osc.am2.redprophet-第34节

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n't've　believed　it　either；　Armor；〃　he　said。　〃I　always　kind　of　thought　Ta…Kumsaw　was　the　bravest　man　I　ever　knew。　But　he　was　here；　and　he　was　in　charge。　I　see　him　standing　there　and　telling　people　what　to　do。　He　stood　right　here。　I　can　see　him　so　clear　cause　there　wasn't　nobody　else　stood　exactly　in　that　place　for　so　long。　And　he　was　mad。　Ain't　no　mistake　about　it。〃
　　Armor　believed　it。　They　all　did　　they　all　knew　Tack　was　a　truthful　man；　and　if　he　said　he　was　sure；　then　he　was　sure。　But　there　had　to　be　some　reason。　〃Maybe　he　e　and　saved　the　boys；　did　you　think　of　that？　Maybe　he　e　and　stopped　some　band　of　wild　Reds　from〃
　　〃Red…lover！〃　somebody　shouted。
　　〃You　know　Ta…Kumsaw！　He's　no　coward；　and　stealing　them　boys　was　a　cowardly　thing　to　do；　you　know　that　man！〃
　　〃Nobody　ever　knows　a　Red　man。〃
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　take　those　boys！〃　insisted　Armor…of…God。　〃I　know　it！〃
　　Then　everybody　fell　silent；　cause　old　Al　Miller　was　pushing　his　way　forward；　out　to　where　Armor…of…God　was　standing。　Faced　down　his　son…in…law；　he　did；　with　a　face　like　living　hell　he　was　so　mad。　〃You　don't　know　nothing；　Armor…of…God　Weaver。　You　are　the　most　worthless　scum　ever　formed　on　the　top　of　a　chamber　pot。　First　you　married　my　daughter　and　wouldn't　let　her　work　no　hexes　cause　you　were　so　cock…eyed　sure　it　was　the　devil's　work。　Then　you　let　all　these　Reds　stay　around　here　all　the　time。　And　when　we　thought　of　building　a　stockade　you　said；　No；　if　we　build　a　stockade　that　just　gives　them　French　something　to　attack　and　burn　down；　we'll　be　friends　with　the　Reds　and　then　they'll　leave　us　alone；　we'll　trade　with　the　Reds。　Well　look　what　it　got　us！　Look　what　you　done　for　us！　Ain't　we　all　glad　we　listened　to　you　now！　I　don't　think　you're　no　Red…lover；　Armor…of…God；　I　just　think　you're　the　blamedest　fool　ever　to　cross　the　Hio　and　e　out　west；　and　the　only　folks　dumber　than　you　is　us　if　we　listen　to　you　for　another　minute！〃
　　Then　Al　Miller　turned　to　face　the　other　men；　who　were　looking　at　him　with　awe　in　their　face　like　they　just　seen　majesty　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives。　〃We　done　it　Armor's　way　for　ten　years　here。　But　I've　done　with　that。　I　lost　one　boy　in　the　Hatrack　River　on　my　way　here；　and　this　town　is　named　for　him。　Now　I　lost　two　other　boys。　I　only　got　me　five　sons　left；　but　I　tell　you　I'll　put　guns　in　their　hands　myself；　and　lead　them　all　into　the　middle　of　Prophetstown　and　blast　them　Reds　into　hell；　even　if　it　means　we　all　die！　You　hear　me？〃
　　They　heard　him；　ob　yes　they　did。　They　heard　and　shouted　back。　This　was　the　word　they　wanted　right　now；　the　word　of　hate　and　anger　and　revenge；　and　nobody　better　to　give　it　to　them　than　Al　Miller；　who　was　normally　a　peaceable　man；　never　picked　a　quarrel　with　nobody。　Him　being　the　father　of　the　captured　boys　just　made　it　all　the　stronger　when　he　spoke。
　　〃The　way　I　see　it；〃　said　Al　Miller；　〃Bill　Harrison　was　right　all　along。　Ain't　no　way　the　Red　man　and　the　White　man　can　share　this　land。　And　I　tell　you　something　else。　It　ain't　me　that's　leaving。　There's　too　much　blood　of　mine　been　shed　here　now　for　me　to　pack　up　and　go　away。　I'm　staying　　either　on　this　land　or　in　it。〃
