osc.am2.redprophet-第2章

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ant　was　smart；　he'd　share　that　half　keg；　shot　by　shot；　with　the　officers　that　seemed　most　likely　to　give　him　advancement；　and　if　he　kept　that　up；　someday　that　sergeant　wouldn't　be　out　greeting　flathoats；　no　Sir；　he'd　be　sitting　in　officers'　quarters　with　a　pretty　wife　in　his　bedroom　and　a　good　steel　sword　at　his　hip。
　　Not　that　Hooch　would　ever　tell　this　to　the　sergeant。　The　way　Hooch　figured；　if　a　man　had　to　be　told；　he　didn't　have　brains　enough　to　do　the　job　anyway。　And　if　he　had　the　brains　to　bring　it　off；　he　didn't　need　no　flatboat　likker　dealer　telling　him　what　to　do。
　　〃Governor　Harrison　wants　to　see　you；〃　said　the　sergeant。
　　〃And　I　want　to　see　him；〃　said　Hooch。　〃But　I　need　a　bath　and　a　shave　and　clean　clothes　first。〃
　　〃Governor　says　for　you　to　stay　in　the　old　mansion。〃
　　〃Old　one？〃　said　Hooch。　Harrison　had　built　the　official　mansion　only　four　years　before。　Hooch　could　think　of　only　one　reason　why　Bill　might　have　upped　and　built　another　so　soon。　〃Well；　now；　has　Governor　Bill　gone　and　got　hisself　a　new　wife？〃
　　〃He　has；〃　said　the　sergeant。　〃Pretty　as　you　please；　and　only　fifteen　years　old；　if　you　like　that！　She's　from　Manhattan；　though；　so　she　don't　talk　much　English　or　anyway　it　don't　sound　like　English　when　she　does。〃
　　That　was　all　right　with　Hooch。　He　talked　Dutch　real　good；　almost　as　good　as　he　talked　English　and　a　lot　better　than　he　talked　Shaw…Nee。　He'd　make　friends　with　Bill　Harrison's　wife　in　no　time。　He　even　toyed　with　the　idea　of　but　no；　no；　it　wasn't　no　good　to　mess　with　another　man's　woman。　Hooch　had　the　desire　often　enough；　but　he　knew　things　got　way　too　plicated　once　you　set　foot　on　that　road。　Besides；　he　didn't　really　need　no　White　woman；　not　with　all　these　thirsty　squaws　around。
　　Would　Bill　Harrison　bring　his　children　out　here；　now　he　had　a　second　wife？　Hooch　wasn't　too　sure　how　old　them　boys　would　be　now；　but　old　enough　they　might　relish　the　frontier　life。　Still；　Hooch　had　a　vague　feeling　that　the　boys'd　be　a　lot　better　off　staying　in　Philadelphia　with　their　aunt。　Not　because　they　shouldn't　be　out　in　wild　country；　but　because　they　shouldn't　be　near　their　father。　Hooch　liked　Bill　Harrison　just　fine；　but　he　wouldn't　pick　him　as　the　ideal　guardian　for　children　　even　for　Bill's　own。
　　Hooch　stopped　at　the　gate　of　the　stockade。　Now；　there　was　a　nice　touch。　Right　along　with　the　standard　hexes　and　tokens　that　were　supposed　to　ward　off　enemies　and　fire　and　other　such　things；　Governor　Bill　had　put　up　a　sign；　the　width　of　the　gate。　In　big　letters　it　said
　　
　　CARTHAGE　CITY
　　
　　and　in　smaller　letters　it　said
　　
　　CAPITAL　OF　THE　STATE　OF　WOBBISH
　　
　　which　was　just　the　sort　of　thing　old　Bill　would　think　of。　In　a　way；　he　expected　that　sign　was　more　powerful　than　any　of　the　hexes。　As　a　spark；　for　instance；　Hooch　knew　that　the　hex　against　fire　wouldn't　stop　him；　it'd　just　make　it　harder　to　start　a　fire　up　right　near　the　hex。　If　he　got　a　good　blaze　going　somewhere　else；　that　hex　would　burn　up　just　like　anything　else。　But　that　sign；　naming　Wobbish　a　state　and　Carthage　its　capital；　why；　that　might　actually　have　some　power　in　it；　power　over　the　way　folks　thought。　If　you　say　a　thing　often　enough；　people　e　to　expect　it　to　be　true；　and　pretty　soon　it　bees　true。　Oh；　not　sornething　like　〃The　moon　is　going　to　stop　in　its　tracks　and　go　backward　tonight；〃　cause　for　that　to　work　the　moon'd　have　to　hear　your　words。　But　if　you　say　things　like　〃That　girl's　easy〃　or　〃That　man's　a　thief；〃　it　doesn't　much　matter　whether　the　person　you're　talking　about　believes　you　or　not　　everybody　else　es　to　believe　it；　and　treats　them　like　it　was　true。　So　Hooch　figured　that　if　Harrison　got　enough　people　to　see　a　sign　that　named　Carthage　as　the　capital　of　the　state　of　Wobbish；　someday　it'd　plumb　e　to　be。
