osc.am1.seventhson-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　While　they　said　this；　Alvin　wormed　his　way　in　front　of　them；　to　stare　at　Old　Ben's　handwriting。　It　looked　no　different　from　other　men's　writing。　Alvin　felt　a　little　disappointed；　though　he　couldn't　have　said　what　he　expected。　Should　the　letters　be　made　of　gold？　Of　course　not。　There　was　no　reason　why　a　great　man's　words　should　look　any　different　on　a　page　than　the　words　of　a　fool。
　　Still；　he　couldn't　rid　himself　of　frustration　that　the　words　were　so　plain。　He　reached　out　and　turned　the　page；　turned　many　pages；　riffling　them　with　his　fingers。　The　words　were　all　the　same。　Grey　ink　on　yellowing　paper。
　　A　flash　of　light　came　from　the　book；　blinding　him　for　a　moment。
　　〃Don't　play　with　the　pages　like　that；〃　said　Papa。　〃You'll　tear　one。〃
　　Alvin　turned　around　to　took　at　Taleswapper。　〃What's　the　page　with　light　on　it？〃　he　asked。　〃What　does　it　say　there？〃
　　〃Light？〃　asked　Taleswapper。
　　Then　Alvin　knew　that　he　alone　had　seen　it。
　　〃Find　the　page　yourself；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃He'll　just　tear　it；〃　said　Papa。
　　〃He'll　be　careful；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　But　Papa　sounded　angry。　〃I　said　stand　away　from　that　book；　Alvin　Junior。〃
　　Alvin　started　to　obey；　but　felt　Taleswapper's　hand　on　his　shoulder。　Taleswapper's　voice　was　quiet；　and　Alvin　felt　the　old　man's　fingers　moving　in　a　sign　of　warding。　〃The　boy　saw　something　in　the　book；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃and　I　want　him　to　find　it　again　for　me。〃
　　And；　to　Alvin's　surprise；　Papa　backed　down。　〃If　you　don't　mind　getting　your　book　ripped　up　by　that　careless　lazy　boy；〃　he　murmured；　then　fell　silent。
　　Alvin　turned　to　the　book　and　carefully　thumbed　the　pages；　one　at　a　time。　Finally　one　fell　into　place；　and　from　it　came　a　light；　which　at　first　dazzled　him；　but　gradually　subsided　until　it　came　only　from　a　single　sentence；　whose　letters　were　on　fire。
　　〃Do　you　see　them　burning？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃No；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃But　I　smell　the　smoke　of　it。　Touch　the　words　that　burn　for　you。〃
　　Alvin　reached　out　and　gingerly　touched　the　beginning　of　the　sentence。　The　flame；　to　his　surprise；　was　not　hot；　though　it　did　warm　him。　It　warmed　him　through　to　the　bone。　He　shuddered　as　the　last　cold　of　autumn　fled　from　his　body。　He　smiled；　he　was　so　bright　inside。　But　almost　as　soon　as　he　touched　it；　the　flame　collapsed；　cooled；　was　gone。
　　〃What　does　it　say？〃　asked　Mama。　She　was　standing　now　across　the　table　from　them。　She　wasn't　such　a　good　reader；　and　the　words　were　upside　down　to　her。
　　Taleswapper　read。　〃A　Maker　is　born。〃
　　〃There　hasn't　been　a　Maker；〃　said　Mama；　〃since　the　one　who　changed　the　water　into　wine。〃
　　〃Maybe　not；　but　that's　what　she　wrote；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃Who　wrote？〃　demanded　Mama。
　　〃A　slip　of　a　girl。　About　five　years　ago。〃
　　〃What　was　the　story　that　went　with　her　sentence？〃　asked　Alvin　Junior。
　　Taleswapper　shook　his　head。
　　〃You　said　you　never　let　people　write　unless　you　knew　their　story。〃
　　〃She　wrote　it　when　I　wasn't　looking；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　didn't　see　it　till　the　next　place　I　stopped。〃
　　〃Then　how　did　you　know　it　was　her？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　〃It　was　her；〃　he　answered。　〃She　was　the　only　one　there　who　could　have　opened　the　hex　I　kept　on　the　book　in　those　days。〃
　　〃So　you　don't　know　what　it　means？　You　can't　even　tell　me　why　I　saw　those　letters　burning？〃
