osc.am1.seventhson-第7部分

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　　〃What？〃　demanded　Eleanor。
　　〃Hush；〃　said　Mama。　〃Let　her　see　what　she　sees。〃
　　Inside　the　unborn　child；　the　dark　blot　of　water　that　surrounded　his　heartfire　seemed　so　terribly　strong　that　little　Peggy　was　afraid　he　would　be　swallowed　up。
　　〃Get　him　out　to　breathe！〃　shouted　little　Peggy。
　　Mama　reached　in；　even　though　it　tore　the　mother　something　dreadful；　and　hooked　the　baby　by　the　neck　with　strong　fingers；　drawing　him　out。
　　In　that　moment；　as　the　dark　water　retreated　inside　the　child's　mind；　and　just　before　the　first　breath　came；　little　Peggy　saw　ten　million　deaths　by　water　disappear。　Now；　for　the　first　time；　there　were　some　paths　open；　some　paths　leading　to　a　dazzling　future。　And　all　the　paths　that　did　not　end　in　early　death　had　one　thing　in　mon。　On　all　those　paths；　little　Peggy　saw　herself　doing　one　simple　thing。
　　So　she　did　that　thing。　She　took　her　hands　from　the　slackening　belly　and　ducked　under　her　mother's　arm。　The　baby's　head　had　just　emerged；　and　it　was　still　covered　with　a　bloody　caul；　a　scrap　of　the　sac　of　soft　skin　in　which　he　had　floated　in　his　mother's　womb。　His　mouth　was　open；　sucking　inward　on　the　caul；　but　it　didn't　break；　and　he　couldn't　breathe。
　　Little　Peggy　did　what　she　had　seen　herself　do　in　the　baby's　future。　She　reached　out；　took　the　caul　from　under　the　baby's　chin；　and　pulled　it　away　from　his　face。　It　came　whole；　in　one　moist　piece；　and　in　the　moment　it　came　away；　the　baby's　mouth　cleared；　he　sucked　in　a　great　breath；　and　then　gave　that　mewling　cry　that　birthing　mothers　hear　as　the　song　of　life。
　　Little　Peggy　folded　the　caul；　her　mind　still　full　of　the　visions　she　had　seen　down　the　pathways　of　this　baby's　life。　She　did　not　know　yet　what　the　visions　meant；　but　they　made　such　clear　pictures　in　her　mind　that　she　knew　she　would　never　forget　them。　They　made　her　afraid；　because　so　much　would　depend　on　her；　and　how　she　used　the　birth　caul　that　was　still　warm　in　her　hands。
　　〃A　boy；〃　said　Mama。
　　〃Is　he；〃　whispered　the　mother。　〃Seventh　son？〃
　　Mama　was　tying　the　cord；　so　she　couldn't　spare　a　glance　at　little　Peggy。　〃Look；〃　she　whispered。
　　Little　Peggy　looked　for　the　single　heartfire　on　the　distant　river。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　for　the　heartfire　was　still　burning。
　　Even　as　she　watched；　it　flickered；　died。
　　〃Now　he's　gone；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　The　woman　on　the　bed　wept　bitterly；　her　birthwracked　body　shuddering。
　　〃Grieving　at　the　baby's　birth；〃　said　Mama。　〃It's　a　dreadful　thing。〃
　　〃Hush；〃　whispered　Eleanor　to　her　mother。　〃Be　joyous；　or　it'll　darken　the　baby　all　his　life！〃
　　〃Vigor；〃　murmured　the　woman。
　　〃Better　nothing　at　all　than　tears；〃　said　Mama。　She　held　out　the　crying　baby；　and　Eleanor　took　it　in　petent　arms　　she　had　cradled　many　a　babe　before；　it　was　plain。
　　Mama　went　to　the　table　in　the　er　and　took　the　scarf　that　had　been　blacked　in　the　wool；　so　it　was　night…colored　clear　through。　She　dragged　it　slowly　across　the　weeping　woman's　face；　saying；　〃Sleep；　Mother；　sleep。〃
　　When　the　cloth　came　away；　the　weeping　was　done；　and　the　woman　slept；　her　strength　spent。
　　〃Take　the　baby　from　the　room；〃　said　Mama。
　　〃Don't　he　need　to　start　his　sucking？〃　asked　Eleanor。
　　〃She'll　never　nurse　this　babe；〃　said　Mama。　〃Not　unless　you　want　him　to　suck　hate。〃
　　〃She　can't　hate　him；〃　said　Eleanor。　〃It　ain't　his　fault。〃
　　〃I　reckon　her　milk　don't　know　that；〃　said　Mama。　〃That　right；　little　Peggy？　What　teat　does　the　baby　suck？〃
　　〃His　mama's；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　Mama　looked　sharp　at　her。　〃You　sure　of　that？〃
　　She　nodded。
　　〃Well；　then；　we'll　bring　the　baby　in　when　she　wakes　up。　He　doesn't　need　to　eat　anything　for　the　first　night；　anyway。〃　So　Eleanor　carried　the　baby　out　into　the　great　room；　where　the　fire　burned　to　dry　the　men；　who　stopped　trading　stories　about　rains　and　floods　worse　than　this　one　long　enough　to　look　at　the　baby　and　admire。
　　Inside　the　room；　though；　Mama　took　little　Peggy　by　the　chin　and　stared　hard　into　her　eyes。　〃You　tell　me　the　truth；　Margaret。　It's　a　serious　thing；　for　a　baby　to　suck　on　its　mama　and　drink　up　hate。〃
