osc.am1.seventhson-第4部分

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　world。
　　He　would　have　carried　Faith；　too；　baby　in　her　belly　and　all；　but　she　wouldn't　budge。　Just　sat　inside　that　wagon；　bracing　herself　against　the　trunks　and　furniture　as　the　wagon　tipped　and　rocked。　Lightning　crashed　and　branches　broke；　one　of　them　tore　the　canvas　and　the　water　poured　into　the　wagon　but　Faith　held　on　with　white　knuckles　and　her　eyes　staring　out。　Alvin　knew　from　her　eyes　there　wasn't　a　thing　he　could　say　to　make　her　let　go。　There　was　only　one　way　to　get　Faith　and　her　unborn　baby　out　of　that　river；　and　that　was　to　get　the　wagon　out。
　　〃Horses　can't　get　no　purchase；　Papa；〃　Vigor　shouted。　〃They're　just　stumbling　and　bound　to　break　a　leg。〃
　　〃Well　we　can't　pull　out　without　the　horses！〃
　　〃The　horses　are　something；　Papa。　We　leave　'em　in　here　and　we'll　lose　wagon　and　horses　too！〃
　　〃Your　mama　won't　leave　that　wagon。〃
　　He　saw　understanding　in　Vigor's　eyes。　The　things　in　the　wagon　weren't　worth　a　risk　of　death　to　save　them。　But　Mama　was。
　　〃Still；〃　Vigor　said。　〃On　shore　the　team　could　pull　strong。　Here　in　the　water　they　can't　do　a　thing。〃
　　〃Set　the　boys　to　unhitching　them。　But　first　tie　a　line　to　a　tree　to　hold　that　wagon！〃
　　It　wasn't　two　minutes　before　the　twins　Wastenot　and　Wantnot　were　on　the　shore　making　the　rope　fast　to　a　stout　tree。　David　and　Measure　made　another　line　fast　to　the　rig　that　held　the　horses；　while　Calm　cut　the　strands　that　held　them　to　the　wagon。　Good　boys；　doing　their　work　just　right；　Vigor　shouting　directions　while　Alvin　could　only　watch；　helpless　at　the　back　of　the　wagon；　looking　now　at　Faith　who　was　trying　not　to　have　the　baby；　now　at　the　Hatrack　River　that　was　trying　to　push　them　all　down　to　hell。
　　Not　much　of　a　river；　Vigor　had　said；　but　then　the　clouds　came　up　and　the　rain　came　down　and　the　Hatrack　became　something　after　all。　Even　so　it　looked　passable　when　they　got　to　it。　The　horses　strode　in　strong；　and　Alvin　was　just　saying　to　Calm；　who　had　the　reins；　〃Well；　we　made　it　not　a　minute　to　spare；〃　when　the　river　went　insane。　It　doubled　in　speed　and　strength　all　in　a　moment；　and　the　horses　got　panicky　and　lost　direction　and　started　pulling　against　each　other。　The　boys　all　hopped　into　the　river　and　tried　to　lead　them　to　shore　but　by　then　the　wagon's　momentum　had　been　lost　and　the　wheels　were　mired　up　and　stuck　fast。　Almost　as　if　the　river　knew　they　were　ing　and　saved　up　its　worst　fury　till　they　were　already　in　it　and　couldn't　get　away。
　　〃Look　out！　Look　out！〃　screamed　Measure　from　the　shore。
　　Alvin　looked　upstream　to　see　what　devilment　the　river　had　in　mind；　and　there　was　a　whole　tree　floating　down　the　river；　endwise　like　a　battering　ram；　the　root　end　pointed　at　the　center　of　the　wagon；　straight　at　the　place　where　Faith　was　sitting；　her　baby　on　the　verge　of　birth。　Alvin　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do；　couldn't　think　at　all；　just　screamed　his　wife's　name　with　all　his　strength。　Maybe　in　his　heart　he　thought　that　by　holding　her　name　on　his　lips　he　could　keep　her　alive；　but　there　was　no　hope　of　that；　no　hope　at　all。
　　Except　that　Vigor　didn't　know　there　was　no　hope。　Vigor　leapt　out　when　the　tree　was　no　more　than　a　rod　away；　his　body　failing　against　it　just　above　the　root。　The　momentum　of　his　leap　turned　it　a　little；　then　rolled　it　over；　rolled　it　and　turned　it　away　from　the　wagon。　Of　course　Vigor　rolled　with　it；　pulled　right　under　the　water　　but　it　worked；　the　root　end　of　the　tree　missed　the　wagon　entirely；　and　the　shaft　of　the　trunk　struck　it　a　sidewise　blow。
　　The　tree　bounded　across　the　stream　and　smashed　up　against　a　boulder　on　the　bank。　Alvin　was　five　rods　off；　but　in　his　memory　from　then　on；　he　always　saw　it　like　as　if　he'd　been　right　there。　The　tree　crashing　into　the　boulder；　and　Vigor　between　them。　Just　a　split　second　that　lasted　a　lifetime；　Vigor's　eyes　wide　with　surprise；　blood　already　leaping　out　of　his　mouth；　spattering　out　onto　the　tree　that　killed　him。　Then　the　Hatrack　River　swept　the　tree　out　into　the　current。　Vigor　slipped　under　the　water；　all　except　his　arm；　all　tangled　in　the　roots；　which　stuck　up　into　the　air　for　all　the　world　like　a　neighbor　waving　good…bye　after　a　visit。
