按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
only thing a Red man can use a gun for is killing White men； that's what Ta…Kumsaw always said； and he was right。 But Lolla…Wossiky didn't hear Armor talk about wanting Lolla…Wossiky to use a saw because he had just made the most remarkable discovery。 When he closed his good eye； he could see that boy。 Just like the one…eyed bear in the river。 Open his eye； and there was the yellow…head boy chasing and shouting； but no Alvin Miller Junior。 Close his eye； and there was nothing but the black noise and the traces of the green and then； right in the middle； there was the boy； bright and shining with light as if he had the sun in his back pocket； laughing and playing with a voice like music。
And then he didn't see him at all。
Lolla…Wossiky opened his eye。 There was Reverend Thrower。 Armor and Eleanor were gone all the men were back to work on the church。 It was Thrower who made the boy disappear； that was plain enough。 Or maybe not because now； with Thrower standing by him； Lolla…Wossiky could see the boy with his good eye。 Just like any other child。
〃Lolla…Wossiky； it occurs to me that you really ought to have a Christian name。 I've never baptized a Red before； and so I just thoughtlessly used your uncivilized nomenclature。 You're supposed to take a new name； a Christian name。 Not necessarily a saint's name we're not Papists but something to suggest your new mitment to Christ。 〃
Lolla…Wossiky nodded。 He knew he would need a new name； if the baptism turned out to work after all。 Once he met his dream beast and went back home； he would get a name。 He tried to explain this to Thrower； but the White minister didn't really understand。 Finally； though； he grasped the idea that Lolla…Wossiky wanted a new name and meant to get one soon； so he was mollified。
〃While we're both right here； by the way；〃 said； Thrower； 〃I wondered if I might examine your head。 I am working on developing some orderly categorizations for the infant science of phrenology。 It is the idea that particular talents and propensities in the human soul are reflected in or perhaps even caused by protuberances and depressions in the shape of the skull。〃
Lolla…Wossiky didn't have any idea what Thrower was talking about； so he nodded silently。 This usually worked with White men who were talking nonsense； and Thrower was no exception。 The end of it was that Thrower felt all over Lolla…Wossiky's head； stopping now and then to make sketches and notes on a piece of paper； muttering things like 〃Interesting。。。 Ha！〃 and 〃So much for that theory。〃 When it was over； Thrower thanked him。 〃You've contributed greatly to the cause of science； Mr。 Wossiky。 You are living proof that a Red man does not necessarily have the bumps of savagery and cannibalism。 Instead you have the normal array of knacks and lacks that any human has。 Red men are not intrinsically different from White men； at least not in any simple； easily categorized way。 In fact； you have every sign of being quite a remarkable speaker； with a profoundly developed sense of religion。 It is no accident that you are the first Red man to accept the gospel in my ministry here in America。 I must say that your phrenological pattern has many great similarities to my own。 In short； my dear new…baptized Christian； I would not be surprised if you ended up being a missionary of the gospel yourself。 Preaching to great multitudes of Red men and women and bringing them to an understanding of heaven。 Contemplate that vision； Mr。 Wossiky。 If I am not mistaken； it is your future。〃
Lolla…Wossiky barely caught the gist of what Thrower said。 Something about him being a preacher。 Something about telling the future。 Lolla…Wossiky tried to make sense of this； but it didn't work。
By nightfall； Lolla…Wossiky was dressed in White man's clothes； looking like a fool。 His likker had worn off and he hadn't had a chance to dodge back into the woods and get his four swallows； so the black noise was getting very bad。 Worse yet； it looked to be a rainy night； so he couldn't see with his eye； and with the black noise as bad as it was； his land sense couldn't lead him to his keg； either。
The result was that he was staggering worse than when he had likker in him； the ground heaved and tossed so much under his feet。 He fell over trying to get out of his chair at Armor's supper table。 Eleanor insisted that he had to spend the night there。 〃We can't have him sleep in the woods； not when it rains；〃 she said； and as if to buttress her point there was a clap of thunder and rain started pelting the roof and walls。 Eleanor made up a bed on the floor of the kitchen while Thrower and Armor went around the house closing shutters。 Gratefully Lolla…Wossiky crawled to the bed； not even removing the stiff unfortable trousers and shirt； and lay down； his eye closed； tying to endure the stabbing in his head； the pain of the black noise like knives cutting out his brain slice by slice。
As usual； they thought he was asleep。
〃He seems drunker than he did this morning；〃 said Thrower。
〃I know he never left the hill；〃 said Armor。 〃There's not a chance he got a drink anywhere。〃
〃I've heard it said that when a drunk bees sober；〃 said Thrower； 〃at first he acts more drunk than when he has alcohol in him。〃
〃I hope that's all it is；〃 said Armor。
〃I daresay he was somewhat disappointed at the baptism today；〃 said Thrower。 〃Of course it's impossible to understand what a savage is feeling； but〃
〃I wouldn't call him a savage； Reverend Thrower；〃 said Eleanor。 〃I think in his own way he's civilized。〃
〃You might as well call a badger civilized； then；〃 said Thrower。 〃In his own way； anyway。〃
〃I mean to say；〃 Eleanor said； her voice even quieter and meeker…sounding； but therefore carrying all the more weight； 〃that I saw him reading。〃
〃Turning pages you mean；〃 said Thrower。 〃He couldn't be reading。〃
〃No。 He read； and his lips formed the words；〃 she said。 〃The signs on the wall in the front room； where we serve customers。 He read the words。〃
〃It's possible； you know；〃 said Armor。 〃I know for a fact that the Irrakwa read just as good as any White men。 I been there to do business often enough； and you can bet you have to read the fine print on the contracts they write up。 Red men can learn to read； and that's a fact。〃
〃But this one； this drunk〃
〃Who knows what he can bee； when the likker ain't in him？〃 said Eleanor。
Then they went away to the other room； and left the house for a while； walking Thrower home to the cabin he was staying in before the rain got so bad he had to stay the night。
Alone in the house； Lolla…Wossiky tried to make sense of things。 Baptism alone hadn't wakened him from his dream。 Nor had White man's clothes。 Maybe going without likker for a night would do it； like Eleanor suggested； though it made him crazy with pain so he couldn't sleep。
Whatever happened； though； he knew that the dream beast was waiting somewhere near here。 The white light was suffused all around him now； this was the waking place for Lolla…Wossiky。 Maybe if he stayed away from the church hill today； maybe if he wandered in the woods around Vigor Church； then the dream beast could fin