osc.am2.redprophet-第38节

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saw　himself；　and　the　Prophet；　who　talked　all　the　time　whether　anybody　was　listening　or　not。　It　got　powerful　lonely；　walking　around　all　day。　And　not　walking　far；　either。　Nobody　talked　to　him；　but　if　he　started　heading　away　from　the　dunes　toward　the　woods；　somebody'd　shoot　off　an　arrow。　It'd　land　with　a　thud　in　the　sand　right　by　him。　They　sure　trusted　their　aim　a　lot　better　than　Measure　did。　He　kept　thinking　about　arrows　drifting　a　little　this　way　or　that　and　hitting　him。
　　Escape　was　a　silly　idea；　when　Measure　gave　it　serious　thought。　They'd　track　him　down　in　no　time。　But　what　he　couldn't　figure　was　why　they　didn't　want　him　to　go。　They　weren't　doing　nothing　with　him。　He　was　pletely　useless。　And　they　swore　they　had　no　plans　to　kill　him　or　even　break　him　up　a　little。
　　Fourth　day　at　the　dunes；　though；　it　finally　came　to　a　head。　He　went　to　Ta…Kumsaw　and　plain　demanded　that　he　be　let　go。　Ta…Kumsaw　looked　annoyed；　but　that　was　pretty　normal　for　him。　This　time；　though；　Measure　didn't　back　down。
　　〃Don't　you　know　it's　plain　stupid　for　you　to　keep　us　here？　It　ain't　like　we　disappeared　without　a　trace；　you　know。　Our　horses　must　have　been　found　by　now　with　your　name　all　over　them。〃
　　That　was　the　first　time　Measure　realized　that　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　have　a　notion　about　them　horses。　〃My　name　isn't　on　horses。〃
　　〃On　their　saddles；　Chief。　Don't　you　know？　Them　Chok…Taw　who　took　us　　if　they　weren't　your　own　boys；　which　I　ain't　quite　satisfied　about　either；　if　you　want　to　know　　they　carved　your　name　into　the　saddle　on　my　horse　and　then　jabbed　the　horse　so　it'd　run。　The　Prophet's　name　was　carved　in　Alvin's　saddle。　They　must've　gone　home　right　away。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw's　face　seemed　to　turn　dark；　his　eyes　flashing　like　lightning。　If　you　want　to　see　a　sky…god；　thought　Measure；　this　is　what　he　looks　like。　〃All　the　Whites；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃They'll　think　I　stole　you。〃
　　〃You　didn't　know？〃　asked　Measure。　〃Well　if　that　don't　beat　all。　I　thought　you　Reds　knew　everything；　the　way　you　carry　on。　I　even　tried　to　mention　it　to　some　of　your　boys；　but　they　just　turn　their　backs　on　me。　And　all　the　time　none　of　you　knowed　it。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃But　someone　did。〃　He　stalked　off；　as　best　you　can　do　that　in　loose　sand；　then　he　turned　back　around。　〃e　on；　I　want　you！〃
　　So　Measure　followed　him　to　the　bark…covered　wigwam　where　the　Prophet　held　Bible　classes　or　whatever　it　was　he　did　all　day。　Ta…Kumsaw　wasn't　shy　about　showing　how　angry　he　was。　Didn't　say　a　thing　　just　walked　around　the　wigwam；　kicking　away　the　rocks　that　helped　anchor　it　to　the　sand。　Then　he　picked　up　one　end　of　it　and　started　lifting。　〃Needs　two　men　for　this；〃　he　said。
　　Measure　squatted　down　next　to　him；　got　a　grip；　and　counted　to　three。　Then　he　heaved。　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't；　so　the　wigwam　only　lifted　about　six　inches　and　dropped　back　down。
　　Measure　grunted　from　the　exertion　and　glared　at　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Why　didn't　you　lift？〃
　　〃You　only　got　to　three；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃That's　the　count；　Chief。　One；　two；　three。〃
