osc.am2.redprophet-第34章

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s　and　trails；　and　they　made　good　time。
　　Just　after　noon　they　reached　an　army　camp。　Not　much　of　an　army；　maybe　a　hundred　in　uniform　and　another　two　hundred　marching　and　drilling　on　a　parade　ground　that　used　to　be　a　pasture。　Measure　couldn't　remember　the　name　of　the　family　that　lived　here。　They　were　new　folks；　just　e　up　from　the　area　around　Carthage。　Turned　out　it　didn't　matter　who　they　were；　though。　It　was　General　Harrison　had　their　house　for　his　headquarters；　and　these　scouts　led　him　straight　to　Harrison。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Harrison。　〃One　of　the　renegades。〃
　　〃I'm　no　renegade；〃　said　Measure。　〃They　been　treating　me　like　a　prisoner　this　whole　way。　I　swear　the　Reds　treated　me　better　than　your　White　soldiers。〃
　　〃I　ain't　surprised　much；〃　said　Harrison。　〃They　treated　you　real　nice；　I'm　sure。　Where's　the　other　renegade？〃
　　〃Other　renegade？　You　mean　my　brother　Alvin？　You　know　who　I　am；　and　you　ain't　letting　me　go　home？〃
　　〃You　answer　my　questions；　and　then　I'll　give　some　thought　to　answering　yours。〃
　　〃My　brother　Alvin　ain't　here；　and　he　ain't　ing；　and　from　what　I　see　before　me　I'm　real　glad　he　didn't　e。〃
　　〃Alvin？　Ah；　yes；　they　told　me　you　were　claiming　to　be　Measure　Miller。　Well；　we　know　that　Measure　Miller　was　murdered　by　Ta…Kurnsaw　and　the　Prophet。〃
　　Measure　spat　on　the　floor。　〃You　know　that？　From　a　few　tore…up　bloody　clothes？　Well　you　don't　fool　me。　Do　you　think　I　don't　see　what　you're　doing？〃
　　〃Take　him　to　the　cellar；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Be　real　gentle　with　him。〃
　　〃You　don't　want　folks　to　know　I'm　alive；　cause　then　they'll　see　they　don't　need　you　up　here！〃　shouted　Measure。　〃I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　you　got　them　Chok…Taw　to　capture　us　in　the　first　place！〃
　　〃If　that's　true；〃　said　Harrison；　〃then　if　I　were　you　I'd　watch　how　I　talked　and　what　I　said。　I'd　be　real　worried　about　getting　home　alive；　ever。　Now　look　at　yourself；　boy。　Skin　red　as　a　redbird；　wearing　a　loincloth；　looking　wild　as　a　real　bad　dream。　No；　I　reckon　if　it　turned　out　you　was　shot　dead　by　mistake；　nobody'd　blame　us；　not　a　soul。〃
　　〃My　father'd　know；〃　said　Measure。　〃You　can't　fool　him　with　a　lie　like　that；　Harrison。　And　Armor…of…God；　he'll〃
　　〃Armor…of…God？　That　pathetic　weakling？　The　one　who　keeps　telling　people　that　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　are　innocent；　and　we　shouldn't　be　getting　ready　to　wipe　them　out？　Nobody　listens　to　him　no　more；　Measure。〃
　　〃They　will。　Alvin's　alive；　and　you'll　never　catch　him。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Cause　he's　with　Ta…Kumsaw。〃
　　〃Ah；　and　where　is　that？〃
　　〃Not　around　here；　you　can　bet。〃
　　〃You've　seen　him？　And　the　Prophet？〃
　　The　hungry　look　in　Harrison's　eyes　made　Measure　kind　of　step　back　and　hold　his　tongue。　〃I　seen　what　I　seen；〃　said　Measure。　〃And　I'll　say　what　I　say。〃
　　〃Say　what　I　ask；　or　you'll　be　dead；〃　said　Harrison。
　　〃Kill　me；　and　I　won't　say　nothing　at　all。　But　I'll　tell　you　this。　I　saw　the　Prophet　call　a　tornado　out　of　a　storm。　I　saw　him　walk　on　water。　I　saw　him　prophesy；　and　his　prophecies　all　e　true。　He　knows　everything　you　plan　to　do。　You　think　you're　doing　what　you　want；　but　you'll　end　up　serving　his　purpose；　you　watch　and　see。〃
　　〃What　an　idea；〃　said　Harrison；　chuckling。　〃By　that　reckoning；　boy；　it　serves　his　purpose　for　you　to　be　in　my　hands；　don't　it？〃　He　waved　his　hands；　and　the　soldiers　dragged　him　out　of　the　house　and　down　into　the　root　cellar。　They　treated　him　real　gentle　on　the　way　　kicked　him　and　knocked　him　down　and　all　they　could　before　they　threw　him　down　the　steps　and　barred　the　door　behind　him。
