osc.am1.seventhson-第3部分

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　　Their　horses　were　champing　in　the　stable；　snorting　and　warning　each　other　about　the　storm。　In　every　group　of　horses；　little　Peggy　figgered；　there　must　be　one　that's　remarkable　dumb；　so　all　the　others　have　to　tell　him　what　all's　going　on。　Bad　storm；　they　were　saying。　We're　going　to　get　a　soaking；　if　the　lightning　don't　smack　us　first。　And　the　dumb　one　kept　nickering　and　saying；　What's　that　noise；　what's　that　noise？
　　Then　the　sky　just　opened　right　up　and　dumped　water　on　the　earth。　Stripped　leaves　right　off　the　trees；　it　came　down　so　hard。　Came　down　so　thick；　too；　that　little　Peggy　couldn't　even　see　the　smithy　for　a　minute　and　she　thought　maybe　it　got　washed　right　away　into　the　stream。　Oldpappy　told　her　how　that　stream　led　right　down　to　the　Hatrack　River；　and　the　Hatrack　poured　right　into　the　Hio；　and　the　Hio　shoved　itself　on　through　the　woods　to　the　Mizzipy；　which　went　on　down　into　the　sea；　and　Oldpappy　said　how　the　sea　drank　so　much　water　that　it　got　indigestion　and　gave　off　the　biggest　old　belches　you　ever　heard；　and　what　came　up　was　clouds。　Belches　from　the　sea；　and　now　the　smithy　would　float　all　that　way；　get　swallered　up　and　belched　out；　and　someday　she'd　just　be　minding　her　own　business　and　some　cloud　would　break　up　and　plop　that　smithy　down　as　neat　as　you　please；　old　Makepeace　Smith　still　ching　ching　chinging　away。
　　Then　the　rain　stacked　off　a　mite　and　she　looked　down　to　see　the　smithy　still　there。　But　that　wasn't　what　she　saw　at　all。　No；　what　she　saw　was　sparks　of　fire　way　off　in　the　forest；　downstream　toward　the　Hatrack；　down　where　the　ford　was；　only　there　wasn't　a　chance　of　taking　the　ford　today；　with　this　rain。　Sparks；　lots　of　sparks；　and　she　knew　every　one　of　them　was　folks。　She　didn't　hardly　think　of　doing　it　anymore；　she　only　had　to　see　their　heartfires　and　she　was　looking　close。　Maybe　future；　maybe　past；　all　the　visions　lived　together　in　the　heartfire。
　　What　she　saw　right　now　was　the　same　in　all　their　hearts。　A　wagon　in　the　middle　of　the　Hatrack；　with　the　water　rising　and　everything　they　owned　in　all　the　world　in　that　wagon。
　　Little　Peggy　didn't　talk　much；　but　everybody　knew　she　was　a　torch；　so　they　listened　whenever　she　spoke　up　about　trouble。　Specially　this　kind　of　trouble。　Sure　the　settlements　in　these　parts　were　pretty　old　now；　a　fair　bit　older　than　little　Peggy　herself；　but　they　hadn't　forgotten　yet　that　anybody's　wagon　caught　in　a　flood　is　everybody's　loss。
　　She　fair　to　flew　down　that　grassy　hill；　jumping　gopher　holes　and　sliding　the　steep　places；　so　it　wasn't　twenty　seconds　from　seeing　those　far…off　heartfires　till　she　was　speaking　right　up　in　the　smithy's　shop。　That　farmer　from　West　Fork　at　first　wanted　to　make　her　wait　till　he　was　done　with　telling　stories　about　worse　storms　he'd　seen。　But　Makepeace　knew　all　about　little　Peggy。　He　just　listened　right　up　and　then　told　those　boys　to　saddle　them　horses；　shoes　or　no　shoes；　there　was　folks　caught　in　the　Hatrack　ford　and　there　was　no　time　for　foolishness。　Little　Peggy　didn't　even　get　a　chance　to　see　them　go　　Makepeace　already　sent　her　off　to　the　big　house　to　fetch　her　father　and　all　the　hands　and　visitors　there。　Wasn't　a　one　of　them　who　hadn't　once　put　all　they　owned　in　the　world　into　a　wagon　and　dragged　it　west　across　the　mountain　roads　and　down　into　this　forest。　Wasn't　a　one　of　them　who　hadn't　felt　a　river　sucking　at　that　wagon；　wanting　to　steal　it　away。　They　all　got　right　to　it。　That's　the　way　it　was　then；　you　see。　Folks　noticed　other　people's　trouble　every　bit　as　quick　as　if　it　was　their　own。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　Four　　Hatrack　River
