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〃It is； when your thoughts chastise me for my actions。 Beware of hubris； my friend。 Do not fancy yourself so righteous that you can judge the acts of angels。〃
It was the first time the Visitor had ever called himself an angel。
〃I did not call myself anything；〃 said the Visitor。 〃You must learn to control your thoughts； Thrower。 You leap to conclusions far too easily。〃
〃Why have you e to me？〃
〃It's a matter of the maker of this altar；〃 said the Visitor。 He patted one of the crosses Alvin Junior had burnt into the wood。
〃I've done my best； but the boy is unteachable。 He doubts everything； and contests each point of theology as if it were required to meet the same tests of logic and consistency that prevail in the world of science。〃
〃In other words； he expects your doctrines to make sense。〃
〃He is unwilling to accept the idea that some things remain mysteries； prehensible only to the mind of God。 Ambiguity makes him saucy； and paradox causes open rebellion。〃
〃An obnoxious child。〃
〃The worst I have ever seen；〃 said Thrower。
The Visitor's eyes flashed。 Thrower felt a stab in his heart。
〃I've tried；〃 said Thrower。 〃I've tried to turn him to serve the Lord。 But the influence of his father〃
〃It is a weak man who blames his failures on the strength of others；〃 said the Visitor。
〃I haven't failed yet！〃 said Thrower。 〃You told me I had until the boy was fourteen〃
〃No。 I told you I had until the boy was fourteen。 You only have him as long as he lives here。〃
〃I've heard nothing about the Millers moving。 They just got their millstone in place； they're going to start grinding in the spring； they wouldn't leave without〃
The Visitor stood up from the altar。 〃Let me put a case to you； Reverend Thrower。 Purely hypothetical。 Let us suppose you were in the same room with the worst enemy of all that I stand for。 Let us suppose that he were ill； and lay helpless in his bed。 If he recovered； he would be removed from your reach； and would thus go on to destroy all that you and I love in this world。 But if he died； our great cause would be safe。 Now suppose that someone put a knife into your hand； and begged you to perform a delicate surgery upon the boy。 And suppose that if you were to slip； just the tiniest bit； your knife could cut a great artery。 And suppose that if you simply delayed； his lifeblood would flow out so quickly that in moments he would die。 In that case； Reverend Thrower； what would be your duty？〃
Thrower was aghast。 All his life he had prepared to teach； persuade； exhort； expound。 Never to perform a bloody…handed act like the one the Visitor suggested。 〃I'm not suited for such things；〃 he said。
〃Are you suited for the kingdom of God？〃 asked the Visitor。
〃But the Lord said Thou shalt not kill。〃
〃Oh？ Is that what he said to Joshua； when he sent him into the promised land？ Is that what he said to Saul； when he sent him against the Amalekites？〃
Thrower thought of those dark passages in the Old Testament； and trembled with fear at the thought of taking part in such things himself。
But the Visitor did not relent。 〃The high priest Samuel manded King Saul to kill all the Amalekites； every man and woman； every child。 But Saul hadn't the stomach for it。 He saved the king of the Amalekites and brought him back alive。 For that crime of disobedience； what did the Lord do？〃
〃Chose David to be king in his place；〃 murmured Thrower。
The Visitor stood close to Thrower； his eyes wounding him with their fire。 〃And then Samuel； the high priest； the gentle servant of God； what did he do？〃
〃He called for Agag the king of the Amalekites to be brought before him。〃
The Visitor would not relent。 〃And what did Samuel do？〃
〃Killed him；〃 whispered Thrower。
〃What does the scripture say that he did！〃 roared the Visitor。 The walls of the meetinghouse shook； the glass of the windows rattled。
Thrower wept in fear； but he spoke the words that the Visitor demanded： 〃Samuel hacked Agag in pieces in the presence of the Lord。〃
Now the only sound in the church was Thrower's own ragged breath as he tried to control his hysterical weeping。 The Visitor smiled at him； his eyes filled with love and forgiveness。 Then he was gone。
Thrower sank to his knees before the altar and prayed。 O Father； I would die for Thee； but do not ask me to kill。 Take away this cup from my lips； I am too weak； I am unworthy； do not lay this burden upon my shoulders。
His tears fell on the altar。 He heard a sizzling sound and jumped back from the altar； startled。 His tears skittered along the surface of the altar like water on a hot skillet； until finally they were consumed。
The Lord has rejected me； he thought。 I pledged to serve Him however He required； and now； when He asks something difficult； when He mands me to be as strong as the great prophets of old； I discover myself to be a broken vessel in the hands of the Lord。 I cannot contain the destiny He wanted to pour into me。
The door of the church opened； letting in a wave of freezing air that rushed along the floor and sent a chill through the minister's flesh。 He looked up； fearing that it was an angel sent to punish him。
It was no angel； though。 Merely Armor…of…God Weaver。
〃I didn't mean to interrupt you in prayer；〃 said Armor。
〃e in；〃 said Thrower。 〃Close the door。 What can I do for you？〃
〃Not for me；〃 said Armor。
〃e here。 Sit down。 Tell me。〃
Thrower hoped that perhaps it was a sign from God that Armor had e just now。 A member of the congregation； ing to him for help； right after he prayed surely the Lord was letting him know that he was accepted after all。
〃It's my wife's brother；〃 said Armor。 〃The boy； Alvin Junior。〃
Thrower felt a thrill of dread run through him； freezing him to the bone。 〃I know him。 What about him？〃
〃You know he got his leg mashed。〃
〃I heard of it。〃
〃You didn't happen to go visit and see him afore it healed up？〃
〃I've been given to believe that I'm not wele in that house。〃
