osc.am2.redprophet-第31节
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Ta…Kumsaw reached out and took him by the hand a strong； hard grip； it must have been； cause Measure tried to pull away and couldn't。 〃Iron skin；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃Can't cut with knife。 Can't burn。 Boys made of stone。〃
He pulled Measure up to a standing position and； with his free hand； slapped him hard on the upper part of the arm。 〃Stone boy； throw me on the dirt！〃
〃I can't wrassle you；〃 said Measure。 〃I don't want a fight with nobody。〃
〃Throw me！〃 manded Ta…Kumsaw。 And he adjusted his grip； put out his foot； and waited until Measure put out his own foot to join him。 Facing off； man to man； the way the Reds did in their games。 Only this wasn't no game； not to these boys who'd been looking death in the face and didn't have no guarantee that it still wasn't just around the corner。
Al didn't know what he ought to do； but he was in a mood for doing something； ing on the heels of all his changing of things。 So it was almost without a thought of the consequences that the very moment Measure and Ta…Kumsaw started to push and pull on each other； Al made the dirt e all loose under Ta…Kumsaw's feet； so his own pushing made him fall ass over elbow in the dirt。
The other Reds had been kind of laughing and joshing about the wrassle； but when they saw the greatest chief of all the tribes； a man whose name was known from Boston to New Orleans； when they saw him smash on the ground like that they kind of left off laughing。 Truth to tell there wasn't a sound in that clearing。 Ta…Kumsaw picked himself up and looked at the dirt under his feet； scraping on it with his foot。 It was solid enough now； of course。 But he stepped a few feet away； onto the grass； and held out his hand again。
This time Measure had a little more confidence； and reached out to take his hand but at the last second； Ta…Kumsaw snatched his own hand away。 He stood very still； not looking at Measure or Al or anybody； just looking into space； his face all hard and set。 Then he turned to the other Reds and fired off a volley of words； spitting them out with all the Ss and Ks and Xs of Shaw…Nee talk。 Al and the other children of Vigor Church used to imitate Red talk by saying things like 〃boxy talksy skock woxity〃 and laughing till their sides ached。 But it didn't sound too funny the way Ta…Kumsaw said it； and when he was done Al and Measure found themselves getting pulled along by them thongs again。 And when the rags of their underjohns fell down and started tripping them up； Ta…Kumsaw came back and tore them off the boys； ripping that fabric to shreds with his bare hands； his face all angry。 Neither Al nor Measure felt like mentioning that they was left pretty near naked by this time； considering that the only wearing apparel left on them was the thong around their neck； it just didn't seem like a good time to plain。 Where Ta…Kumsaw was taking them they had no idea； and since they also had no choice about going； there wasn't much point in asking； either。
Al and Measure never ran so long or so far in their lives。 Hour after hour； mile after mile； never going too terrible fast； but never stopping； neither。 Moving like this； a Red could travel faster on foot than a White usually could on horseback； unless he was making his nag run all the way。 Which wasn't too good on the horse。 And the horse had to stay on cleared roads。 While Reds Reds didn't even need a path。
Al noticed real quick that running through the woods was different for the Reds than it was for him and Measure。 The only sound he heard was his and Measure's footfalls。 Al being near the back； he could see how things went with Measure。 The Red who was pulling Measure would push a branch with his body； and the branch would bend to make way。 But the next second when Measure tried to push through； it would snatch at his skin and then break off。 Reds would step on roots or twigs and there'd be no sound； nothing snagging their feet； Al would step on the same spot； and he'd trip up； stumble； the thong catching at his neck； or the twig would snap under his bare foot； or the rough bark of the root would tear at his skin。 Al； on account of being just a boy； was used to walking around barefoot a good deal of the time； so the soles of his feet were somewhat toughened up。 But Measure'd been in growed…man's boots for some years now； and Al could see that after maybe half a mile Measure was bleeding。
One thing he could do； Al reckoned； was help his brother's feet to heal up。 He tried to start； to find his way into his brother's feet the way he'd found his way into the stone and the steel and the wood。 Running along like that； though； it was hard to concentrate。 And living flesh was just too plicated。