　　Taleswapper　shook　his　head。　〃She　was　an　innkeeper's　daughter；　if　I　remember　rightly。　She　spoke　very　little；　and　when　she　did；　what　she　said　was　always　strictly　truthful。　Never　a　lie；　even　to　be　kind。　She　was　considered　to　be　something　of　a　shrew。　But　as　the　proverb　says；　If　you　always　speak　your　mind；　the　evil　man　will　avoid　you。　Or　something　like　that。〃
　　〃Her　name？〃　asked　Mama。　Alvin　looked　up　in　surprise。　Mama　hadn't　seen　the　glowing　letters；　so　why　did　she　look　so　powerful　eager　to　know　about　who　wrote　them？
　　〃Sorry；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃I　don't　remember　her　name　right　now。　And　if　I　remembered　her　name；　I　wouldn't　tell　it；　nor　will　I　tell　whether　I　know　the　place　where　she　lived。　I　don't　want　people　seeking　her　out；　troubling　her　for　answers　that　she　may　not　want　to　give。　But　I　will　say　this。　She　was　a　torch；　and　saw　with　true　eyes。　So　if　she　wrote　that　a　Maker　was　born；　I　believe　it；　and　that's　why　I　let　her　words　stay　in　the　book。〃
　　〃I　want　to　know　her　story　someday；〃　said　Alvin。　〃I　want　to　know　why　the　letters　were　so　bright。〃
　　He　looked　up　and　saw　Mama　and　Taleswapper　looking　steadily　into　each　other's　eyes。
　　And　then；　around　the　fringes　of　his　own　vision；　where　he　could　almost　but　not　quite　see　it；　he　sensed　the　Unmaker；　trembling；　invisible；　waiting　to　shiver　the　world　apart。　Without　even　thinking　about　it；　Alvin　pulled　the　front　of　his　shirt　out　of　his　pants　and　knotted　the　corners　together。　The　Unmaker　wavered；　then　retreated　out　of　sight。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　Eleven　　Millstone
　　
　　Taleswapper　woke　up　to　somebody　shaking　him。　Still　full　dark　outside；　but　it　was　time　to　be　moving。　He　sat；　flexed　himself　a　little；　and　took　some　pleasure　in　how　few　knots　and　pains　he　had　these　days；　sleeping　on　a　soft　bed。　I　could　get　used　to　this；　he　thought。　I　could　enjoy　living　here。
　　The　bacon　was　so　fat　he　could　hear　it　sizzling　clear　from　the　kitchen。　He　was　just　about　to　pull　his　boots　on　when　Mary　knocked　at　the　door。　〃I'm　presentable；　more　or　less；〃　he　said。
　　She　came　in；　holding　out　two　pair　of　long　thick　stockings。　〃I　knotted　them　myself；〃　she　said。
　　〃I　couldn't　buy　socks　this　thick　in　Philadelphia。〃
　　〃Winter　gets　right　cold　here　in　the　Wobbish　country；　and〃　She　didn't　finish。　Got　too　shy；　ducked　her　head；　and　scampered　out　of　the　room。
　　Taleswapper　pulled　on　the　stockings；　and　his　boots　over　them；　and　grinned。　He　didn't　feel　bad　about　accepting　a　few　things　like　this。　He　worked　as　hard　as　anybody；　and　he'd　done　a　lot　to　help　ready　this　farm　for　winter。　He　was　a　good　roof　man　　he　liked　climbing　and　didn't　get　dizzy。　So　his　own　hands　had　made　sure　the　house　and　barns　and　coops　and　sheds　all　were　tight　and　dry。
　　And；　without　anybody　ever　deciding　to　do　it；　he　had　prepared　the　millhouse　to　receive　a　millstone。　He　had　personally　loaded　all　the　hay　from　the　mill　floor；　five　wagons　full。　The　twins；　who　really　hadn't　got　their　two　farms　going　yet；　since　they　married　only　that　summer；　did　the　unloading　up　in　the　big　barn。　It　was　all　done　without　Miller　himself　ever　touching　a　pitchfork。　Taleswapper　saw　to　that；　without　making　a　fuss　over　it；　and　Miller　never　insisted。
