osc.am2.redprophet-第22节
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d whole； free of the White man's likker； the White man's hate。 In his vision they called him the Prophet； but he insisted that he was not that at all。 He was only the door； the open door。 Step through； he said； and be strong； one people； one land。
The door。 Tenskwa…Tawa。
In his vision； his mother's face appeared； and she said that word to him。 Tenskwa…Tawa。 It is your name now； for the dreamer is awake。
And more； he saw much more that night； staring downward into the solid water of the Wobbish River； he saw so much that he could never tell it all； in that hour on the water he saw the whole history of the land； the life of every man and woman； White or Red or Black； who ever set foot on it。 He saw the beginning and he saw the end。 Great wars and petty cruelties； all the murderings of men； all the sins； but also all the goodness； all the beauty。
And above all； a vision of the Crystal City。 The city made of water as solid and as clear as glass； water that would never melt； formed into crystal towers so high that they should have cast shadows seven miles across the land。 But because they were so pure and clear they cast no shadow at all； the sunlight passed unblocked through every inch and yard and mile of it。 Wherever a man or woman stood； they could look deep into the crystal and see all the visions that Lolla…Wossiky saw now。 Perfect understanding； that was what they had； seeing with eyes of pure sunlight and speaking with the voice of lightning。
Lolla…Wossiky； who from now on would be named Tenskwa…Tawa； did not know if he would build the Crystal City； or live in it； or even see it before he died。 It was enough to do the first things that he saw in the solid water of the Wobbish River。 He looked and looked until his mind couldn't see more。 Then he crawled across to the far shore； climbed onto the bank； and walked until he came to the meadow he had seen in the vision。
This was where he would call the Reds together； teach them what he saw in his vision； and help them to be； not the strongest； but strong； not the largest； but large； not the freest； but free。
***
A certain keg in the crotch of a certain tree。 All summer it was hidden from view。 But the rain still found it； and the heat of high summer； and the insects； and the teeth of salt…hungry squirrels。 Wetting； drying； heating； cooling； no keg can last forever in such conditions。 It split； just a little； but enough； the liquid inside seeped out； drop by drop； in a few hours the keg was empty。
It didn't matter。 No one ever looked for it。 No one ever missed it。 No one mourned when it broke apart from ice in the winter； the fragments tumbling down the tree into the snow。
Chapter 5 A Sign
When word started spreading about a one…eyed Red man who was called the Prophet； Governor Bill Harrison laughed and said； 〃Why； that ain't nobody but my old friend Lolla…Wossiky。 When he runs out of that likker keg he stole from me； he'll quit seeing visions。〃
After a little while； though； Governor Harrison took note of how much store was set by the Prophet's words； and how the Reds spoke his name as reverent as a true Christian says the name of Jesus； and it got him somewhat alarmed。 So he called together all the Reds around Carthage City it was nigh onto a whisky day； so there wasn't no shortage of audience for him and he gave them a speech。 And in that speech he said one particular thing：
〃If old Lolla…Wossiky is really a Prophet； then he ought to do us a miracle； to show he's got more to him than just talk。 You ought to make him cut off a hand or a foot and then put it back that'd prove he was a prophet now； wouldn't it？ Or better still； make him put out an eye and then heal it back。 What's that you say？ You mean he already had his eye put out？ Well then he's ripe for a miracle； wouldn't you say？ I say that as long as he's only got one eye； he ain't no prophet！〃
Word of that came to the Prophet while he was teaching in a meadow that sloped gently down to the banks of the Tippy…Canoe； not a mile above where it poured into the waters of the Wobbish。 It was some whisky…Reds brought that challenge； and they wasn't above mocking the Prophet and saying； 〃We came to see you make your eye whole。〃
The Prophet looked at them with his one good eye； and he said； 〃With this eye I see two Red men； weak and sick； slaves of likker； the kind of men who would mock me with the words of the man who killed my father。〃
