srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第37部分

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　　　　''Listen；　I　don't　know　who　you　think　I　am　these　days；　maybe　you've　still　got　Berek　Halfhand　on　the　brain。　But　I'm　not　him…I'm　not　any　kind　of　hero。　I'm　nothing　but　a　broken…down　leper；　and　I'm　doing　this　because　I've　had　it　up　to　here　with　being　pushed　around。　With　or　without　your　pany　I'm　going　to　start　getting　even　regardless　of　any　misbegotten　whatever　that　tries　to　get　in　my　way。　I'm　going　to　do　it　my　own　way。　If　you　don't　want　to　walk；　you　can　go　home。〃
　　　　Before　she　had　a　chance　to　respond；　he　turned　away　from　her　in　shame；　and　found　Foamfollower　standing　sadly　beside　him。　〃And　that's　another　thing；〃　he　went　on　almost　without　pause。　〃I　have　also　had　it　with　your　confounded　misery。　Either　tell　me　the　truth　about　what's　happened　to　you　or　stop　sniveling。〃　He　emphasized　his　last　two　words　by　grabbing　treasure…berries　from　the　Giant's　open　hands。　〃Hell　and　blood！　I'm　sick　to　death　of　this　whole　thing。〃　Glaring　up　at　the　Giant's　face；　he　jammed　aliantha　into　his　mouth；　chewed　them　with　an　air　of　helpless　belligerence。
　　　　〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　Foamfollower　breathed。　〃This　way　that　you　have　found　for　yourself　is　a　cataract。　I　have　felt　it　in　myself。　It　will　bear　you　to　the　edge　in　a　rush　and　hurl　you　into　abysses　from　which　there　is　no　recovery。''
　　　　Lena's　hands　touched　Covenant's　arm　again；　but　he　threw　them　off。　He　could　not　face　her。　Still　glaring　at　Foamfollower；　he　said；　〃You　haven't　told　me　the　truth。''　Then　he　turned　and　stalked　away　through　the　snow。　In　his　rage；　he　could　not　forgive　himself　for　being　so　unable　to　distinguish　between　hate　and　grief。
　　　　Treasure…berries　supplied　by　both　Foamfollower　and　Lena　kept　him　going　through　most　of　the　afternoon。　But　his　pace　remained　slow　and　ragged。　Finally　his　strength　gave　out　when　Foamfollower　guided　him　off　the　road　and　eastward　into　the　foothills　beyond　the　mouth　of　the　valley。　By　then；　he　was　too　exhausted　to　worry　about　the　fact　that　the　snowfall　was　ending。　He　simply　lumbered　into　the　lee　of　a　hill　and　lay　down　to　sleep。　Later；　in　half…conscious　moments；　he　discovered　that　the　Giant　was　carrying　him；　but　he　was　too　tired　to　care。
　　　　He　awoke　sometime　after　dawn　with　a　pleasant　sensation　of　warmth　on　his　face　and　a　smell　of　cooking　in　his　nostrils。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　he　saw　Foamfollower　crouched　over　a　graveling　pot　a　few　feet　away；　preparing　a　meal。　They　were　in　a　small　ravine。　The　leaden　skies　clamped　over　them　like　a　coffin　lid；　but　the　air　was　free　of　snow。　Beside　him；　Lena　lay　deep　in　weary　slumber。
　　　　Softly；　Foamfollower　said；　〃She　is　no　longer　young。　And　we　walked　until　near　dawn。　Let　her　sleep。〃　With　a　short　gesture　around　the　ravine；　he　went　on：　〃We　will　not　be　easily　discovered　here。　We　should　remain　until　nightfall。　It　is　better　for　us　to　travel　at　night。〃　He　smiled　faintly。　〃More　rest　will　not　harm　you。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　want　to　rest；〃　Covenant　muttered；　though　he　felt　dull　with　fatigue。　〃I　want　to　keep　moving。〃