　　Me　too；　said　all　them　boys。　That's　the　truth；　Al　Miller。　We're　staying。
　　〃Thanks　to　Armor　here；　we　got　no　stockade　and　we　got　no　U。S。　Army　fort　closer　than　Carthage　City。　If　we　fight　right　now；　we　might　lose　everything　and　everybody。　So　let's　hold　off　the　Reds　as　best　we　can　and　send　for　help。　A　dozen　men　down　to　Carthage　City　and　beg　Bill　Harrison　to　send　us　up　an　army；　and　maybe　bring　his　cannon　if　he　can。　My　two　boys　are　gone；　and　a　thousand　Reds　for　each　of　my　sons　won't　be　enough　getting　even　for　me！〃
　　
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　　The　dozen　riders　set　on　their　way　south　first　thing　the　next　morning。　They　left　from　the　mons；　which　was　crowded　with　wagons　as　more　and　more　families　from　outlying　farms　came　in　to　town　to　put　up　with　close…in　friends　and　kinfolk。　But　Al　Miller　wasn't　there　to　see　them　off。　Yesterday　his　words　set　them　all　in　motion；　but　that　was　all　the　leadership　they'd　get　from　him。　He　didn't　want　to　be　in　charge。　He　just　wanted　his　boys　back。
　　In　the　church；　Armor…of…God　sat　on　the　front　pew；　despondent。　〃We're　making　the　most　terrible　mistake；〃　he　said　to　Reverend　Thrower。
　　〃That's　what　men　do；〃　said　Thrower；　〃when　they　make　their　decisions　without　the　help　of　the　Lord。〃
　　〃It　wasn't　Ta…Kumsaw；　I　know　it。　Nor　the　Prophet　either。〃
　　〃He's　no　Prophet；　not　of　God；　anyway；〃　said　Thrower。
　　〃He's　no　killer；　either；〃　said　Armor。　〃Maybe　Tack　was　right；　maybe　somehow　Ta…Kumsaw's　got　something　to　do　with　this。　But　I　know　one　thing。　Ta…Kumsaw's　no　killer。　Even　when　he　was　a　young　man；　during　General　Wayne's　war；　there　was　a　bunch　of　Reds　all　set　to　burn　a　bunch　of　captives　to　death；　the　way　they　did　in　those　days　　Chippy…Wa；　I　think　they　were。　And　along　es　Ta…Kumsaw；　all　by　himself；　just　this　one　lone　Shaw…Nee；　and　he　makes　them　stop。　We　want　the　White　man　to　respect　us；　to　treat　us　as　a　nation；　he　says　to　them。　White　man　won't　respect　us　if　we　act　like　this！　We　got　to　be　civilized。　No　scalps；　no　torture；　no　burning；　no　killing　captives。　That's　what　he　says　to　them。　He's　stuck　to　that　ever　since。　He　kills　in　battle；　yes；　but　in　all　his　raids　down　south　he　didn't　kill　one　soul；　do　you　realize　that？　If　Ta…Kumsaw's　got　them　boys；　then　they're　as　safe　as　if　their　mama　had　them　home　in　bed。〃
　　Thrower　sighed。　〃I　suppose　you　know　these　Reds　better　than　I　do。〃
　　〃I　know　them　better　than　anybody。〃　He　laughed　bitterly。　〃So　they　call　me　a　Red…lover　and　don't　listen　to　a　word　I　say。　Now　they're　calling　for　that　whisky…dealing　tyrant　from　Carthage　City　to　e　up　here　and　take　over。　No　matter　what　he　does　he'll　be　a　hero。　They'll　make　him　governor　for　real；　then。　Heck；　they'll　probably　make　him　President；　if　Wobbish　ever　joins　the　U。S。A。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　this　Harrison。　He　can't　be　the　devil　you　make　him　out　to　be。〃
　　Armor　laughed。　〃Sometimes；　Reverend；　I　think　you　are　as　trusting　as　a　little　child。〃
　　〃Which　is　how　the　Lord　told　us　to　be。　Armor…of…God；　be　patient。　All　things　will　work　out　as　the　Lord　intends。〃
