osc.am2.redprophet-第17节

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　　〃Church　for　building。　Why　Vigor？〃
　　〃Oh；　the　first　folks　settled　here；　the　ones　who　cut　the　road　and　made　the　bridges；　the　Miller　family。　They　live　on　up　behind　the　church；　way　along　the　road　there。　My　wife　is　their　oldest　girl；　in　fact。　They　named　this　place　Vigor　on　account　of　their　oldest　son　was　named　Vigor。　He　drowned　in　the　Hatrack　River　clear　back　near　Suskwahenny；　on　their　way　ing　here。　So　they　named　the　place　after　him。〃
　　〃Your　wife；　very　pretty；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。
　　It　took　Armor　just　a　few　seconds　to　answer　that；　he　looked　so　surprised。　And　in　the　shop　in　back；　where　they　ate　the　meal；　his　wife　Eleanor　must　have　been　listening；　cause　she　was　suddenly　standing　there　in　the　doorway。
　　〃Nobody　ever　called　me　pretty；〃　she　said　softly。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　was　baffled。　Most　White　women　had　narrow　faces；　no　cheekbones；　sick…looking　skin。　Eleanor　was　darker；　wide…faced；　high　cheekbones。
　　〃I　think　you're　pretty；〃　said　Armor。　〃I　really　do。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　didn't　believe　him；　and　neither　did　Eleanor；　though　she　smiled　and　went　away　from　the　door。　He　never　had　thought　she　was　pretty；　that　was　plain。　And　after　a　moment；　Lolla…Wossiky　understood　why。　She　was　pretty　like　a　Red　woman。　So　naturally　White　men　who　never　saw　straight　thought　her　pretty　was　very　ugly。
　　This　also　meant　that　Armor…of…God　was　married　to　a　woman　he　thought　was　ugly。　But　he　didn't　shout　at　her　or　hit　her；　like　a　Red　man　with　an　ugly　squaw。　This　was　a　good　thing；　Lolla…Wossiky　decided。
　　〃You　very　happy；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。
　　〃That's　because　we're　Christians；〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃You'd　be　happy；　too；　if　you　was　Christian。〃
　　〃I　won't　never　be　happy；　〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。　He　meant　to　say；　〃Till　I　hear　green　silence　again；　till　black　noise　goes　away。〃　But　no　use　saying　that　to　a　White　man；　they　didn't　know　that　half　the　things　going　on　in　the　world　were　plain　invisible　to　them。
　　〃Yes；　you　will；〃　said　Thrower。　He　strode　into　the　room　with　all　kinds　of　energy；　ready　to　tackle　this　heathen　all　over　again。　〃You　accept　Jesus　Christ　as　your　savior；　and　you　will　have　true　happiness。〃
　　Now；　that　was　a　promise　worth　looking　into。　That　was　a　good　reason　to　talk　about　this　Jesus　Christ。　Maybe　Jesus　Christ　was　Lolla…Wossiky's　dream　beast。　Maybe　he　would　make　the　black　noise　go　away　and　make　Lolla…Wossiky　happy　again　like　he　was　before　White　Murderer　Harrison　blew　up　the　world　with　black　noise　from　his　gun。
　　〃Jesus　Christ　makes　me　wake　up？〃　asked　Lolla…Wossiky。
　　〃e　follow　me；　he　said；　and　I　will　make　you　fishers　of　men；〃　answered　Thrower。
　　〃He　waking　me　up？　He　making　me　happy？〃
　　〃Eternal　joy；　in　the　bosom　of　the　Heavenly　Father；〃　said　Thrower。
　　None　of　this　made　any　sense；　but　Lolla…Wossiky　decided　to　go　ahead　anyway　on　the　chance　that　it　would　wake　him　up　and　then　he'd　understand　what　Thrower　was　talking　about。　Even　though　Thrower　made　the　black　noise　louder；　maybe　he　also　had　the　cure　for　it。