　　Since　these　folks　came　from　Carthage　country；　the　cellar　door　had　a　lock；　as　well　as　the　bar。　Down　with　the　carrots；　potatoes；　and　spiders；　Measure　tested　that　door　as　best　he　could。　His　whole　body　was　one　big　ache。　All　the　scratches　and　the　sunburn　were　nothing　pared　to　the　raw　skin　inside　his　thighs　from　riding　behind　with　bare　legs。　And　that　was　nothing　pared　to　the　pain　from　the　kicks　and　bashes　they　gave　him　on　the　way　here。
　　Measure　didn't　waste　no　more　time。　He　knew　what　was　going　on　well　enough　to　know　Harrison　couldn't　let　him　out　alive。　He　had　those　scouts　out　looking　for　him　and　Alvin。　If　they　turned　up　alive；　it　would　undo　all　his　plans；　and　that'd　be　a　real　shame；　cause　things　were　going　just　right　for　Harrison。　After　all　these　years；　here　he　was　at　Vigor　Church；　training　the　local　men　to　be　soldiers；　while　nobody　was　listening　to　Armor…of…God　at　all。　Measure　didn't　much　like　the　Prophet；　but　pared　to　Harrison　the　Prophet　was　a　saint。
　　Or　was　he？　The　Prophet　had　him　wait　for　the　gatlopp　　why？　So　he'd　leave　in　the　afternoon　two　days　ago；　instead　of　morning。　So　he'd　reach　the　Tippy…Canoe　just　when　them　soldiers　were　riding　down。　Otherwise　he　would've　e　to　Prophetstown　and　then　hopped　on　over　into　Vigor　Church　without　seeing　a　soldier。　They'd　never　have　found　him；　if　he　hadn't　heard　them　and　called　out　to　them　himself。　Was　this　all　part　of　the　Prophet's　plan？　Well；　so　what　if　it　was？　Maybe　the　Prophet's　plan　was　a　good　thing；　and　maybe　it　wasn't　　so　far　Measure　didn't　think　too　highly　of　it。　But　he　sure　wasn't　going　to　sit　around　in　a　root　cellar　waiting　to　see　how　the　plan　worked　out。
　　He　burrowed　his　way　through　the　potatoes　to　the　back　of　the　cellar。　There　was　more　spiderwebs　in　his　face　and　hair　than　he　cared　for；　but　this　wasn't　a　time　to　worry　about　tidiness。　Pretty　soon　he　cleared　him　a　space　at　the　back；　with　the　potatoes　pushed　mostly　to　the　front。　When　they　opened　the　doors；　they'd　just　see　a　lot　of　potatoes。　Not　a　sign　of　his　digging。
　　The　root　cellar　was　the　normal　kind。　Dug　out；　timbered　over；　roofed；　and　then　the　roof　covered　up　with　all　the　dirt　from　the　hole。　He　could　dig　into　the　back　wall　and　e　up　behind　the　cellar；　and　they　couldn't　see　a　thing　from　the　house　at　all。　It　was　bare…hands　digging；　but　this　was　rich　Wobbish　soil。　He'd　e　out　looking　more　like　a　Black　than　a　Red；　but　he　didn't　much　care。
　　Trouble　was；　the　back　wall　wasn't　dirt；　it　was　wood。　They'd　walled　it　in；　right　to　the　bottom。　Tidy　folks。　The　floor　was　dirt；　all　right。　But　that　meant　digging　down　under　the　wall　before　he　could　tunnel　up。　Instead　of　being　something　he　could　do　overnight　it'd　take　days。　And　any　time；　they　might　catch　him　digging。　Or　just　plain　drag　him　out　and　shoot　him。　Or　maybe　even　bring　back　them　Chok…Taws；　to　do　what　they　started　　leave　him　looking　like　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　had　him　tortured。　All　possible。
　　Home　wasn't　ten　miles　away。　That's　what　plain　drove　him　crazy。　So　close　to　home；　and　they　didn't　even　guess　it；　had　no　idea　they　ought　to　e　to　help。　He　remembered　that　torch　girl　from　Hatrack　River；　years　ago；　the　one　who　saw　them　stuck　in　the　river　and　sent　help。　That's　who　I　need　right　now；　I　need　me　a　torch；　somebody　who'd　find　me　and　send　help。
　　But　that　wasn't　too　likely。　Not　for　Measure。　If　it　was　Alvin；　now；　there'd　be　eight　miracles；　whatever　it　took　to　get　him　out　safe。　But　for　Measure；　there'd　be　just　whatever　he　could　work　up　for　hisself。
　　He　broke　a　fingernail　half　off　in　the　first　ten　minutes　of　digging。　The　pain　was　real　bad；　and　he　knew　he　was　bleeding。　If　they　dragged　him　out　now；　they'd　know　he　was　making　a　tunnel。　But　it　was　his　only　chance。　So　he　kept　digging；　pain　and　all；　every　now　and　then　stopping　to　toss　out　a　potato　that　rolled　down　into　the　hole。
　　Pretty　soon　he　took　off　his　loincloth　and　used　it　in　his　work。　He'd　loosen　up　the　soil　with　his　hands；　then　pile　it　onto　the　cloth　and　use　that　to　hoist　it　up　out　of　the　hole。　It　wasn't　as　good　as　having　a　spade；　but　it　sure　beat　moving　the　dirt　out　one　handful　at　a　time。　What　did　he　have；　days？　Hours？
　　
　　