　　Fact　is；　though；　Hooch　didn't　much　care　whether　it　was　Harrison　who　got　to　be　governor　and　put　his　capital　in　Carthage　City；　or　whether　it　was　that　teetotaling　self…righteous　prig　Armor…of…God　Weaver　up　north；　where　Tippy…Canoe　Creek　flowed　into　the　Wobbish　River；　who　got　to　be　governor　and　make　Vigor　Church　the　capital。　Let　those　two　fight　it　out；　whoever　won；　Hooch　intended　to　be　a　rich　man　and　do　as　he　liked。　Either　that　or　see　the　whole　place　go　up　in　flames。　If　Hooch　ever　got　pletely　beat　down　and　broken；　he'd　make　sure　nobody　else　profited。　When　a　spark　had　no　hope　left；　he　could　still　get　even；　which　is　about　all　the　good　Hooch　figured　he　got　out　of　being　a　spark。
　　Well；　of　course；　as　a　spark　he　made　sure　his　bathwater　was　always　hot；　so　it　wasn't　a　total　loss。　Sure　was　a　nice　change；　getting　off　the　river　and　back　into　civilized　life。　The　clothes　laid　out　for　him　were　clean；　and　it　felt　good　to　get　that　prickly　beard　off　his　face。　Not　to　mention　the　fact　that　the　squaw　who　bathed　him　was　real　eager　to　get　an　extra　dose　of　likker；　and　if　Harrison　hadn't　sent　a　soldier　knocking　on　his　door　telling　him　to　hurry　it　up；　Hooch　might　have　collected　the　first　installment　of　her　trade　goods。　Instead；　though；　he　dried　and　dressed。
　　She　looked　real；　concerned　when　he　started　for　the　door。　〃You　be　back？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Look　here；　of　course　I　will；〃　he　said。　〃And　I'll　have　a　keg　with　me。〃
　　〃Before　dark　though；〃　she　said。
　　〃Well　maybe　yes　and　maybe　no；〃　he　answered。　〃Who　cares？〃
　　〃After　dark；　all　Reds　like　me；　outside　fort。〃
　　〃Is　that　so；〃　murmured　Hooch。　〃Well；　I'll　try　to　be　back　before　dark。　And　if　I　don't；　I'll　remember　you。　May　forget　your　face；　but　I　won't　forget　your　hands；　hey？　That　was　a　real　nice　bath。〃
　　She　smiled；　but　it　was　a　grotesque　imitation　of　a　real　smile。　Hooch　just　couldn't　figure　out　why　the　Reds　didn't　die　out　years　ago；　their　women　were　so　ugly。　But　if　you　kind　of　closed　your　eyes；　a　squaw　would　do　well　enough　until　you　could　get　back　to　real　women。
　　It　wasn't　just　a　new　mansion　Harrison　had　built　　he　had　added　a　whole　new　section　of　stockade；　so　the　fort　was　about　twice　the　size　it　used　to　be。　And　a　good　solid　parapet　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　stockade。　Harrison　was　ready　for　war。　That　made　Hooch　pretty　uneasy。　The　likker　trade　didn't　thrive　too　good　in　wartime。　The　kind　of　Reds　who　fought　battles　weren't　the　kind　of　Reds　who　drank　likker。　Hooch　saw　so　much　of　the　latter　kind　that　he　pretty　much　forgot　the　former　kind　existed。　There　was　even　a　cannon。　No；　two　cannons。　This　didn't　look　good　at　all。
　　Harrison's　office　wasn't　in　the　mansion；　though。　It　was　in　another　building　entirely；　a　new　headquarters　building；　and　Harrison's　office　was　in　the　southwest　corner；　with　lots　of　light。　Hooch　noticed　that　besides　the　normal　plement　of　soldiers　on　guard　and　officers　doing　paperwork；　there　were　several　Reds　sprawling　or　sitting　in　the　headquarters　building。　Harrison's　tame　Reds；　of　course　　he　always　kept　a　few　around。
　　But　there　were　more　tame　Reds　than　usual；　and　the　only　one　Hooch　recognized　was　Lolla…Wossiky；　a　one…eyed　Shaw…Nee　who　was　always　about　the　drunkest　Red　who　wasn't　dead　yet。　Even　the　other　Reds　made　fun　of　him；　he　was　so　bad；　a　real　lickspittle。