　　Armor　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　〃I　sure　hope　so；　Reverend。　I　sure　do。　But　I　keep　thinking　about　Measure；　as　good　a　man　as　you　can　hope　to　find；　and　that　boy　Alvin；　that　sweet…faced　boy；　and　how　much　store　his　papa　sets　by　him；　and〃
　　Thrower's　face　went　grim。　〃Alvin　Junior；〃　he　muttered。　〃Who　would　have　imagined　that　the　Lord　would　do　his　work　through　the　hands　of　heathens？〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Armor。
　　〃Nothing；　Armor；　nothing。　Just　that　everything　about　this　may　be　exactly；　exactly　what　the　Lord　intends。〃
　　Up　the　hill　at　the　Miller　house；　Al　still　sat　at　the　breakfast　table。　He　didn't　eat　no　supper　the　night　before；　and　when　he　tried　to　eat　breakfast　he　like　to　gagged　on　the　food。　Faith　cleared　it　all　away；　and　now　she　stood　behind　him；　rubbing　his　shoulders。　She　never　once　said　to　him；　I　told　you　not　to　send　them。　But　they　both　knew　it。　It　hung　between　them　like　a　sword；　and　neither　dared　reach　out　to　the　other　for　fear　of　it。
　　The　silence　broke　when　Wastenot　came　in；　a　rifle　over　his　shoulder。　He　set　it　beside　the　front　door；　swung　a　chair　between　his　legs；　and　sat　and　looked　at　his　parents。　〃They're　gone；　down　to　fetch　the　army。〃
　　To　his　surprise；　his　father　only　lowered　his　head　and　rested　it　on　his　arms；　which　were　crossed　on　the　table。
　　Mother　looked　at　him；　her　face　haggard　with　worry　and　grief。　〃Since　when　did　you　learn　how　to　use　that　thing？〃
　　〃Me　and　Wantnot　been　practicing；〃　he　said。
　　〃And　you're　going　to　kill　Reds　with　it？〃
　　Wastenot　was　surprised　at　the　loathing　in　her　voice。　〃I　sure　hope　so；〃　he　said。
　　〃And　when　all　the　Reds　are　dead；　and　you　pile　all　their　bodies　together；　will　Measure　and　Alvin　somehow　wriggle　out　of　that　pile　and　e　on　home　to　me？〃
　　Wastenot　shook　his　head。
　　〃Last　night　some　Red　went　home　to　his　family；　all　proud　because　he　killed　him　some　White　boys　yesterday。〃　Her　voice　caught　when　she　said　it；　but　she　went　on　all　the　same；　cause　when　Faith　Miller　had　aught　to　say；　it　got　said。　〃And　maybe　his　wife　or　his　mama　patted　him　and　kissed　him　and　made　him　supper。　But　don't　you　ever　walk　through　that　door　and　tell　me　you　killed　a　Red　man。　Cause　you　won't　get　no　supper；　boy；　and　you　won't　get　no　kiss；　and　you　won't　get　no　pat；　and　no　word；　and　no　home；　and　no　mama；　you　hear　me？〃
　　He　heard；　all　right；　but　he　didn't　like　it。　He　stood　up　and　walked　back　to　the　door　and　picked　up　the　gun。　〃You　think　what　you　like；　Mama；〃　he　said；　〃but　this　is　a　war；　and　I　am　going　to　kill　me　some　Reds；　and　I'm　going　to　e　back　home；　and　I'm　going　to　own　up　to　it　proud　as　can　be。　And　if　that　means　you　don't　want　to　be　my　mama　no　more；　then　you　might　as　well　stop　being　my　mama　now；　and　not　wait　till　I　e　back。〃　He　opened　the　door；　but　stopped　before　slamming　it　shut　behind　him。　〃Cheer　up；　Mama。　Maybe　I　won't　e　back　at　all。〃
　　He　never　talked　that　way　to　his　mother　in　his　life；　and　he　wasn't　real　sure　that　it　felt　good　to　do　it　now。　But　she　was　being　crazy；　not　understanding　that　it　was　war　now；　that　them　Reds　had　declared　it　open　season　on　White　folks　and　so　there　wasn't　no　more　choice　about　it。
　　What　bothered　hi