osc.am1.seventhson-第33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！


　　〃How　e　we　never　heard　of　this　afore　now？〃　Miller　asked。
　　〃It　was　the　night　the　ridgebeam　split；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Alvin　promised　the　Shining　Man　that　he'd　never　use　his　power　for　his　own　benefit。〃
　　〃But　Alvin；〃　said　Faith。　〃This　isn't　to　make　you　rich　or　nothing；　this　is　to　save　your　life。〃
　　The　boy　only　winced　against　the　pain　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃Will　you　leave　me　with　him？〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Just　for　a　few　minutes；　so　I　can　talk　to　him？〃
　　Miller　was　rushing　Faith　out　the　door　of　the　room　before　Taleswapper　even　finished　his　sentence。
　　〃Alvin；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃You　must　listen　to　me；　listen　carefully。　You　know　I　won't　lie　to　you。　An　oath　is　a　terrible　thing；　and　I'd　never　counsel　a　man　to　break　his　word；　even　to　save　his　own　life。　So　I　won't　tell　you　to　use　your　power　for　your　own　good。　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　　Alvin　nodded。
　　〃Just　think；　though。　Think　of　the　Unmaker　going　through　the　world。　Nobody　sees　him　as　he　does　his　work；　as　he　tears　down　and　destroys　things。　Nobody　but　one　solitary　boy。　Who　is　that　boy；　Alvin？〃
　　Alvin's　lips　formed　the　word；　though　no　sound　came　out。　Me。
　　〃And　that　boy　has　been　given　a　power　that　he　can't　even　begin　to　understand。　The　power　to　build　against　the　enemy's　unbuilding。　And　more　than　that；　Alvin；　the　desire　to　build　as　well。　A　boy　who　answers　every　glimpse　of　the　Unmaker　with　a　bit　of　making。　Now；　tell　me；　Alvin；　those　who　help　the　Unmaker；　are　they　the　friend　or　the　enemy　of　mankind？〃
　　Enemy；　said　Alvin's　lips。
　　〃So　if　you　help　the　Unmaker　destroy　his　most　dangerous　foe；　you're　an　enemy　of　mankind；　aren't　you？〃
　　Anguish　wrung　sound　from　the　boy。　〃You're　twisting　it；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　straightening　it；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Your　oath　was　never　to　use　your　power　for　your　own　benefit。　But　if　you　die；　only　the　Unmaker　benefits；　and　if　you　live；　if　that　leg　is　healed；　then　that's　for　the　good　of　all　mankind。　No；　Alvin；　it's　for　the　good　of　the　world　and　all　that's　in　it。〃
　　Alvin　whimpered；　more　against　the　pain　in　his　mind　than　the　pain　in　his　body。
　　〃But　your　oath　was　clear；　wasn't　it？　Never　to　your　own　benefit。　So　why　not　satisfy　one　oath　with　another；　Alvin？　Take　an　oath　now；　that　you　will　devote　your　whole　life　to　building　up　against　the　Unmaker。　If　you　keep　that　oath　　and　you　will；　Alvin；　you're　a　boy　who　keeps　his　word　　if　you　keep　that　oath；　then　saving　your　own　life　is　truly　for　the　benefit　of　others；　and　not　for　your　private　good　at　all。〃
　　Taleswapper　waited；　waited；　until　at　last　Alvin　nodded　slightly。
　　〃Do　you　take　an　oath；　Alvin　Junior；　that　you　will　live　your　life　to　defeat　the　Unmaker；　to　make　things　whole　and　good　and　right？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　whispered　the　boy。
　　〃Then　I　tell　you；　by　the　terms　of　your　own　promise；　you　must　heal　yourself。〃
　　Alvin　gripped　Taleswapper's　arm。　〃How；〃　he　whispered。
　　〃That　I　don't　know；　boy；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃How　to　use　your　power；　you　have　to　find　that　out　inside　yourself。　I　can　only　tell　you　that　you　must　try；　or　the　enemy　has　his　victory；　and　I'll　have　to　end　your　tale　with　your　body　being　lowered　into　a　grave。〃
