osc.am2.redprophet-第51章

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wo　feet　under　the　back　wall。　Instead　they　reached　in　and　drug　him　out　by　the　armpits；　slamming　the　root　cellar　doors　shut　behind　him。　The　light　was　so　sudden　it　dazzled　him；　and　he　couldn't　make　out　who　had　him；　or　how　many　they　were。　Didn't　much　matter。　Anyone　local　would　have　known　him　right　off；　so　they　had　to　be　Harrison's　boys；　and　once　he　knew　that；　he　knew　it　wasn't　nothing　good　going　to　happen　to　him。
　　〃Like　a　pig；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Disgusting。　You　look　like　a　Red。〃
　　〃You　put　me　in　a　hole　in　the　ground；〃　said　Measure。　〃I　ain't　about　to　e　out　clean。〃
　　〃I　gave　you　one　long　night　to　think　about　it；　boy；〃　said　Harrison；　〃Now　you　got　to　make　up　your　mind。　There's　two　ways　you　can　be　useful　to　me。　One　is　alive；　you　telling　all　about　how　they　tortured　your　brother　to　death；　him　screaming　every　second。　You　make　it　a　good　story；　and　you　tell　all　about　how　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　were　there；　getting　their　own　hands　into　the　boy's　blood。　You　tell　a　story　like　that；　and　it's　worth　keeping　you　alive。〃
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw　saved　my　life　from　your　Chok…Taw　Reds；〃　said　Measure；　〃That's　the　only　story　I'll　tell。　Except　to　mention　how　you　wanted　me　to　tell　another　story。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Fact　is；　even　if　you　lied　to　me　and　promised　to　tell　the　story　my　way；　I　reckon　I　wouldn't've　believed　you。　So　we　both　agree　　it's　the　other　choice。〃
　　Measure　knew　Harrison　meant　to　produce　his　body；　with　the　evidence　of　torture　on　it。　Dead；　he　couldn't　tell　anybody　who　did　the　cutting　and　burning。　Well；　thought　Measure；　you'll　see　I　die　as　brave　as　any　man。
　　But　because　he　wasn't　one　to　wele　death　with　both　hands；　he　thought　he'd　give　talking　a　bit　more　of　a　try。　〃You　let　me　go　and　call　off　this　war；　Harrison；　and　I'll　keep　my　mouth　shut。　Just　let　me　wander　in；　and　you　allow　as　how　it　was　all　a　terrible　mistake　and　take　your　boys　on　home　and　leave　Prophetstown　in　peace；　and　I　won't　tell　a　word　otherwise。　That's　a　lie　I'm　glad　to　tell。〃
　　Harrison　hesitated　just　a　moment；　and　Measure　allowed　himself　to　hope　he　might　actually　have　some　spark　of　godliness　left　in　him；　to　turn　away　from　the　sin　of　murder　before　it　was　fully　done。　Then　Harrison　smiled；　shook　his　head；　and　waved　his　hand　at　a　big　ugly　riverman　standing　right　up　against　the　wall。
　　〃Mike　Fink；　this　here's　a　renegade　White　boy；　who　has　joined　in　with　all　the　evil　doings　of　Ta…Kumsaw　and　his　gang　of　child…killers　and　wife…rapers。　I　hope　you'll　break　several　of　his　bones。〃
　　Fink　stood　there；　contemplating。　〃I　reckon　he'll　make　a…powerful　lot　of　noise；　Gov。〃
　　〃Well；　jam　in　a　gag　on　him。〃　Harrison　took　a　kerchief　out　of　his　own　coat　pocket。　〃Here；　stuff　this　in　his　mouth　and　tie　it　there。〃
　　Fink　plied。　Measure　tried　to　keep　his　eyes　off　him；　tried　to　calm　the　dread　that　made　his　belly　so　tight　and　his　bladder　so　full。　The　kerchief　filled　his　mouth　so　full　he　choked　on　it。　He　only　got　control　of　himself　by　breathing　slow　and　steady　through　his　nose。　Fink　tied　his　own　red　scarf　so　tight　around　Measure's　face　that　it　forced　the　gag　down　into　his　throat　even　farther；　again　it　took　all　his　concentration　just　to　breathe　evenly　and　stop　from　gagging　and　retching。　If　he　did　that；　he'd　sure　breathe　the　that　kerchief；　right　down　into　his　lungs；　and　then　he　would　die。
　　Which　was　a　crazy　thought；　seeing　as　how　Harrison　meant　to　have　him　dead　no　matter　what。　Maybe　choking　on　a　kerchief　would　be　better　than　the　pain　Fink　meant　to　cause。　But　Measure　had　too　strong　a　spark　of　life　to　choose　to　die　like　that。　Pain　or　not；　when　he　died　he'd　go　out　gasping；　not　smothering　himself　just　to　get　off　easy。
　　〃Breaking　his　bones　ain't　the　way　Reds　do　it。〃　Fink　was　being　helpful。　〃They　usually　cut　and　burn。〃
　　〃Well；　we　don't　have　time　for　cutting；　and　you　can　burn　the　body　after　he's　dead。　The　point　of　this　is　to　have　a　colorful　corpse；　Mike；　not　to　cause　this　boy　pain。　We're　not　savages；　or　at　least　some　of　us　aren't。〃
