osc.am2.redprophet-第32节

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ame。　Finally　somebody　barked　a　few　words　and　the　sod…throwing　stopped。　Al　looked　up　in　time　to　see　Ta…Kumsaw　walking　away；　and　a　couple　of　his　fighting　men　e　out　to　watch　and　make　sure　nothing　else　happened。
　　〃That　was　the　farthest　I　ever　run　in　my　whole　life；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃Me　too；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Right　at　the　start　there　I　thought　I　was　like　to　die；　I　was　so　tired；〃　said　Measure。　〃Then　I　got　my　second　wind。　I　didn't　think　I　had　it　in　me。〃
　　Al　didn't　say　nothing。
　　〃Or　did　you　have　something　to　do　with　that？〃
　　〃Maybe　some；〃　said　Al。
　　〃I　never　know　what　you　can　do；　Alvin。〃
　　〃Me　neither；〃　said　Al；　and　it　was　the　truth。
　　〃When　that　hatchet　e　down　on　my　fingers　I　thought　that　was　the　end　of　my　working　days。〃
　　〃Just　be　glad　they　didn't　try　to　drownd　us。〃
　　〃You　and　water　again；〃　said　Measure。　〃Well　I'm　glad　you　done　what　you　done；　Al。　Though　I　will　say　it　might've　worked　out　better　if　you　hadn't　made　the　chief　slip　like　that　when　he　was　set　to　arm…wrassle　me。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　said　Al。　〃I　didn't　want　him　to　hurt　you〃
　　〃There's　no　way　you　should　know　it；　Al；　so　don't　blame　yourself。　But　that　kind　of　wrassling　ain't　to　hurt　a　body；　it's　kind　of　a　test。　Of　manliness　and　quickness　and　what　all。　If　he　beat　me；　but　I　put　up　a　fair　fight；　then　I'd　have　his　respect；　and　if　I　beat　him　fair；　why；　there's　respect　in　that；　too。　Armor　told　me　about　it。　They　do　it　all　the　time。〃
　　Alvin　thought　about　this。　〃So　when　I　made　him　fall；　was　that　real　bad？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Depends　on　why　they　think　it　happened。　Might　be　they'll　think　it　means　that　God　is　on　my　side　or　something。〃
　　〃Do　they　believe　in　God？〃
　　〃They've　got　a　Prophet；　don't　they？　Just　like　in　the　Bible。　Anyway　I　just　hope　they　don't　think　it　means　I'm　a　coward　and　a　cheater。　Things　won't　go　so　good　for　me　then。〃
　　〃Well　I'll　tell　them　it　was　me　done　it；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Don't　you　dare；〃　said　Measure。　〃The　only　thing　saved　us　was　they　didn't　know　it　was　you　doing　them　changes　on　the　knives　and　hatchets　and　such。　If　they　knowed　it　was　you；　Al；　they　would've　hacked　your　head　open；　mashed　you　flat　and　then　done　what　they　wanted　with　me。　Only　thing　that　saved　you　was　they　didn't　know　what　was　causing　it。〃
　　Then　they　got　to　talking　about　how　worried　Pa　and　Ma　would　be；　speculating　on　how　Ma　would　be　so　mad；　or　maybe　she'd　be　too　worried　to　be　angry　at　Pa；　and　there　must　be　men　out　looking　for　them　by　now　even　if　the　horses　never　came　home；　cause　when　they　didn't　show　up　for　supper　at　the　Peachees　they　wouldn't　waste　a　minute　giving　the　warning。
　　〃They'll　be　talking　about　war　with　the　Reds；〃　said　Measure。　〃I　know　that　much　　there's　plenty　of　folks　from　down　Carthage　way　who　hate　Ta…Kumsaw　already；　from　his　running　off　their　livestock　earlier　this　year。〃
　　〃But　it　was　Ta…Kumsaw　who　saved　us；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Or　that's　how　it　looks；　anyway。　But　I　notice　he　didn't　take　us　home；　or　even　ask　us　where　home　was。　And　how　did　he　happen　to　e　along　right　at　that　very　minute；　if　he　wasn't　part　of　it　himself？　No；　Al；　I　don't　know　what's　going　on；　but　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　save　us；　or　if　he　did　he　saved　us　for　his　own　reasons；　and　I　don't　know　as　how　I　trust　him　to　do　good　for　us。　For　one　thing；　I　really　ain't　much　for　setting　around　naked　in　the　middle　of　a　Red　village。〃