　　　　〃Rest；〃　Foamfollower　manded。　〃You　will　be　able　to　travel　more　swiftly　when　your　health　has　improved。〃
　　　　Covenant　acquiesced　involuntarily。　He　lacked　the　energy　to　argue。　While　he　waited　for　the　meal；　he　inspected　himself。　Inwardly；　he　felt　steadier；　some　of　his　self…possession　had　returned。　The　swelling　of　his　lip　had　receded；　and　his　forehead　no　longer　seemed　feverish。　The　infection　in　his　battered　feet　did　not　appear　to　be　spreading。
　　　　But　his　hands　and　feet　were　as　numb　as　if　they　were　being　gradually　gnawed　off　his　limbs　by　frostbite。　The　backs　of　his　knuckles　and　the　tops　of　his　arches　retained　some　sensitivity；　but　the　essential　deadness　was　anchored　in　his　bones。　At　first　he　tried　to　believe　that　the　cause　actually　was　frostbite。　But　he　knew　better。　His　sight　told　him　clearly　that　it　was　not　ice　which　deadened　him。
　　　　His　leprosy　was　spreading。　Under　Lord　Foul's　dominion…under　the　gray　malignant　winter…the　Land　no　longer　had　the　power　to　give　him　health。
　　　　Dream　health！　He　knew　that　it　had　always　been　a　lie；　that　leprosy　was　incurable　because　dead　nerves　could　not　be　regenerated；　that　the　previous　impossible　aliveness　of　his　fingers　and　toes　was　the　one　incontrovertible　proof　that　the　Land　was　a　dream；　a　delusion。　Yet　the　absence　of　that　health　staggered　him；　dismayed　the　secret；　yearning　recusancy　of　his　immedicable　flesh。　Not　anymore；　he　gaped　dumbly。　Now　he　had　been　bereft　of　that；　too。　The　cruelty　of　it　seemed　to　be　more　than　he　could　bear。
　　　　〃Covenant？〃　Foamfollower　asked　anxiously。　〃My　friend？〃　Covenant　gaped　at　the　Giant　as　well；　and　another　realization　shook　him。　Foamfollower　was　closed　to　him。　Except　for　the　restless　grief　which　crouched　behind　the　Giant's　eyes；　Covenant　could　see　nothing　of　his　inner　condition；　could　not　see　whether　his　panion　was　well　or　ill；　right　or　wrong。　His　Land…born　sight　or　penetration　had　been　truncated；　crippled。　He　might　as　well　have　been　back　in　his　own　blind；　impervious；　superficial　world。
　　　　〃Covenant？〃　Foamfollower　repeated。
　　　　For　a　time；　the　fact　surpassed　Covenant's　prehension。　He　tested…yes；　he　could　see　the　interminable　corruption　eating　its　ill　way　toward　his　wrists；　toward　his　heart。　He　could　smell　the　potential　gangrene　in　his　feet。　He　could　feel　the　vestiges　of　poison　in　his　lip；　the　residual　fever　in　his　forehead。　He　could　see　hints　of　Lena's　age；　Foamfollower's　sorrow。　He　could　taste　the　malevolence　which　hurled　this　winter　across　the　Land…　that　he　could　perceive　without　question。　And　he　had　surely　seen　the　ill　in　the　marauders　at　Mithil　Stonedown。
　　　　But　that　was　no　feat；　their　wrong　was　written　on　them　so　legibly　that　even　a　child　could　read　it。　Everything　else　was　essentially　closed　to　him。　He　could　not　discern　Foamfollower's　spirit；　or　Lena's　confusion；　or　the　snow's　falseness。　The　stubbornness　which　should　have　been　apparent　in　the　rocky　hillsides　above　him　was　invisible。　Even　this　rare　gift　which　the　Land　had　twice　given　him　was　half　denied　him　now。
　　　　〃Foamfollower。〃　He　could　hardly　refrain　from　moaning。　〃It's　not　ing　back。　I　can't…this　winter…it's　not　ing　back。〃