　　Chapter　11　　Red　Boy
　　
　　It　wasn't　an　hour　after　Measure　left。　Ta…Kumsaw　stood　atop　a　dune；　the　White　boy　Alvin　beside　him。　And　in　front　of　him；　Tenskwa…Tawa。　Lolla…Wossiky。　His　brother；　the　boy　who　once　cried　for　the　death　of　bees。　A　prophet；　supposedly。　Speaking　the　will　of　the　land；　supposedly。　Speaking　words　of　cowardice；　surrender；　defeat；　destruction。
　　〃This　is　the　oath　of　the　land　at　peace；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃To　take　none　of　the　White　man's　weapons；　none　of　the　White　man's　tools；　none　of　the　White　man's　clothing；　none　of　the　White　man's　food；　none　of　the　White　man's　drink；　and　none　of　the　White　man's　promises。　Above　all；　never　to　take　a　life　that　doesn't　offer　itself　to　die。〃
　　The　Reds　who　heard　him　had　heard　it　all　before；　as　had　Ta…Kumsaw。　Most　of　those　who　had　e　to　Mizogan　with　them　had　already　refused　the　Prophet's　covenant　of　weakness。　They　took　a　different　oath；　the　oath　of　the　land's　anger；　the　oath　that　Ta…Kumsaw　offered　them。　Every　White　must　live　under　Red　man's　law；　or　leave　the　land；　or　die。　A　White　man's　weapons　can　be　used；　but　only　to　defend　Reds　against　murder　and　theft。　No　Red　man　will　torture　or　kill　a　prisoner　　man；　woman；　or　child。　Above　all；　the　death　of　no　Red　will　go　unavenged。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　knew　that　if　all　the　Reds　of　America　took　his　oath；　they　could　still　defeat　the　White　man。　Whites　had　only　made　such　inroads　because　the　Reds　could　never　unite　under　one　leader。　The　Whites　could　always　ally　themselves　with　a　tribe　or　two；　who　would　lead　them　through　the　trackless　forest　and　help　them　find　their　enemy。　If　Reds　had　not　turned　renegade　　like　the　unspeakable　Irrakwa；　the　half…White　Cherriky　　then　the　White　man　could　not　have　survived　here　in　the　land。　They　would　have　been　swallowed　up；　lost；　as　had　happened　to　every　other　group　that　came　from　the　old　world。
　　When　the　Prophet　finished　his　challenge；　there　were　only　a　handful　who　took　his　oath；　who　would　go　back　with　him。　He　seemed　sad；　Ta…Kumsaw　thought。　Weighed　down。　He　turned　his　back　on　the　ones　who　remained　　on　the　warriors；　who　would　fight　the　White　man。
　　〃Those　men　are　yours；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I　wish　there　weren't　so　many。〃
　　〃Mine；　yes；　but　I　wish　there　weren't　so　few。〃
　　〃Oh；　you'll　find　allies　enough。　Chok…Taw；　Cree…Ek；　Chicky…Saw；　the　vicious　Semmy…Noll　of　the　Oky…Fenoky。　Enough　to　raise　the　greatest　army　of　Reds　ever　seen　in　this　land；　all　thirsting　for　White　man's　blood。〃
　　〃Stand　at　my　side　in　that　battle；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃You'll　lose　your　cause　by　killing；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I'll　win　my　cause。〃
　　〃By　dying。〃
　　〃If　the　land　calls　for　my　death；　I'll　answer。〃
　　〃And　all　your　people　with　you。〃
　　The　Prophet　shook　his　head。　〃I've　seen　what　I've　seen。　The　people　of　my　oath　are　as　much　a　part　of　the　land　as　the　bear　or　the　buffalo；　the　squirrel　or　the　beaver；　the　turkey　or　the　pheasant　or　the　grouse。　All　those　animals　have　stood　still　to　take　your　arrow；　haven't　they？　Or　stretched　out　their　neck　for　your　knife。　Or　lain　down　their　head　for　your　tommy…hawk。〃
　　〃They're　animals；　meant　to　be　meat。〃
　　〃They're　alive；　meant　to　live　until　they　die；　and　when　they　die；　die　so　that　others　can　live。〃
　　〃Not　me。　Not　my　people。　We　won't　stretch　out　our　neck　for　the　White　man's　knife。〃
　　The　Prophet　took　Ta…Kumsaw　by　the　shoulders；　tears　streaming　down　his　face。　He　pressed　his　cheek　against　Ta…Kumsaw's　cheek；　putting　his　tears　on　his　brother's　face。
　　〃e　find　me　across　the　Mizzipy；　when　all　this　is　done；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　〃I'll　never　let　the　land　be　divided；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。　〃The　east　doesn't　belong　to　the　White　man。〃
　　〃The　east　will　die；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃Follow　me　west；　where　the