osc.am1.seventhson-第43部分

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　　〃I　didn't　see　much。　I　mostly　saw　you；　but　there　was　a　few　glimpses；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。　Running　around　the　walls。〃
　　〃You　saw；〃　said　Thrower。　〃Oh；　Armor；　it　was　terrible；　it　was　beautiful。〃
　　〃Did　you　see　God？〃
　　〃See　God？　God　has　no　body　to　be　seen；　Armor。　No；　I　saw　an　angel；　an　angel　of　chastisement。　Surely　this　was　what　Pharaoh　saw；　the　angel　of　death　that　came　through　the　cities　of　Egypt　and　took　the　firstborn。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Armor；　sounding　puzzled。　〃Was　I　spose　to　let　you　die；　then？〃
　　〃If　I　were　supposed　to　die；　you　could　not　have　saved　me；〃　said　Thrower。　〃Because　you　saved　me；　because　you　were　here　at　the　moment　of　my　despair；　it　is　a　sure　sign　that　I　am　meant　to　live。　I　was　chastised；　but　not　destroyed。　Armor…of…God；　I　have　another　chance。〃
　　Armor　nodded；　but　Thrower　could　see　that　he　was　worried　about　something。　〃What　is　it？〃　Thrower　asked。　〃What　is　it　that　you　want　to　ask　me？〃
　　Armor's　eyes　widened。　〃Can　you　hear　what　I'm　thinking9〃
　　〃If　I　could；　I　wouldn't　have　to　ask　you。〃
　　Armor　smiled。　〃Reckon　not。〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　want　to　know；　if　I　can。〃
　　〃I　heard　you　praying；〃　said　Armor。　He　waited；　as　if　that　were　the　question。
　　Since　Thrower　didn't　know　what　the　question　was；　he　wasn't　sure　what　to　answer。　〃I　was　in　despair；　because　I　failed　the　Lord。　I　was　given　a　mission　to　perform；　but　at　the　crucial　moment　my　heart　was　filled　with　doubt。〃　With　his　good　hand　he　reached　out　and　clutched　at　Armor。　All　he　could　touch　was　the　cloth　of　Armor's　trousers；　where　he　knelt　beside　him。　〃Armor…of…God；〃　he　said；　〃never　let　doubt　enter　your　heart。　Never　question　what　you　know　is　true。　It's　the　doorway　to　let　Satan　have　power　over　you。〃
　　But　that　wasn't　the　answer　to　Armor's　question。
　　〃Ask　me　what　you　want　to　ask　me；〃　said　Thrower。　〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　if　I　can。〃
　　〃You　prayed　about　killing；〃　said　Armor。
　　Thrower　had　not　thought　to　tell　anyone　about　the　burden　the　Lord　had　placed　upon　him。　Yet　if　the　Lord　had　wanted　the　secret　kept　from　Armor；　He　would　not　have　allowed　the　man　to　be　there　in　the　church　to　overhear。　〃I　believe；〃　said　Thrower；　〃that　it　was　the　Lord　God　that　brought　you　to　me。　I　am　weak；　Armor；　and　I　failed　at　what　the　Lord　required。　But　now　I　see　that　you；　a　man　of　faith；　have　been　given　to　me　as　a　friend　and　helper。〃
　　〃What　did　the　Lord　require？〃　asked　Armor。
　　〃Not　murder；　my　brother。　The　Lord　never　asked　me　to　kill　a　man。　It　was　a　devil　I　was　sent　to　kill。　A　devil　in　man…shape。　Living　in　that　house。〃
　　Armor　pursed　his　lips；　deep　in　thought。　〃The　boy　ain't　just　possessed；　is　that　what　you're　saying？　It　ain't　something　you　can　cast　right　out？〃
　　〃I　tried；　but　he　laughed　at　the　Holy　Book　and　mocked　my　words　of　exorcism。　He　is　not　possessed；　Armor…of…God。　He　is　the　devil's　own　kin。〃
　　Armor　shook　his　head。　〃My　wife　ain't　a　devil；　and　she's　his　own　sister。〃
　　〃She　has　given　up　witchcraft；　and　so　she　has　been　made　pure；〃　said　Thrower。
　　Armor　gave　one　bitter　laugh。　〃I　thought　so。〃
　　Thrower　understood；　now；　why　Armor　had　taken　refuge　in　the　church；　in　the　house　of　God：　His　own　house　had　been　polluted。
　　〃Armor…of…God；　will　you　help　me　purge　this　country；　this　town；　that　house；　thatfamily；　of　the　evil　influence　that　has　corrupted　them？〃
　　〃Will　it　save　my　wife？〃　asked　Armor。　〃Will　it　end　her　love　of　witchery？〃
