osc.am1.seventhson-第15部分

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urchmen；　of　course；　but　the　best　that　could　be　had　in　this　benighted　wilderness。
　　They　would　eat　in　the　room　back　of　the　Weavers'　store；　which　was　part　kitchen；　part　workshop；　and　part　library。　Eleanor　stirred　the　pot　from　time　to　time；　and　the　smell　of　boiled　venison　and　the　day's　bread　baking　mingled　with　the　odors　from　the　soapmaking　shed　out　back　and　the　tallow　they　used　in　candlemaking　right　here。　〃Oh；　we're　some　of　everything；〃　said　Armor；　the　first　time　Reverend　Thrower　visited。　〃We　do　things　that　every　farmer　hereabouts　can　do　for　himself　　but　we　do　it　better；　and　when　they　buy　it　from　us　it　saves　them　hours　of　work；　which　gives　them　time　to　clear　and　plow　and　plant　more　land。〃
　　The　store　itself；　out　front；　was　shelved　to　the　ceiling；　and　the　shelves　were　filled　with　dry　goods　brought　in　by　wagon　from　points　east　　cotton　cloth　from　the　spinning　jennies　and　steam　looms　of　Irrakwa；　pewter　dishes　and　iron　pots　and　stoves　from　the　foundries　of　Pennsylvania　and　Suskwahenny；　fine　pottery　and　small　cabinets　and　boxes　from　the　carpenters　of　New　England；　and　even　a　few　precious　bags　of　spices　shipped　into　New　Amsterdam　from　the　Orient。　Armor　Weaver　had　confessed　once　that　it　took　all　his　life　savings　to　buy　his　stock；　and　it　was　no　sure　bet　that　he'd　prosper　out　here　in　this　thinly　settled　land。　But　Reverend　Thrower　had　noticed　the　steady　stream　of　wagons　ing　up　from　the　lower　Wobbish　and　down　the　TippyCanoe；　and　even　a　few　from　out　west　in　the　Noisy　River　country。
　　Now；　as　they　waited　for　Eleanor　to　announce　that　the　venison　stew　was　ready；　Reverend　Thrower　asked　him　a　question　that　had　bothered　him　for　some　time。
　　〃I've　seen　what　they　haul　away；〃　said　Reverend　Thrower；　〃and　I　can't　begin　to　guess　what　they　use　to　pay　you。　Nobody　makes　cash　money　around　here；　and　not　much　they　can　trade　that'll　sell　back　east。〃
　　〃They　pay　with　lard　and　charcoal；　ash　and　fine　lumber；　and　of　course　food　for　Eleanor　and　me　and　whoever　else　might　e。〃　Only　a　fool　wouldn't　notice　that　Eleanor　was　thickening　enough　to　be　about　halfway　to　a　baby。　〃But　mostly；〃　said　Armor；　〃they　pay　with　credit。〃
　　〃Credit！　To　farmers　whose　scalps　might　well　be　traded　for　muskets　or　liquor　in　Fort　Detroit　next　winter？〃
　　〃There's　a　lot　more　talk　of　scalping　than　there　is　scalping　going　on；〃　said　Armor。　〃The　Reds　around　here　aren't　stupid。　They　know　about　the　Irrakwa；　and　how　they　have　seats　in　Congress　in　Philadelphia　right　along　with　White　men；　and　how　they　have　muskets；　horses；　farms；　fields；　and　towns　just　like　they　do　in　Pennsylvania　or　Suskwahenny　or　New　Orange。　They　know　about　the　Cherriky　people　of　Appalachee；　and　how　they're　farming　and　fighting　right　alongside　Tom　Jefferson's　White　rebels　to　keep　their　country　independent　from　the　King　and　the　Cavaliers。〃
　　〃They　might　also　have　noticed　the　steady　stream　of　flatboats　ing　down　the　Hio　and　wagons　ing　west；　and　the　trees　failing　down　and　the　log　houses　going　up。〃
　　〃I　reckon　you're　half　right；　Reverend；〃　said　Armor。　〃I　reckon　the　Reds　might　go　either　way。　Might　try　to　kill　us　all；　or　might　try　to　settle　down　and　live　among　us。　Living　with　us　wouldn't　be　exactly　easy　for　them　　they　aren't　much　used　to　town　living；　whereas　it's　the　most　natural　way　for　White　folks　to　live。　But　fighting　us　has　got　to　be　worse；　cause　if　they　do　that　they'll　end　up　dead。　They　may　think　that　killing　White　folks　might　scare　the　others　into　staying　away。　They　don't　know　how　it　is　in　Europe；　how　the　dream　of　owning　land　will　bring　people　five　thousand　miles　to　work　harder　than　they　ever　did　in　their　lives　and　bury　children　who　might　have　lived　in　the　home　country　and　risk　having　a　tommyhock　mashed　into　their　brains　cause　it's　better　to　be　your　own　man　than　to　serve　any　lord。　Except　the　Lord　God。〃
