osc.am2.redprophet-第61部分

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　　Ta…Kumsaw　said　nothing。
　　〃Are　you　just　going　to　stand　here；　then；　and　let　him　die　up　there？〃
　　In　answer；　Ta…Kumsaw　took　a　single　step　that　brought　him　face　to　face　　no；　breast　to　breast　　with　Taleswapper。　Ta…Kumsaw　gripped　his　hand；　threw　his　other　arm　around　Taleswapper；　held　him　close。　Their　legs　were　tangled；　Taleswapper　for　a　moment　imagined　how　they　must　look；　if　there　had　been　anyone　to　see　them　　whether　someone　would　know　which　leg　belonged　to　which　man；　they　were　so　close　together。　He　felt　the　Red　man's　heart　beating；　its　rhythm　more　manding　within　Taleswapper's　body　than　the　unsensed　beat　of　his　own　hot　pulse。　〃We　are　not　two　men；〃　whispered　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Not　Red　and　White　men　here；　with　blood　between　us。　We　are　one　man　with　two　souls；　a　Red　soul　and　a　White　soul；　one　man。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Let　it　be　as　you　say。〃
　　Still　holding　Taleswapper　tightly；　Ta…Kumsaw　turned　within　the　embrace；　their　heads　pressed　against　each　other；　their　ears　so　close…joined　Taleswapper　could　hear　nothing　but　Ta…Kumsaw's　pulse　like　the　pounding　of　ocean　waves　inside　his　ear。　But　now；　their　bodies　so　tightly　joined　that　they　seemed　to　have　a　single　heartbeat；　Taleswapper　could　see　a　clear　path　leading　up　the　face　of　the　Mound。
　　〃Do　you〃　began　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃I　see　it；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃Stay　this　close　to　me；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Now　we　are　like　Alvin　　a　Red　soul　and　a　White　soul　in　a　single　body。〃
　　It　was　awkward；　even　ridiculous；　to　attempt　to　climb　the　Mound　this　way。　Yet　when　their　movement　up　the　path　jostled　them　apart；　even　the　tiniest　fraction；　the　path　seemed　to　grow　more　difficult；　hidden　behind　an　errant　growth　of　some　vine；　some　bush；　some　dangling　limb。　So　Taleswapper　clung　to　Ta…Kumsaw　as　tightly　as　the　Red　man　clung　to　him；　and　together　they　made　their　difficult　way　up　the　hill。
　　At　the　top　Taleswapper　was　astonished　to　see　that　instead　of　a　single　Mound；　they　were　at　the　crest　of　a　ring　of　eight　separate　Mounds；　with　an　octagonal　valley　between　them。　More　important；　Ta…Kumsaw　was　also　surprised。　He　seemed　uncertain；　his　grip　on　Taleswapper　was　not　as　tight；　he　was　no　longer　in　control。
　　〃Where　does　a　White　man　go　in　this　place？〃　asked　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃Down；　of　course；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃When　a　White　man　sees　a　valley；　he　goes　down　into　it；　to　find　what's　there。〃
　　〃Is　this　how　it　always　is　for　you？〃　asked　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Not　knowing　where　you　are；　where　anything　is？〃
　　Only　then　did　Taleswapper　realize　that　Ta…Kumsaw　lacked　his　land…sense　here。　He　was　as　blind　as　a　White　man　in　this　place。
　　〃Let's　go　down；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃And　look　　we　don't　have　to　cling　so　tightly　now。　It's　a　grassy　hill；　and　we　don't　need　a　path。〃
　　They　crossed　a　stream　and　found　him　in　a　meadow；　with　a　mist　low　on　the　ground　around　them。　Alvin　was　not　injured；　but　he　lay　trembling　　as　if　fevered；　though　his　brow　was　cool　　and　his　breathing　was　shallow　and　quick。　As　Ta…Kumsaw　had　said：　dying。
　　Taleswapper　touched　him；　caressed　him；　then　shook　him；　trying　to　wake　the　boy。　Alvin　showed　no　sign　that　he　was　aware　of　them。　Ta…Kumsaw　was　no　help。　He　sat　beside　the　boy；　holding　his　hand；　whining　so　softly　that　Taleswapper　doubted　he　knew　he　was　making　a　sound。
　　But　Taleswapper　was　not　one　to　give　in　to　despair；　if　in　fact　that　was　what　Ta…Kumsaw　was　feeling。　He　looked　around。　Nearby　was　a　tree；　looking　like　spring；　its　leaves　so　yellow…green　that　in　the　light　of　dawn　they　might　have　been　made　of　thin…hammered　gold。　Hanging　from　the　tree　was　a　light…colored　fruit。　No；　a　white　fruit。　And　suddenly；　as　soon　as　he　saw　it；　Taleswapper　smelled　it；　pungent　and　sweet；　so　that　he　could　almost　taste　it。
　　He　acted；　not　thinking　what　he　would　do；　but　doing　it。　He　walked　to　the　tree；　plucked　the　fruit；　carried　it　back　to　Alvin　where　he　lay　on　the　ground；　a　child　so　small。　Taleswapper　passed　it　under　Alvin's　nose；　so　the　odor　of　it　might　be　like　smelling　salts；　and　revive　him。　Alvin's　breathing　suddenly　became　great　deep　gasps。　His　eyes　opened；　his　lips　parted；　and　from　gritted　teeth　came　a　whine　almost　exactly　like　Ta…Kumsaw's　keening；　almost　exactly　like　a　kicked　dog。
