osc.am1.seventhson-第31部分

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r　and　Taleswapper　watched　as　Al　Junior　finally　carried　his　hammer　to　the　cliff　face。　He　had　a　little　more　cutting　to　do；　to　get　the　circle　to　its　full　depth　all　around。
　　To　Taleswapper's　surprise；　when　Al　Junior　set　the　chisel　in　place　and　gave　a　whang　with　the　hammer；　a　whole　section　of　stone；　some　six　inches　long；　split　away　from　the　cliff　face　and　crumbled　to　the　ground。
　　〃Why；　that　stone's　as　soft　as　coal；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃What　kind　of　millstone　can　it　make；　if　it's　as　weak　as　that？〃
　　Miller　grinned　and　shook　his　head。
　　Al　Junior　stepped　away　from　the　stone。　〃Oh；　Taleswapper；　it's　hard　stone；　unless　you　know　just　the　right　place　to　crack　it。　Give　it　a　try；　you'll　see。〃
　　He　held　out　the　chisel　and　hammer。　Taleswapper　took　them　and　approached　the　rock。　Carefully　he　laid　the　chisel　onto　the　stone；　a　slight　angle　away　from　perpendicular。　Then；　after　a　few　trial　taps；　he　laid　on　a　blow　with　the　hammer。
　　The　chisel　practically　jumped　out　of　his　left　hand；　and　the　shock　of　impact　was　so　great　that　he　dropped　the　hammer。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said；　〃I've　done　this　before；　but　I　must　have　lost　the　skill〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　just　the　stone；〃　said　Al　Junior。　〃It's　kind　of　temperamental。　It　only　likes　to　give　in　certain　directions。〃
　　Taleswapper　inspected　the　place　where　he　had　tried　to　cut。　He　couldn't　find　the　spot。　His　mighty　blow　had　left　no　mark　at　all。
　　Al　Junior　picked　up　the　tools　and　laid　the　chisel　against　the　stone。　It　looked　to　Taleswapper　as　though　he　put　it　in　exactly　the　same　place。　But　Al　acted　as　though　he　had　placed　it　quite　differently。　〃See；　it's　getting　just　the　angle　on　it。　Like　this。〃
　　He　whanged　with　the　hammer；　the　iron　rang　out；　there　was　a　cracking　of　stone；　and　once　again　crumbled　stone　pattered　on　the　ground。
　　〃I　can　see　why　you　have　him　do　all　the　cutting；〃　Taleswapper　said。
　　〃Seems　like　the　best　way；〃　said　Miller。
　　In　only　a　few　minutes；　the　stone　was　fully　rounded。　Taleswapper　said　nothing；　just　watched　to　see　what　Al　would　do。
　　He　set　down　his　tools；　walked　to　the　millstone；　and　embraced　it。　His　right　hand　curled　around　the　lip　of　it。　His　left　hand　probed　back　into　the　cut　on　the　other　side。　Alvin's　cheek　pressed　against　the　stone。　His　eyes　were　closed。　It　looked　for　all　the　world　as　though　he　were　listening　to　the　rock。
　　He　began　to　hum　softly。　A　mindless　little　tune。　He　moved　his　hands。　Shifted　his　position。　Listened　with　the　other　ear。
　　〃Well；〃　Alvin　said；　〃I　can't　hardly　believe　it。〃
　　〃Believe　what？〃　asked　his　father。
　　〃Those　last　few　cuts　must　have　set　up　a　real　shiver　in　the　rock。　The　back　is　already　split　right　off。〃
　　〃You　mean　that　millstone　is　standing　free？〃　asked　Taleswapper。
　　〃I　think　we　can　rock　it　forward　now；〃　said　Alvin。　〃It　takes　a　little　rope　work；　but　we'll　get　it　out　of　there　without　too　much　trouble。〃
　　The　brothers　arrived　with　the　ropes　and　horses。　Alvin　passed　a　rope　back　behind　the　stone。　Even　though　not　a　single　cut　had　been　made　against　the　back；　the　rope　dropped　easily　into　place。　Then　another　rope；　and　another；　and　soon　they　were　all　tugging；　first　left；　then　right；　as　they　slowly　walked　the　heavy　stone　out　of　its　bed　in　the　cliff　face。
　　〃If　I　hadn't　seen　it；〃　murmured　Taleswapper。
　　〃But　you　did；〃　said　Miller。