Then he closed his good eye； and he said； 〃With this eye I see two children of the land； whole and strong and beautiful； who love wives and children； and do good to all creatures。〃 Then he opened his eye again and said； 〃Which eye is sick； and which eye sees true？〃 And they said to him； 〃Tenskwa…Tawa； you are a true prophet； and both your eyes are whole。〃
〃Go tell White Murderer Harrison that I have performed the sign he asked for。 And tell him another sign that he didn't ask for。 Tell him that one day a fire will start in his own house。 No man's hand will set this fire。 Only rain will put out this fire； and before the fire dies； it will cut off something he loves more than a hand or a foot or an eye； and he will not have the power to restore it； either。〃
Chapter 6 Powder Keg
Hooch was astounded。 〃You mean you don't want the whole shipment？〃
〃We ain't used up what you sold us last time； Hooch；〃 said the quartermaster。 〃Four barrels； that's all we want。 More than we need； to tell the truth。〃
〃I e down the river from Dekane； loaded up with likker； not stopping to sell any at the towns along the way； I make that sacrifice and you tell me〃
〃Now； Hooch； I reckon we all know what kind of sacrifice that； was。〃 The quartermaster smirked a little。 〃I think you'll still recover your costs； pretty much； and if you don't； well； it just means you ain't been careful with the profits you've made off us afore。〃
〃Who else is selling to you？〃
〃Nobody；〃 said the quartermaster。
〃I been ing to Carthage City for nigh on seven years now； and the last four years I've had a monopoly〃
〃And if you'll pay heed； you'll remember that in the old days it used to be Reds what bought most of your likker。 〃
Hooch looked around； walked away from the quartermaster； stood on the moist grassy ground of the riverbank。 His flatboat rocked lazily on the water。 There wasn't a Red to be seen； not a one； and that was a fact。 But it wasn't no conspiracy； Hooch knew that。 Reds had been slacking off the last few times he came。 Always there used to be a few drunks； though。
He turned and shouted at the quartermaster。 〃You telling me there ain't no whisky…Reds left！〃
〃Sure there's whisky…Reds。 But we ain't run out of whisky yet。 So they're all off somewhere lying around being drunk。〃
Hooch cussed a little。 〃I'm going to see the Gov about this。〃
〃Not today you ain't；〃 said the quartermaster。 〃He's got himself a right busy schedule。〃
Hooch grinned nastily。 〃Oh； his schedule ain't too busy for me。〃
〃It sure is； Hooch。 He said it real specific。〃
〃I reckon he might think his schedule is too busy； boy； but I reckon it just ain't so。〃
〃Suit yourself；〃 said the quartermaster。 〃Want me to unload the four barrels I got here？〃
〃No I don't；〃 he said。 Then he shouted at his poleboys； most specially at that Mike Fink； cause he looked to be the most likely to do murder if need be。 〃Anybody tries to lay a hand on that whisky； I want to see four bullet holes in their body before we chuck him in the water！〃
The poleboys laughed and waved； except Mike Fink； who just sort of screwed his face up a little tighter。 That was one mean old boy。 They said you could tell which men had ever tried to wrassle Mike Fink； cause they got no ears。 They said； if you want to get away from Fink with one ear still on your head； you got to wait till he's chewing on your first ear and then shoot him twice to distract him while you get away。 A real good riverboy。 But it made Hooch a little nervy to think what Fink might do if Hooch didn't have a payroll for him。 Bill Harrison was going to pay for this whole load of likker； or there'd be real trouble。
Walking into the stockade； Hooch noticed a few things。 The sign was the same one Harrison put up four years ago； it was getting ratty…looking now； weathered up； but nobody changed it。 Town wasn't growing either。 Everything had lost that new look； and now it was plain shabby。
Not like the way things were going back in Hio Territory。 What used to be little stockade towns like this were turning into real towns； with painted houses； even a few cobbled streets。 Hio was booming； at least the eastern part of it； close on to Suskwahenny； and folks speculated on how it wasn't far from statehood。
But there wasn't no boom going on in Cathage City。
Hooch walked along the main street inside the stockade。 Still plenty of soldiers； and they still looked to have pretty good discipline； had to give Governor Bill credit for that。 But where there used to be whisky…Reds sprawled all over the place； now there was river…rat types； uglier…looking than Mike Fink； unshaved； with a whisky stink as bad as any likkered…up Red eve