〃Well； let me tell you； it was bad。 A whole patch of skin tore off。 Bones broke。 But two days later； it was healed right up。 Couldn't even see no scar。 Three days later he was walking。〃
〃It must not have been as bad as you thought。〃
〃I'm telling you； that leg was broke and the wound was bad。 The whole family figured the boy was bound to die。 They asked me about buying nails for a coffin。 And they looked so bad from grieving that I wasn't sure but what we'd bury the boy's ma and pa； too。〃
〃Then it can't be as fully healed as you say。〃
〃Well； it ain't fully healed； and that's why I e to you。 I know you don't believe in such things； but I tell you they witched the boy's leg to heal somehow。 Elly says the boy did the witching himself。 He was even walking on the leg for a few days； no splint even。 But the pain never let up； and now he says there's a sick place on his bone。 He's got a fever； too。〃
〃There's a perfectly natural explanation for everything；〃 said Thrower。
〃Well； be that as you like； the way I see it the boy invited the devil with his witchery； and now the devil's eating him alive inside。 And seeing how you're an ordained minister of God； I thought maybe you could cast out that devil in the name of the Lord Jesus。〃
Superstitions and sorceries were nonsense； of course； but when Armor brought up the possibility of a devil being in the boy； it made sense； it fit with what he knew from the Visitor。 Maybe the Lord wanted him to exorcise the child； to purge the evil from him； not to kill the boy at all。 It was a chance for him to redeem himself from his failure of will a few minutes before。
〃I'll go；〃 he said。 He reached for his heavy cloak and whipped it around his shoulders。
〃I better warn you； nobody up at their house asked me to bring you。〃
〃I'm prepared to deal with the anger of the unfaithful；〃 said Thrower。 〃It's the victim of deviltry that concerns me； not his foolish and superstitious family。〃
***
Alvin lay on his bed； burning with the heat of his fever。 Now； in the daylight； they kept his shutters closed； so the light wouldn't hurt his eyes。 At night； though； he made them open things up； let some of the cold air in。 He would breathe it in relief。 During the few days when he could walk； he had seen the snow covering the meadow。 Now he tried to imagine himself lying under that blanket of snow。 Relief from the fire burning through his body。
He just couldn't see small enough inside himself。 What he did with the bone； with the strands of muscle and layers of skin； it was harder than ever it was to find the cracks in the quarry stone。 But he could feel his way through the labyrinth of his body； find the large wounds； help them to close。 Most of what went on； though； was too small and fast for him to prehend。 He could see the result； but he couldn't see the pieces； couldn't make out how it happened。
That's how it was with the bad place in his bone。 Just a patch of it that was weakening； rotting away。 He could feel the difference between the bad place and the good healthy bone； he could find the borders of the sickness。 But he couldn't actually see what was happening。 He couldn't undo it。 He was going to die。
He wasn't alone in the room； he knew。 Someone always sat at his bedside。 He would open his eyes and see Mama； or Papa； or one of the girls。 Sometimes even one of the brothers； even though it meant he had left his wife and his chores。 It was a fort to Alvin； but it was also a burden。 He kept thinking he ought to hurry up and die so they could all get back to their regular lives。
This afternoon it was Measure sitting there。 Alvin said howdy to him when he first came； but there wasn't much to talk about。 Howdy do？ I'm dying； thanks； and you？ Kind of hard to keep chatting。 Measure talked about how he and the twins had tried to cut a grindstone。 They chose a softer stone than what Alvin worked with； and still they had a devil of a time cutting。 〃We finally gave right up；〃 said Measure。 〃It's just going to have to wait till you can go up the mountain and get us a stone yourself。〃
Alvin didn't answer that； and they neither one said a word since then。 Alvin just lay there； sweating； feeling the rot in his bone as it slowly； steadily grew。 Measure sat there； lightly holding his hand。
Measure started to whistle。
The sound of it startled Alvin。 He'd been so caught up inside himself that the music seemed to e from a great distance； and he had to travel some distance to discover where it was ing from。
〃Measure；〃 he cried； but the sound of his voice was a whisper。
The whistling stopped。 〃Sorry；〃 said Measure。 〃Does it bother you？〃
〃No；〃 said Alvin。
Measure started in whistling again。 It was a strange tune； one that Alvin didn't recollect he ever heard before。 In fact it didn't sound like any kind of tune at all。 It never did repeat itself； just went on with new patterns all the time； ；like as if Measure was making it up on the way。 As Alvin lay there and listened； the melody seemed like it was a map； winding through a wilderness； and he started to follow it。 Not that he saw anything； the way he would following a real map。 It just seemed always to show him the center of things； and everything he thought about； he thought about as if he was standing in that place。 Almost like he could see all the thinking he had done before； trying to figure out a way to fix the bad place on his bone； only now he was looking from a ways off； maybe higher up a mountain or in a clearing； somewhere that he could see more。
Now he thought of something he never thought of before。 When his leg was first broke； with the skin all tore up； everybody could see how bad off he was； but nobody could help him； only himself。 He had to fix it all from inside。 Now； though； nobody else could see the wound that was killing him。 And even though he could see it； he couldn't do a blame thing to make it better。
So maybe this time； somebody else could fix him up。 Not using any kind of hidden power at all。 Just plain old bloody…handed surgery。
〃Measure；〃 he whispered。
〃I'm here；〃 said Measure。
〃I know a way to fix my leg；〃 he said。
Measure