　　〃It　may；〃　said　Thrower。　〃Perhaps　the　Lord　has　brought　us　together　so　we　can　purify　both　our　houses。〃
　　〃Whatever　it　takes；〃　said　Armor。　〃I'm　with　you　against　the　devil。〃
　　
　　
　　Chapter　Fifteen　　Promises
　　
　　The　blacksmith　listened　as　Taleswapper　read　the　letter　from　beginning　to　end。
　　〃Do　you　remember　the　family？〃　asked　Taleswapper。
　　〃I　do；〃　said　Makepeace　Smith。　〃The　graveyard　almost　began　with　their　oldest　boy。　I　pulled　his　body　from　the　river　with　my　own　hands。〃
　　〃Well　then；　will　you　take　him　as　your　prentice？〃
　　A　youth；　perhaps　sixteen　years　old；　walked　into　the　forge　carrying　a　bucket　of　snow。　He　glanced　at　the　visitor；　ducked　his　head；　and　walked　to　the　cooling　barrel　that　stood　near　the　hearth。
　　〃You　see　I　have　a　prentice；〃　said　the　Smith。
　　〃He　looks　like　a　big　one；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃Getting　on；〃　the　Smith　agreed。　〃Ain't　that　right；　Bosey？　You　ready　to　go　on　your　own？〃
　　Bosey　smiled　a　bit；　stifled　it；　nodded。　〃Yes；　Sir；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　not　an　easy　master；〃　said　the　Smith。
　　〃Alvin's　a　good…hearted　boy。　He'll　work　hard　for　you。〃
　　〃But　will　he　obey　me？　I　like　to　be　obeyed。〃
　　Taleswapper　looked　again　at　Bosey。　He　was　busy　scooping　snow　into　the　barrel。
　　〃I　said　he's　a　good…hearted　boy；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃He'll　obey　you　if　you're　fair　with　him。〃
　　The　Smith　met　his　gaze。　〃I　give　honest　measure。　I　don't　beat　the　boys　I　take　on。　Have　I　ever　laid　hand　on　you；　Bosey？〃
　　〃Never；　sir。〃
　　〃You　see；　Taleswapper；　a　prentice　can　obey　out　of　fear；　and　he　can　obey　out　of　greed。　But　if　I'm　a　good　master；　he'll　obey　me　cause　he　knows　that's　how　he'll　learn。〃
　　Taleswapper　grinned　at　the　smith。　〃There's　no　fee；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃The　boy　will　earn　it　out。　And　he　gets　his　schooling。〃
　　〃No　need　for　a　smith　to　have　letters；　as　I　should　know。〃
　　〃Won't　be　long　before　Hio's　part　of　the　United　States；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃The　boy's　got　to　vote；　I　think；　and　read　the　newspapers。　A　man　who　can't　read　only　knows　what　other　folks　tell　him。〃
　　Makepeace　Smith　looked　at　Taleswapper　with　a　grin　half…hid　on　his　face。　〃That　so？　And　ain't　it　you　telling　me？　So　don't　I　only　know　this　cause　other　folks；　namely　you；　is　telling　me　so？〃
　　Taleswapper　laughed　and　nodded。　The　smith　had　shot　the　head　clean　off　the　turkey　with　that　one。　〃I　make　my　way　in　the　world　telling　tales；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃so　I　know　you　can　get　much　with　just　the　sound　of　a　man's　voice。　He　already　reads　above　his　years；　so　it　won't　do　him　harm　to　miss　a　bit　of　school。　But　his　ma　is　set　on　him　having　letters　and　ciphering　like　a　scholar。　So　just　promise　me　you　won't　stand　between　him　and　schooling；　if　he　wants　it；　and　we'll　leave　it　at　that。〃
　　〃Got　my　word　on　that；〃　said　Makepeace　Smith。　〃And　you　don't　have　to　write　it　down。　A　man　who　keeps　his　word　doesn't　have　to　read　and　write。　But　a　man　who　has　to　write　down　his　promises；　you　got　to　watch　him　all　morning。　I　know　that　for　a　fact。　We　got　lawyers　in　Hatrack　these　days。〃
　　〃The　curse　of　civilized　man；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃When　a　man　can't　get　folks　to　believe　his　lies　anymore；　then　he　hires　him　a　professional　to　lie　in　his　place。〃
　　They　laughed　together　over　that　one；　setting　there　on　two　stout　stumps　just　inside　the　door　of　the　forge；　the　fire　smoldering　in　its　brick　chimney　place　behind　them；　the　sun　shining　on　half…melted　snow　outside。　A　redbird　flew　across　the　grassy；　trampled；　dunged…up　ground　in　front　of　the　forge。　It　dazzled　Taleswapper's　eyes　for　a　moment；　it　was　such　a　startlement　against　the　whites　and　greys　and　browns　of　late　winter。