　　So　that　night　Lolla…Wossiky　slept　out　in　the　woods；　took　his　four　swallows　of　whisky　in　the　morning；　and　staggered　on　up　to　the　church。　Thrower　was　annoyed　that　Lolla…Wossiky　was　drunk；　and　Armor　once　again　insisted　on　knowing　who　gave　him　likker。　Since　all　the　other　men　who　were　doing　the　church…raising　were　gathered　around；　Armor　made　a　speech；　with　a　whole　bunch　of　threats　in　it。　〃If　I　find　out　who's　likkering　up　these　Reds；　I　swear　I'll　burn　his　house　down　and　make　him　go　live　with　Harrison　down　on　the　Hio。　Up　here　we're　Christian　folk。　Now　I　can't　stop　you　from　putting　those　hexes　on　your　houses　and　making　those　spells　and　conjures；　even　though　they　show　lack　of　faith　in　the　Lord；　but　I　sure　can　stop　you　from　poisoning　the　folk　that　the　Lord　saw　fit　to　put　on　this　land。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　All　the　White　folk　nodded　and　said　yes　and　that's　right　and　reckon　so。
　　〃Nobody　here　gave　me　whisky；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。
　　〃Maybe　he　carried　it　with　him　in　a　cup！〃　said　one　of　the　men。
　　〃Maybe　he's　got　him　a　still　in　the　woods！〃　said　another。
　　They　all　laughed。
　　〃Please　be　reverent；〃　said　Thrower。　〃This　heathen　is　accepting　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ。　He　shall　be　covered　with　the　water　of　baptism　as　was　Jesus　himself。　Let　this　mark　the　beginning　of　a　great　missionary　labor　among　the　Red　men　of　the　American　forest！〃
　　Amen；　murmured　the　men。
　　Well；　the　water　was　cold；　and　that's　about　all　Lolla…Wossiky　noticed；　except　that　when　Thrower　sprinkled　it　on　him　the　black　noise　just　got　louder。　Jesus　Christ　didn't　show　up；　so　he　wasn't　the　dream　beast　after　all。　Lolla…Wossiky　was　disappointed。
　　But　Reverend　Thrower　wasn't。　That　was　the　strange　thing　about　White　men。　They　just　seemed　not　to　notice　what　went　on　around　them。　Here　Thrower　performed　a　baptism　that　didn't　do　a　lick　of　good；　and　he　went　strutting　around　the　rest　of　the　day　like　he　had　just　called　a　buffalo　into　a　starving　village　in　the　dead　of　winter。
　　Armor…of…God　was　just　as　blind。　At　noon；　when　Eleanor　brought　dinner　up　the　hill　to　the　workmen；　they　let　Lolla…Wossiky　eat　with　them。　〃Can't　turn　away　a　Christian；　can　we？〃　said　one。　But　none　of　them　was　too　happy　about　sitting　next　to　Lolla…Wossiky；　probably　because　he　stank　of　liquor　and　sweat　and　he　staggered　when　he　walked。　It　ended　up　that　Armor…of…God　sat　with　Lolla…Wossiky　off　a　ways　from　the　others；　and　they　talked　about　this　and　that。
　　Till　Lolla…Wossiky　asked　him；　〃Jesus　Christ；　he　don't　like　hexes？〃
　　〃That's　right。　He　is　the　way；　and　all　this　beseeching　and　suchlike　is　blasphemy。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　nodded　gravely。　〃Painted　hex　no　good。　Paint　never　was　alive。〃
　　〃Painted；　carved；　same　thing。〃
　　〃Wooden　hex；　a　little　strong。　Tree　used　to　be　alive。〃