　　〃She　won't　hate　him；　Mama；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　〃What　did　you　see？〃
　　Little　Peggy　would　have　answered；　but　she　didn't　know　words　to　tell　most　of　the　things　she　saw。　So　she　looked　at　the　floor。　She　could　tell　from　Mama's　quick　draw　of　breath　that　she　was　ripe　for　a　tongue…lashing。　But　Mama　waited；　and　then　her　hand　came　soft；　stroking　across　little　Peggy's　cheek。　〃Ah；　child；　what　a　day　you've　had。　The　baby　might　have　died；　except　you　told　me　to　pull　it　out。　You　even　reached　in　and　opened　up　its　mouth　　that's　what　you　did；　isn't　it？〃
　　Little　Peggy　nodded。
　　〃Enough　for　a　little　girl；　enough　for　one　day。〃　Mama　turned　to　the　other　girls；　the　ones　in　wet　dresses；　leaning　against　the　wall。　〃And　you；　too；　you've　had　enough　of　a　day。　e　out　of　here；　let　your　mama　sleep；　e　out　and　get　dry　by　the　fire。　I'll　start　a　supper　for　you；　I　will。〃
　　But　Oldpappy　was　already　in　the　kitchen；　fussing　around；　and　refused　to　hear　of　Mama　doing　a　thing。　Soon　enough　she　was　out　with　the　baby；　shooing　the　men　away　so　she　could　rock　it　to　sleep；　letting　it　suck　her　finger。
　　Little　Peggy　figured　after　a　while　that　she　wouldn't　be　missed；　so　she　snuck　up　the　stairs　to　the　attic　ladder　and　up　the　ladder　into　the　lightless；　musty　space。　The　spiders　didn't　bother　her　much；　and　the　cats　mostly　kept　the　mice　away；　so　she　wasn't　afraid。　She　crawled　right　to　her　secret　hiding　place　and　took　out　the　carven　box　that　Oldpappy　gave　her；　the　one　he　said　his　own　papa　brought　from　Ulster　when　he　came　to　the　colonies。　It　was　full　of　the　precious　scraps　of　childhood　　stones；　strings；　buttons　　but　now　she　knew　that　these　were　nothing　pared　to　the　work　before　her　all　the　rest　of　her　life。　She　dumped　them　right　out；　and　blew　into　the　box　to　clear　away　the　dust。　Then　she　laid　the　folded　caul　inside　and　closed　the　lid。
　　She　knew　that　in　the　future　she　would　open　that　box　a　dozen　dozen　times。　That　it　would　call　to　her；　wake　her　from　her　sleep；　tear　her　from　her　friends；　and　steal　from　her　all　her　dreams。　All　because　a　baby　boy　downstairs　had　no　future　at　all　but　death　from　the　dark　water；　excepting　if　she　used　that　caul　to　keep　him　safe；　the　way　it　once　protected　him　in　the　womb。
　　For　a　moment　she　was　angry；　to　have　her　own　life　so　changed。　Worse　than　the　blacksmith　ing；　it　was；　worse　than　Papa　and　the　hazel　wand　he　whupped　her　with；　worse　than　Mama　when　her　eyes　were　angry。　Everything　would　be　different　forever　and　it　wasn't　fair。　Just　for　a　baby　she　never　invited；　never　asked　to　e　here；　what　did　she　care　about　any　old　baby？
　　She　reached　out　and　opened　the　box；　planning　to　take　the　caul　and　cast　it　into　a　dark　er　of　the　attic。　But　even　in　the　darkness；　she　could　see　a　place　where　it　was　darker　still：　near　her　heartfire；　where　the　emptiness　of　the　deep　black　river　was　all　set　to　make　a　murderer　out　of　her。
　　Not　me；　she　said　to　the　water。　You　ain't　part　of　me。
　　Yes　I　am；　whispered　the　water。　I'm　all　through　you；　and　you'd　dry　up　and　die　without　me。
　　You　ain't　the　boss　of　me；　anyway；　she　retorted。
　　She　closed　the　lid　on　the　box　and　skidded　her　way　down　the　ladder。　Papa　always　said　that　she'd　get　splinters　in　her　butt　doing　that。　This　time　he　was　right。　It　stung　something　fierce；　so　she　walked　kind　of　sideways　into　the　kitchen　where　Oldpappy　was。　Sure　enough；　he　stopped　his　cooking　long　enough　to　pry　the　splinters　out。
　　〃My　eyes　ain't　sharp　enough　for　this；　Maggie；〃　he　plained。
　　〃You　got　the　eyes　of　an　eagle。　Papa　says　so。〃
　　Oldpappy　chuckled。　〃Does　he　now。〃
　　〃What's　for　dinner？〃
　　〃Oh；　you'll　like　this　dinner；　Maggie。〃
　　Little　Peggy　wrinkled　up　her　nose。　〃Smells　like　chicken。〃
　　〃That's　right。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　chicken　soup。〃
　　〃Not　just　soup；　Maggie。　This　one's　a…roasting；　except　the　neck　and　wings。〃
　　〃I　hate　roast　chicken；　too。〃
　　〃Does　your　Oldpappy　ever　lie　to　you？〃
　　〃Nope。〃
　　〃Then　you　best　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　this　is　one　chicken　dinner　that'll　make　you　glad。　Can't　you　think　of　any　way　that　a　partickler　chicken　dinner　could　make　you　glad？〃
　　Little　Peggy　thought　and　thought；　and　then　she　smiled。　〃Bloody　Mary？〃
　　Oldpappy　winked。　〃I　always　said