　　　　〃Softly；　my　friend。　I　hear　you。　I〃…a　wry　smile　bent　his　lips…〃I　have　seen　what　effect　this　winter　has　upon　you。　Perhaps　I　should　be　grateful　that　you　cannot　behold　its　effect　upon　me。〃
　　　　〃What　effect？〃　Covenant　croaked。
　　　　Foamfollower　shrugged　as　if　to　deprecate　his　own　plight。　〃At　times…　when　I　have　been　too　long　unsheltered　in　this　wind…I　find　I　cannot　remember　certain　precious　Giantish　tales。　My　friend；　Giants　do　not　forget　stories。〃
　　　　〃Hell　and　blood。〃　Covenant's　voice　shook　convulsively。　But　he　neither　cried　out　nor　moved　from　his　blankets。　〃Get　that　food　ready；〃　he　juddered。　〃I've　got　to　eat。〃　He　needed　food　for　strength。　His　purpose　required　strength。
　　　　There　was　no　question　in　him　about　what　he　meant　to　do。　He　was　shackled　to　it　as　if　his　leprosy　were　an　iron　harness。　And　the　hands　that　held　the　reins　were　in　Foul's　Creche。
　　　　The　stew　which　Foamfollower　handed　to　him　he　ate　severely；　tremorously。　Then　he　lay　back　in　his　blankets　as　if　he　were　stretching　himself　on　a　slab；　and　coerced　himself　to　rest；　to　remain　still　and　conserve　his　energy。　When　the　warm　stew；　and　the　long　debt　of　recuperation　he　owed　to　himself；　sent　him　drifting　toward　slumber；　he　fell　asleep　still　glowering　thunderously　at　the　bleak；　gray；　cloud…locked　sky。
　　　　He　awoke　again　toward　noon　and　found　Lena　yet　asleep。　But　she　was　nestling　against　him　now；　smiling　faintly　at　her　dreams。　Foamfollower　was　no　longer　nearby。
　　　　Covenant　glanced　around　and　located　the　Giant　keeping　watch　up　near　the　head　of　the　ravine。　He　waved　when　Covenant　looked　toward　him。　Covenant　responded　by　carefully　extricating　himself　from　Lena；　climbing　out　of　his　blankets。　He　tied　his　sandals　securely　onto　his　numb　feet；　tightened　his　jacket；　and　went　to　join　the　Giant。
　　　　From　Foamfollower's　position；　he　found　that　he　could　see　over　the　rims　of　the　ravine　into　its　natural　approaches。　After　a　moment；　he　asked　quietly；　〃How　far　did　we　get？〃　His　breath　steamed　as　if　his　mouth　were　full　of　smoke。
　　　　〃We　have　rounded　the　northmost　point　of　this　promontory；〃　Foam…follower　replied。　Nodding　back　over　his　left　shoulder；　he　continued；　〃Kevin's　Watch　is　behind　us。　Through　these　hills　we　can　gain　the　Plains　of　Ra　in　three　more　nights。〃
　　　　〃We　should　get　going；〃　muttered　Covenant。　〃I'm　in　a　hurry。〃
　　　　〃Practice　patience；　my　friend。　We　will　gain　nothing　if　we　hasten　into　the　arms　of　marauders。〃
　　　　Covenant　looked　around；　then　asked；　〃Are　the　Ramen　letting　marauders　get　this　close　to　the　Ranyhyn？　Has　something　happened　to　them？〃
　　　　〃Perhaps。　I　have　had　no　contact　with　them。　But　the　Plains　are　threatened　along　the　whole　length　of　the　Roamsedge　and　Landrider　rivers。　And　the　Ramen　spend　themselves　extravagantly　to　preserve　the　great　horses。　Perhaps　their　numbers　are　too　few　for　them　to　ward　these　hills。〃
　　　　Covenant　accepted　this　as　best　he　could。　〃Foamfollower；〃　he　murmured；　〃whatever　happened　to　all　that　Giantish　talk　you　used　to　be　so　famous　for？　You　haven't　actually　told　me　what　you're　worried　about。　Is　it　those　'eyes'　that　saw　you　and　Triock　summon　me？　Every　time　I　ask　a　question；　you　act　as　if　you've　got　lockjaw。〃
　　　　With　a　dim　smile；　Foamfollower　said；　〃I　have　lived　a　brusque　life。　The　sou