thillerman.theblessingway-第13章

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　to　tell　Tsosie　how　to　sit　on　the　feet　of　Big　Fly；　and　even　had　to　remind　him　to　face　the　east。　When　Sandoval　was　a　boy　learning　the　ways　from　his　father；　his　father　had　not　had　to　tell　people　how　to　sit。　They　knew。
　Sandoval　sang　then　the　chant　of　the　Big　Fly；　and　how　he　had　e　to　The　People　to　tell　them　that　Black　God　and　the　warriors　were　returning　victorious　from　their　war　against　the　Taos　Pueblo　and　how　the　two　girls　had　been　sent　by　the　people　to　carry　food　to　the　war　band。　This　was　the　last　chant　before　the　vomiting　and　Sandoval　was　glad　of　that。　It　was　the　second　day　of　the　Enemy　Way。　His　voice　was　hoarse　and　he　was　tired　and　there　was　still　much　to　be　done；　much　ritual　to　be　pleted　before　this　man　was　free　of　the　witch　trouble。　His　daughter　had　been　right　and　he　should　have　listened　to　her。　He　was　eighty…one　（or　eighty…two　by　the　white　man's　way　of　counting）　and　loaded　with　too　many　years　to　conduct　a　three…day　Sing　like　an　Enemy　Way。
　Sandoval　dipped　the　ceremonial　gourd　into　the　pot；　filling　it　with　the　hot；　milky　fluid；　and　handed　the　gourd　to　Tsosie。
　〃Drink　all　of　it；〃　he　ordered；　thinking　you　shouldn't　have　to　tell　a　man　that。　And；　while　Tsosie　drank；　he　sang　the　last　two　chants。　He　refilled　the　gourd　and　handed　it　to　Agnes　Tsosie　and　then　to　the　two　sons。　Let　the　others　get　their　own；　Sandoval　thought；　and　he　ducked　past　the　double　curtains　hung　over　the　hogan　doorway　to　see　if　the　time　was　right。
　Outside　the　air　was　cool；　almost　cold　after　the　closeness　of　the　hogan。　The　eastern　horizon　was　turning　from　red　to　yellow　and　Sandoval　saw　it　was　about　the　right　time。　He　pulled　back　the　curtains　and　called　to　Tsosie。
　〃Go　out　there　behind　the　brush　shelter；〃　he　ordered；　〃and　remember　that　to　make　it　right　you　want　to　vomit　out　the　witching　just　as　you　can　see　the　top　rim　of　the　sun　ing　up。〃　When　Tsosie　came　past　the　curtain；　Sandoval　handed　him　a　chicken　feather。
　〃Just　when　the　sun　is　first　ing　up；〃　Sandoval　reminded　him。　〃If　the　medicine　isn't　working；　stick　that　feather　down　your　throat。〃
　Sandoval　sat　on　the　ground　and　leaned　back　on　the　wall　of　the　hogan；　relishing　the　coolness。　He　would　have　about　thirty　minutes　before　the　vomiting　was　finished　and　then　one　more　chant　to　sing　while　Tsosie　and　his　family　were　rubbing　the　juniper　stew　on　their　bodies。　Then　it　would　be　time　for　the　people　from　the　Stick　Receivers　to　arrive。　Sandoval　yawned　and　stretched　and　looked　out　across　the　brush　flats　where　the　visitors　were　camping。　Probably　four　or　five　hundred；　he　thought；　and　there　would　be　more　arriving　today；　mostly　women　bringing　their　girls　to　look　for　husbands　at　the　Girl　Dance　tonight；　and　young　men　looking　for　girls；　and　gambling；　and　drinking；　and　trouble。　Sandoval　had　meant　to　think　about　the　ceremonial；　to　think　just　good　thoughts　and　keep　in　harmony　with　the　event。　But　he　couldn't　help　thinking　how　times　were　changing。　Mostly　they　came　in　their　pickups　and　cars　now。　There　were　dozens　of　them　parked　out　there　and　just　a　few　wagons。　And　that　was　part　of　it。　The　white　man's　machines　made　it　easy　to　travel　about　and　people　came　just　to　visit　and　fool　around。　In　the　old　days　there　wouldn't　have　been　any　drinking　and　gambling　at　a　ceremonial　like　this。　Sandoval　watched　a　white　carryall　with　the　humped　buffalo　insignia　of　Law　and　Order　drive　up　across　the　flat；　and　a　man　in　blue　jeans　and　a　checked　shirt　get　out　of　it　and　talk　to　a　woman　starting　a　cook　fire　near　one　of　the　pickups。　The　woman　pointed　in　Sandoval's　direction　and　the　man　came　walking　toward　him。
　He　was　short；　with　heavy　shoulders　and　a　Roman　nose；　and　when　he　stopped　in　front　of　Sandoval　and　said；　〃My　grandfather；　I　hope　all　is　well　with　you；〃　his　voice　was　very　clear　and　distinct。　Sandoval；　who　had　noticed　lately　that　most　young　people　mumbled；　liked　this。　He　invited　the　young　man　to　sit　beside　him。
　〃I　am　called　Joe　Leaphorn；〃　the　young　man　said；　〃and　I　work　for　Law　and　Order；〃　but　after　that　he　talked　about　other　things…about　the　rains　starting　early　this　year；　which　was　good；　and　about　drinking　and　gambling　at　the　ceremonials；　which　was　bad。　Sandoval　approved　of　this；　knowing　that　the　policeman　would　get　around　to　his　business　in　good　time　and　appreciating　that　here　was　a　young　one　who　knew　the　old　and　patient　ways。
