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第27部分

osc.am2.redprophet-第27部分

小说: osc.am2.redprophet 字数: 每页4000字

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  Mother always worried; but she had good cause。 All his life Al was kind of clumsy; always having accidents。 Things turned out fine in the end; but it was nip and tuck a lot of the time。 Worst was a few months ago; when the new millstone fell on his leg and gave it a real ugly break。 It looked like he was going to die; and he pretty much expected to himself。 Would have; too。 Surely would have。 Even though he knew he had the power to heal himself。
  Ever since the Shining Man came to him in his room that night when he was six; Al had never used his knack to help himself。 Cutting stone for his father; that he could do; cause it would help everybody。 He'd run his fingers on the stone; get the feel of it; find the hidden places in the stone where it could break; and then set it all in order; just make it go that way; and the stone would e out; just right; just the way he asked。 But never for his own good。
  Then with his leg broke and the skin tore up; everybody knowed he was bound to die。 And Al never would've used his knack for fixing things to heal himself; never would've tried; except old Taleswapper was there。 Taleswapper asked him; why don't you fix your leg yourself? And so Al told him what he never told a soul before; about the Shining Man。 Taleswapper believed him; too; didn't think he was crazy or dreaming。 He made Al think back; think real hard; and remember what the Shining Man said。 And when Al remembered; it e to him that it was Al himself who said that about never doing it for himself。 The Shining Man just said; 〃Make all things whole。〃
  Make all things whole。 Well; wasn't his leg part of 〃all things〃? So he fixed it; best he could。 There was a lot more to it than that; but all in all he used his own power; with the help of his family; to heal himself。 That's why he was alive。
  But during those days he looked death in the face  and he wasn't as scared of it as he thought he'd be。 Lying there with death seeping through his bone; he began to feel like his body was just a kind of lean…to; a shelter he lived in during bad weather till his house was built。 Like them shanty cabins new folks built till they could get a log house set up proper。 And if he died; it wouldn't be awful at all。 Just different; and maybe better。
  So when his ma went on and on about the Reds and how dangerous it was and how they ought get killed; he didn't give no heed。 Not because he thought that she was wrong; but because he didn't much care whether he died or not。
  Well; no; that wasn't quite so。 He had a lot of things to do; though he didn't know yet what they were; and so he'd be annoyed about dying。 He sure didn't plan to die。 It just didn't fill him up with fear like it did some folks。
  Al's big brother Measure was trying to get Ma to ease off and not get herself all worked up。 〃We'll be all right; Mama;〃 said Measure。 〃All the trouble's down south; and we'll be on good roads all the way。〃
  〃Folks disappear every week on those good roads;〃 she said。 〃Those French up in Detroit are buying scalps; they don't never let up on that; don't matter one bit what Ta…Kumsaw and his savages are doing; it only takes one arrow to kill you〃
  〃Ma;〃 said Measure。 〃If you're a…scared of Reds getting us; you ought to want us to go。 I mean there's ten thousand Reds at least living in Prophetstown right across the river。 It's the biggest city west of Philadelphia right now; and every one of them is a Red。 We're getting away from Reds by going east〃
  〃That one…eyed Prophet don't worry me;〃 she said。 〃He never talks about killing。 I just think you shouldn't〃
  〃It don't matter what you think;〃 said Pa。
  Ma turned to face him。 He'd been slopping the hogs out back; but now he was e around to say good…bye。
  'Don't you tell me it don't matter what I〃
  〃It don't matter what I think; neither;〃 said Pa。 〃It don't matter what anybody thinks; and you know it。〃
  〃Then I don't see why the good Lord gave us brains; then; if that's how things are; Alvin Miller!〃
  〃Al's going east to Hatrack River to。 be an apprentice blacksmith;〃 said Pa。 〃I'll miss him; you'll miss him; everybody except maybe Reverend Thrower is going to miss the boy; but the papers are signed and Al Junior is going。 So instead of jawing how you don't want them to go; kiss the boys good…bye and wave them off。〃
  If Pa'd been milk she would've curdled him on the spot; she gave him such a look。 〃I'll kiss my boys; and I'll wave them off;〃 she said。 〃I don't need you to tell me that。 I don't need you to tell me anything。〃