　　To　Taleswapper's　surprise；　Alvin　smiled。　Then　Taleswapper　understood　the　joke。　His　tale　would　end　with　the　grave　no　matter　what　he　did　today。　〃Right　enough；　boy；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　I'd　rather　have　a　few　more　pages　about　you　before　I　put　finis　to　the　Book　of　Alvin。〃
　　〃I'll　try；〃　whispered　Alvin。
　　If　he　tried；　then　surely　he　would　succeed。　Alvin's　protector　had　not　brought　him　this　far　only　to　let　him　die。　Taleswapper　had　no　doubt　that　Alvin　had　the　power　to　heal　himself；　if　he　could　only　figure　out　the　way。　His　own　body　was　far　more　plicated　than　the　stone。　But　if　he　was　to　live；　he　had　to　learn　the　pathways　of　his　own　flesh；　bind　the　fissures　in　the　bones。
　　They　made　a　bed　for　Taleswapper　out　in　the　great　room。　He　offered　to　sleep　on　the　floor　beside　Alvin's　bed；　but　Miller　shook　his　head　and　answered；　〃That's　my　place。〃
　　Taleswapper　found　it　hard　to　sleep；　though。　It　was　the　middle　of　the　night　when　he　finally　gave　up；　lit　a　lantern　with　a　match　from　the　fire；　bundled　on　his　coat；　and　went　outside。
　　The　wind　was　brisk。　There　was　a　storm　ing；　and　from　the　smell　in　the　air；　it　would　be　snow。　The　animals　were　restless　in　the　big　barn。　It　occurred　to　Taleswapper　that　he　might　not　be　alone　outside　tonight。　There　might　be　Reds　in　the　shadows；　or　even　wandering　among　the　buildings　of　the　farm；　watching　him。　He　shuddered　once；　then　shrugged　off　the　fear。　It　was　too　cold　a　night。　Even　the　most　bloodthirsty；　White…hating　Choc…Taws　or　Cree…Eks　spying　from　the　south　were　too　smart　to　be　outside　with　such　a　storm　ing。
　　Soon　the　snow　would　fall；　the　first　of　the　season；　but　it　would　be　no　slight　trace。　It　would　snow　all　day　tomorrow；　Taleswapper　could　feel　it；　for　the　air　behind　the　storm　would　be　even　colder　than　this；　cold　enough　for　the　snow　to　be　fluffy　and　dry；　the　kind　of　snow　that　piled　deeper　and　deeper；　hour　after　hour。　If　Alvin　had　not　hurried　them　home　with　the　millstone　in　a　single　day；　they　would　have　been　trying　to　sledge　the　stone　home　in　the　midst　of　the　snowfall。　It　would　have　bee　slippery。　Something　even　worse　might　have　happened。
　　Taleswapper　found　himself　in　the　millhouse；　looking　at　the　stone。　It　was　so　solid…looking；　it　was　hard　to　imagine　anyone　ever　moving　it。　He　touched　the　face　of　it　again；　being　careful　not　to　cut　himself。　His　fingers　brushed　over　the　shallow　dress　cuts；　where　flour　would　collect　when　the　great　water　wheel　turned　the　shaft　and　made　the　grindstone　roll　around　and　around　atop　the　millstone；　as　steadily　as　the　Earth　rolled　around　and　around　the　sun；　year　after　year；　turning　time　into　dust　as　surely　as　the　mill　turned　grain　into　flour。
　　He　glanced　down；　to　the　place　where　the　earth　had　given　way　slightly　under　the　millstone；　tipping　it　and　nearly　killing　the　boy。　The　bottom　of　the　depression　glistened　in　the　lantern　light。　Taleswapper　knelt　and　dipped　his　finger　into　a　half…inch　of　water。　It　must　have　collected　there；　weakening　the　ground；　carrying　away　the　soil。　Not　so　that　it　would　ever　be　visibly　moist。　Just　enough　that　when　great　weight　was　placed　on　it；　it　would　give　way。
　　Ah；　Unmaker；　thought　Taleswapper；　show　yourself　to　me；　and　I'll　build　such　a　building　that　you'll　be　trussed　up　and　held　captive　forever。　But　try　as　he　might；　he　could　not　make　his　eyes　see　the　trembling　air　that　had　shown　itself　to　Alvin　Miller's　seventh　son。　Finally　Taleswapper　took　up　the　lantern　and　left　the　millhouse。　The　first　flakes　were　falling。　The　wind　had　almost　died。　The　snow　came　faster　and　faster；　dancing　in　the　light　of　his　lantern。　By　the　time　he　reached　the　house；　the　ground　was　grey　with　snow；　the　forest　invisible　in　the　distance。　He　went　inside　the　house；　lay　down　on　the　floor　without　removing　even　his　boots；　and　fell　asleep。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　Twelve　　Book