　　
　　Vigor　led　the　boys　in　trying　to　push　the　wagon；　while　Eleanor　hawed　the　horses。　Alvin　Miller　spent　his　time　carrying　the　little　girls　one　by　one　to　safety　on　the　far　shore。　The　current　was　a　devil　clawing　at　him；　whispering；　I'll　have　your　babies；　I'll　have　them　all；　but　Alvin　said　no；　with　every　muscle　in　his　body　as　he　strained　shoreward　he　said　no　to　that　whisper；　till　his　girls　stood　all　bedraggled　on　the　bank　with　rain　streaming　down　their　faces　like　the　tears　from　all　the　grief　in　the　world。
　　He　would　have　carried　Faith；　too；　baby　in　her　belly　and　all；　but　she　wouldn't　budge。　Just　sat　inside　that　wagon；　bracing　herself　against　the　trunks　and　furniture　as　the　wagon　tipped　and　rocked。　Lightning　crashed　and　branches　broke；　one　of　them　tore　the　canvas　and　the　water　poured　into　the　wagon　but　Faith　held　on　with　white　knuckles　and　her　eyes　staring　out。　Alvin　knew　from　her　eyes　there　wasn't　a　thing　he　could　say　to　make　her　let　go。　There　was　only　one　way　to　get　Faith　and　her　unborn　baby　out　of　that　river；　and　that　was　to　get　the　wagon　out。
　　〃Horses　can't　get　no　purchase；　Papa；〃　Vigor　shouted。　〃They're　just　stumbling　and　bound　to　break　a　leg。〃
　　〃Well　we　can't　pull　out　without　the　horses！〃
　　〃The　horses　are　something；　Papa。　We　leave　'em　in　here　and　we'll　lose　wagon　and　horses　too！〃
　　〃Your　mama　won't　leave　that　wagon。〃
　　He　saw　understanding　in　Vigor's　eyes。　The　things　in　the　wagon　weren't　worth　a　risk　of　death　to　save　them。　But　Mama　was。
　　〃Still；〃　Vigor　said。　〃On　shore　the　team　could　pull　strong。　Here　in　the　water　they　can't　do　a　thing。〃
　　〃Set　the　boys　to　unhitching　them。　But　first　tie　a　line　to　a　tree　to　hold　that　wagon！〃
　　It　wasn't　two　minutes　before　the　twins　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　were　on　the　shore　making　the　rope　fast　to　a　stout　tree。　David　and　Measure　made　another　line　fast　to　the　rig　that　held　the　horses；　while　Calm　cut　the　strands　that　held　them　to　the　wagon。　Good　boys；　doing　their　work　just　right；　Vigor　shouting　directions　while　Alvin　could　only　watch；　helpless　at　the　back　of　the　wagon；　looking　now　at　Faith　who　was　trying　not　to　have　the　baby；　now　at　the　Hatrack　River　that　was　trying　to　push　them　all　down　to　hell。
　　Not　much　of　a　river；　Vigor　had　said；　but　then　the　clouds　came　up　and　the　rain　came　down　and　the　Hatrack　became　something　after　all。　Even　so　it　looked　passable　when　they　got　to　it。　The　horses　strode　in　strong；　and　Alvin　was　just　saying　to　Calm；　who　had　the　reins；　〃Well；　we　made　it　not　a　minute　to　spare；〃　when　the　river　went　insane。　It　doubled　in　speed　and　strength　all　in　a　moment；　and　the　horses　got　panicky　and　lost　direction　and　started　pulling　against　each　other。　The　boys　all　hopped　into　the　river　and　tried　to　lead　them　to　shore　but　by　then　the　wagon's　momentum　had　been　lost　and　the　wheels　were　mired　up　and　stuck　fast。　Almost　as　if　the　river　knew　they　were　ing　and　saved　up　its　worst　fury　till　they　were　already　in　it　and　couldn't　get　away。
　　〃Look　out！　Look　out！〃　screamed　Measure　from　the　shore。
