osc.am1.seventhson-第39部分

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th　must　be　strong　before　the　Lord　can　make　you　whole。〃
　　The　boy　didn't　answer。　Since　Thrower　had　used　his　considerable　eloquence　in　the　telling　of　both　stories；　it　offended　him　a　bit　that　the　boy　might　have　fallen　asleep。　He　reached　out　a　long　finger　and　poked　Alvin's　shoulder。
　　Alvin　flinched　away。　〃I　heard　you；〃　he　muttered。
　　It　wasn't　good　that　the　boy　could　still　be　sullen；　after　hearing　the　light…giving　word　of　the　Lord。　〃Well？〃　asked　Thrower。　〃Do　you　believe？〃
　　〃In　what；〃　murmured　the　boy。
　　〃In　the　gospel！　In　the　God　who　would　heal　you；　if　you　only　soften　your　heart！〃
　　〃Believe；〃　he　whispered。　〃In　God。〃
　　That　should　have　been　enough。　But　Thrower　knew　too　much　of　the　history　of　religion　not　to　press　for　more　detail。　It　was　not　enough　to　confess　faith　in　a　deity。　There　were　so　many　deities；　and　all　but　one　was　false。　〃　Which　God　do　you　believe　in；　Al　Junior？〃
　　〃God；〃　said　the　boy。
　　〃Even　the　heathen　Moor　prays　toward　the　black　stone　of　Mecca　and　calls　it　God！　Do　you　believe　in　the　true　God；　and　do　you　believe　in　Him　correctly？　No；　I　understand；　you're　too　weak　and　fevered　to　explain　your　faith。　I　will　help　you；　young　Alvin。　I'll　ask　you　questions；　and　you　tell　me；　yes　or　no；　whether　you　believe。〃
　　Alvin　lay　still；　waiting。
　　〃Alvin　Miller；　do　you　believe　in　a　God　without　body；　parts；　or　passions？　The　great　Uncreated　Creator；　Whose　center　is　everywhere；　yet　Whose　circumference　can　never　be　found？〃
　　The　boy　seemed　to　ponder　this　for　a　while　before　he　spoke。　〃That　don't　make　a　bit　of　sense　to　me；〃　he　said。
　　〃He　isn't　supposed　to　make　sense　to　the　carnal　mind；〃　Thrower　said。　〃I　merely　ask　if　you　believe　in　the　One　who　sits　atop　the　Topless　Throne；　the　self…existing　Being　who　is　so　large　He　fills　the　universe；　yet　so　penetrating　that　He　lives　in　your　heart。〃
　　〃How　can　he　sit　on　the　top　of　something　that　ain't　got　no　top？〃　the　boy　asked。　〃How　can　something　that　big　fit　inside　my　heart？〃
　　The　boy　was　obviously　too　uneducated　and　simpleminded　to　grasp　sophisticated　theological　paradox。　Still；　it　was　more　than　a　life　or　even　a　soul　at　stake　here　　it　was　all　the　souls　that　the　Visitor　had　said　this　boy　would　ruin　if　he　could　not　be　converted　to　the　true　faith。　〃That's　the　beauty　of　it；〃　said　Thrower；　letting　emotion　fill　his　voice。　〃God　is　beyond　our　prehension；　yet　in　His　infinite　love　He　condescends　to　save　us；　despite　our　ignorance　and　foolishness。〃
　　〃Ain't　love　a　passion？〃　asked　the　boy。
　　〃If　you　have　trouble　with　the　idea　of　God；〃　said　Thrower；　〃then　let　me　pose　another　question；　which　may　be　more　to　the　point。　Do　you　believe　in　the　bottomless　pit　of　hell；　where　the　wicked　writhe　in　flames；　yet　are　never　burned　up？　Do　you　believe　in　Satan；　the　enemy　of　God；　who　wishes　to　steal　your　soul　and　take　you　captive　into　his　kingdom；　to　torment　you　through　all　eternity？〃
　　The　boy　seemed　to　perk　up　a　little；　turning　his　head　toward　Thrower；　though　he　still　didn't　open　his　eyes。
　　〃I　might　believe　in　something　like　that；〃　he　said。
　　Ah；　yes；　thought　Thrower。　The　boy　has　had　some　experience　with　the　devil。　〃Have　you　seen　him；　child？〃
　　〃What's　your　devil　look　like？〃　whispered　the　boy。
　　〃He　is　not　my　devil；〃　said　Thrower。　〃And　if　you　had　listened　in　services；　you　would　have　known；　for　I　have　described　him　many　times。　Where　a　man　has　hair　on　his　head；　the　devil　has　the　horns　of　a　bull。　Where　a　man　has　hands；　the　devil　has　the　claws　of　a　bear。　He　has　the　hooves　of　a　goat；　and　his　voice　is　the　roar　of　a　ravening　lion。〃