　　〃You　Whites　are　such　fools。　Every　man　knows　four　is　the　strong　number。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　counted　to　four。　This　time　they　lifted　together；　got　it　up；　tipped　it　clean　over。　By　now；　of　course；　whoever　was　inside　knew　what　was　going　on；　but　nobody　shouted　or　nothing。　And　when　the　wigwam　lay　on　its　back　like　a　stranded　turtle；　there　sat　the　Prophet　and　Alvin　and　a　few　Reds；　cross…legged　on　blankets　on　the　sand；　the　one…eyed　Red　still　talking　away　like　as　if　nothing　had　happened　at　all。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　started　bellowing　in　Shaw…Nee；　and　the　Prophet　answered　him；　mildly　at　first；　but　louder　and　louder　as　time　went　on。　It　was　quite　a　row；　the　sort　of　yelling　that　in　Measure's　experience　always　came　to　blows。　But　not　with　these　two　Reds。　Just　yelled　for　a　half　hour　and　then　stood　there；　facing　each　other；　breathing　hard；　saying　nothing　at　all。　The　silence　was　only　a　few　minutes；　but　it　felt　longer　than　the　shouting。
　　〃You　understand　any　of　this？〃　asked　Measure。
　　〃I　just　know　that　the　Prophet　said　Ta…Kumsaw　was　ing　today；　and　he'd　be　very　angry。〃
　　〃Well；　if　he　knowed；　why　didn't　he　do　something　to　change　it？〃
　　〃Oh；　he's　real　careful　about　that。　He's　got　everything　going　just　the　way　it　needs　to；　for　the　land　to　be　divided　right　between　White　and　Red。　If　he　goes　and　changes　something　because　he　knows　what's　going　to　happen；　he　might　undo　everything；　mess　it　all　up。　So　he　knows　what's　going　to　happen；　but　he　don't　tell　a　soul　who　might　change　it。〃
　　〃Well；　what　good　does　it　do　to　know　the　future　if　you　ain't　going　to　do　nothing　about　it？〃
　　〃Oh；　he　does　things；〃　said　Alvin。　〃He　just　doesn't　necessarily　tell　folks　what　he's　doing。　That's　why　he　made　the　crystal　tower　when　that　storm　came　by。　To　make　sure　the　vision　was　still　the　way　it　was　supposed　to　be；　to　make　sure　things　hadn't　gotten　themselves　off　the　right　path。
　　〃What's　all　this　about？　Why　are　they　fighting？〃
　　〃You　tell　me；　Measure。　You're　the　one　helped　him　turn　over　the　wigwam。〃
　　〃Beats　me。　I　just　told　him　about　his　and　the　Prophet's　names　being　carved　on　our　saddles。〃
　　〃He　knowed　that；〃　said　Alvin。
　　〃Well；　he　sure　acted　like　he　didn't　hear　of　it　before。〃
　　〃I　told　the　Prophet　myself；　the　night　after　he　took　me　into　the　tower。〃
　　〃Didn't　it　e　to　your　mind　that　maybe　the　Prophet　didn't　tell　Ta…Kumsaw？〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　asked　Alvin。　〃Why　wouldn't　he　tell　it？〃
　　Measure　nodded　wisely。　〃I　have　a　feeling　that's　the　very　question　Ta…Kumsaw's　asking　his　brother　about　right　now。〃
　　〃It's　crazy　not　to　tell；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　figured　Ta…Kumsaw　must've　sent　somebody　by　now　to　tell　our　folks　we　were　all　right。〃
　　〃You　know　what　I　think；　Al？　I　think　your　Prophet's　been　playing　us　all　for　fools。　I　don't　even　have　a　guess　as　to　why；　but　I　think　he's　working　out　some　plan；　and　part　of　that　plan　is　keeping　us　from　going　home。　And　since　that　means　all　our　family　and　neighbors　and　all　are　going　to　be　up　in　arms　about　it；　you　can　figure　it　out。　The　Prophet　wants　to　get　a　real　hot　little　shooting　war　going　here。〃
　　〃No！〃　said　Alvin。　〃The　Prophet　says　no　man　can　kill　another　man　who　doesn't　want　to　die；　that　it's　as　wrong　to　kill　a　White　man　as　it　is　to　kill　a　wolf　or　a　bear　that　you　don't　want　for　food。〃