　　〃Doesn't　matter　to　me；　wooden　or　painted；　I　won't　have　no　hexes　in　my　house。　No　conjures；　no　e…hithers；　no　fendings；　no　wardings；　none　of　that　stuff。　A　good　Christian　relies　on　prayer；　and　that's　that。　The　Lord　is　my　shepherd；　I　shall　not　want。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　knew　then　that　Armor…of…God　was　just　as　blind　as　Thrower。　Because　Armor…of…God's　house　was　the　strongest…hexed　house　Lolla…Wossiky　ever　saw。　That　was　part　of　the　reason　Lolla…Wossiky　was　impressed　with　Armor；　that　his　house　was　actually　well　protected；　because　he　understood　enough　to　make　his　hexes　out　of　living　things。　Arrangements　of　living　plants　hanging　on　the　porch；　seeds　with　the　life　in　them　sitting　in　carefully　placed　jars；　garlics；　stains　of　berry　juices；　all　so　strongly　placed　that　even　with　the　likker　in　him　to　dull　the　black　noise；　Lolla…Wossiky　could　feel　the　pushing　and　pulling　of　the　fendings　and　wardings　and　hexes。
　　Yet　Armor…of…God　didn't　have　the　faintest　idea　that　his　house　had　any　hexes　at　all。　〃My　wife　Eleanor；　her　folks　always　had　hexes。　Her　little　brother　Al　Junior；　he's　that　six…year…old　wrassling　with　the　blond…headed　Swedish　boy　there　　see　him？　He's　a　real　hex…carver；　they　say。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　looked　at　the　boy；　but　couldn't　exactly　see　him。　He　saw　the　yellow…hair　boy　he　was　tussling　with；　but　the　other　boy　just　couldn't　e　clear　for　him；　he　didn't　know　why。
　　Armor　was　still　talking。　〃Don't　that　make　you　sick？　That　young；　and　already　he's　being　turned　away　from　Jesus。　Anyway；　it　was　real　hard　for　Eleanor　to　give　up　those　hexes　and　such。　But　she　did　it。　Gave　me　her　solemn　oath；　or　we　never　would've　got　married。〃
　　At　that　moment　Eleanor；　the　pretty　wife　that　White　men　thought　was　ugly；　came　up　to　take　away　the　dinner　basket。　She　heard　the　last　words　that　her　husband　said；　but　she　gave　no　sign　that　it　meant　anything　to　her。　Except　that　when　she　took　Lolla…Wossiky's　bowl　from　him；　and　looked　him　in　the　eye；　he　felt　like　she　was　asking　him。　Did　you　see　those　hexes？
　　Lolla…Wossiky　smiled　at　her；　his　biggest　smile；　so　she'd　know　he　didn't　have　any　plan　to　tell　her　husband。
　　She　smiled　back；　hesitantly；　untrustingly。　〃Did　you　like　the　food？〃　she　asked　him。
　　〃Everything　cooked　too　much；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。　〃Blood　taste　all　gone。〃
　　Her　eyes　went　wide。　Armor　only　laughed　and　clapped　Lolla…Wossiky　on　the　shoulder。　〃Well；　that's　what　it　means　to　be　civilized。　You　give　up　drinking　blood；　and　that's　a　fact。　I　hope　your　baptism　sets　you　on　the　right　road　　it's　plain　you've　been　a　long　time　on　the　wrong　one。〃
　　〃I　wondered；〃　said　Eleanor　　and　she　stopped；　glanced　down　at　Lolla…Wossiky's　loincloth；　and　then　looked　at　her　husband。
　　〃Oh；　yes；　we　talked　about　that　last　night。　I've　got　some　old　trousers　and　a　shirt　I　don't　use　anymore；　and　Eleanor's　making　me　new　ones　anyway；　so　I　thought；　now　that　you're　baptized；　you　really　ought　to　start　dressing　like　a　Christian。〃
　　〃Very　hot　day；〃　said　Lolla…Wossiky。
　　〃Yes；　well；　Christians　believe　in　modesty　of　dress；　Lolla…Wossiky。〃　Armor　laughed　and　hit　him　on　the　shoulder　again。
　　〃I　can　bring　the　clothes　up　this　afternoon；〃　said　Eleanor。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　thought　this　was　a　very　stupid　idea。　Red　men　always　looked　stupid　dressed　in　White　man's　clothes。　But　he　didn't　want　to　argue　with　them　because　they　were　trying　to　be　very　friendly。　And　maybe　the　baptism　would　work　after　all；　if　he　put　on　White　man's　clothes。　Maybe　then　the　black　noise　would　go　away。
　　So　he　didn't　answer。　He　just　looked　at　where　the　yellow…hair　boy　yvas　running　around　in　circles；　shouting；　〃Alv