osc.am1.seventhson-第47部分
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o the light wouldn't hurt his eyes。 At night； though； he made them open things up； let some of the cold air in。 He would breathe it in relief。 During the few days when he could walk； he had seen the snow covering the meadow。 Now he tried to imagine himself lying under that blanket of snow。 Relief from the fire burning through his body。
He just couldn't see small enough inside himself。 What he did with the bone； with the strands of muscle and layers of skin； it was harder than ever it was to find the cracks in the quarry stone。 But he could feel his way through the labyrinth of his body； find the large wounds； help them to close。 Most of what went on； though； was too small and fast for him to prehend。 He could see the result； but he couldn't see the pieces； couldn't make out how it happened。
That's how it was with the bad place in his bone。 Just a patch of it that was weakening； rotting away。 He could feel the difference between the bad place and the good healthy bone； he could find the borders of the sickness。 But he couldn't actually see what was happening。 He couldn't undo it。 He was going to die。
He wasn't alone in the room； he knew。 Someone always sat at his bedside。 He would open his eyes and see Mama； or Papa； or one of the girls。 Sometimes even one of the brothers； even though it meant he had left his wife and his chores。 It was a fort to Alvin； but it was also a burden。 He kept thinking he ought to hurry up and die so they could all get back to their regular lives。
This afternoon it was Measure sitting there。 Alvin said howdy to him when he first came； but there wasn't much to talk about。 Howdy do？ I'm dying； thanks； and you？ Kind of hard to keep chatting。 Measure talked about how he and the twins had tried to cut a grindstone。 They chose a softer stone than what Alvin worked with； and still they had a devil of a time cutting。 〃We finally gave right up；〃 said Measure。 〃It's just going to have to wait till you can go up the mountain and get us a stone yourself。〃
Alvin didn't answer that； and they neither one said a word since then。 Alvin just lay there； sweating； feeling the rot in his bone as it slowly； steadily grew。 Measure sat there； lightly holding his hand。
Measure started to whistle。
The sound of it startled Alvin。 He'd been so caught up inside himself that the music seemed to e from a great distance； and he had to travel some distance to discover where it was ing from。
〃Measure；〃 he cried； but the sound of his voice was a whisper。
The whistling stopped。 〃Sorry；〃 said Measure。 〃Does it bother you？〃
〃No；〃 said Alvin。
Measure started in whistling again。 It was a strange tune； one that Alvin didn't recollect he ever heard before。 In fact it didn't sound like any kind of tune at all。 It never did repeat itself； just went on with new patterns all the time； ；like as if Measure was making it up on the way。 As Alvin lay there and listened； the melody seemed like it was a map； winding through a wilderness； and he started to follow it。 Not that he saw anything； the way he would following a real map。 It just seemed always to show him the center of things； and everything he thought about； he thought about as if he was standing in that place。 Almost like he could see all the thinking he had done before； trying to figure out a way to fix the bad place on his bone； only now he was looking from a ways off； maybe higher up a mountain or in a clearing； somewhere that he could see more。
Now he thought of something he never thought of before。 When his leg was first broke； with the skin all tore up； everybody could see how bad off he was； but nobody could help him； only himself。 He had to fix it all from inside。 Now； though； nobody else could see the wound that was killing him。 And even though he could see it； he couldn't do a blame thing to make it better。
So maybe this time； somebody else could fix him up。 Not using any kind of hidden power at all。 Just plain old bloody…handed surgery。
〃Measure；〃 he whispered。
〃I'm here；〃 said Measure。
〃I know a way to fix my leg；〃 he said。
Measure leaned in close。 Alvin didn't open his eyes； but he could feel his brother's breath on his cheek。
〃The bad place on my bone； it's growing； but it ain't spread all over yet；〃 Alvin said。 〃I can't make it better； but I reckon if somebody cut off that part of my bone and took it right out of my leg； I could heal it up the rest of the way。〃
〃Cut it out？〃
〃Pa's bone saw that he uses when he's cutting up meat； that'd do the trick I think。〃
〃But there ain't a surgeon in three hundred mile。〃
〃Then I reckon somebody better learn how real quick； or I'm dead。〃
Measure was breathing quicker now。 〃You think cutting your bone would save your life？〃
〃It's the best I can think of。〃
〃It might mess up your leg real bad；〃 said Measure。
〃If I'm dead； I won't care。 And if I live； it'll be worth a messed…up leg。〃
〃I'm going to fetch Pa。〃 Measure scuffed back his chair and thumped out of the room。
***
Thrower let Armor lead the way onto the Millers' porch。 They couldn't very well turn away their daughter's husband。 His concern was unfounded； however。 It was Goody Faith who opened the door； not her pagan husband。
〃Why； Reverend Thrower； if you ain't being too kind to us； stopping up here；〃 she said。 The cheerfulness of her voice was a lie； though； if her haggard face was telling the truth。 There hadn't been much good sleep in this house lately。
〃I brought him along； Mother Faith；〃 said Armor。 〃He e only cause I asked him。〃
〃The pastor of our church is wele in my home whenever it pleases him to e by；〃 said Faith。
She ushered them into the great room。 A group of girls making quilt squares looked up at him from their chairs near the hearth。 The little boy； Cally； was doing his letters on a board； writing with charcoal from the fire。
〃I'm glad to see you doing your letters；〃 said Thrower。
Cally just looked at him。 There was a hint of hostility in his eyes。 Apparently the boy resented having his teacher look at his work here at home； which he had supposed was a sanctuary。
〃You're doing them well；〃 said Thrower； trying to put the boy at ease。 Cally said nothing； just looked down again at his makeshift slate and kept on scrawling out words。
Armor brought up their business right away。 〃Mother Faith； we e cause of Alvin。 You know how I feel about witchery； but I never before said a word against what you folks do in your house。 I always reckoned that was your business and none of mine。 But that boy is paying the price for the evil ways that you've let go on here。 He witched his leg； and now there's a devil in him； killing him off； and I brought Reverend Thrower here to wring that devil on out of him。〃
Goody Faith looked puzzled。 〃There ain't no devil in this house。〃
Ah； poor woman； said Thrower silently。 If you only knew how long a devil has dwelt here。 〃It is possible to bee so accustomed to the presence of a devil as not to recognize that it is presene。〃
A door by the stairs opened up； and Mr。 Miller stepped backward through the doorway。 〃Not me；〃 he said； talking to whoever was in that room。 〃I'll not lay a knife to the boy。〃
Cally jumped up at the sound of his father's voice and ran to him。 〃Armor brung old Thrower here； Papa； to kill the devil。〃
Mr。 Miller turned around； his face twisted with unidentified emotion； and looked at the visitors as if he hardly recognized them。
〃I've got good strong hexes on this house；〃 said Goody Faith。
〃Those hexes are a summons for the devil；〃 said Armor。 〃You think they protect your house； but they drive away the Lord。〃
〃No devil ever came in here；〃 she insisted。
〃Not by itself；〃 said Armor。 〃You called it in with all you're conjuring。 You forced the Holy Spirit to leave your house by your witchery and idolatry； and having swept goodness from your home； the devils naturally e right in。 They always e in； where they see a fair chance to do mischief。〃
Thrower became a little concerned that Armor was saying too much about things he didn't really understand。 It would have been better had he simply asked if Thrower could
