osc.am1.seventhson- 第1部分

　　
　　Little　Peggy　was　very　careful　with　the　eggs。　She　rooted　her　hand　through　the　straw　till　her　fingers　bumped　something　hard　and　heavy。　She　gave　no　never　mind　to　the　chicken　drips。　After　all；　when　folk　with　babies　stayed　at　the　roadhouse；　Mama　never　even　crinkled　her　face　at　their　most　spetackler　diapers。　Even　when　the　chicken　drips　were　wet　and　stringy　and　made　her　fingers　stick　together；　little　Peggy　gave　no　never　mind。　She　just　pushed　the　straw　apart；　wrapped　her　hand　around　the　egg；　and　lifted　it　out　of　the　brood　box。　All　this　while　standing　tiptoe　on　a　wobbly　stool；　reaching　high　above　her　head。　Mama　said　she　was　too　young　for　egging；　but　little　Peggy　showed　her。　Every　day　she　felt　in　every　brood　box　and　brought　in　every　egg；　every　single　one；　that's　what　she　did。
　　Every　one；　she　said　in　her　mind；　over　and　over。　I　got　to　reach　into　every　one。　
　　Then　little　Peggy　looked　back　into　the　northeast　corner；　the　darkest　place　in　the　whole　coop；　and　there　sat　Bloody　Mary　in　her　brood　box；　looking　like　the　devil's　own　bad　dream；　hatefulness　shining　out　of　her　nasty　eyes；　saying　e　here　little　girl　and　give　me　nips。　I　want　nips　of　finger　and　nips　of　thumb　and　if　you　e　real　close　and　try　to　take　my　egg　I'll　get　a　nip　of　eye　from　you。
　　Most　animals　didn't　have　much　heartfire；　but　Bloody　Mary's　was　strong　and　made　a　poison　smoke。　Nobody　else　could　see　it；　but　little　Peggy　could。　Bloody　Mary　dreamed　of　death　for　all　folks；　but　most　specially　for　a　certain　little　girl　five　years　old；　and　little　Peggy　had　the　marks　on　her　fingers　to　prove　it。　At　least　one　mark；　anyway；　and　even　if　Papa　said　he　couldn't　see　it；　little　Peggy　remembered　how　she　got　it　and　nobody　could　blame　her　none　if　she　sometimes　forgot　to　reach　under　Bloody　Mary　who　sat　there　like　a　bushwhacker　waiting　to　kill　the　first　folks　that　just　tried　to　e　by。　Nobody'd　get　mad　if　she　just　sometimes　forgot　to　look　there。
　　I　forgot。　I　looked　in　every　brood　box；　every　one；　and　if　one　got　missed　then　I　forgot　forgot　forgot。
　　Everybody　knew　Bloody　Mary　was　a　lowdown　chicken　and　too　mean　to　give　any　eggs　that　wasn't　rotten　anyway。
　　I　forgot。
　　She　got　the　egg　basket　inside　before　Mama　even　had　the　fire　het；　and　Mama　was　so　pleased　she　let　little　Peggy　put　the　eggs　one　by　one　into　the　cold　water。　Then　Mama　put　the　pot　on　the　hook　and　swung　it　right　on　over　the　fire。　Boiling　eggs　you　didn't　have　to　wait　for　the　fire　to　slack；　you　could　do　it　smoke　and　all。
　　〃Peg；〃　said　Papa。
　　That　was　Mama's　name；　but　Papa　didn't　say　it　in　his　Mama　voice。　He　said　it　in　his　little…Peggy…you're…in…dutch　voice；　and　little　Peggy　knew　she　was　pletely　found　out；　and　so　she　turned　right　around　and　yelled　what　she'd　been　planning　to　say　all　along。
　　〃I　forgot；　Papa！〃
　　Mama　turned　and　looked　at　little　Peggy　in　surprise。　Papa　wasn't　surprised　though。　He　just　raised　an　eyebrow。　He　was　holding　his　hand　behind　his　back。　Little　Peggy　knew　there　was　an　egg　in　that　hand。　Bloody　Mary's　nasty　egg。
　　〃What　did　you　forget；　little　Peggy？〃　asked　Papa；　talking　soft。