  〃I reckon not;〃 said Pa。 〃But I'll tell you anyway; and I reckon you'll return the favor; just like you always done。〃 He reached up a hand to shake with Measure; saying good…bye like a man does。 〃You get him there safe and e right back;〃 he told Measure。
  〃You know I will;〃 said Measure。
  〃Your ma's right; it's dangerous every step of the way; so keep your eyes open。 We named you right; you got such keen eyes; boy; so use them。〃
  〃I will; Pa。〃
  Ma said her good…bye to Measure while Pa came on over to Al。 He gave Al a good stinging slap on the leg and shook his hand; too; and that felt good; Pa treating him like a man; just like Measure。 Maybe if Al wasn't sitting up on a horse; Pa would've roughed his hair like a little boy; but then maybe he wouldn't have; either; and it still felt grown…up; all the same。
  〃I ain't scared of the Reds;〃 said Al。 He spoke real soft; so Ma wouldn't hear。 〃But I sure wish I didn't have to go。〃
  〃I know it; Al;〃 said Pa。 〃But you got to。 For your own good。〃
  Then Pa got that faraway sad look on his face; which Al Junior had seen before more than once; and never understood。 Pa was a strange man。 It took Al a long time to realize that; since for the longest time while Al was just little; Pa was Pa; and he didn't try to understand him。
  Now Al was getting older; and he began to pare his father to the other men around。 To Armor…of…God Weaver; for instance; the most important man in town; always talking about peace with the Red man; sharing the land with him; mapping out Red lands and White lands  everybody listened to him with respect。 Nobody listened to Pa that way; considering his words real serious; maybe arguing a little; but knowing that what he said was important。 And Reverend Thrower; with his highfalutin educated way of talking; shouting from his pulpit about death and resurrection and the fires of hell and the rewards of heaven; everybody listened to him; too。 It was different from the way they listened to Armor; cause it was always about religion and so it didn't have nothing to do with little stuff like farming and chores and how folks lived。 But respect。
  When Pa talked; other folks listened to him; all right; but they just scoffed sometimes。 〃Oh; Alvin Miller; you just go on; don't you!〃 Al noticed that; and it made him mad at first。 But then he realized that when folks was in trouble and needed help; they didn't go to Reverend Thrower; no sir; and they didn't go to Armor…of…God; cause neither of them knew all that much about how to solve the kind of problems folks had from time to time。 Thrower might tell them how to stay out of hell; but that wasn't till they was dead; and Armor might tell them how to keep peace with the Reds; but that was politics except when it was war。 When they had a quarrel about a boundary line; or didn't know what to do about a boy that always sassed his ma no matter how many lickings he got; or when the weevils got their seed corn and they didn't have nothing to plant; they e to Al Miller。 And he'd say his piece; just a few words usually; and they'd go off shaking their heads and saying; 〃Oh; Alvin Miller; you just go on; don't you!〃 But then they'd go ahead and settle that boundary line and build them a stone fence there; and they'd let their smart…mouth boy move on out of the house and take up as a hired man on a neighbor's farm; and e planting time a half…dozen folks'd e by with sacks of 〃spare〃 seed cause Al Miller mentioned they might be a little shy。
  When Al Junior pared his pa to other men; he knew Pa was strange; knew Pa did things for reasons known only to himself。 But he also knew that Pa could be trusted。 Folks might give their respect to Armor…of…God and Reverend Philadelphia Thrower; but they trusted Al Miller。
  So did Al Junior。 Trusted his pa。 Even though he didn't want to leave home; even though having been so close to death he felt like apprenticing and suchlike was a waste of time  what did it matter what his trade was; would there be smiths in heaven?  still he knew that if Pa said it was right for him to go; then Al would go。 The way folks always knew that if Al Miller said; 〃Just do this and it'll work out;〃 why; they should do the thing he said; and it'd work out like he said。
  He had told Pa he didn't want to go; Pa had said; Go anyway; it's for your own good。 That's all Alvin Junior needed to hear。 He nodded his head and did what Pa said; not cause he had no spunk; not cause he was scared of his pa like other boys he knew。 He just knew his pa well enough to trust his judgment。 Simple as that。
  〃I'll miss you; Pa。〃 And then he did a crazy fool thing; which if he stopped to think about it he never

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