osc.am1.seventhson-第45部分

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　That's　Vigor。　That's　my　boy。〃　Then　he　cried；　too。
　　They　set　it　right　up　on　the　mantel。　It　might　not　be　great　art；　thought　Taleswapper；　but　it　was　true；　and　it　meant　more　to　these　folks　than　any　portrait　could　mean　to　some　fat　old　lord　or　parliamentarian　in　London　or　Camelot　or　Paris　or　Vienna。
　　〃It's　fair　morning　now；〃　said　Goody　Faith。　〃You've　got　long　to　go　before　dark。〃
　　〃You　can't　blame　me　for　being　reluctant　to　leave。　Though　I'm　glad　you　trusted　me　with　this　errand；　and　I　won't　fail　you。〃　He　patted　his　pocket；　wherein　lay　the　letter　to　the　blacksmith　of　Hatrack　River。
　　〃You　can't　go　without　you　say　good…bye　to　the　boy；〃　said　Miller。
　　He'd　put　it　off　as　long　as　it　could　be　delayed。　He　nodded　once；　then　eased　himself　from　the　fortable　chair　by　the　fire　and　went　on　into　the　room　where　he'd　slept　the　best　nights　of　his　life。　It　was　good　to　see　Alvin　Junior's　eyes　wide　open；　his　face　lively；　no　longer　slack　the　way　it　was　for　a　while；　or　winced　up　with　pain。　But　the　pain　was　still　there；　Taleswapper　knew。
　　〃You　going？〃　asked　the　boy。
　　〃I'm　gone；　except　for　saying　good…bye　to　you。〃
　　Alvin　looked　a　little　angry。　〃So　you　ain't　even　going　to　let　me　write　in　your　book？〃
　　〃Not　everybody　does；　you　know。〃
　　〃Pa　did。　And　Mama。〃
　　〃And　Cally；　too。〃
　　〃I　bet　that　looks　good；〃　said　Alvin。　〃He　writes　like　a；　like　a〃
　　〃Like　a　seven…year…old。〃　It　was　a　rebuke；　but　Alvin　had　no　intention　of　squirming。
　　〃Why　not　me；　then？　Why　Cally　and　not　me？〃
　　〃Because　I　only　let　people　write　the　most　important　thing　they　ever　did　or　ever　saw　with　their　own　eyes。　What　would　you　write？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　about　the　millstone。〃
　　Taleswapper　made　a　face。
　　〃Then　maybe　my　vision。　That's　important；　you　said　so　yourself。〃
　　〃And　that　got　written　up　somewhere　else；　Alvin。〃
　　〃I　want　to　write　in　the　book；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　my　sentence　in　there　along　with　Maker　Ben's。〃
　　〃Not　yet；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　〃When！〃
　　〃When　you've　whipped　that　old　Unmaker；　lad。　That's　when　I'll　let　you　write　in　this　book。〃
　　〃What　if　I　don't　ever　whip　him？〃
　　〃Then　this　book　won't　amount　to　much；　anyway。〃
　　Tears　sprang　to　Alvin's　eyes。　〃What　if　I　die？〃
　　Taleswapper　felt　a　thrill　of　fear。　〃How's　the　leg？〃
　　The　boy　shrugged。　He　blinked　back　the　tears。　They　were　gone。
　　〃That's　no　answer；　lad。〃
　　〃It　won't　stop　hurting。〃
　　〃It'll　be　that　way　till　the　bone　knits。〃
　　Alvin　Junior　smiled　wanly。　〃Bone's　all　knit。〃
　　〃Then　why　don't　you　walk？〃
　　〃It　pains　me；　Taleswapper。　It　never　goes　away。　It's　got　a　bad　place　on　the　bone；　and　I　ain't　figured　out　yet　how　to　make　it　right。〃
　　〃You'll　find　a　way。〃
　　〃I　ain't　found　it　yet。〃
　　〃An　old　trapper　once　said　to　me；　'It　don't　matter　if　you　start　at　the　bung　or　the　breastbone；　any　old　way　you　get　the　skin　off　a　panther　is　a　good　way。'〃
　　〃Is　that　a　proverb？〃
　　〃It's　close。　You'll　find　a　way；　even　if　it　isn't　what　you　expect。〃
　　〃Nothing's　what　I　expect；〃　said　Alvin。　〃Nothing　turns　out　like　anything　I　figured。〃
　　〃You're　ten　years　old；　lad。　Weary　of　the　world　already？〃
　　Alvin　kept　rubbing　folds　of　the　blanket　between　his　thumb　and　fingers。　〃Taleswapper；　I'm　dying。〃
　　Taleswapper　studied　his　face；　trying　to　see　death　there。　It　wasn't。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　　〃The　bad　place　on　my　leg。　It's　growing。　Slow；　maybe；　but　it's　growing。　It's　invisible；　and　it's　eating　away　at　the　hard　places　of　the　bone；　and　after　a　while　it'll　go　faster　and　faster　and〃
　　〃And　Unmake　you。〃
　　Alvin　started　to　cry　for　real　this　time；　and　his　hands　were　shaking。　〃I'm　scared　to　die；　Taleswapper；　but　it　got　inside　me　and　I　can't　get　it　out。〃
　　Taleswapper　laid　a　hand　on　his；　to　still　the　trembling。　〃You'll　find　a　way。　You've　got　too　much　work　to　do　in　this　world；　to　die　now。〃
　　Alvin　rolled　his　eyes。　〃That's　about　as　dumb　a　thing　as　I've　heard　this　year。　Just　because　somebody's　got　things　to　do　don't　mean　he　won't　die。〃
　　〃But　it　does　mean　he　won't　die　willingly。〃
　　〃I　ain't　willing。〃
　　〃That's　why　you'll　find　a　way　to　live。〃
