　baby　by　the　neck　with　strong　fingers；　drawing　him　out。
　　In　that　moment；　as　the　dark　water　retreated　inside　the　child's　mind；　and　just　before　the　first　breath　came；　little　Peggy　saw　ten　million　deaths　by　water　disappear。　Now；　for　the　first　time；　there　were　some　paths　open；　some　paths　leading　to　a　dazzling　future。　And　all　the　paths　that　did　not　end　in　early　death　had　one　thing　in　mon。　On　all　those　paths；　little　Peggy　saw　herself　doing　one　simple　thing。
　　So　she　did　that　thing。　She　took　her　hands　from　the　slackening　belly　and　ducked　under　her　mother's　arm。　The　baby's　head　had　just　emerged；　and　it　was　still　covered　with　a　bloody　caul；　a　scrap　of　the　sac　of　soft　skin　in　which　he　had　floated　in　his　mother's　womb。　His　mouth　was　open；　sucking　inward　on　the　caul；　but　it　didn't　break；　and　he　couldn't　breathe。
　　Little　Peggy　did　what　she　had　seen　herself　do　in　the　baby's　future。　She　reached　out；　took　the　caul　from　under　the　baby's　chin；　and　pulled　it　away　from　his　face。　It　came　whole；　in　one　moist　piece；　and　in　the　moment　it　came　away；　the　baby's　mouth　cleared；　he　sucked　in　a　great　breath；　and　then　gave　that　mewling　cry　that　birthing　mothers　hear　as　the　song　of　life。
　　Little　Peggy　folded　the　caul；　her　mind　still　full　of　the　visions　she　had　seen　down　the　pathways　of　this　baby's　life。　She　did　not　know　yet　what　the　visions　meant；　but　they　made　such　clear　pictures　in　her　mind　that　she　knew　she　would　never　forget　them。　They　made　her　afraid；　because　so　much　would　depend　on　her；　and　how　she　used　the　birth　caul　that　was　still　warm　in　her　hands。
　　〃A　boy；〃　said　Mama。
　　〃Is　he；〃　whispered　the　mother。　〃Seventh　son？〃
　　Mama　was　tying　the　cord；　so　she　couldn't　spare　a　glance　at　little　Peggy。　〃Look；〃　she　whispered。
　　Little　Peggy　looked　for　the　single　heartfire　on　the　distant　river。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　for　the　heartfire　was　still　burning。
　　Even　as　she　watched；　it　flickered；　died。
　　〃Now　he's　gone；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　The　woman　on　the　bed　wept　bitterly；　her　birthwracked　body　shuddering。
　　〃Grieving　at　the　baby's　birth；〃　said　Mama。　〃It's　a　dreadful　thing。〃
　　〃Hush；〃　whispered　Eleanor　to　her　mother。　〃Be　joyous；　or　it'll　darken　the　baby　all　his　life！〃
　　〃Vigor；〃　murmured　the　woman。
　　〃Better　nothing　at　all　than　tears；〃　said　Mama。　She　held　out　the　crying　baby；　and　Eleanor　took　it　in　petent　arms　　she　had　cradled　many　a　babe　before；　it　was　plain。
　　Mama　went　to　the　table　in　the　er　and　took　the　scarf　that　had　been　blacked　in　the　wool；　so　it　was　night…colored　clear　through。　She　dragged　it　slowly　across　the　weeping　woman's　face；　saying；　〃Sleep；　Mother；　sleep。〃
　　When　the　cloth　came　away；　the　weeping　was　done；　and　the　woman　slept；　her　strength　spent。
　　〃Take　the　baby　from　the　room；〃　said　Mama。
　　〃Don't　he　need　to　start　his　sucking？〃　asked　Eleanor。
　　〃She'll　never　nurse　this　babe；〃　said　Mama。　〃Not　unless　you　want　him　to　suck　hate。〃
　　〃She　can't　hate　him；〃　said　Eleanor。　〃It　ain't　his　fault。〃
