osc.am2.redprophet-第44部分
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got hisself et by lions。 And his father tore his clothes and he just wouldn't stop grieving； not ever。〃
〃But you're going to tell them I ain't dead。〃
〃I'm going to tell them I saw you turn a hatchet head soft as butter； walk on the water； fly up into a tornado that'll just make them feel all safe and warm； knowing you're tucked into such a mon ordinary life with these here Reds。〃
Ta…Kumsaw interrupted。 〃You are a coward；〃 he said。 〃You're afraid to tell the truth to your father and mother。〃
〃I made an oath to them；〃 said Measure。
〃You're a coward。 You take no risk。 No danger。 You want Alvin with you to keep you safe！〃
That was just too much for Measure。 He swung out with his right arm； aiming to connect with Ta…Kumsaw's smile。 It didn't surprise him that Ta…Kumsaw blocked the blow but it was kind of a shock that he caught Measure's wrist so easy； twisted it。 Measure got even madder； punched at Ta…Kumsaw's stomach； and this time he did connect。 But the chief's belly was about as soft as a stump； and he snagged Measure's other hand and held them both。
So Measure did what any good wrassler knows to do。 He popped his knee up right between Ta…Kumsaw's legs。
Now； Measure had done that only twice before； and both times he did it； the other fellow got right down on the ground； writhing like a half…squished worm。 Ta…Kumsaw just stood there； rigid； like he was soaking up the pain； getting madder and madder。 Since he was still holding on to Measure's arms； Measure had a good notion that he was about to die； ripped right in half down the middle that's how mad Ta…Kumsaw looked。
Ta…Kumsaw let go of Measure's arms。
Measure took his arms back； rubbed his wrists where the chief's fingermarks were white and sore。 The chief looked angry； all right； but it was Alvin he was mad at。 He turned and looked down at that boy like he was ready to peel off Alvin's skin and feed it to him raw。
〃You did your filthy White man's tricks in me；〃 he said。
〃I didn't want neither of you getting hurt；〃 said Al。
〃You think I'm a coward like your brother？ You think I'm afraid of pain？〃
〃Measure ain't no coward！〃
〃He threw me to the ground with White man's tricks。〃
Measure didn't like hearing that same accusation。 〃You know I didn't ask him to do that！ I'll take you now； if you want！ I'll fight you fair and square！〃
〃Strike a man with your knee？〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃You don't know how to fight like a man。〃
〃I'll face you any way you want；〃 said Measure。
Ta…Kumsaw smiled。 〃Gatlopp； then。〃
By now a whole bunch of Reds had gathered round； and when they heard the word gatlopp； they started hooting and laughing。
There wasn't a White in America who hadn't heard stories about how Dan Boone ran the gatlopp and just kept on running； that first time he escaped from the Reds； but there was other stories； about Whites who got beat to death。 Taleswapper told about it somewhat； the time he visited last year。 It's like a jury trial； he said； where the Reds hit you hard or easy depending on how much they think you deserve to die。 If they think you're a brave man； they'll strike you hard to test you with pain。 But if they think you're a coward； they'll break your bones so you never get out of the gatlopp alive。 The chief can't tell the gatlopp how hard to strike； or where。 It's just about the most democratic and vicious system of justice ever seen。
〃I see you're afraid of that；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃Of course I am；〃 said Measure。 〃I'd be a fool not to； specially with your boys already thinking I'm a coward。〃
〃I'll run the gatlopp before you；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃I'll tell them to strike me as hard as they strike you。〃
〃They won't do it；〃 said Measure。
〃They will if I ask them；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 He must have seen the disbelief on Measure's face； cause then he said； 〃And if they don't； I'll run the gatlopp again。〃
〃And if they kill me； will you die？〃