　　Alvin　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds。　〃I've　been　thinking。　About　if　I　do　live；　what　I'll　do。　Like　what　I　done　to　make　my　leg　get　mostly　better。　I　can　do　that　for　other　folks；　I　bet。　I　can　lay　hands　on　them　and　feel　the　way　it　is　inside；　and　fix　it　up。　Wouldn't　that　be　good？〃
　　〃They'd　love　you　for　it；　all　the　folks　you　healed。〃
　　〃I　reckon　the　first　time　was　the　hardest；　and　I　wasn't　partickler　strong　when　I　done　it。　I　bet　I　can　do　it　faster　on　other　people。〃
　　〃Maybe　so。　But　even　if　you　heal　a　hundred　sick　people　every　day；　and　move　on　to　the　next　place　and　heal　a　hundred　more；　there'll　be　ten　thousand　people　die　behind　you；　and　ten　thousand　more　ahead　of　you；　and　by　the　time　you　die；　even　the　ones　you　healed　will　almost　all　be　dead。〃
　　Alvin　turned　his　face　away。　〃If　I　know　how　to　fix　them；　then　I　got　to　fix　them；　Taleswapper。〃
　　〃Those　you　can；　you　must；〃　said　Taleswapper。　〃But　not　as　your　life's　work。　Bricks　in　the　wall；　Alvin；　that's　all　they'll　ever　be。　You　can　never　catch　up　by　repairing　the　crumbling　bricks。　Heal　those　who　chance　to　fall　under　your　hand；　but　your　life's　work　is　deeper　than　that。〃
　　〃I　know　how　to　heal　people。　But　I　don't　know　how　to　beat　down　the　Un　the　Unmaker。　I　don't　even　know　what　it　is。〃
　　〃As　long　as　you're　the　only　one　that　can　see　him；　though；　you're　also　the　only　one　who　has　a　hope　of　beating　him。〃
　　〃Maybe。〃
　　Another　long　silence。　Taleswapper　knew　it　was　time　to　go。
　　〃Wait。〃
　　〃I've　got　to　leave　now。〃
　　Alvin　caught　at　his　sleeve。　〃Not　yet。〃
　　〃Pretty　soon。〃
　　〃At　least　at　least　let　me　read　what　the　others　wrote。〃
　　Taleswapper　reached　into　his　bag　and　pulled　out　the　book　pouch。　〃I　can't　promise　I'll　explain　what　they　mean；〃　he　said；　sliding　the　book　out　of　its　waterproof　cover。
　　Alvin　quickly　found　the　last；　newest　writings。
　　In　his　mother's　hand：　〃Vigor　he　push　a　log　and　he　don　die　til　the　boy　is　bornd。〃
　　In　David's　hand：　〃A　mil　ston　splits　in　two　then　it　suks　bak　not　a　crak。〃
　　In　Cally's　hand：　〃A　sevent　sunn。〃
　　Alvin　looked　up。　〃He　ain't　talking　about　me；　you　know。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　said　Taleswapper。
　　Alvin　looked　back　at　the　book。　In　his　father's　hand：　〃He　dont　kil　a　boy　cus　a　stranjer　　in　time。〃
　　〃What's　Pa　talking　about？〃　asked　Alvin。
　　Taleswapper　took　the　book　from　his　hands　and　closed　it。　〃Find　a　way　to　heal　your　leg；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　lot　more　souls　than　you　who　need　it　to　be　strong。　It's　not　for　yourself；　remember？〃
　　He　bent　over　and　kissed　the　boy　on　the　forehead。　Alvin　reached　up　and　held　him　with　both　arms；　hanging　on　him　so　that　he　couldn't　stand　up　without　lifting　the　boy　clear　out　of　bed。　After　a　while；　Taleswapper　had　to　reach　up　and　pull　the　boy's　arms　away。　His　cheek　was　wet　with　Alvin's　tears。　He　didn't　wipe　them　away。　He　let　the　breeze　dry　them　as　he　trudged　along　the　cold　dry　path；　with　fields　of　half…melted　snow　stretching　left　and　right。
　　He　paused　a　moment　on　the　second　covered　bridge。　Just　long　enough　to　wonder　if　he'd　ever　e　back　here；　or　see　them　again。　Or　get　Alvin　Junior's　sentence　for　his　book。　If　he　were　a　prophet；　he'd　know。　But　he　hadn't　the　faintest　idea。
　　He　walked　on；　setting　his　feet　toward　morning。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　Thirteen　　Surgery
　　
　　The　visitor　sat　fortably　upon　the　altar；　leaning　casually　on　his　left　arm；　so　that　his　body　had　a　jaunty　tilt。　Reverend　Thrower　had　seen　just　such　an　informal　pose　taken　by　a　dandy　from　Camelot；　a　rakehell　who　clearly　despised　everything　that　the　Puritan　churches　of　England　and　Scotland　stood　for。　It　made　Thrower　more　than　a　little　unfortable　to　see　the　Visitor　in　such　an　irreverent　pose。
　　〃Why？〃　asked　the　Visitor。　〃Just　because　the　only　way　you　can　maintain　control　over　your　bodily　passions　is　to　sit　straight　in　your　chair；　knees　together；　hands　delicately　arranged　in　your　lap；　fingers　tightly　intertwined；　does　not　mean　that　I　am　required　to　do　the　same。〃
　　Thrower　was　embarrassed。　〃It　isn't　fair　to　chastise　me　for　my　thoughts。〃
　　〃It　is；　when　your　thoughts　chastise　me　for　my　actions。　Beware　of　hubris；　my　friend。　Do　not　fancy　yourself　so　righteous　that　you　can　judge　the　acts　of　angel