Oxherding Tale by Charles Johnson

Author:Charles Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 1995-08-15T04:00:00+00:00

Mr. Sykes,

You must forgive me for not writing sooner. I owe you letters and letters. I can never repay you for what you have done. I should like to meet you more than anything in this world, but I am afraid you would find me poor company. You are in my prayers. Do believe me when I say that I love you, shall always love you, that you have been like a father to me, and that without your aid I should be lost; I remain, Honored Sir,

Your Servant,

Althea

Now, I must call your attention to Eastern texts that Ezekiel himself made me read, works that said Samsara (the world of appearance) was Nirvana (the world to be attained), which implied, outrageously, that man’s highest achievements were won in the realm of Matter. The girl’s letter, though brief, made Ezekiel’s brow go blank. Was he not obliged to give in greater measure? Was he not, after all, incomplete in his efforts to serve? Men saddled with obligations, like Moses—like Master Polkinghorne—would scoff at this, no doubt, seeing how they’d blundered into duty—the quiet, dull triumph of devoting themselves to everyday things, placing children and wife, colleagues and acquaintances in a widening circle that soon enveloped the entire community, before all else. But it kept them honest. It brought out, begrudgingly, the best qualities in the bulk of humanity, whether humanity appreciated it or not.

Ezekiel stuffed the girl’s letter in his coat. “What is your proposal?”

“You’ve read Althea’s letter?”

“Yes.”

“That part where she says you been like a father?” Moses paused with his glass midway between his mouth and the table. He put one finger in his ear and jiggled it. “You read that?”

“Yes.”

The hired man took a deep breath.

“She’s for sale. You kin have her. Now, put down that bottle!” His voice jumped. “It’s plain I can’t do for her like you kin, poor as I am. Without a wife. Mr. Sykes, you lifted the bottle again….” Moses waited as Ezekiel put the flask down. “You might’s well do for her directly. Without me in the way.” Quickly, taking another drink, Moses kept his eyes on Ezekiel’s hands. “Does four hundred dollars sound fair?”

Ezekiel looked at him in astonishment; he filled his cheeks, then his chest, with air, but held himself still; if he moved he would hang for second-degree murder.

“Four hundred,” said Moses, “and you’ll never see me again.”

“If I do, you’re a dead man.”

Moses laughed.

“The girl….” He cleared his throat. “When do I see her?”

“After I see the money.”

Never in his life had he hated anyone as deeply as Shem Moses. “Next Wednesday week—is that soon enough?”

“I kin wait.”

Now began a terrible period in Ezekiel’s life. The payment was difficult to come by. What credit he had at Cripplegate was exhausted; he was forced to wire friends in Missouri for the money, explaining that he was engaged, soon to be married. This Ezekiel came to believe. There rose in him, starting at about the fifth button on his vest, a vague feeling of purpose.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.