　　Alvin　was　so　intent　on　watching　his　dying　son　that　he　didn't　even　notice　what　was　happening　to　his　own　self。　The　blow　from　the　tree　was　enough　to　dislodge　the　mired　wheels；　and　the　current　picked　up　the　wagon；　carried　it　downstream；　Alvin　clinging　to　the　tailgate；　Faith　weeping　inside；　Eleanor　screaming　her　lungs　out　from　the　driver's　seat；　and　the　boys　on　the　bank　shouting　something。　Shouting；　〃Hold！　Hold！　Hold！〃
　　The　rope　held；　one　end　tied　to　a　strong　tree；　the　other　end　tied　to　the　wagon；　it　held。　The　river　couldn't　tumble　the　wagon　downstream；　instead　it　swung　the　wagon　in　to　shore　the　way　a　boy　swings　a　rock　on　a　string；　and　when　it　came　to　a　shuddering　stop　it　was　right　against　the　bank；　the　front　end　facing　upstream。
　　〃It　held！〃　cried　the　boys。
　　〃Thank　God！〃　shouted　Eleanor。
　　〃The　baby's　ing；〃　whispered　Faith。
　　But　Alvin；　all　he　could　hear　was　the　single　faint　cry　that　had　been　the　last　sound　from　the　throat　of　his　firstborn　son；　all　he　could　see　was　the　way　his　boy　clung　to　the　tree　as　it　rolled　and　rolled　in　the　water；　and　all　he　could　say　was　a　single　word；　a　single　mand。　〃Live；〃　he　murmured。　Vigor　had　always　obeyed　him　before。　Hard　worker；　willing　panion；　more　a　friend　or　brother　than　a　son。　But　this　time　he　knew　his　son　would　disobey。　Still　he　whispered　it。　〃Live。〃
　　〃Are　we　safe？〃　said　Faith；　her　voice　trembling。
　　Alvin　turned　to　face　her；　tried　to　strike　the　grief　from　his　face。　No　sense　her　knowing　the　price　that　Vigor　paid　to　save　her　and　the　baby。　Time　enough　to　learn　of　that　after　the　baby　was　born。　〃Can　you　climb　out　of　the　wagon？〃
　　〃What's　wrong？〃　asked　Faith；　looking　at　his　face。
　　〃I　took　a　fright。　Tree　could　have　killed　us。　Can　you　climb　out；　now　that　we're　up　against　the　bank？〃
　　Eleanor　leaned　in　from　the　front　of　the　wagon。　〃David　and　Calm　are　on　the　bank；　they　can　help　you　up。　The　rope's　holding；　Mama；　but　who　can　say　how　long？〃
　　〃Go　on；　Mother；　just　a　step；〃　said　Alvin。　〃We'll　do　better　with　the　wagon　if　we　know　you're　safe　on　shore。〃
　　〃The　baby's　ing；〃　said　Faith。
　　〃Better　on　shore　than　here；〃　said　Alvin　sharply。　〃Go　now。〃
　　Faith　stood　up；　clambered　awkwardly　to　the　front。　Alvin　climbed　through　the　wagon　behind　her；　to　help　her　if　she　should　stumble。　Even　he　could　see　how　her　belly　had　dropped。　The　baby　must　be　grabbing　for　air　already。
　　On　the　bank　it　wasn't　just　David　and　Calm；　now。　There　were　strangers；　big　men；　and　several　horses。　Even　one　small　wagon；　and　that　was　a　wele　sight。　Alvin　had　no　notion　who　these　men　were；　or　how　they　knew　to　e　and　help；　but　there　wasn't　a　moment　to　waste　on　introductions。　〃You　men！　Is　there　a　midwife　in　the　road　house？〃
　　〃Goody　Guester　does　with　birthing；〃　said　a　man。　A　big　man；　with　arms　like　ox…legs。　A　blacksmith；　surely。
　　〃Can　you　take　my　wife　in　that　wagon？　There's　not　a　moment　to　spare。〃　Alvin　knew　it　was　a　shameful　thing；　for　men　to　speak　so　openly　of　birthing；　right　in　front　of　the　woman　who　was　set　to　bear。　But　Faith　was　no　fool　　she　knew　what　mattered　most；　and　getting　her　to　a　bed　and　a　petent　midwife　was　more　important　than　pussyfooting　around　about　it。
　　David　and　Calm　were　careful　as　they　helped　their　mother　toward　the　waiting　wagon。　Faith　was　staggering　with　pain。　Women　in　labor　shouldn't　have　to　step　from　a　wagon　seat　up　onto　a　riverbank；　that　was　sure。　Eleanor　was　right　behind　her；　taking　charge　as　if　she　wasn't　younger　than　all　the　boys　except　the　twins。　〃Measure！　Get　the　girls　together。　They're　riding　in　the　wagon　with　us。　You　too；　Wastenot　and　Wantnot！　I　know　you　can　help　the　big　boys　but　I　need　you　to　watch　the　girls　while　I'm　with　Mother。〃　Eleanor　was　never　one　to　be　trifled　with；　and　the　gravity　of　the　situation　was　such　that　they　didn't　even　call　her　Eleanor　of　Aquitaine　as　they　obeyed。　Even　the　little　girls　mostly　gave　over　their　squabbling　and　got　right　on。
　　Eleanor　paused　a　moment　on　the　bank　and　looked　back　to　where　her　father　stood　on　the　wagon　seat。　She　glanced　downstream；　then　looked　back　at　him。　Alvin　understood　the　question；　and　he　shook　his　head　no。　Faith　was　not　to　know　of　Vigor's　sacrifice。　Tear