　　〃And　that's　how　it　is　with　you；　too？〃　asked　Thrower。　〃Risk　everything；　for　land？〃
　　Armor　looked　at　his　wife　Eleanor　and　smiled。　She　didn't　smile　back；　Thrower　noticed；　but　he　also　noticed　that　her　eyes　were　beautiful　and　deep；　as　if　she　knew　secrets　that　made　her　solemn　even　though　she　was　joyful　in　her　heart。
　　〃Not　land　the　way　farmers　own　it；　I'm　no　farmer；　I'll　tell　you　that；〃　said　Armor。　〃There's　other　ways　to　own　land。　You　see；　Reverend　Thrower；　I　give　them　credit　now　because　I　believe　in　this　country。　When　they　e　to　trade　with　me；　I　make　them　tell　me　the　names　of　all　their　neighbors；　and　make　rough　maps　of　the　farms　and　streams　where　they　live；　and　the　roads　and　rivers　along　their　way　here。　I　make　them　carry　letters　that　other　folks　writ；　and　I　write　their　letters　for　them　and　ship　them　on　back　east　to　folks　they　left　behind。　I　know　where　everything　and　everybody　in　the　whole　upper　Wobbish　and　Noisy　River　country　is　and　how　to　get　there。〃
　　Reverend　Thrower　squinted　and　smiled。　〃In　other　words；　Brother　Armor；　you're　the　government。〃
　　〃Let's　just　say　that　if　there　es　a　time　when　a　government　would　e　in　handy；　I'll　be　ready　to　serve；〃　said　Armor。　〃And　in　two　years；　three　years；　when　more　folks　e　through；　and　some　more　start　making　things；　like　bricks　and　pots　and　blackware；　cabinets　and　kegs；　beer　and　cheese　and　fodder；　well；　where　do　you　think　they'll　e　to　sell　it　or　to　buy？　To　the　store　that　gave　them　credit　when　their　wives　were　longing　for　the　cloth　to　make　a　bright…colored　dress；　or　they　needed　an　iron　pot　or　a　stove　to　keep　out　the　winter　cold。〃
　　Philadelphia　Thrower　chose　not　to　mention　that　he　had　somewhat　less　confidence　in　the　likelihood　of　grateful　people　staying　loyal　to　Armor…of…God　Weaver。　Besides；　thought　Thrower；　I　might　be　wrong。　Didn't　the　Savior　say　that　we　should　cast　our　bread　upon　the　waters？　And　even　if　Armor　doesn't　achieve　all　he　dreams　of；　he　will　have　done　a　good　work；　and　helped　to　open　this　land　to　civilization。
　　The　food　was　ready。　Eleanor　dished　out　the　stew。　When　she　set　a　fine　white　bowl　in　front　of　him；　Reverend　Thrower　had　to　smile。　〃You　must　be　right　proud　of　your　husband；　and　all　that's　he's　doing。〃
　　Instead　of　smiling　demurely；　as　Thrower　expected　that　she　would；　Eleanor　almost　laughed　aloud。　Armor…of…God　wasn't　half　so　delicate。　He　just　plain　guffawed。　〃Reverend　Thrower；　you're　a　caution；〃　said　Armor。　〃When　I'm　up　to　my　elbows　in　candle　tallow；　Eleanor's　up　to　hers　in　soap。　When　I'm　writing　up　folks'　letters　and　having　them　delivered；　Eleanoes　drawing　up　maps　and　taking　down　names　for　our　little　census　book。　There　ain't　a　thing　I　do　that　Eleanor　isn't　beside　me；　and　not　a　thing　she　does　that　I'm　not　beside　her。　Except　maybe　her　herb　garden；　which　she　cares　for　more　than　me。　And　Bible　reading；　which　I　care　for　more　than　her。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　good　she's　a　righteous　helpmeet　for　her　husband；〃　said　Reverend　Thrower。
　　〃We're　helpmeets　for　each　other；〃　said　Armor…of…God；　〃and　don't　you　forget　it。〃