Ta…Kumsaw looked up and down Measure's body。 Lean and strong； Measure knew he was； from chopping trees and firewood； toting pails； lifting hay； and hoisting grain bags in the mill。 But he wasn't tough。 His skin was burnt something awful from being near naked in the sun out here on the dunes； even though he tried to use a blanket to cover up。 Strong but soft； that's what Ta…Kumsaw found when he studied Measure's body。
〃The blow that would kill you；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw； 〃it might bruise me。〃
〃So you admit it ain't fair。〃
〃Fair is when two men face the same pain。 Courage is when two men face the same pain。 You don't want fair； you want easy。 You want safe。 You're a coward。 I knew you wouldn't do it。〃
〃I'll do it；〃 said Measure。
〃And you！〃 cried Ta…Kumsaw； pointing at Alvin。 〃You touch nothing； you heal nothing； you cure nothing； you don't take away pain！〃
Alvin didn't say a word； just looked at him。 Measure knew that look。 It was the expression Alvin got on his face whenever he had no intention of doing a thing you said。
〃Al；〃 said Measure。 〃You better promise me not to meddle。 〃
Al just set his lips and didn't speak。
〃You better promise me not to meddle； Alvin Junior； or I just won't go home。〃
Alvin promised。 Ta…Kumsaw nodded and walked away； talking in Shaw…Nee to his boys。 Measure felt sick with fear。
〃Why are you afraid； White man？〃 asked the Prophet。
〃Cause I'm not stupid；〃 said Measure。 〃Only a stupid man wouldn't be scared to run the gatlopp。〃
The Prophet just laughed and walked off。
Alvin was sitting in the sand again； writing or drawing or something with his finger。
〃You ain't mad at me； are you； Alvin？ Cause I got to tell you； you can't be half as mad at me as I am at you。 You got no duty to these Reds； but you sure got a duty to your ma and pa。 Things being how they are； I can't make you do nothing； but I can tell you I'm ashamed of you for siding with them against me and your kin。〃
Al looked up； and there was tears in his eyes。 〃Maybe I am siding with my kin； did you think of that？〃
〃Well you sure got a funny way of doing it； seeing as how you'll keep Ma and Pa worried sick for months； no doubt。 〃
〃Don't you think about anything bigger than our family？ Don't you think maybe the Prophet's working out a plan to save the lives of thousands of Reds and Whites？〃
〃That's where we're different；〃 said Measure。 〃I don't believe there is anything bigger than our family。〃
Alvin was still writing as Measure walked away。 It didn't even occur to Measure what Alvin wrote in the sand。 He saw； but he didn't look； he didn't read it。 Now； though； the words came to his mind。 RUN AWAY NOW； that's what Al was writing。 A message to him？ Why didn't he say it with his mouth； then？ Nothing made'sense。 The writing probably wasn't for him。 And he sure wasn't going to run away and have Ta…Kumsaw and all them Reds sure he was a coward forever。 What difference would it make if he ran away now？ The Reds'd catch him in a minute； there in the woods； and then he'd run the gatlopp anyway； only it'd even be worse for him。
The warriors formed two lines in the sand。 They were carrying heavy branches fallen or cut from trees。 Measure watched as an old man took the beads from around Ta…Kumsaw's neck； then pulled off his loincloth。 Ta…Kumsaw turned to Measure and grinned。 〃White man is naked when he has no clothes。 Red man is never naked in his own land。 The wind is my clothing； the fire of the sun； the dust of the earth； the water of rain。 I wear all these。 I am the voice and the face of the land！〃
〃Just get on with it；〃 said Measure。
〃I know someone who says a man like you has no poetry in his soul；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃And I know plenty of people who say that a man like you has no soul at all。〃
Ta…Kumsaw glared at him； barked a few words to his men； and then stepped between the lines。
He walked slowly； his chin high and arrogant。 The first Red struck him a blow across his thighs； using the skinny end of a branch。 Ta…Kumsaw snatched the branch out of his hands； turned it around； and made him strike again； this time in the chest； a harsh blow that drove the air out of Ta…Kumsaw's lungs。 Measure could hear the grunting sound from