　　Alvin　looked　upstream　to　see　what　devilment　the　river　had　in　mind；　and　there　was　a　whole　tree　floating　down　the　river；　endwise　like　a　battering　ram；　the　root　end　pointed　at　the　center　of　the　wagon；　straight　at　the　place　where　Faith　was　sitting；　her　baby　on　the　verge　of　birth。　Alvin　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do；　couldn't　think　at　all；　just　screamed　his　wife's　name　with　all　his　strength。　Maybe　in　his　heart　he　thought　that　by　holding　her　name　on　his　lips　he　could　keep　her　alive；　but　there　was　no　hope　of　that；　no　hope　at　all。
　　Except　that　Vigor　didn't　know　there　was　no　hope。　Vigor　leapt　out　when　the　tree　was　no　more　than　a　rod　away；　his　body　failing　against　it　just　above　the　root。　The　momentum　of　his　leap　turned　it　a　little；　then　rolled　it　over；　rolled　it　and　turned　it　away　from　the　wagon。　Of　course　Vigor　rolled　with　it；　pulled　right　under　the　water　　but　it　worked；　the　root　end　of　the　tree　missed　the　wagon　entirely；　and　the　shaft　of　the　trunk　struck　it　a　sidewise　blow。
　　The　tree　bounded　across　the　stream　and　smashed　up　against　a　boulder　on　the　bank。　Alvin　was　five　rods　off；　but　in　his　memory　from　then　on；　he　always　saw　it　like　as　if　he'd　been　right　there。　The　tree　crashing　into　the　boulder；　and　Vigor　between　them。　Just　a　split　second　that　lasted　a　lifetime；　Vigor's　eyes　wide　with　surprise；　blood　already　leaping　out　of　his　mouth；　spattering　out　onto　the　tree　that　killed　him。　Then　the　Hatrack　River　swept　the　tree　out　into　the　current。　Vigor　slipped　under　the　water；　all　except　his　arm；　all　tangled　in　the　roots；　which　stuck　up　into　the　air　for　all　the　world　like　a　neighbor　waving　good…bye　after　a　visit。
　　Alvin　was　so　intent　on　watching　his　dying　son　that　he　didn't　even　notice　what　was　happening　to　his　own　self。　The　blow　from　the　tree　was　enough　to　dislodge　the　mired　wheels；　and　the　current　picked　up　the　wagon；　carried　it　downstream；　Alvin　clinging　to　the　tailgate；　Faith　weeping　inside；　Eleanor　screaming　her　lungs　out　from　the　driver's　seat；　and　the　boys　on　the　bank　shouting　something。　Shouting；　〃Hold！　Hold！　Hold！〃
　　The　rope　held；　one　end　tied　to　a　strong　tree；　the　other　end　tied　to　the　wagon；　it　held。　The　river　couldn't　tumble　the　wagon　downstream；　instead　it　swung　the　wagon　in　to　shore　the　way　a　boy　swings　a　rock　on　a　string；　and　when　it　came　to　a　shuddering　stop　it　was　right　against　the　bank；　the　front　end　facing　upstream。
　　〃It　held！〃　cried　the　boys。
　　〃Thank　God！〃　shouted　Eleanor。
　　〃The　baby's　ing；〃　whispered　Faith。
　　But　Alvin；　all　he　could　hear　was　the　single　faint　cry　that　had　been　the　last　sound　from　the　throat　of　his　firstborn　son；　all　he　could　see　was　the　way　his　boy　clung　to　the　tree　as　it　rolled　and　rolled　in　the　water；　and　all　he　could　say　was　a　single　word；　a　single　mand。　〃Live；〃　he　murmured。　Vigor　had　always　obeyed　him　before。　Hard　worker；　willing　panion；　more　a　friend　or　brother　than　a　son。　But　this　time　he　knew　his　son　would　disobey。　Still　he　whispered　it。　〃Live。〃
　　〃Are　we　safe？〃　said　Faith；　her　voice　trembling。
　　Alvin　turned　to　face　her；　tried　to　strike　the　grief　from　his　face。　No　sense　her　knowing　the　price　that　Vigor　paid　to　save　her　and　the　baby。　Time　enough　to　learn　of　that　after　the　baby　was　born。　〃Can　you　climb　out　of　the　wagon？〃
　　〃What's　wrong？〃　asked　Faith；　looking　at　his　face。
　　〃I　took　a　fright。　Tree　could　have　killed　us。　Can　you　climb　out；　now　that　we're　up　against　the　bank？〃
　　Eleanor　leaned　in　from　the　front　of　the　wagon。　〃David　and　Calm　are　on　the　bank；　they　can　help　you　up。　The　rope's　holding；　Mama；　but　who　can　say　how　long？〃
　　〃Go　on；　Mother；　just　a　step；〃　said　Alvin。　〃We'll　do　better　with　the　wagon　if　we　know　you're　safe　on　shore。〃
　　〃The　baby's　ing；〃　said　Faith。
　　〃Bette