　　Other　things；　though；　weren't　going　so　well。　Ta…Kumsaw　and　his　Shaw…Nee　Reds　were　driving　off　so　many　folks　from　down　Carthage　way　that　everybody　had　the　jitters。　It　was　fine　for　the　Prophet　to　have　his　big　town　of　thousands　of　Reds　across　the　river；　all　talking　about　how　they'd　never　again　raise　their　hands　in　war　for　any　reason。　But　there　were　a　lot　of　Reds　who　felt　the　way　Ta…Kumsaw　did；　that　the　White　man　ought　to　be　forced　to　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic　and　floated　back　to　Europe；　with　or　without　boats。　There　was　war　talk；　and　word　was　that　Bill　Harrison　down　in　Carthage　was　only　too　happy　to　fan　that　particular　flame；　not　to　mention　the　French　in　Detroit；　always　urging　the　Reds　to　attack　the　American　settlers　in　land　the　French　claimed　was　part　of　Canada。
　　Folks　in　the　town　of　Vigor　Church　talked　about　this　all　the　time；　but　Taleswapper　knew　that　Miller　didn't　take　it　all　that　seriously。　He　thought　of　Reds　as　country　clowns　that　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　guzzle　such　whisky　as　they　could　find。　Taleswapper　had　seen　that　attitude　before；　but　only　in　New　England。　Yankees　never　seemed　to　realize　that　New　England　Reds　with　any　gumption　had　long　since　moved　to　the　state　of　Irrakwa。　It　would　surely　open　Yankee　eyes　to　see　that　the　Irrakwa　were　working　heavily　with　steam　engines　brought　straight　from　England；　and　up　in　the　Finger　Lakes　country　a　White　named　Eli　Whitney　was　helping　them　make　a　factory　that　could　turn　out　guns　about　twenty　times　faster　than　it　had　ever　been　done　before。　Someday　those　Yankees　were　going　to　wake　up　and　find　out　that　the　Reds　weren't　all　likker…mad；　and　some　White　folks　were　going　to　have　to　scramble　fast　to　catch　up。
　　In　the　meantime；　though；　Miller　didn't　take　the　war　talk　very　seriously。　〃Everybody　knows　there's　Reds　in　the　woods。　Can't　stop　them　from　skulking　around；　but　I　haven't　missed　any　chickens　so　it's　no　problem　yet。〃
　　〃More　bacon？〃　asked　Miller。　He　shoved　the　bacon　board　across　the　table　toward　Taleswapper。
　　〃I'm　not　used　to　eating　so　much　in　the　morning；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Since　I've　been　here　I've　had　more　food　at　every　meal　than　I　used　to　eat　in　a　whole　day。〃
　　〃Put　some　meat　on　your　bones；〃　said　Faith。　She　slapped　down　a　couple　of　hot　scones　with　honey　smeared　on　them。
　　〃I　can't　eat　another　bite；〃　protested　Taleswapper。
　　The　scones　slid　right　off　Taleswapper's　plate。　〃Got　em；〃　said　Al　Junior。
　　〃Don't　reach　across　the　table　like　that；〃　said　Miller。　〃And　you　can't　eat　both　those　scones。〃
　　Al　Junior　proved　his　father　wrong　in　an　alarmingly　short　time。　Then　they　washed　the　honey　off　their　hands；　put　on　their　gloves；　and　went　out　to　the　wagon。　The　first　light　was　just　showing　in　the　east　as　David　and　Calm；　who　lived　townward　from　the　farm；　rode　up。　Al　Junior　climbed　in　the　back　of　the　wagon；　along　with　all　the　tools　and　ropes　and　tents　and　supplies　　it　would　be　a　few　days　before　they　came　back。
　　〃So　　do　we　wait　for　the　twins　and　Measure？〃　asked　Taleswapper。
　　Miller　swung　up　onto　the　wagon　seat。　〃Measure's　on　ahead；　felling　trees　for　the　sledge。　And　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　are　staying　back　here；　riding　circuit　from　house　to　house。〃　He　grinned。　〃Can't　leave　the　womenfolk　unprotected；　with　all　the　talk　of　wild　Reds　prowling　around；　can　we？〃
　　Taleswapper　grinned　back。　Good　to　know　that　Miller　wasn't　as　placent　as　he　seemed。
　　It　was　a　good　long　way　up　to　the　quarry。　On　the　road　they　passed　the　ruins　of　a　wagon　with　a　split　millstone　right　in　the　middle　of　it。　〃That　was　our　first　try；〃　said　Miller。　〃But　an　axle　dried　out　and　jammed　up　ing　down　this　steep　hill；　and　the　whole　wagon　fell　in　under　the　weight　of　the　stone。〃
　　They　came　near　a　good…sized　stream；　and　Miller　told　about　how　they　had　tried　to　float　two　millstones　down　on　a　raft；　but　both　times　the　raft　just　up　and　sa