　　It　was　only　a　few　inches　clear　when　they　changed　the　ropes；　passing　four　lines　through　the　center　hole　and　hitching　them　to　a　team　of　horses　uphill　of　the　stone。　〃It'll　roll　on　downhill　just　fine；〃　Miller　explained　to　Taleswapper。　〃The　horses　are　there　as　a　drag；　pulling　against　it。〃
　　〃It　looks　heavy。〃
　　〃Just　don't　lie　down　in　front　of　it；〃　said　Miller。
　　They　started　it　rolling；　very　gently。　Miller　took　hold　of　Alvin's　shoulder　and　kept　the　boy　well　back　from　the　stone　　and　uphill　of　it；　too。　Taleswapper　helped　with　the　horses；　so　he　didn't　get　a　good　look　at　the　back　surface　of　the　stone　until　it　was　down　on　level　ground　by　the　sledge。
　　It　was　smooth　as　a　baby's　backside。　Flat　as　ice　in　a　basin。　Except　that　it　was　scored　in　a　quarter　dress　pattern；　straight　lines　radiating　from　the　lip　of　the　center　hole　to　the　edge　of　the　stone。
　　Alvin　came　up　to　stand　beside　him。　〃Did　I　do　it　right？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃It　was　the　luckiest　thing；〃　said　the　boy。　〃I　could　just　feel　that　stone　ready　to　split　right　along　those　lines。　It　just　wanted　to　split；　easy　as　you　please。〃
　　Taleswapper　reached　out　and　drew　his　finger　gently　along　the　edge　of　a　dress　cut。　It　stung。　He　brought　his　finger　to　his　mouth；　sucked；　and　tasted　blood。
　　〃Stone　holds　a　nice　sharp　edge；　don't　it？〃　said　Measure。　He　sounded　as　if　this　sort　of　thing　happened　every　day。　But　Taleswapper　could　see　the　awe　in　his　eyes。
　　〃Good　cut；〃　said　Calm。
　　〃Best　one　yet；〃　said　David。
　　Then；　with　horses　bracing　against　a　rapid　fall；　they　gently　tipped　it　to　lie　on　the　sledge；　dress　side　up。
　　〃Will　you　do　me　a　favor；　Taleswapper？〃　asked　Miller。
　　〃If　I　can。〃
　　〃Take　Alvin　back　home　with　you　now。　His　work's　done。〃
　　〃No；　Papa！〃　Alvin　shouted。　He　ran　over　to　his　father。　〃You　can't　make　me　go　home　now。〃
　　〃Don't　need　no　ten…year…old　boys　underfoot　while　we're　manhandling　a　stone　that　size；〃　said　his　father。
　　〃But　I've　got　to　watch　the　stone；　to　make　sure　it　don't　split　or　chip；　Pa！〃
　　The　older　sons　looked　at　their　father；　waiting。　Taleswapper　wondered　what　they　hoped　for。　They　were　too　old　now；　surely；　to　resent　their　father's　particular　love　for　his　seventh　son。　They　also　must　hope　to　keep　the　boy　safe　from　harm。　Yet　it　meant　much　to　all　of　them　that　the　stone　arrive　safely；　unbroken；　to　begin　its　service　in　the　mill。　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　young　Alvin　had　the　power　to　keep　it　whole。
　　〃You　can　ride　with　us　till　sundown；〃　Miller　finally　said。　〃By　then　we'll　be　close　enough　to　home　that　you　and　Taleswapper　can　head　back　and　spend　the　night　in　beds。〃
　　〃Fine　with　me；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　Alvin　Junior　plainly　wasn't　satisfied；　but　he　didn't　answer　back。
　　They　got　the　sledge　under　way　before　noon。　Two　horses　in　front　and　two　behind；　for　stopping；　were　hitched　to　the　stone　itself。　The　stone　rested　on　the　wooden　raft　of　the　sledge；　and　the　sledge　rode　atop　seven　or　eight　of　the　small　rollers　at　a　time。　The　sledge　moved　forward；　passing　over　new　rollers　waiting　in　front。　As　the　rollers　emerged　from　the　back；　one　of　the　boys　immediately　yanked　the　roller　out　from　under　the　ropes　hitched　to　the　trailing　team；　raced　to　the　front；　and　laid　it　in　place　directly　behind　the　lead　team。
　　It　meant　that　each　man　ran　about　five　miles　for　every　mile　the　stone　traveled。
　　Taleswapper　tried　to　take　his　turn；　but　David；　Calm；　and　Measure　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　He　ended　up　tending　the　trailing　team；　with　Alvin　perched　atop　one　of　the　horses。　Miller　drove　the　leading　team；　walking　backward　half　the　time　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　going　too　fast　for　the　boys　to　keep　up。
