〃I meant to go to church； Ma！〃
〃Lots of dead people meant to go to heaven；〃 she answered； 〃and they didn't get there； neither。〃
〃It was my fault； Goody Faith；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃It surely was not； Taleswapper；〃 she said。
〃We got to talking； Goody Faith； and I'm afraid I distracted the boy。〃
〃The boy was born distracted；〃 said Ma； never taking her eyes from Alvin's face。 〃He takes after his father。 If you don't bridle and saddle him and ride him to church； he never gets there； and if you don't nail his feet to the floor of the church he's out that door in a minute。 A ten…year…old boy who hates the Lord is enough to make his mother wish he'd never been born。〃
The words struck Alvin Junior to the heart。
〃That's a terrible thing to wish；〃 said Taleswapper。 His voice was real quiet； and Ma finally lifted her gaze to the old man's face。
〃I don't wish it；〃 she finally said。
〃I'm sorry； Mama；〃 said Alvin Junior。
〃e inside；〃 she said。 〃I left church to e and find you； and now there's not time to get back before the sermon ends。〃
〃We talked about a lot of things； Mama；〃 Alvin said。 〃About my dreams； and about Ben Franklin； and〃
〃The only story I want to hear from you；〃 said Ma； 〃is the sound of hymn singing。 If you won't go to the church； then you'll sit in the kitchen with me and sing me hymns while I fix the dinner。〃
So Alvin didn't get to see Old Ben's sentence in Taleswapper's book； not for hours。 Ma kept him singing and working till dinnertime； and after dinner Pa and the big boys and Taleswapper sat around planning tomorrow's expedition to bring a millstone down from the granite mountain。
〃I'm doing it for you；〃 Pa said to Taleswapper； 〃so you better e along。〃
〃I never asked you to bring a millstone。〃
〃Not a day since you've been here that you haven't said something about what a shame it is that such a fine mill gets used as nothing but a haybarn； when people hereabouts need good flour。〃
〃I only said it the once； that I remember。〃
〃Well； maybe so；〃 said Pa； 〃but every time I see you； I think about that millstone。〃
〃That's because you keep wishing the millstone had been there when you threw me。〃
〃He don't wish that！〃 shouted Cally。 〃Cause then you'd be dead！〃
Taleswapper just grinned； and Papa grinned back。 And they went on talking about this and that。 Then the wives brought the nephews and nieces over for Sunday supper； and they made Taleswapper sing them the laughing song so many times that Alvin thought he'd scream if he heard another chorus of 〃Ha； Ha； Hee。〃
It wasn't till after supper； after the nephews and nieces were all gone； that Taleswapper brought out his book。
〃I wondered if you'd ever open that book；〃 Pa said。
〃Just waiting for the right time。〃 Then Taleswapper explained about how people wrote down their most important deed。
〃I hope you don't expect me to write in there；〃 Pa said。
〃Oh； I wouldn't let you write in it； not yet。 You haven't even told me the story of your most important deed。〃 Taleswapper's voice got even softer。 〃Maybe you didn't actually do your most important deed。〃
Pa looked just a little angry then； or maybe a little afraid。 Whichever it was； he got up and came over。 〃Show me what's in that book； that other people thought was so all…fired important。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃Can you read？〃
〃I'll have you know I got a Yankee education in Massachusetts before I ever got married and set up as a miller in West Hampshire； and long before I ever came out here。 It may not amount to much pared to a London education like you got； Taleswapper； but you don't know how to write a word I can't read； lessen it's Latin。〃
Taleswapper didn't answer。 He just opened the book。 Pa read the first sentence。 〃The only thing I ever truly made was Americans。〃 Pa looked up at Taleswapper。 〃Who wrote that？〃
〃Old Ben Franklin。〃
〃The way I heard it the only American he ever made was illegitimate。〃
〃Maybe Al Junior will explain it to you later；〃 said Taleswapper。
While they said this； Alvin wormed his way in front of them； to stare at Old Ben's handwriting。 It looked no different from other men's writing。 Alvin felt a little disappointed； though he couldn't have said what he expected。 Should the letters be made of gold？ Of course not。 There was no reason why a great man's words should look any different on a page than the words of a fool。
Still； he couldn't rid himself of frustration that the words were so plain。 He reached out and turned the page； turned many pages； riffling them with his fingers。 The words were all the same。 Grey ink on yellowing paper。
A flash of light came from the book； blinding him for a moment。
〃Don't play with the pages like that；〃 said Papa。 〃You'll tear one。〃
Alvin turned around to took at Taleswapper。 〃What's the page with light on it？〃 he asked。 〃What does it say there？〃
〃Light？〃 asked Taleswapper。
Then Alvin knew that he alone had seen it。
〃Find the page yourself；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃He'll just tear it；〃 said Papa。
〃He'll be careful；〃 said Taleswapper。
But Papa sounded angry。 〃I said stand away from that book； Alvin Junior。〃
Alvin started to obey； but felt Taleswapper's hand on his shoulder。 Taleswapper's voice was quiet； and Alvin felt the old man's fingers moving in a sign of warding。 〃The boy saw something in the book；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃and I want him to find it again for me。〃
And； to Alvin's surprise； Papa backed down。 〃If you don't mind getting your book ripped up by that careless lazy boy；〃 he murmured； then fell silent。
Alvin turned to the book and carefully thumbed the pages； one at a time。 Finally one fell into place； and from it came a light； which at first dazzled him； but gradually subsided until it came only from a single sentence； whose letters were on fire。
〃Do you see them burning？〃 asked Alvin。
〃No；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃But I smell the smoke of it。 Touch the words that burn for you。〃
Alvin reached out and gingerly touched the beginning of the sentence。 The flame； to his surprise； was not hot； though it did warm him。 It warmed him through to the bone。 He shuddered as the last cold of autumn fled from his body。 He smiled； he was so bright inside。 But almost as soon as he touched it； the flame collapsed； cooled； was gone。
〃What does it say？〃 asked Mama。 She was standing now across the table from them。 She wasn't such a good reader； and the words were upside down to her。
Taleswapper read。 〃A Maker is born。〃
〃There hasn't been a Maker；〃 said Mama； 〃since the one who changed the water into wine。〃
〃Maybe not； but that's what she wrote；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃Who wrote？〃 demanded Mama。
〃A slip of a girl。 About five years ago。〃
〃What was the story that went with her sentence？〃 asked Alvin Junior。
Taleswapper shook his head。
〃You said you never let people write unless you knew their story。〃
〃She wrote it when I wasn't looking；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃I didn't see it till the next place I stopped。〃
〃Then how did you know it was her？〃 asked Alvin。
〃It was her；〃 he answered。 〃She was the only one there who could have opened the hex I kept on the book in those days。〃
〃So you don't know what it means？ You can't even tell me why I saw those letters burning？〃
Taleswapper shook his head。 〃She was an innkeeper's daughter； if I remember rightly。 She spoke very little； and when she did； what she said was always strictly truthful。 Never a lie； even to be kind。 She was considered to be something of a shrew。 But as the proverb says； If you always speak your mind； the evil man will avoid you。 Or something like that。〃
〃Her name？〃 asked Mama。 Alvin looked up in surprise。 Mama hadn't seen the glowing letters； so why did she look so powerful eager to know about who wrote them？
〃Sorry；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃I don't remember her name right now。 And if I remembered her name； I wouldn't tell it； nor will I tell whether I know the place where she lived。 I don't want people seeking her out； troubling her for answers that she may not want to give。 But I will say this。 She was a torch； and saw with true eyes。