　　〃Take　a　bite；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　reached　out；　snatched　Alvin's　lower　jaw　in　one　hand　and　upper　jaw　in　the　other；　his　fingers　interlaced　at　Alvin's　teeth；　and　with　great　effort　prised　Alvin's　jaws　apart。　Taleswapper　thrust　the　fruit　between　Alvin's　teeth；　Ta…Kumsaw　forced　the　jaws　closed　again。　The　fruit　broke　open；　spilling　clear　fluid　into　Alvin's　mouth　and　dribbling　down　his　cheek　into　the　grass。　Slowly；　with　great　effort；　Alvin　began　to　chew。　Tears　flowed　from　his　eyes。　He　swallowed。　Suddenly　he　reached　out　his　hands；　caught　Taleswapper　by　the　neck　and　Ta…Kumsaw　by　the　hair；　and　pulled　himself　up　to　a　sitting　position。　Clinging　to　them　both；　drawing　their　faces　so　close　to　his　that　they　all　breathed　each　other's　breath；　Alvin　wept　until　their　faces　all　were　wet；　and　because　Ta…Kumsaw　and　Taleswapper　were　also　weeping；　none　could　be　sure　whose　tears　cast　a　glaze　across　the　skin　of　each　man's　face。
　　Alvin　said　little；　but　enough。　He　told　them　all　that　happened　at　Tippy…Canoe　Creek　that　day；　of　blood　in　the　river；　a　thousand　survivors　crossing　on　the　water　made　smooth　and　hard；　blood　on　White　men's　hands；　and　on　one　man's　hands　in　particular。
　　〃Not　enough；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Taleswapper　offered　no　argument。　It　was　not　for　a　White　man　to　tell　Ta…Kumsaw　that　the　killers　of　his　people　had　received　a　punishment　exactly　proportioned　to　their　sin。　Besides；　Taleswapper　wasn't　sure　he　believed　it　himself。
　　Alvin　told　them　how　he　had　spent　the　evening　and　the　night　before；　restoring　Measure　from　the　edge　of　death；　and　how　he　spent　the　morning；　taking　away　the　immeasurable　agony　as　nine　thousand　innocent　deaths　shouted　in　the　Prophet's　mind　　nine　thousand　times　that　one　black　shout　that　years　before　had　maddened　him。　Which　was　harder　　healing　Measure　or　healing　Lolla…Wossiky？　〃It　was　like　you　said；〃　Alvin　whispered　to　Taleswapper。　〃I　just　can't　build　that　brick　wall　faster　than　it　breaks　down。〃　Then；　exhausted　but　at　peace　now；　Alvin　slept。
　　Taleswapper　and　Ta…Kumsaw　faced　each　other；　Alvin　curled　between　them；　his　breathing　soft　and　slow。
　　〃I　know　his　wound　now；〃　Ta…Kumsaw　said。　〃His　grief　is　for　his　own　people；　with　their　bloody　hands。〃
　　〃His　grief　was　for　the　dead　and　the　living　too；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃If　I　know　Alvin；　his　deepest　wound　was　thinking　that　he　failed；　that　if　he'd　just　tried　harder；　he　might　have　got　Measure　there　in　time　to　stop　it　before　the　first　shot　was　fired。〃
　　〃White　men　grieve　for　White　men；〃　Ta…Kumsaw　said。
　　〃Lie　to　yourself　if　you　like；〃　said　Taleswapper；　〃but　lies　don't　fool　me。〃
　　〃But　Red　men　don't　grieve　at　all；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃Red　men　will　put　White　blood　into　the　ground　for　the　blood　spilled　today。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　served　the　land；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃Don't　you　realize　what　happened　today？　Don't　you　remember　where　we　are？　You've　seen　a　part　of　Eight…Face　Mound　you　never　knew　existed；　and　why？　Because　the　land　let　us　into　this　place　together；　because〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　held　up　one　hand。　〃To　save　this　boy。〃
　　〃Because　Red　and　White　can　share　this　land　if　we〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　reached　out　his　hand　and　touched　his　fingers　to　Taleswapper's　lips。
　　〃I'm　not　a　farmer　who　wants　to　hear　stories　of　faraway　places；〃　Ta…Kumsaw　said。　〃Go　tell　your　tales　to　someone　who　wants　to　hear　them。〃
　　Taleswapper　slapped　Ta…Kumsaw's　hand　away。　He　had　meant　merely　to　push　the　Red　man's　arm；　but　instead　he　struck　with　too　much　force；　throwing　Ta…Kumsaw　off　balance。　Ta…Kumsaw　immediately　leapt　to　his　feet。　Taleswapper　did　the　same。
　　〃Here　is　where　it　starts！〃　shouted　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Between　them　at　their　feet；　Alvin　stirred。
　　〃A　Red　man　angered　you；　and　you　struck　him；　just　like　a　White　man；　no　patience〃
　　〃You　told　me　to　be　silent；　you　said　my　tales　were〃
　　〃Words；　that's　what　I　gave　you；　words　and　a　soft　touch；　and　you　answered　me　with　a　blow。〃　Ta…Kumsaw　smiled。　It　was　a　terrifying　smile；　like　a　tiger's　teeth　out　of　the　darkness　of　the　jungle；　his　eyes　glowing；　his　skin　bright　as　flame。
　　〃I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　mean〃
　　〃White　man　never　means　anything；　just　coul