　　He　said　it　with　a　smile；　and　Thrower　smiled　back；　but　the　minister　was　a　little　disappointed　that　Armor　was　so　henpecked　that　he　had　to　admit　right　out　in　the　open　that　he　wasn't　in　charge　of　his　own　business　or　his　own　home。　But　what　could　one　expect；　considering　that　Eleanor　had　grown　up　in　that　strange　Miller　family？　The　oldest　daughter　of　Alvin　and　Faith　Miller　could　hardly　be　expected　to　bend　to　her　husband　as　the　Lord　intended。
　　The　venison；　however；　was　the　best　that　Thrower　had　ever　tasted。　〃Not　gamy　a　bit；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　think　wild　deer　could　taste　like　this。〃
　　〃She　cuts　off　the　fat；〃　said　Armor；　〃and　throws　in　some　chicken。〃
　　〃Now　you　mention　it；〃　said　Thrower；　〃I　can　taste　it　in　the　broth。〃
　　〃And　the　deer　fat　goes　into　the　soap；〃　said　Armor。　〃We　never　throw　anything　away；　if　we　can　think　of　any　use　for　it。〃
　　〃Just　as　the　Lord　intended；〃　said　Thrower。　Then　he　fell　to　eating。　He　was　well　into　his　second　bowl　of　stew　and　his　third　slice　of　bread　when　he　made　a　ment　that　he　thought　was　a　jesting　pliment。　〃Mrs。　Weaver；　your　cooking　is　so　good　that　it　almost　makes　me　believe　in　sorcery。〃
　　Thrower　was　expecting　a　chuckle；　at　the　most。　Instead；　Eleanor　looked　down　at　the　table　just　as　ashamed　as　if　he　had　accused　her　of　adultery。　And　Armor…of…God　sat　up　stiff　and　straight。　〃I'll　thank　you　not　to　mention　that　subject　in　this　house；〃　he　said。
　　Reverend　Thrower　tried　to　apologize。　〃I　wasn't　serious　about　it；〃　he　said。　〃Among　rational　Christians　that　sort　of　thing　is　a　joke；　isn't　it？　A　lot　of　superstition；　and　I〃
　　Eleanor　got　up　from　the　table　and　left　the　room。
　　〃What　did　I　say？〃　Thrower　asked。
　　Armor　sighed。　〃Oh；　there's　no　way　you　could　know；〃　he　said。　〃It's　a　quarrel　that　goes　back　to　before　we　were　married；　when　I　first　e　out　to　this　land。　I　met　her　when　she　came　with　her　brothers　to　help　build　my　first　cabin　　the　soapmaking　shed；　now。　She　started　to　scatter　spearmint　on　my　floor　and　say　some　kind　of　rhyme；　and　I　shouted　for　her　to　stop　it　and　get　out　of　my　house。　I　quoted　the　Bible；　where　it　says；　You　shall　not　suffer　a　witch　to　live。　It　made　for　a　right　testy　half　hour；　you　may　be　sure。〃
　　〃You　called　her　a　witch；　and　she　married　you？〃
　　〃We　had　a　few　conversations　in　between。〃
　　〃She　doesn't　believe　in　that　sort　of　thing　anymore；　does　she？〃
　　Armor　knitted　his　brows。　〃It　ain't　a　matter　of　believing；　it's　a　matter　of　doing；　Reverend。　She　doesn't　do　it　anymore。　Not　here；　not　anywhere。　And　when　you　sort　of　halfway　accused　her　of　it；　well；　it　made　her　upset。　Because　it's　a　promise　to　me；　you　see。〃
　　〃But　when　I　apologized；　why　did　she〃
　　〃Well；　there　you　are。　You　have　your　way　of　thinking；　but　you　can't　tell　her　that　e…hithers　and　herbs　and　incantations　got　no　power；　because　she's　seen　some　things　herself　that　you　can't　just　explain　away。〃
　　〃Surely　a　man　like　you；　well　read　in　the　scripture　and　acquainted　with　the　world；　surely　you　can　convince　your　wife　to　give　up　the　superstitions　of　her　childhood。〃
　　Armor　gently　laid　his　hand　on　Reverend　Thrower's　wrist。　〃Reverend；　I　got　to　tell　you　something　that　I　didn't　think　I'd　ever　have　to　tell　a　grown　man。　A　good　Christian　refuses　to　allow　that　stuff　in　his　life　because　the　only　proper　way　to　bring　the　hidden　powers　into　your　life　is　through　prayer　and　the　grace　of　the　Lord　Jesus。　It　ain't　because　it　doesn't　work。〃
　　〃But　it　doesn't；〃　said　Thrower。　〃The　powers　of　heaven　are　real；　and　the　visions　and　visitations　of　angels；　and　all　the　miracl