　　〃Maybe　he　wants　us　for　food。　But　he's　going　to　have　a　war　if　we　don't　get　home　and　tell　our　kin　that　we're　safe。〃
　　That　was　right　when　Ta…Kurnsaw　and　the　Prophet　fell　silent。　And　it　was　Measure　who　broke　the　silence。　〃Think　you　boys　are　about　set　to　let　us　go　home？〃　he　asked。
　　The　Prophet　immediately　sank　down　into　a　crosslegged　position；　sitting　on　a　blanket　across　from　the　two　Whites。　〃Go　home；　Measure；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　〃Not　without　Alvin。〃
　　〃Yes　without　Alvin；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃If　he　stays　in　this　part　of　the　country；　he　will　die。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　〃What　I　saw　with　my　eyes！〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃The　things　to　e。　If　Alvin　goes　home　now；　he'll　be　dead　in　three　days。　But　you　go；　Measure。　Today　in　the　afternoon　is　a　very　perfect　time　for　you　to　go。〃
　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　Alvin？　You　think　he's　going　to　be　any　safer　with　you？〃
　　〃Not　with　me；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃With　my　brother。〃
　　〃This　is　all　a　stupid　idea！〃　shouted　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃My　brother　is　going　to　make　many　visits。　With　the　French　at　Detroit；　with　the　Irrakwa；　the　Appalachee　nation；　with　the　Chok…Taw　and　the　Cree…Ek；　every　kind　of　Red　man；　every　kind　of　White　who　might　stop　a　very　bad　war　from　happening。〃
　　〃If　I　talk　to　Reds；　Tenskwa…Tawa；　I'll　talk　to　them　about　ing　to　fight　with　me　and　drive　the　White　men　back　across　the　mountains；　back　into　their　ships；　back　into　the　sea！〃
　　〃Talk　about　whatever　you　want；　〃　said　Tenskwa…Tawa。　〃But　leave　this　afternoon；　and　take　the　White　boy　who　walks　like　a　Red　man。〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Grief　swept　across　Tenskwa…Tawa's　face；　and　he　moaned　sharply。　〃Then　all　the　land　will　die；　not　just　a　part。　If　you　don't　do　what　I　say　today；　then　White　man　will　kill　all　the　land；　from　one　ocean　to　the　other；　from　north　to　south；　all　the　land　dead！　And　Red　men　will　die　except　a　very　few；　who　will　live　on　tiny　pieces　of　ugly　desert　land；　like　prisons；　live　there　all　their　lives；　because　you　did　not　obey　what　I　saw　in　my　vision！〃
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw　does　not　obey　these　mad　visions！　Ta…Kumsaw　is　the　face　of　the　land；　the　voice　of　the　land！　The　redbird　told　me；　and　you　know　that；　Lolla…Wossiky！〃
　　The　Prophet　whispered。　〃Lolla…Wossiky　is　dead。〃
　　〃The　voice　of　the　land　doesn't　obey　a　one…eyed　whisky…Red。　〃
　　The　Prophet　was　stung　to　the　heart；　but　he　kept　his　face　impassive。　〃You　are　the　voice　of　the　land's　anger。　You　will　stand　in　battle　against　a　mighty　army　of　Whites。　I　tell　you　this　will　happen　before　the　first　snow　falls。　If　the　White　boy　Alvin　is　not　with　you；　then　you　will　die　in　defeat。〃
　　〃And　if　he　is　with　me？〃
　　〃Then　you　will　live；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　〃I'm　glad　to　go；〃　said　Alvin。　When　Measure　started　to　argue；　Alvin　touched　his　arm。　〃You　can　tell　Ma　and　Pa　I'm　all　right。　But　I　want　to　go。　The　Prophet　told　me；　I　can　learn　more　from　Ta…Kumsaw　than　any　other　man　in　the　whole　world。　〃
　　〃Then　I'm　going　with　you；　too；〃　said　Measure。　〃I　gave　my　word　to　Pa　and　Ma　both。〃
　　The　Prophet　looked　co