　　〃Me　neither。　And　I'm　hungry。〃
　　It　wasn't　long；　though；　before　Ta…Kumsaw　himself　came　out　with　a　pot　of　corn　mash。　It　was　almost　funny；　seeing　that　tall　Red　man；　who　carried　himself　like　a　king；　toting　a　pot　like　one　of　the　Red　women。　But　after　that　first　surprise；　Al　realized　that　when　Ta…Kumsaw　did　it；　pot…toting　looked　downright　noble。
　　He　set　down　the　pot　in　front　of　Al　and　Measure；　and　then　took　a　couple　of　strips　of　Red…weave　cloth　from　around　his　neck。　〃Wrap　up；〃　he　said；　and　handed　each　of　them　a　strip。　Neither　one　of　them　knowed　the　first　thing　about　tying　on　a　loincloth；　beginning　with　the　fact　that　Ta…Kumsaw　was　still　holding　the　deerskin　belts　that　were　supposed　to　hold　them　on。　Ta…Kumsaw　laughed　at　how　confused　they　were；　and　then　made　Al　stand　up。　He　dressed　Al　himself；　and　that　showed　Measure　how　it　was　done　so　he　could　cover　himself；　too。　It　wasn't　like　proper　clothes；　but　it　was　sure　better　than　being　buck　naked。
　　Then　Ta…Kumsaw　sat　down　on　the　grass；　the　pot　between　him　and　them；　and　showed　them　how　to　eat　the　mash　dipping　in　his　hand；　pulling　out　a　tepid；　jelly…thick　glop　of　it　and　smacking　it　into　his　open　mouth。　Tasted　so　bland　that　Alvin　like　to　gagged　on　it。　Measure　saw　it；　and　said；　〃Eat。〃　So　Alvin　ate；　and　once　he　got　some　swallowed　he　could　feel　how　much　his　belly　wanted　more；　even　though　it　still　took　real　persuasion　to　get　his　throat　to　take　on　the　job　of　transportation。
　　When　they　had　the　pot　cleaned　right　down　to　the　bottom；　Ta…Kumsaw　set　it　aside。　He　looked　at　Measure　for　a　while。　〃How　did　you　make　me　fall　down；　White　coward？〃　he　said。
　　Al　was　all　for　speaking　up　right　then；　but　Measure　answered　too　quick　and　loud。　〃I　ain't　no　coward；　Chief　Ta…Kumsaw；　and　if　you　wrassle　me　now　it'll　be　fair　and　square。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　smiled　grimly。　〃So　you　can　make　me　fall　down　with　all　these　women　and　children　watching？〃
　　〃It　was　me；〃　said　Alvin。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　turned　his　head；　slowly；　the　smile　not　leaving　his　face…but　not　so　grim　now；　neither。　〃Very　small　boy；〃　he　said。　〃Very　worthless　child。　You　can　make　the　ground　loose　under　my　feet？〃
　　〃I　just　got　a　knack；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　didn't　know　you　weren't　aiming　to　hurt　him。〃
　　〃I　saw　a　hatchet；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Finger…marks　like　this。〃　He　waved　his　finger　to　show　the　kind　of　pattern　Measure's　fingers　had　left　in　the　blade　of　the　hatchet。　〃You　did　that？〃
　　〃It　ain't　right　to　cut　a　man's　fingers　off。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　laughed　out　loud。　〃Very　good！〃　Then　he　leaned　in　close。　〃White　men's　knacks；　they　make　noise；　very　much　noise。　But　you；　what　you　do　is　so　quiet　nobody　sees　it。〃
　　Al　didn't　know　what　he　was　talking　about。
　　In　the　silence；　Measure　spoke　up　bold　as　you　please。　〃What　you　plan　to　do　with　us；　Chief　Ta…Kumsaw？〃
　　〃Tomorrow　we　run　again；〃　he　said。
　　〃Well　why　don't　you　think　about　letting　us　run　toward　home？　There's　got　to　be　a　hundred　of　out　neighbors　out　now；　mad　as　hornets。　There's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　trouble　if　you　don't　let　us　go　home。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　shook　his　head。　〃My　brother　wants　you。〃