Al wasn't the kind to give up。 No； he just tried a different way。 Since it was running that distracted him； he just quit thinking about running。 Didn't look at the ground。 Didn't try to step where the Red ahead of him stepped； just didn't think about it at all。 Like trimming an oil lamp； he trimmed his own wick； as they say； letting his eyes focus on nothing； thinking about nothing； letting his body work like a pet animal that could be let to have its own head and go its own way。
He had no notion that he was doing what doodlebugs do； when they let their bug go out of their head and travel on its own。 And anyway it wasn't the same； on account of there wasn't no doodlebug in the natural world who ever tried to doodle while he was running with a thong around his neck。
Now； though； he didn't have a speck of trouble getting into Measure's body； finding the sore places； the bleeding cuts on his feet； the ache in his legs； the pain in his side。 Healing the feet； toughing them up； callusing them； that was easy enough。 For the others； Al felt how Measure's body was craving for him to breathe more； deeper； faster； so Al got into his lungs and cleared them； opened them into the deepest places。 Now when Measure sucked in air； his body got more of a use out of it； like it could wring out each rag of air to get the very last drop of good out of it。 Al didn't even half understand what he was doing but he knowed it worked； cause the pain in Measure's body began to ease； he didn't weary so much； he didn't gasp for breath。
As he returned to himself； Al noticed that in the whole time he was helping Measure； he didn't step on no twig that broke or get smacked by some snaggy branch flipping back from the Red in front of him。 Now； though； he was getting poked and tripped and snapped as much as ever。 He thought right off； it was happening just the same all along； only I didn't hardly notice cause I wasn't rightly paying attention to my own skin。 But even as he decided that was true and even mostly believed it； he also realized that the sound of the world had changed。 Now it was just breathing and pale…skinned feet thumping on the dirt or swishing through ancient dead leaves。 A bird sound now and then； a fly buzzing。 Nothing remarkable； except that Al could remember； just as plain as anything； that until he came back from fixing up Measure's body he could hear something else； a kind of music； a kind of green music。 Well； that didn't make no sense。 There wasn't no way music could have a color to it； that was plain crazy。 So Al put that out of his mind； just didn't think about it。 Without thinking about it； though； he was still longing to hear it again。 Hear it or see it or smell it； however it came into him； he wanted it back again。
And one more little thing。 Until he went out of himself to help Measure； his own body wasn't doing all that well； neither； in fact he was near wore out。 But now he was all right； his body was doing fine； he was breathing deep； his legs and arms felt like he could go on forever； sturdy in their motion as trees were in their stillness。 Now maybe that was because in healing Measure； he also somehow healed himself but he didn't rightly believe that； cause he always knew what he did and what he didn't do。 No； to Al Junior's thinking； his body was doing better because of something else。 And that something else； either it was part of the green music； or it caused the music； or they both were caused by the same thing。 As near as Al could figure。
Running along like that； Al and Measure didn't have no chance to talk till getting on nightfall； when they came to a Red village on the curve of a dark deep river。 Ta…Kumsaw led them right into the middle of the village and then walked off and left them。 The river was just down the slope from them； maybe a hundred yards of grassy ground。
〃Think we could make it down to the river without them catching us？〃 whispered Measure。
〃No；〃 said Al。 〃And anyways I can't swim。 Pa never let me near the water。〃
Then all the Red women and children e out of the stick…and…mud huts they lived in and pointed at them two naked Whites； man and boy； and laughed and threw sods at them。 At first Al and Measure tried to dodge； but it just made them laugh harder and run around and around； throwing wet dirt from different angles； tying to catch them in the face or the crotch。 Finally Measure just sat down on the grass； put his face to his knees； and let them throw all they wanted。 Al did the same。 Finally somebody barked a few words and the so
