osc.am2.redprophet-第21部分

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　　〃It's　possible；　you　know；〃　said　Armor。　〃I　know　for　a　fact　that　the　Irrakwa　read　just　as　good　as　any　White　men。　I　been　there　to　do　business　often　enough；　and　you　can　bet　you　have　to　read　the　fine　print　on　the　contracts　they　write　up。　Red　men　can　learn　to　read；　and　that's　a　fact。〃
　　〃But　this　one；　this　drunk〃
　　〃Who　knows　what　he　can　bee；　when　the　likker　ain't　in　him？〃　said　Eleanor。
　　Then　they　went　away　to　the　other　room；　and　left　the　house　for　a　while；　walking　Thrower　home　to　the　cabin　he　was　staying　in　before　the　rain　got　so　bad　he　had　to　stay　the　night。
　　Alone　in　the　house；　Lolla…Wossiky　tried　to　make　sense　of　things。　Baptism　alone　hadn't　wakened　him　from　his　dream。　Nor　had　White　man's　clothes。　Maybe　going　without　likker　for　a　night　would　do　it；　like　Eleanor　suggested；　though　it　made　him　crazy　with　pain　so　he　couldn't　sleep。
　　Whatever　happened；　though；　he　knew　that　the　dream　beast　was　waiting　somewhere　near　here。　The　white　light　was　suffused　all　around　him　now；　this　was　the　waking　place　for　Lolla…Wossiky。　Maybe　if　he　stayed　away　from　the　church　hill　today；　maybe　if　he　wandered　in　the　woods　around　Vigor　Church；　then　the　dream　beast　could　find　him。
　　One　thing　was　sure。　He　wasn't　going　to　spend　another　night　without　whisky。　Not　when　he　had　a　keg　out　in　a　crotch　of　a　tree　that　could　take　away　the　black　noise　and　let　him　sleep。
　　
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　　Lolla…Wossiky　walked　everywhere　in　the　woods。　He　saw　many　animals；　but　they　all　ran　from　him；　he　was　so　drunk　or　so　bound　up　in　the　black　noise　that　he　never　was　part　of　the　land；　and　they　ran　from　him　just　as　if　he　were　White。
　　Discouraged；　he　began　to　drink　more　than　four　swallows；　even　though　he　knew　he　would　run　out　of　whisky　too　fast。　He　walked　less　and　less　in　the　forest；　more　and　more　along　the　White　man's　paths　and　roads；　showing　up　at　farmhouses　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　The　women　sometimes　screamed　and　ran　away；　carrying　a　baby　and　leading　children　off　into　the　woods。　Other　women　pointed　guns　at　him　and　made　him　leave。　Some　of　them　fed　him　and　talked　about　Jesus　Christ。　Finally　Armor…of…God　told　him　not　to　visit　the　farms　when　the　men　were　away；　working　on　the　church。
　　So　there　was　nothing　left　for　Lolla…Wossiky　to　do。　He　knew　he　was　close　to　the　dream　beast；　but　he　couldn't　find　it。　He　couldn't　walk　in　the　forest　because　the　animals　ran　from　him　and　he　stumbled　and　fell　all　the　time；　more　and　more；　until　he　feared　he　might　break　a　bone　and　die　of　starvation　because　he　couldn't　even　call　small　animals　to　feed　him。　He　couldn't　visit　the　farms　because　the　men　were　angry。　So　he　lay　on　the　mons；　sleeping　from　drunkenness　or　trying　to　endure　the　pain　of　the　black　noise；　one　or　the　other。
　　Sometimes　he　worked　up　the　energy　to　go　up　the　hill　and　see　the　men　working　on　the　church。　Whenever　he　got　there；　some　man　would　call　out；　〃Here　es　the　Red　Christian！〃　and　Lolla…Wossiky　knew　that　there　was　malice　and　ridicule　in　the　voices　that　said　it　and　the　voices　that　laughed。
　　He　was　not　at　the　church　the　day　the　roof…beam　fell。　He　was　sleeping　on　the　grass　of　the　mons；　near　the　porch　of　Armor's　house；　when　he　heard　the　crash。　It　startled　him　awake；　and　the　black　noise　came　back　harsher　than　ever；　even　though　he　had　drunk　eight　swallows　that　morning　and　ought　to　be　drunk　till　noon。　He　lay　there　holding　his　head　until　men　started　ing　down　from　the　hill；　cursing　and　muttering　about　the　strange　thing　that　happened。
　　〃What　happened？〃　Lolla…Wossiky　asked。　He　had　to　know；　because　whatever　it　was；　it　had　made　the　black　noise　worse　than　it　had　been　in　years。　〃Was　a　man　killed？〃　He　knew　that　a　gunshot　made　the　black　noise　in　the　first　place。　〃Did　White　Murderer　Harrison　shoot　somebody？〃
　　At　first　they　paid　him　no　attention；　because　they　thought　he　was　drunk；　of　course。　But　finally　someone　told　him　what　happened。