　　Measure　looked　at　Alvin；　then　back　at　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃You　mean　the　Prophet？〃
　　〃Tenskwa…Tawa；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Measure　looked　plain　sick。　〃You　mean　after　he　built　up　his　Prophetstown　for　four　years；　nobody　causing　him　a　lick　of　trouble；　White　man　and　Red　man　getting　along　real　good；　now　he　goes　around　taking　Whites　captive　and　torturing　them　and〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　clapped　his　hands　once；　loudly。　Measure　fell　silent。　〃Chok…Taw　took　you！　Chok…Taw　tried　to　kill　you！　My　people　don't　kill　except　to　defend　our　land　and　our　families　from　Wbite　thieves　and　murderers。　And　Tenskwa…Tawa's　people；　they　don't　kill　at　all。〃
　　That　was　the　first　Al　ever　heard　of　there　being　a　split　between　Ta…Kumsaw's　people　and　the　Prophet's　people。
　　〃Then　how'd　you　know　where　we　were？〃　demanded　Measure。　〃How'd　you　know　how　to　find　us？〃
　　〃Tenskwa…Tawa　saw　you；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Told　me　to　hurry　and　get　you；　save　you　from　the　Chok…Taw；　bring　you　to　Mizogan。〃
　　Measure；　who　knew　more　about　Armor…of…God's　maps　than　Alvin　did；　recognized　the　name。　〃That's　the　big　lake；　where　Fort　Chicago　is。〃
　　〃We　don't　go　to　Fort　Chicago；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃We　go　to　the　holy　place。〃
　　〃A　church？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　laughed。　〃You　White　people；　when　you　make　a　place　holy　you　build　walls　so　nothing　of　the　land　can　get　in。　Your　god　is　nothing　and　nowhere；　so　you　build　a　church　with　nothing　alive　inside；　a　church　that　could　be　anywhere；　it　doesn't　matter　　nothing　and　nowhere。〃
　　〃Well　what　does　make　a　place　holy？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃Because　that's　where　the　Red　man　talks　to　the　land；　and　the　land　answers。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　grinned。　〃Sleep　now。　We　will　go　when　it's　still　dark。〃
　　〃It's　going　to　be　mighty　cool　tonight；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃Women　will　bring　you　blankets。　Warriors　don't　need　them。　This　is　summer。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　walked　a　few　steps　away；　then　turned　back　to　Alvin。　〃Weaw…Moxiky　ran　behind　you；　White　boy。　He　saw　what　you　did。　Don't　try　to　keep　the　secret　from　Tenskwa…Tawa。　He　will　know　when　you　lie。〃　Then　the　chief　was　gone。
　　〃What's　he　talking　about？〃　asked　Measure。
　　〃I　wisht　I　knew；〃　said　Al。　〃I'm　going　to　have　trouble　telling　the　truth　when　I　don't　know　what　the　truth　is。　〃
　　The　blankets　came　soon　enough。　Al　snuggled　close　to　his　big　brother；　for　courage　more　than　warmth。　He　and　Measure　whispered　awhile；　trying　to　puzzle　things　out。　If　Ta…Kumsaw　wasn't　in　on　this　from　the　start；　how　e　them　Chok…Taw　cut　his　and　the　Prophet's　names　into　the　saddle？　And　even　if　that　was　a　lie；　it　was　going　to　look　real　bad　that　Ta…Kumsaw　finally　did　end　up　with　the　captives；　and　then　up　and　took　them　to　Lake　Mizogan　instead　of　just　letting　them　go　home。　It　was　going　to　take　some　tall　talking　to　keep　this　from　turning　into　a　war。
　　Finally；　though；　they　fell　silent；　weary　to　the　bone　from　all　their　running；　not　to　mention　their　work　moving　the　tree　and　the　plain　terror　when　the　Chok…Taw　was　out　to　to