　〃There　has　not　been　an　Enemy　Way　in　this　country　in　a　long　time；〃　the　policeman　said；　and　from　the　way　he　said　it；　Sandoval　thought　that　the　time　had　e　for　business。
　〃I　guess；〃　the　policeman　added；　〃that　they　had　a　Star　Gazer；　or　a　Hand　Trembler　e。〃　It　was　not　a　question；　exactly；　but　the　tone　confirmed　Sandoval's　guess。　The　policeman　was　talking　business　now。
　〃Hand　Tremble；〃　Sandoval　said。　〃They　got　Jimmy　Hudson　to　e　out　here　and　hold　his　hand　over　Charley　Tsosie　and　Hudson　found　out　he　had　been　witched。　Hudson　said　the　witch　blew　something　on　him。〃
　〃There　was　a　man　lived　out　here　who　they　called　Luis　Horseman；〃　the　policeman　said。　〃I　wonder　if　he　was　a　witch？〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　him。〃
　〃I　guess　the　Enemy　Way　will　work　even　if　you　don't　know　who　the　witch　is。　But；　my　grandfather；　I　am　an　ignorant　man　about　many　things。　There　were　no　Singers　in　my　family　and　I　don't　know　how　the　Scalp　Shooter　gets　the　scalp　if　you　don't　know　who　the　witch　is。〃
　〃They　know　something　about　him；〃　Sandoval　said。　He　was　enjoying　this。　Enjoying　the　young　man's　finesse　and　the　sparring　with　words。
　〃I　knew　a　Hand　Trembler　once　who　was　wrong。　He　said　a　ghost　had　got　at　my　uncle's　brother's　son　and　they　had　a　Shooting　Way　Sing　for　that。　Turned　out　he　had　tuberculosis。〃
　〃Hand　trembling's　not　much　good　usually；〃　Sandoval　agreed。　〃But　this　time　he　got　it　right。　They　said　this　Navajo　Wolf　came　down　and　bothered　Tsosie's　sheep　in　the　night　and　Tsosie　saw　him。　Looked　like　a　big　coyote　but　it　was　a　man。　And　then　after　Hudson　came　and　hand　trembled；　they　got　one　of　the　outfit　who　knew　some　of　the　chants　and　they　did　a　blackening　on　Tsosie　and　after　that　he　felt　better　for　a　little　while。〃　Sandoval　hadn't　liked　the　remark　about　tuberculosis。　He　wondered　sourly　if　the　young　man　believed　in　witches。　The　policeman　had　a　white　haircut。　Not　the　way　the　Changing　Woman　had　taught。　He　was　looking　out　across　the　sagebrush　flat　now；　thinking。　Sandoval　guessed　the　next　question　would　tell　him　something。
　〃My　grandfather；　I　am　using　too　much　of　your　time　today；　but　I　keep　wondering　about　this。　I　know　you　have　never　listened　to　gossip　but　I　will　tell　you　something　you　might　need　to　know　for　your　Sing。　This　man　Horseman　is　dead　now；　and　if　he　was　the　witch；　you　might　need　to　know　about　it　for　the　way　you　hold　the　Sing。〃
　Sandoval　wondered　why　the　policeman　thought　a　man　named　Horseman　was　the　witch。　The　question　would　e　now。　Maybe　it　would　tell　him。
　〃As　I　said；　I　am　ignorant　about　many　things。　I　know　it　would　be　easier　to　cure　Tsosie　if　the　witch　was　already　dead。　But　how　would　be　the　best　way　to　kill　the　witch？〃
　Sandoval　turned　the　question　over　carefully。
　〃The　best　way　is　with　clubs。〃
　The　policeman　was　looking　at　him　closely　now。　〃Would　it　be　a　good　thing　to　smother　him？　To　pour　sand　over　his　head？〃
　〃I　never　heard　that。　Sometimes　with　clubs　and　sometimes　they　shoot　them。〃　Sandoval　was　puzzled。　He　had　never　heard　of　Horseman　and　he　had　never　heard　of　a　man　being　killed　like　that。　He　saw　Tsosie　was　ing　back　now　from　behind　the　brush　shelter　and　he　got　to　his　feet。　His　bones　felt　stiff　and　he　was　irritated。　He　suspected　the　young　man　had　left　the　Navajo　Way　and　was　on　the　Jesus　Road。
　〃My　grandson；　I　must　go　back　into　the　hogan　now。　But　now　I　have　a　question　for　you　to　answer。　Tell　me　if　you　believe　in　witching。〃
　〃My　father　taught　me　about　it；〃　the　policeman　said。　〃When　the　water　rose　in　the　Fourth　World　and　the　Holy　People　emerged　through　the　hollow　reed；　First　Man　and　First　Woman　came　up；　too。　But　they　forgot　witchcraft　and　so　they　sent　Diving　Heron　back　for　it。　They　told　him　to　bring　out　'the　way　to　get　rich'　so　the　Holy　People　wouldn't　know　what　he　was　getting。　And　Heron　brought　it　out　and　gave　it　to　First　Man　and　First　Woman　and　they　gave　some　of　it　to　Snake。　But　Snake　couldn't　swallow　it　so　he　had　to　hold　it　in　his　mouth。　And　that's　why　it　kills　you　when　a　snake　strikes　you。〃
　The　words　were　right；　Sandoval　thought；　b