　　To　Thrower's　amazement；　the　boy　smiled；　and　his　chest　bounced　silently　with　laughter。　〃And　you　call　us　superstitious；〃　he　said。
　　Thrower　would　never　have　believed　how　firm　a　grip　the　devil　could　have　on　a　child's　soul；　had　he　not　seen　the　boy　laugh　with　pleasure　at　the　description　of　the　monster　Lucifer。　That　laughter　must　be　stopped！　It　was　an　offense　against　God！
　　Thrower　slapped　his　Bible　down　on　the　boy's　chest；　causing　Alvin　to　wheeze　out　his　breath。　Then；　with　his　hand　pressing　on　the　book；　Thrower　felt　himself　fill　up　with　inspired　words；　and　he　cried　out　with　more　passion　than　he　had　ever　felt　before　in　his　life：　〃Satan；　in　the　name　of　the　Lord　I　rebuke　you！　I　mand　you　to　depart　from　this　boy；　from　this　room；　from　this　house　forever！　Never　again　seek　to　possess　a　soul　in　this　place；　or　the　power　of　God　will　wreak　destruction　unto　the　uttermost　bounds　of　hell！〃
　　Then　silence。　Except　for　the　boy's　breathing；　which　seemed　labored。　There　was　such　peace　in　the　room；　such　exhausted　righteousness　in　Thrower's　own　heart；　that　he　felt　convinced　the　devil　had　heeded　his　peroration　and　retreated　forthwith。
　　〃Reverend　Thrower；〃　said　the　boy。
　　〃Yes；　my　son？〃
　　〃Can　you　take　that　Bible　off　my　chest　now？　I　reckon　if　there　was　any　devils　here；　they're　all　gone　now。〃
　　Then　the　boy　began　to　laugh　again；　causing　the　Bible　to　jump　up　and　down　under　Thrower's　hand。
　　In　that　moment　Thrower's　exultation　turned　to　bitter　disappointment。　Indeed；　the　fact　that　the　boy　could　laugh　so　devilishly　with　the　Bible　itself　resting　on　his　body　was　proof　that　no　power　could　purge　him　of　evil。　The　Visitor　had　been　right。　Thrower　should　never　have　refused　the　mighty　work　that　the　Visitor　had　called　him　to　do。　It　had　been　in　his　power　to　be　the　slayer　of　the　Beast　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　he　had　been　too　weak；　too　sentimental　to　accept　the　divine　calling。　I　could　have　been　a　Samuel；　hewing　to　death　the　enemy　of　God。　Instead　I　am　a　Saul；　a　weakling；　who　cannot　kill　what　the　Lord　mands　must　die。　Now　I　will　see　this　boy　rise　up　with　the　power　of　Satan　in　him；　and　I　will　know　that　he　thrives　only　because　I　was　weak。
　　Now　the　room　was　stifling　hot；　choking　him。　He　had　not　realized　until　now　how　his　clothing　sogged　with　sweat。　It　was　hard　to　breathe。　But　what　should　he　expect？　The　hot　breath　of　hell　was　in　this　room。　Gasping；　he　took　the　Bible；　held　it　out　between　him　and　the　satanic　child　who　lay　giggling　feverishly　under　the　blanket；　and　fled。
　　In　the　great　room　he　stopped；　breathing　heavily。　He　had　interrupted　a　conversation；　but　he　scarcely　took　notice　of　it。　What　did　the　conversations　of　these　benighted　people　amount　to；　pared　to　what　he　had　just　experienced？　I　have　stood　in　the　presence　of　Satan's　minion；　masquing　it　as　a　young　boy；　but　his　mockery　revealed　him　to　me。　I　should　have　known　what　the　boy　was　years　ago；　when　I　felt　his　head　and　found　it　to　be　so　perfectly　balanced。　Only　a　counterfeit　would　be　so　perfect。　The　child　was　never　real。　Ah；　that　I　had　the　strength　of　the　great　prophets　of　old；　so　I　could　confound　the　enemy　and　bear　the　trophy　back　to　my　Lord！