　　What　made　it　even　funnier　was　the　fact　that　Harrison　himself　was　the　man　who　shot　Lolla…Wossiky's　father；　some　fifteen　years　ago；　when　Lolla…Wossiky　was　just　a　little　tyke；　standing　right　there　watching。　Harrison　even　told　the　story　sometimes　right　in　front　of　Lolla…Wossiky；　and　the　one…eyed　drunk　just　nodded　and　laughed　and　grinned　and　acted　like　he　had　no　brains　at　all；　no　human　dignity；　just　about　the　lowest；　crawliest　Red　that　Hooch　ever　seen。　He　didn't　even　care　about　revenge　for　his　dead　papa；　just　so　long　as　he　got　his　likker。　No；　Hooch　wasn't　a　bit　surprised　to　see　that　Lolla…Wossiky　was　lying　right　on　the　floor　outside　Harrison's　office；　so　every　time　the　door　opened；　it　bumped　him　right　in　the　butt。　Incredibly；　even　now；　when　there　hadn't　been　new　likker　in　Carthage　City　in　four　months；　Lolla…Wossiky　was　pickled。　He　saw　Hooch　e　in；　sat　up　on　one　elbow；　waved　an　arm　in　greeting；　and　then　rocked　back　onto　the　floor　without　a　sound。　The　handkerchief　he　kept　tied　over　his　missing　eye　was　out　of　place；　so　the　empty　socket　with　the　sucked…in　eyelids　was　plainly　visible。　Hooch　felt　like　that　empty　eye　was　looking　at　him。　He　didn't　like　that　feeling。　He　didn't　like　Lolla…Wossiky。　Harrison　was　the　kind　of　man　who　liked　having　such　squalid　creatures　around　　made　him　feel　real　good　about　himself；　by　contrast；　Hooch　figured；　but　Hooch　didn't　like　seeing　such　miserable　specimens　of　humanity。　Why　hadn't　Lolla…Wossiky　died　yet？
　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　open　Harrison's　door；　Hooch　looked　up　from　the　drunken　one…eyed　Red　into　the　eyes　of　another　man；　and　here's　the　funny　thing：　He　thought　for　a　second　it　was　Lolla…Wossiky　again；　they　looked　so　much　alike。　Only　it　was　Lolla…Wossiky　with　both　eyes；　and　not　drunk　at　all；　no　sir。　This　Red　must　be　six　feet　from　sole　to　scalp；　leaning　against　the　wall；　his　head　shaved　except　his　scalplock；　his　clothing　clean。　He　stood　straight；　like　a　soldier　at　attention；　and　he　didn't　so　much　as　look　at　Hooch。　His　eyes　stared　straight　into　space。　Yet　Hooch　knew　that　this　boy　saw　everything；　even　though　he　focused　on　nothing。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　Hooch　saw　a　Red　who　looked　like　that；　all　cold　and　in　control　of　things。
　　Dangerous；　dangerous；　is　Harrison　getting　careless；　to　let　a　Red　into　his　own　headquarters　with　eyes　like　those？　With　a　bearing　like　a　king；　and　arms　so　strong　he　looks　like　he　could　pull　a　bow　made　from　the　trunk　of　a　six…year…old　oak？　Lolla…Wossiky　was　so　contemptible　it　made　Hooch　sick。　But　this　Red　who　looked　like　Lolla…Wossiky；　he　was　the　opposite。　And　instead　of　making　Hooch　sick；　he　made　Hooch　mad；　to　be　so　proud　and　defiant　as　if　he　thought　he　was　as　good　a　man　as　any　White。　No；　better。　That's　how　he　looked　　like　he　thought　he　was　better。
　　Then　he　realized　he　was　just　standing　there；　his　hand　on　the　latch　pull；　staring　at　the　Red。　Hadn't　moved　in　how　long？　That　was　no　good；　to　let　folks　see　how　this　Red　made　him　unfortable。　He　pulled　the　door　open　and　stepped　inside。
　　But　he　didn't　talk　about　that　Red；　no　sir；　that　wouldn't　do　at　all。　It　wouldn't　do　to　let　Harrison　know　how　much　that　one　proud　Shaw…Nee　bothered　him；　made　him　angry。　Because　there　sat　Governor　Bill　behind　a　big　old　table；　like　God　on　his　throne；　and　Hooch　realized　things　had　changed　around　here。　It　wasn't　just　the　fort　that　had　got　bigger　　so　had　Bill　Harrison's　vanity。　And　if　Hooch　was　going　to　make　the　profit　he　expected　to　on　this　trip；　he'd　have　to　make　sure　Governor　Bill　came　down　a　peg　or　two；　so　they　could　deal　as　equals　instead　of　dealing　as　a　tradesman　and　a　governor。
　　〃Noticed　your　cannon；〃　said　Hooch；　not　bothering　even　to　say　howdy。　〃What's　the　artillery　for；　French　from　Detroit；　Spanish　from　Florida；　or　Reds？〃
　　〃No　matter　who's　buying　the　scalps；　it's　always　Reds；　one　way　or　another；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Now　sit　down；　relax；　Hooch。　When　my　door　is　closed　there's　no　ceremony　between　us。〃　Oh；　yes；　Governor　Bill　liked　to　play　his　games；　just　like　a　politician。　Make　a　man　feel　like　you're　doing　him　a　favor　just　to　let　him　sit　in　your　presence；　flatter　him　by　making　him　feel　like　a　real　chum　before　you　pick　his　pocket。　Well；　thought　Hooch；　I　have　some　games　of　my　own　to　play；　and　we'll　see　who　es　out　on　top。
　　Hooch　sat　down　and　put　his　feet　up　on　Gov