　　Hour　after　hour　they　went　on。　Miller　offered　to　let　them　stop　and　rest；　but　they　seemed　not　to　tire；　and　Taleswapper　was　amazed　to　see　how　the　rollers　held　up。　Not　a　one　split　on　a　rock　or　from　the　sheer　weight　of　the　stone。　They　got　scuffed　and　dented；　but　that　was　about　all。
　　And　as　the　sun　sank　to　about　two　fingers　above　the　horizon；　awash　in　the　ruddy　clouds　of　the　western　sky；　Taleswapper　recognized　the　meadow　opening　up　before　them。　They　had　made　the　whole　journey　in　a　single　afternoon。
　　〃I　think　I　got　the　strongest　brothers　in　the　whole　world；〃　Alvin　murmured。
　　I　have　no　doubt　of　it；　Taleswapper　said　silently。　You　who　can　cut　a　stone　from　the　mountain　without　hands；　because　you　〃find〃　the　right　fractures　in　the　rock；　it's　no　surprise　that　your　brothers　find　in　themselves　exactly　as　much　strength　as　you　believe　they　have。　Taleswapper　tried　again；　as　he　had　tried　so　many　times　before；　to　puzzle　out　the　nature　of　the　hidden　powers。　Surely　there　was　some　natural　law　that　governed　their　use　　Old　Ben　had　always　said　so。　And　yet　here　was　this　boy　who；　by　mere　belief　and　desire；　could　cut　stone　like　butter　and　give　strength　to　his　brothers。　There　was　a　theory　that　the　hidden　power　came　from　friendship　with　a　particular　element；　but　which　was　it　that　could　do　all　that　Alvin　did？　Earth？　Air？　Fire？　Certainly　not　water；　for　Taleswapper　knew　that　Miller's　stories　were　all　true。　Why　was　it　that　Alvin　Junior　could　wish　for　something；　and　the　earth　itself　would　bend　to　his　will；　while　others　could　long　for　things　and　never　cause　so　much　as　a　breeze　to　blow？
　　They　needed　lanterns　inside　the　millhouse　by　the　time　they　rolled　the　stone　through　the　doors。　〃Might　as　well　lay　it　in　place　tonight；〃　said　Miller。　Taleswapper　imagined　the　fears　that　ran　through　Miller's　mind。　If　he　left　the　stone　upright；　it　would　surely　roll　in　the　morning　and　crush　a　particular　child　as　he　innocently　carried　water　up　to　the　house。　Since　the　stone　had　miraculously　e　down　from　the　mountain　in　a　single　day；　it　would　be　foolish　to　leave　it　anywhere　but　in　its　proper　place；　on　the　foundation　of　rammed　earth　and　stone　in　the　millhouse。
　　They　brought　a　team　inside　and　hitched　it　to　the　stone；　as　they　had　when　they　lowered　it　on　the　sledge　back　by　the　quarry。　The　team　would　pull　against　the　weight　of　the　stone　as　they　levered　it　downward　onto　the　foundation。
　　At　the　moment；　though；　the　stone　was　resting　on　built…up　earth　just　outside　the　circle　of　foundation　stones。　Measure　and　Calm　were　working　their　lever　poles　under　the　outside　edge　of　the　stone；　ready　to　pry　it　up　and　make　it　fall　into　place。　The　stone　rocked　a　little　as　they　worked。　David　was　holding　the　horses；　since　it　would　be　a　disaster　if　they　pulled　too　soon　and　rocked　the　stone　over　the　wrong　way；　to　lie　on　its　dress　face　in　the　plain　dirt。
　　Taleswapper　stood　aside；　watching　as　Miller　directed　his　sons　with　useless　calls　of　〃Careful　there〃　and　〃Steady　now。〃　Alvin　had　been　beside　him　ever　since　they　brought　the　millstone　inside。　One　of　the　horses　got　jumpy。　Miller　reacted　at　once。　〃Calm；　go　help　your　brother　with　the　horses！〃　Miller　also　took　a　step　that　way。
　　At　that　moment；　Taleswapper　realized　that　Alvin　was　not　beside　him；　after　all。　He　was　carrying　a　broom；　walking　briskly　toward　the　millstone。　Perhaps　he　had　seen　some　loose　stones　lying　on　the　foundation；　he　h