　　〃I　reckon　her　milk　don't　know　that；〃　said　Mama。　〃That　right；　little　Peggy？　What　teat　does　the　baby　suck？〃
　　〃His　mama's；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　Mama　looked　sharp　at　her。　〃You　sure　of　that？〃
　　She　nodded。
　　〃Well；　then；　we'll　bring　the　baby　in　when　she　wakes　up。　He　doesn't　need　to　eat　anything　for　the　first　night；　anyway。〃　So　Eleanor　carried　the　baby　out　into　the　great　room；　where　the　fire　burned　to　dry　the　men；　who　stopped　trading　stories　about　rains　and　floods　worse　than　this　one　long　enough　to　look　at　the　baby　and　admire。
　　Inside　the　room；　though；　Mama　took　little　Peggy　by　the　chin　and　stared　hard　into　her　eyes。　〃You　tell　me　the　truth；　Margaret。　It's　a　serious　thing；　for　a　baby　to　suck　on　its　mama　and　drink　up　hate。〃
　　〃She　won't　hate　him；　Mama；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　〃What　did　you　see？〃
　　Little　Peggy　would　have　answered；　but　she　didn't　know　words　to　tell　most　of　the　things　she　saw。　So　she　looked　at　the　floor。　She　could　tell　from　Mama's　quick　draw　of　breath　that　she　was　ripe　for　a　tongue…lashing。　But　Mama　waited；　and　then　her　hand　came　soft；　stroking　across　little　Peggy's　cheek。　〃Ah；　child；　what　a　day　you've　had。　The　baby　might　have　died；　except　you　told　me　to　pull　it　out。　You　even　reached　in　and　opened　up　its　mouth　　that's　what　you　did；　isn't　it？〃
　　Little　Peggy　nodded。
　　〃Enough　for　a　little　girl；　enough　for　one　day。〃　Mama　turned　to　the　other　girls；　the　ones　in　wet　dresses；　leaning　against　the　wall。　〃And　you；　too；　you've　had　enough　of　a　day。　e　out　of　here；　let　your　mama　sleep；　e　out　and　get　dry　by　the　fire。　I'll　start　a　supper　for　you；　I　will。〃
　　But　Oldpappy　was　already　in　the　kitchen；　fussing　around；　and　refused　to　hear　of　Mama　doing　a　thing。　Soon　enough　she　was　out　with　the　baby；　shooing　the　men　away　so　she　could　rock　it　to　sleep；　letting　it　suck　her　finger。
　　Little　Peggy　figured　after　a　while　that　she　wouldn't　be　missed；　so　she　snuck　up　the　stairs　to　the　attic　ladder　and　up　the　ladder　into　the　lightless；　musty　space。　The　spiders　didn't　bother　her　much；　and　the　cats　mostly　kept　the　mice　away；　so　she　wasn't　afraid。　She　crawled　right　to　her　secret　hiding　place　and　took　out　the　carven　box　that　Oldpappy　gave　her；　the　one　he　said　his　own　papa　brought　from　Ulster　when　he　came　to　the　colonies。　It　was　full　of　the　precious　scraps　of　childhood　　stones；　strings；　buttons　　but　now　she　knew　that　these　were　nothing　pared　to　the　work　before　her　all　the　rest　of　her　life。　She　dumped　them　right　out；　and　blew　into　the　box　to　clear　away　the　dust。　Then　she　laid　the　folded　caul　inside　and　closed　the　lid。
　　She　knew　that　in　the　future　she　would　open　that　box　a　dozen　dozen　times。　That　it　would　call　to　her；　wake　her　from　her　sleep；　tear　her　from　her　friends；　and　steal　from　her　all　her　dreams。　All　because　a　baby　boy　downstairs　had　no　future　at　all　but　death　from　the　dark　water；　excepting　if　she　used　that　caul　to　keep　him　safe；　the　way　i