　　Mike　chuckled；　then　reached　out；　took　Measure　by　the　shoulder；　and　kicked　his　feet　out　from　under　him。　Measure　never　felt　so　helpless　in　his　life　as　in　that　moment　when　he　fell。　Fink　didn't　have　an　inch　of　height　or　reach　on　him；　and　Measure　knew　a　few　wrassling　tricks；　but　Fink　never　even　tried　to　grapple　with　him。　Just　a　grab　and　a　kick；　and　Measure　was　on　the　floor。
　　〃Don't　you　need　to　tie　him　first？〃　asked　Harrison。
　　In　answer；　Fink　picked　up　Measure's　left　leg　so　fast　and　high　that　Measure　slid　across　the　floor　and　his　buttocks　lifted　right　into　the　air。　No　chance　to　get　leverage；　no　chance　to　kick。　Then　Fink　brought　Measure's　leg　down　across　his　own　thigh　hard　and　sharp。　His　leg　bones　snapped　like　dry　kindling　wood。　Measure　screamed　into　the　gag；　then　nearly　inhaled　the　kerchief　gasping　for　breath。　He　never　felt　pain　like　that　in　all　his　life。　For　one　crazy　moment　he　thought；　This　is　how　Alvin　felt　when　that　millstone　fell　on　his　leg。
　　〃Not　in　here；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Take　him　out　back。　Do　it　in　the　root　cellar。〃
　　〃How　many　bones　you　want　me　to　break？〃　asked　Fink。
　　〃All　of　them。〃
　　Fink　picked　Measure　up　by　an　arm　and　a　leg　and　practically　tossed　him　up　over　his　shoulders。　Despite　the　pain；　Measure　tried　to　lay　in　a　punch　or　two；　but　Fink　jerked　down　on　his　arm；　breaking　it　right　at　the　elbow。
　　Measure　was　barely　conscious　the　rest　of　the　way　outside。　He　heard　somebody　in　the　distance　call；　〃Who　you　got　there！〃
　　Fink　yelled　back；　〃Caught　us　a　Red　spy；　sneaking　around！〃
　　The　voice　from　the　distance　sounded　familiar　to　Measure；　but　he　couldn't　concentrate　well　enough　to　remember　who　it　was。　〃Tear　him　apart！〃　he　shouted。
　　Fink　didn't　answer。　He　didn't　set　Measure　down　to　open　the　root　cellar　doors；　even　though　they　were　low　and　at　a　slant；　so　you　had　to　reach　out　and　down；　then　pull　them　up。　Fink　just　hooked　the　toe　of　his　boot　under　the　door　and　flipped　it　up。　It　moved　so　fast　it　banged　on　the　ground　and　rebounded　so　as　to　nearly　close　again；　but　by　then　Fink　was　already　stepping　into　the　cellar；　the　door　hit　his　thigh　and　bounced　right　open　again。　Measure　just　heard　it　as　banging　and　a　little　jostling；　which　made　his　leg　and　his　elbow　hurt　all　the　more。　Why　haven't　I　fainted　yet；　he　wondered。　Now's　as　good　a　time　as　any。
　　But　he　never　did　faint。　Both　legs　broken　above　and　below　the　knee；　his　fingers　bent　back　and　disjointed；　his　hands　crushed；　his　arms　broken　above　and　below　the　elbows　　through　all　that　be　stayed　awake；　though　the　pain　eventually　got　kind　of　far　away；　more　like　the　memory　of　pain　than　pain　itself。　If　you　hear　one　cymbal　crash；　it's　loud；　two　or　three　cymbal　crashes　at　once　are　louder　yet。　But　along　about　the　twentieth　cymbal　crash；　it　don't　get　louder；　you　just　get　deafer；　and　you　hardly　hear　any　of　them　at　all。　That's　how　it　was　for　Measure。
　　There　was　a　sound　of　cheering　in　the　distance。
　　Somebody　ran　up。　〃Governor　says　finish　up　real　quick；　he　wants　you　right　away。〃
　　〃I'll　be　done　in　a　minute；〃　said　Fink。　〃Except　for　the　burning。〃
　　〃Save　it　till　later；〃　the　man　said。　〃Hurry！〃
　　Fink　dropped　Measure；　then　stomped　his　chest　till　his　ribs　were　pretty　much　broke；　bending　in　and　out　any　which　way。　Then　he　picked　him　up　by　the　arm　and　the　hair　and　bit　off　his　ear。　Measure　felt　it　tear　away　with　one　last　desperate　surge　of　anger。　Then　Fink　gave　his　head　a　sharp　twist。　Measure　heard　his　own　neck　snap。　Fink　flung　him　onto　the　potatoes。　He　rolled　down　the　backside　and　into　the　hole　he　dug。　Only　when　his　face　was　in　the　dirt　did　the　pain　stop　and　darkness　e。
　　Fink　flipped　the　doors　shut　with　his　foot；　slid　the　bar　into　place；　and　headed　back　to　the　house。　The　cheering　out　front　was　louder。　Harrison　met　him　ing　out　of　his　office。　〃Never　mind　about　that　now；〃　Harrison　said。　〃There's　no　need　for　a　corpse　to　keep　things　hot　around　here。　The　cannon　just　got　here；　and　we'll　attack　in　the　morning。〃
　　Harrison　rushed　out　to　the　front　porch；　and　Mike　Fink　followed　him。　Cannon？　What　did　cannons　have　to　do　with　needing　or　not　needing　a　corpse？　What　did　he　think　Mike　was；　an　assassin？　Killing　Hooch　was　one　thing；　and　killing　a　man　in　a　fair　fight　was　something　else。　But　killing　a　young　man　with　a　gag　in　his　mouth；　that　was　altogether　different。　When　he　bit　off　that　ear