　　Right　that　minute　little　Peggy　reckoned　she　was　the　stupidest　girl　ever　born　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　Here　she　was　denying　before　anybody　accused　her　of　anything。
　　But　she　wasn't　going　to　give　up；　not　right　off　like　that。　She　couldn't　stand　to　have　them　mad　at　her　and　she　just　wanted　them　to　let　her　go　away　and　live　in　England。　So　she　put　on　her　innocent　face　and　said；　〃I　don't　know；　Papa。〃　She　figgered　England　was　the　best　place　to　go　live；　cause　England　had　a　Lord　Protector。　From　the　look　in　Papa's　eye；　a　Lord　Protector　was　pretty　much　what　she　needed　just　now。
　　〃What　did　you　forget？〃　Papa　asked　again。
　　〃Just　say　it　and　be　done；　Horace；〃　said　Mama。　〃If　she's　done　wrong　then　she's　done　wrong。〃
　　〃I　forgot　one　time；　Papa；〃　said　little　Peggy。　〃She's　a　mean　old　chicken　and　she　hates　me。〃
　　Papa　answered　soft　and　slow。　〃One　time；〃　he　said。
　　Then　he　took　his　hand　from　behind　him。　Only　it　wasn't　no　single　egg　he　held；　it　was　a　whole　basket。　And　that　basket　was　filled　with　a　clot　of　straw　　most　likely　all　the　straw　from　Bloody　Mary's　box　　and　that　straw　was　mashed　together　and　glued　tight　with　dried…up　raw　egg　and　shell　bits；　mixed　up　with　about　three　or　four　chewed…up　baby　chicken　bodies。
　　〃Did　you　have　to　bring　that　in　the　house　before　breakfast；　Horace？〃　said　Mama。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　makes　me　madder；〃　said　Horace。　〃What　she　done　wrong　or　her　studying　up　to　lie　about　it。〃
　　〃I　didn't　study　and　I　didn't　lie！〃　shouted　little　Peggy。　Or　anyways　she　meant　to　shout。　What　came　out　sounded　espiciously　like　crying　even　though　little　Peggy　had　decided　only　yesterday　that　she　was　done　with　crying　for　the　rest　of　her　life。
　　〃See？〃　said　Mama。　〃She　already　feels　bad。〃
　　〃She　feels　bad　being　caught；〃　said　Horace。　〃You're　too　slack　on　her；　Peg。　She's　got　a　lying　spirit。　I　don't　want　my　daughter　growing　up　wicked。　I'd　rather　see　her　dead　like　her　baby　sisters　before　I　see　her　grow　up　wicked。〃
　　Little　Peggy　saw　Mama's　heartfire　flare　up　with　memory；　and　in　front　of　her　eyes　she　could　see　a　baby　laid　out　pretty　in　a　little　box；　and　then　another　one　only　not　so　pretty　cause　it　was　the　second　baby　Missy；　the　one　what　died　of　pox　so　nobody'd　touch　her　but　her　own　mama；　who　was　still　so　feeble　from　the　pox　herself　that　she　couldn't　do　much。　Little　Peggy　saw　that　scene；　and　she　knew　Papa　had　made　a　mistake　to　say　what　he　said　cause　Mama's　face　went　cold　even　though　her　heartfire　was　hot。
　　〃That's　the　wickedest　thing　anybody　ever　said　in　my　presence；〃　said　Mama。　Then　she　took　up　the　basket　of　corruption　from　the　table　and　carried　it　outside。
　　〃Bloody　Mary　bites　my　hand；〃　said　little　Peggy。
　　〃We'll　see　what　bites；〃　said　Papa。　〃For　leaving　the　eggs　I　give　you　one　whack；　because　I　reckon　that　lunatic　hen　looks　fearsome　to　a　frog…size　girl　like　you。　But　for　telling　lies　I　give　you　ten　whacks。〃
　　Little　Peggy　cried　in　earnest　at　that　news。　Papa　gave　an　honest　count　and　full　measure　in　everything；　but　most　especially　in　whacks。
　　Papa　took　the　hazel　rod　off　the　high　shelf。　He　kept　it　up　there　ever　since　little　Peggy　put　the　old　one　in　the　fire　and　burnt　it　right　up。
