osc.am2.redprophet-第45章
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harsh blow that drove the air out of Ta…Kumsaw's lungs。 Measure could hear the grunting sound from where he stood。
The lines ran up the face of a dune; so that progress up the hill was slow。 Ta…Kumsaw never paused as the blows came。 His men were stern…faced; dutiful。 They were helping him show courage; and so they gave him pain but no damaging blows。 His thighs and belly and shoulders took the worst of it。 Nothing on his shins; nothing in his face。 But that didn't mean he had it easy。 Measure could see his shoulders; bloody from the rough bark of the branches。 He imagined himself receiving every blow that fell; and knew that they'd strike him harder。 I'm a royal fool; he said to himself。 Here I am matching courage with the noblest man in America; as everybody knows。
Ta…Kumsaw reached the end; turned; faced Measure from the top of the dune。 His body was dripping with blood; and he was smiling。 〃e to me; brave White man;〃 he called。
Measure didn't hesitate。 He started toward the gatlopp。 It was a voice from behind that stopped him。 The Prophet; shouting in Shaw…Nee。 The Reds looked at him。 When he was finished; Ta…Kumsaw spat。 Measure; not knowing what had been said; started forward again。 When he got to the first Red; he expected at least as hard a blow as Ta…Kumsaw got。 But there was nothing。 He took another step。 Nothing。 Maybe to show their contempt they meant to hit him in the back; but he climbed higher and higher up the dune; and still there was not a blow; not a move。
He should have been relieved; he knew; but instead he was angry。 They gave Ta…Kumsaw help in showing his courage; and now they were making Measure's passage through the gatlopp a walk of shame instead of honor。 He whirled around and faced the Prophet; who stood at the bottom of the dune; his arm across Alvin's shoulders。
〃What did you say to them?〃 Measure demanded。
〃I told them that if they killed you; everyone would say Ta…Kumsaw and the Prophet kidnapped these boys and murdered diem。 I told them that if they marked you in any way; when you went home everybody would say we tortured you。〃
〃And I say I want a fair chance to prove I'm not a coward!〃
〃The gatlopp is a stupid idea; for men who forget their duty。〃
Measure reached down and grabbed a club from a Red man's hand。 He struck his own thighs with it; again; again; trying to draw blood。 It hurt; but not very bad; because whether he wanted to or not; his arms flinched at causing pain to his own self。 So he thrust the branch back into the warrior's arms and demanded; 〃Hit me!〃
〃The bigger a man is; the more people he serves;〃 said the Prophet。 〃A small man serves himself。 Bigger is to serve your family。 Bigger is to serve your tribe。 Then your people。 Biggest of all; to serve all men; and all lands。 For yourself; you show courage。 For your family; your tribe; your people; my people for the land and all people in it; you walk this gatlopp with no mark on you。〃
Slowly; Measure turned around; walked up the dune to Ta…Kumsaw; untouched。 Again Ta…Kumsaw spat on the ground; this time at Measure's feet。
〃I ain't no coward;〃 said Measure。
Ta…Kumsaw walked away。 Walked; slipped; slid down the dune。 The warriors of the gatlopp also walked away。 Measure stood at the top of the hill; feeling ashamed; angry; used。
〃Go!〃 shouted the Prophet。 〃Walk south from here!〃
He handed a pouch to Alvin; who scrambled up the dune and gave it to Measure。 Measure opened it。 It contained pernmican and dried corn; so he could suck on it on his way。
〃You ing with me?〃 Measure asked。
〃I'm going with Ta…Kumsaw;〃 said Alvin。
〃I could've made it through the gatlopp;〃 said Measure。
〃I know;〃 said Alvin。
〃If he wasn't going to let me go through it;〃 said Measure; 〃how e the Prophet allowed it to happen at all?〃
〃He ain't telling;〃 said Alvin。 〃But something terrible's going to happen。 And he wants it to happen。 If you'd've went before; when I told you to run away〃
〃They would've caught me; Al。〃
〃It was worth a try。 Now when you leave; you're doing just what he wants。〃
〃He plans for me to get killed or something?〃
〃He promised me you'd live through this; Measure。 And all the family。 Him and Ta…Kumsaw; too。〃
〃Then what's so terrible?〃
〃I don't know。 I'm just scared of what's going to happen。 I think he's sending me with Ta…Kumsaw to save my life。〃
One more time; it was worth a try。 〃Alvin; if you love me; e with me now。〃
Alvin started to cry。 〃Measure; I love you; but I can't go。〃 Still crying; he ran down the dune。 Not wanting to watch him out of sight; Measure started walking。 Almost due south; a little bit east。 He wouldn't have no trouble finding the way。 But he felt sick with dread; and with shame for having let them talk him into leaving without his brother。 I failed at everything here。 I'm pretty near useless。
He walked the rest of that day and spent the night in a pile of leaves in a hollow。 Next day he walked till late afternoon; when he came to a south…flowing creek。 It would flow into the Tippy…Canoe or the Wobbish; one or the other。 It was too deep to walk down the middle; and too overgrown to walk alongside。 So he just kept the stream within earshot and made his own way through the forest。 He wasn't no Red; that was for sure。 He got scratched up by bushes and branches and bit by insects; none of which felt too good on his sunburnt skin。 He also kept running into thickets and having to back out。 Like the land was his enemy; slowing him down。 He kept wishing for a horse and a good road。
Hard as it was to go through the woods; though; he was up to it。 Partly cause Alvin toughened up his feet for him。 Partly cause of the way he seemed to breathe deeper than ever before。 But it was more than that。 Strength was wound in among his muscles in a way he never felt in his life。 Never so alive as now。 And he thought; If I had a horse right now; I think maybe I'd be wishing I was on foot。
It was late afternoon on the second day when he heard a splashing sound in the river。 There was no mistaking it horses were being walked in the stream。 That meant White men; maybe even folks from Vigor Church; still searching for him and Alvin。
He scrambled his way to the Stream; getting scratched something awful on the way。 They were headed downstrewn; away from him; four men on horseback。 It wasn't till he was already out into the stream; yelling to bust his head off that he noticed they were wearing the green uniform of the U。S。 Army。 He never heard of them ing up in these parts。 This was the country where White folks didn't go much; on account of not wanting to rile up the French at Fort Chicago。
They heard him right off; and wheeled their horses around to see him。 Almost quick as they saw him; three of them had their muskets up to the ready。
〃Don't shoot!〃 Measure cried。
The soldiers rode toward him; making pretty slow progress as their horses had some trouble breasting the water。
〃Don't shoot; for heaven's sake;〃 Measure said。 〃You can see I ain't armed; I don't even have a knife。〃
〃He talks English real good; don't he?〃 said one soldier to another。
〃Of course I do! I'm a White main。〃
〃Now don't that beat all;〃 said another soldier。 〃First time I ever heard one of them claim to be White。〃
Measure looked down at his own skin。 It was a vivid red color from his sunburn; much lighter than any true Red man。 He was wearing a loincloth; and he looked pretty wild and dirty。 But his beard was growing somewhat; wasn't it? For the first time Measure found himself wishing he was a hairy man; with thick heavy beard and lots of chest hair。 Then there'd be no mistake; since Reds didn't grow much。 As it was; though; they wouldn't see his light…colored mustache hair or the few little hairs on his chin till they were up cIdse。
And they weren't taking no chances; either。 Only one rode right up to him。 The others hung back; their muskets out; ready to open fire in case Measure had some boys lying in ambush on the riverbank。 He could see that the man riding toward him was plumb scared to death; looking this way and that; waiting to see a Red man flitch an arrow at him。 Ki