　　They　had　been　laying　the　first　ridgebeam　in　place；　high　on　top　of　the　building；　when　the　central　ridgepole　shivered　and　tossed　the　ridgebeam　up　in　the　air。　〃Came　down　flat；　just　like　God's　own　foot　stepping　on　the　earth；　and　wouldn't　you　know；　there　was　that　little　Alvin　Junior；　Al　Miller's　boy；　right　under　the　beam。　Well；　we　thought　he　was　dead。　The　boy　just　stood　there；　the　beam　landed　smack　　you　must　have　heard　the　noise；　that's　why　it　sounded　like　a　gun　to　you　　but　you　won't　believe　this。　That　ridgebeam　split　right　in　half；　right　in　the　very　place　where　Alvin　was　standing；　split　right　in　two　and　landed　on　this　side　and　that　side　of　him；　didn't　touch　a　hair　on　his　head。〃
　　〃Something　strange　about　that　boy；〃　said　a　man。
　　〃He's　got　a　guardian　angel；　that's　what　he's　got；〃　said　another。
　　Alvin　Junior。　The　boy　he　couldn't　see　with　his　eye　open。
　　There　was　no　one　at　the　church　when　Lolla…Wossiky　got　there。　The　ridgebeam　was　also　gone；　everything　swept　out；　no　sign　of　the　accident。　But　Lolla…Wossiky　was　not　looking　with　his　eye。　He　could　feel　it；　almost　as　soon　as　he　got　within　sight　of　the　church。　A　whirlpool；　not　fast　at　the　edges；　but　stronger　and　stronger　the　closer　he　came。　A　whirlwind　of　light；　and　the　closer　he　got；　the　weaker　the　black　noise　became。　Until　he　stood　on　the　church　floor；　in　the　spot　that　he　knew　was　where　the　boy　was　standing。　How　did　he　know？　The　black　noise　was　quieter。　Not　gone；　the　pain　not　healed；　but　Lolla…Wossiky　could　feel　the　green　land　again；　just　a　little；　not　like　it　used　to　be；　but　he　could　feel　the　small　life　under　the　floor；　a　squirrel　in　the　meadow　not　far　off；　things　he　hadn't　felt；　drunk　or　sober；　in　all　the　years　since　the　gun　blew　the　black　noise　into　his　head。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　turned　around　and　around；　seeing　nothing　but　the　walls　of　the　church。　Until　he　closed　his　eye。　Then　he　saw　the　whirlwind；　yes；　white　light　spinning　and　spinning　around　him；　and　the　black　noise　retreating。　He　was　in　the　end　of　his　own　dream　now；　and　he　could　see　with　his　eye　closed；　see　clearly。　There　was　a　shining　path　ahead　of　him；　a　road　as　bright　as　the　noonday　sky；　dazzling　like　meadow　snow　on　a　clear　day。　He　knew　already；　without　opening　his　eye　to　see；　where　the　path　would　lead。　Up　the　hill；　down　the　other　side；　up　a　higher　hill；　to　a　house　not　far　from　a　strewn；　a　house　where　lived　a　White　boy　who　was　only　visible　to　Lolla…Wossiky　with　his　eye　closed。
　　His　silent　step　had　returned　to　him；　now　that　the　black　noise　had　backed　off　a　bit。　He　walked　around　the　house；　around　and　around。　No　one　heard　him。　Inside　laughter；　shouting；　screaming。　Happy　children；　quarreling　children。　Stern　voices　of　parents。　Except　for　the　language；　it　could　be　his　village。　His　own　sisters　and　brothers　in　the　happy　days　before　White　Murderer　Harrison　took　his　father's　life。
　　The　White　father；　Alvin　Miller；　came　out　to　the　privy。　Not　long　after；　the　boy　himself　came；　running；　as　if　he　was　afraid。　He　shouted　at　the　privy　door。　With　his　eye　open；　Lolla…Wossiky　only　knew　that　someone　was　standing　there；　shouting。　With　his　eye　closed；　he　saw　the　boy　clearly；　radiant；　and　heard　his　voice　like　birdsong　across　a　river；　all　music；　even　though　what　he　said　was　silly；　foolish；　like　a　child。
　　〃If　you　don't　e　out　I'll　do　it　right　in　front　of　the　door　so　you'll　step　in　it　when　you　e　out！〃
　　Then　silence；　as　the　boy　grew　more　worried；　hitting　himself　on　the　top　of　his　head　with　his　own　fist；　as　if　to　say；　Stupid；　stupid；　stupid。　Something　changed　in　Al　Junior's　expression；　Lolla…Wossiky　opened　his　eye　to　see　that　the　father　had　e　out；　was　saying　something。
　　The　boy　answered　him；　ashamed。　The　father　corrected　him。　Lolla…Wossiky　closed　his　eye。
　　〃Yes　sir；〃　said　the　boy。
　　Again　the　father　must　be　speaking；　but　with　his　eye　closed　Lolla…Wossiky　did　not　hear　the　father。
　　〃Sorry；　Papa。〃
　　Then　the　father　must　have　walked　away；　because　little　Alvin　went　into　the　privy。　Muttering；　so　soft　no　one　could　hear。　But　Lolla…Wossiky　heard。　〃Well；　if　you'd　just　build　another　outhouse　I'd　be　fine。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　laughed。　Foolish　boy；　foolish　father；　like　all　boys；　like　all　fathers。
　　The　boy　finished　and　went　into　the　house。
　　Here　I　am；　said　Lolla…Wossiky　silently。　I　followed　the　shining　path；　I　came　to　this　place；　I　saw　silly　White　family　things；　now　where　is　my　dream　beast？
　　And　again　he　saw　the　white　light　gather；