　　Someone　was　tugging　at　his　sleeve。　〃Are　you　well；　Reverend？〃　It　was　Goody　Faith；　but　Reverend　Thrower　did　not　think　to　answer　her。　Her　tugging　pulled　him　around；　though；　so　he　faced　the　fireplace。　There　on　the　mantel　he　saw　a　carven　image；　and　in　his　distracted　state　he　could　not　at　once　determine　what　it　was。　It　seemed　to　be　the　face　of　a　soul　in　torment；　surrounded　by　writhing　tendrils。　Flames；　that's　what　they　are；　he　thought；　and　that　is　a　soul　drowning　in　brimstone；　burning　in　hellfire。　The　image　was　a　torment　to　him；　and　yet　it　was　also　satisfying；　for　its　presence　in　this　house　signified　how　closely　bound　this　family　was　to　hell。　He　stood　in　the　midst　of　his　enemies。　A　phrase　from　the　Psalmist　came　to　his　mind：　Bulls　of　Bashan　stare　upon　me；　and　I　can　tell　all　my　bones。　My　God；　my　God；　why　hast　Thou　forsaken　me？
　　〃Here；〃　said　Goody　Faith。　〃Sit　down。〃
　　〃Is　the　boy　all　right？〃　demanded　Miller。
　　〃The　boy？〃　asked　Thrower。　Words　could　hardly　e　to　his　mouth。　The　boy　is　a　fiend　from　Sheol；　and　you　ask　how　he　is？　〃As　well　as　can　be　expected；〃　said　Thrower。
　　They　turned　away　from　him　then；　back　to　their　conversation。　Gradually　he　came　to　understand　what　they　were　discussing。　It　seemed　that　Alvin　wanted　someone　to　cut　away　the　diseased　portion　of　his　bone。　Measure　had　even　brought　a　fine…toothed　bone　saw　from　the　butchery　shed。　The　argument　was　between　Faith　and　Measure；　because　Faith　didn't　want　anyone　cutting　her　son；　and　between　Miller　and　the　other　two；　because　Miller　refused　to　do　it；　and　Faith　would　only　consent　if　Alvin's　father　did　the　cutting。
　　〃If　you　think　it　ought　to　be　done；〃　said　Faith；　〃then　I　don't　see　how　you'd　be　willing　to　have　anyone　but　yourself　cut　into　him。〃
　　〃Not　me；〃　said　Miller。
　　It　struck　Thrower　that　the　man　was　afraid。　Afraid　to　lay　the　knife　against　his　own　son's　flesh。
　　〃He　asked　for　you；　Pa。　He　said　he'd　draw　the　marks　for　cutting；　right　on　his　own　leg。　You　just　cut　a　flap　of　skin　and　peel　it　back；　and　right　under　it　there's　the　bone；　and　you　just　cut　a　wedge　in　the　bone　that　takes　out　the　whole　bad　place。〃
　　〃I'm　not　the　fainting　kind；〃　said　Faith；　〃but　my　head　is　getting　light。〃
　　〃If　Al　Junior　says　it's　got　to　be　done；　then　do　it！〃　said　Miller。　〃But　not　me！〃
　　Then；　like　a　rush　of　light　into　a　dark　room；　Reverend　Thrower　saw　his　redemption。　The　Lord　was　clearly　offering　him　exactly　the　opportunity　that　the　Visitor　had　prophesied。　A　chance　to　hold　a　knife　in　his　hand；　to　cut　into　the　boy's　leg；　and　accidently　sever　the　artery　and　spill　the　blood　until　the　life　was　gone。　What　he　had　shrunk　to　do　in　the　church；　thinking　of　Alvin　as　a　mere　boy；　he　would　do　gladly；　now　that　he　had　seen　the　evil　that　disguised　itself　in　child…shape。
　　〃I'm　here；〃　he　said。
　　They　looked　at　him。
　　〃I'm　no　surgeon；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　some　knowledge　of　anatomy。　I　am　a　scientist。〃
　　〃Head　bumps；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃You　ever　butchered　cattle　or　pigs？〃　asked　Measure。
　　〃Measure！〃　said　his　mother；　horrified。　〃Your　brother　is　not　a　beast。〃
　　〃I　just　wanted　to　know　if　he　was　going　to　throw　up　when　he　saw　blood。〃
　　〃I've　seen　blood；〃　said　Thrower。　〃And　I　have　no　fear；　when　the　cutting　is　for　salvation。〃
　　〃Oh；　Reverend　Thrower；　it's　too　much　to　ask　of　you；〃　said　Goody　Faith。
　　〃Now　I　see　that　perhaps　it　was　inspiration　that　brought　me　up　here　today；　after　so　long　being　away　from　this　house。〃
　　〃It　was　my　pebble…headed　son…in…law　brought　you　here；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Thrower；　〃it　was　just　a　thought。　I　can　see　that　you　don't　want　me　to　do　it；　and　I　can't　say　that　I　blame　you。　Even　if　it　means　saving　your　s