　　
　　They　kept　a　three…log　fire；　night　and　day；　so　the　stones　of　the　wall　seemed　to　glow　with　heat；　and　the　air　in　his　room　was　dry。　Alvin　lay　unmoving　on　his　bed；　his　right　leg　heavy　with　splints　and　bandages；　pressing　into　the　bed　like　an　anchor；　the　rest　of　his　body　afloat；　adrift；　pitching　and　rolling　and　yawing。　He　was　dizzy；　and　a　little　sick。
　　But　he　hardly　noticed　the　weight　of　his　leg；　or　the　dizziness。　The　pain　was　his　enemy；　throbs　and　stabs　of　it　taking　his　mind　away　from　the　task　that　Taleswapper　had　set　him：　to　heal　himself。
　　Yet　the　pain　was　his　friend；　too。　It　built　a　wall　around　him　so　he　scarce　knew　he　was　in　a　house；　in　a　roof；　on　a　bed。　The　outside　world　could　burn　up　and　turn　to　ash　and　he'd　never　notice　it。　It　was　the　world　inside　that　he　was　exploring　now。
　　Taleswapper　didn't　know　half　what　he　was　talking　about。　It　wasn't　a　matter　of　making　pictures　in　his　mind。　His　leg　wouldn't　get　better　from　just　pretending　it　was　all　healed　up。　But　Taleswapper　still　had　the　right　idea。　If　Alvin　could　feel　his　way　through　the　rock；　could　find　the　weak　and　strong　places　and　teach　them　where　to　break　and　where　to　hold　firm；　why　couldn't　he　do　it　with　skin　and　bone？
　　Trouble　was；　skin　and　bone　was　all　mixed　up。　The　rock　was　pretty　much　the　same　thing　through　and　through；　but　the　skin　changed　with　every　layer；　and　it　wasn't　no　easy　trick　figuring　where　everything　went。　He　lay　there　with　his　eyes　closed；　looking　into　his　own　flesh　for　the　first　time。　At　first　he　tried　following　the　pain；　but　that　didn't　get　nowhere；　just　led　him　to　where　everything　was　mashed　and　cut　and　messed　up　so　he　couldn't　tell　up　from　down。　After　a　long　while　he　tried　a　different　tack。　He　listened　to　his　heart　beating。　At　first　the　pain　kept　tearing　him　away；　but　after　a　while　he　closed　in　on　that　sound。　If　there　was　noise　in　the　world　outside　he　didn't　know　about　it；　because　the　pain　shut　all　that　out。　And　the　rhythm　of　the　heartbeat；　that　shut　out　the　pain；　or　mostly；　anyway。
　　He　followed　the　tracks　of　his　blood；　the　big　strong　stream；　the　little　streams。　Sometimes　he　got　lost。　Sometimes　a　stab　from　his　leg　just　broke　in　and　demanded　to　be　heard。　But　by　and　by　he　found　his　way　to　healthy　skin　and　bone　in　the　other　leg。　The　blood　wasn't　half　so　strong　there；　but　it　led　him　where　he　wanted　to　go。　He　found　all　the　layers；　like　the　skin　of　an　onion。　He　learned　their　order；　saw　how　the　muscle　was　tied　together；　how　the　tiny　veins　linked　up；　how　the　skin　stretched　taut　and　bonded　tight。
　　Only　then　did　he　find　his　way　to　the　bad　leg。　The　patch　of　skin　Mama　sewed　on　was　pretty　much　dead；　just　turning　to　rot。　Alvin　Junior　knew　what　it　needed；　though；　if　any　part　of　it　was　to　live。　He　found　the　mashed…off　ends　of　the　arteries　around　the　wound；　and　began　to　urge　them　to　grow；　just　the　way　he　made　cracks　travel　through　stone。　The　stone　was　easy；　pared　to　this　　to　make　a　crack；　it　just　had　to　let　go；　that's　all。　The　living　flesh　was　slower　to　do　what　he　wanted；　and　pretty　soon　he　gave　up　on　all　but　the　strongest　artery。
　　He　began　to　see　how　it　was　using　bits　and　pieces　of　this　and　that　to　build　with。　A　lot　was　happening　that　was　far　too　small　and　fast　and　plicated　for　Alvin　to　get　hold　of　with　his　mind。　But　he　could　get　his　body　to　free　up　what　the　artery　needed　in　order　to　grow。　He　could　send　it　where　it　was　needed；　and　after　a　while　the　artery　linked　up　wi