　　〃I'd　rather　hear　a　thousand　hard　and　bitter　truths　from　you；　Daughter；　than　one　soft　and　easy　lie；〃　said　he；　and　then　he　bent　over　and　laid　on　with　the　rod　across　her　thighs。　Whick　whick　whick；　she　counted　every　one；　they　stung　her　to　the　heart；　each　one　of　them；　they　were　so　full　of　anger。　Worst　of　all　she　knew　it　was　all　unfair　because　his　heartfire　raged　for　a　different　cause　altogether；　and　it　always　did。　Papa's　hate　for　wickedness　always　came　from　his　most　secret　memory。　Little　Peggy　didn't　understand　it　all；　because　it　was　twisted　up　and　confused　and　Papa　didn't　remember　it　right　well　himself。　All　little　Peggy　ever　saw　plain　was　that　it　was　a　lady　and　it　wasn't　Mama。　Papa　thought　of　that　lady　whenever　something　went　wrong。　When　baby　Missy　died　of　nothing　at　all；　and　then　the　next　baby　also　named　Missy　died　of　pox；　and　then　the　barn　burnt　down　once；　and　a　cow　died；　everything　that　went　wrong　made　him　think　of　that　lady　and　he　began　to　talk　about　how　much　he　hated　wickedness　and　at　those　times　the　hazel　rod　flew　hard　and　sharp。
　　I'd　rather　hear　a　thousand　hard　and　bitter　truths；　that's　what　he　said；　but　little　Peggy　knew　that　there　was　one　truth　he　didn't　ever　want　to　hear；　and　so　she　kept　it　to　herself。　She'd　never　shout　it　at　him；　even　if　it　made　him　break　the　hazel　rod；　cause　whenever　she　thought　of　saying　aught　about　that　lady；　she　kept　picturing　her　father　dead；　and　that　was　a　thing　she　never　hoped　to　see　for　real。　Besides；　the　lady　that　haunted　his　heartfire；　she　didn't　have　no　clothes　on；　and　little　Peggy　knew　that　she'd　be　whipped　for　sure　if　she　talked　about　people　being　naked。
　　So　she　took　the　whacks　and　cried　till　she　could　taste　that　her　nose　was　running。　Papa　left　the　room　right　away；　and　Mama　came　back　to　fix　up　breakfast　for　the　blacksmith　and　the　visitors　and　the　hands；　but　neither　one　said　boo　to　her；　just　as　if　they　didn't　even　notice。　She　cried　even　harder　and　louder　for　a　minute；　but　it　didn't　help。　Finally　she　picked　up　her　Bugy　from　the　sewing　basket　and　walked　all　stiff…legged　out　to　Oldpappy's　cabin　and　woke　him　right　up。
　　He　listened　to　her　story　like　he　always　did。　
　　〃I　know　about　Bloody　Mary；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　told　your　papa　fifty　times　if　I　told　him　once；　wring　that　chicken's　neck　and　be　done。　She's　a　crazy　bird。　Every　week　or　so　she　gets　crazy　and　breaks　all　her　own　eggs；　even　the　ones　ready　to　hatch。　Kills　her　own　chicks。　It's　a　lunatic　what　kills　its　own。〃　
　　〃Papa　like　to　killed　me；〃　said　little　Peggy。　
　　〃I　reckon　if　you　can　walk　somewhat　it　ain't　so　bad　altogether。〃　
　　〃I　can't　walk　much。〃　
　　〃No；　I　can　see　you're　nigh　crippled　forever；〃　said　Oldpappy。　〃But　I　tell　you　what；　the　way　I　see　it　your　mama　and　your　papa's　mostly　mad　at　each　other。　So　why　don't　you　just　disappear　for　a　couple　of　hours？〃
　　〃I　wish　I　could　turn　into　a　bird　and　fly。〃　
　　〃Next　best　thing；　though；〃　said　Pappy；　〃is　to　have　a　secret　place　where　nobody　knows　to　look　for　you。　Do　you　have　a　place　like　that？　No；　don't　tell　me　　it　wrecks　it　if　you　tell　even　a　single　other　person。　You　just　go　t