　　In　that　moment　of　amazement　at　the　redbird's　flight；　Taleswapper　knew　for　certain；　though　he　couldn't　say　why；　that　it　would　be　a　while　yet　before　the　Unmaker　let　young　Alvin　e　to　this　place。　And　when　he　came　he'd　be　like　a　redbird　out　of　season；　to　dazzle　folks　all　hereabouts；　them　thinking　he　was　just　as　natural　as　a　bird　flying；　not　knowing　what　a　miracle　it　was　every　minute　that　the　bird　stayed　in　the　air。
　　Taleswapper　shook　himself；　and　the　moment's　clear　vision　passed。　〃Then　it's　done；　and　I'll　write　to　them　to　send　the　boy。〃
　　〃I'll　look　for　him　the　first　of　April。　No　later！〃
　　〃Unless　you　expect　the　boy　to　control　the　weather；　you'd　best　be　flexible　about　the　date。〃
　　The　smith　grumbled　and　waved　him　away。　All　in　all；　a　successful　meeting。　Taleswapper　left　feeling　good　　he　had　discharged　his　duty。　It'd　be　easy　to　send　a　letter　with　a　westbound　wagon　　several　groups　passed　through　the　town　of　Hatrack　every　week。
　　Though　it　had　been　a　long　time　since　he　passed　through　this　place；　he　still　knew　the　way　from　the　forge　to　the　inn。　It　was　a　well…traveled　road；　and　not　a　long　one。　The　inn　was　much　larger　now　than　it　had　been；　and　there　were　several　shops　a　bit　farther　up　the　road。　An　outfitter；　a　saddler；　a　cobbler。　The　kind　of　service　traveling　folk　could　use。
　　He　hardly　set　foot　on　the　porch　when　the　door　opened　and　Old　Peg　Guester　came　out；　her　arms　spread　wide　to　embrace　him。　〃Ah；　Taleswapper；　you've　been　away　too　long；　e　in；　e　in！〃
　　〃It's　good　to　see　you　again；　Peg；〃　he　said。
　　Horace　Guester　growled　at　him　from　behind　the　bar　in　the　mon　room；　where　he　was　serving　several　thirsty　visitors。　〃What　I　don't　need　here　is　another　teetotaling　man！〃
　　〃Good　news；　then；　Horace；〃　Taleswapper　answered　cheerfully。　〃I　gave　up　tea　as　well。〃
　　〃What；　do　you　drink　water？〃
　　〃Water　and　the　blood　of　greasy　old　men；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　Horace　gestured　to　his　wife。　〃You　keep　that　man　away　from　me；　Old　Peg；　you　hear？〃
　　Old　Peg　helped　him　strip　off　a　few　layers　of　clothing。　〃Look　at　you；〃　said　Old　Peg；　sizing　him　up。　〃There　ain't　enough　meat　on　you　to　make　a　stew。〃
　　〃The　bears　and　panthers　pass　me　by　in　the　night；　looking　for　richer　fare；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃e　in　and　tell　me　stories　while　I　fix　up　a　mess　of　supper　for　the　pany。〃
　　There　was　talk　and　chatter；　especially　once　Oldpappy　came　in　to　help。　He　was　getting　feeble　now；　but　he　still　had　a　hand　in　the　kitchen；　which　was　all　to　the　benefit　of　those　who　ate　here；　Old　Peg　meant　well　and　worked　hard；　but　some　folks　had　the　knack　and　some　folks　didn't。　But　it　wasn't　food　that　Taleswapper　came　for；　nor　conversation　either；　and　after　a　while　he　realized　he'd　have　to　bring　it　up　himself　〃Where's　your　daughter？〃
　　To　his　surprise；　Old　Peg　stiffened；　and　her　voice　went　cold　and　hard。　〃She　ain't　so　little　no　more。　She's　got　a　mind　of　her　own；　she's　the　first　to　tell　you。〃
　　And　you　don't　much　like　it；　thought　Taleswapper。　But　his　business　with　the　daughter　was　more　important　than　any　family　squabbles。　〃Is　she　still　a〃
　　〃A　torch？　Oh；　yes；　she　does　her　duty；　but　it's　no　pleasure　for　folks　to　e　for　her。　Snippy　and　cold；　that's　what　she　is。　It's　got　her　a　name　for　being　sharp…tongued。〃　For　a　moment　Old　Peg's　face　softened。　〃She　used　to　be　such　a　soft…hearted　child。〃
　　〃I've　never　seen