srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第17章
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〃Help me。〃
It was no louder than a whisper。
A sound like hoarse sobs shook him； but he could not tell whether they came from him or from the girl。 Weakly； almost blindly； he straightened his arms； lifted the child outward as if he were offering her to the shouts。
They became a woman's voice and took on words。 〃Karen！ Here she is！ Over here！ Oh； Karen！ my baby！〃 Running came toward him through the leaves and branches； it sounded like the blade of a winter wind cutting at him from the depths of his fever。 At last he was able to see the people。 A woman hurried down the side of a hill； and a man ran anxiously after her。 〃Karen！〃 the woman cried。
The child reached out toward the woman and sobbed； 〃Mommy！ Mommy！''
An instant later； the burden was snatched from Covenant's arms。 〃Karen。 Oh； my baby；'' the woman moaned as she hugged the child。 〃We were so frightened。 Why did you run away？ Are you all right？〃 Without a glance at Covenant； she said； 〃Where did you find her？ She ran away this morning； and we've been frightened half to death。'' As if this needed some explanation； she went on； 〃We're camping over there a ways。 Dave has Good Friday off； and we decided to camp out。 We never thought she would run away。〃
The man caught up with her； and she started speaking to the child again。 〃Oh； you naughty； naughty girl。 Are you all right？ Let me look at you。〃
The girl kept sobbing in pain and relief as the woman held her at arm's length to inspect her。 At once； the woman saw the tourniquet and the swelling and the cuts。 She gave a low scream； and looked at Covenant for the first time。
〃What happened？〃 she demanded。 〃What've you done to her？〃 Suddenly； she stopped。 A look of horror stretched her face。 She backed away toward the man； and screamed at him； 〃Dave！ It's that leper！ That Covenant！〃
〃What？〃 the man gasped。 Righteous indignation rushed up in him。 〃You bastard！〃 he spat belligerently； and started toward Covenant。
Covenant thought that the man was going to hit him； he seemed to feel the blow ing at him from a great distance。 Watching it； he lost his balance； stumbled backward a step； and sat down heavily。 Red pain flooded across his sight。 When it cleared； he was vaguely surprised to find that he was not being kicked。 But the man had stopped a dozen feet away； he stood with his fists clenched； trying not to show that he was afraid to e closer。
Covenant struggled to speak； explain that the child still needed help。 But a long； stunned moment passed before he was able to dredge words past his lips。 Then he said in a tone of detachment pletely at variance with the way he looked and felt； 〃Snakebite。 Timber rattler。 Help her。〃
The effort exhausted him； he could not go on。 He lapsed into silence； and sat still as if he were hopelessly waiting for an avalanche to fall on him。 The man and woman began to recede from him； lose solidity； as if they were dissolving in the acid of his prostration。 Vaguely； he heard the child moan； 〃The snake bit me； Mommy。 My leg hurts。〃
He realized that he still had not seen the child's face。 But he had lost his chance。 He had exercised too strenuously with snake venom in his blood。 By degrees； he was slipping into shock。
〃All right； Mhoram；〃 he mumbled wanly。 〃e and get me。 It's over now。〃
He did not know whether he had spoken aloud。 He could not hear himself。 The ground under him had begun to ripple。 Waves rolled through the hillside； tossing the small raft of hard soil on which he sat。 He clung to it as long as he could； but the earthen seas were too rough。 Soon he lost his balance and tumbled backward into the ground as if it were an undug grave。
FOUR
Siege
Twelve days after the last charred trunks of Revelwood were consumed； reduced to ashes and trampled underfoot； Satansfist Raver； the right hand of the Gray Slayer； brought his vast； dolorous army to the stone gates of Lord's Keep。 He approached slowly； though his hordes tugged forward like leashed wolves； he restrained the ravening of the ur…viles and Cavewights and creatures he manded so that all the inhabitants of Trothgard； and of the lands between Revelwood and the North Plains； would have time to seek safety in the Keep。 This he did because he wished all the humans he meant to slay to be gathered in one place。 Every increase in the Keep's population would weaken its endurance by eating its stores of food。 And crowds of people would be more susceptible than trained warriors or Lords to the fear he bore。
He was sure of the oute of his siege。 His army was not as immense as the one which moksha Fleshharrower his brother had lost in Garroting Deep。 In order to secure his hold upon the regions he had already mastered； he had left scores of thousands of his creatures behind along the Roams…edge River； throughout the valley which formed the south border of Andelain； and across the Center Plains。 But the Despiser had lost little more than a third of his forces in that earlier war。 And instead of wolves and kresh and unwieldy griffins； Satansfist had with him more of the lore…cunning； roynish； black； eyeless ur…viles； and more of the atrocious creatures which Lord Foul had raised up from the Great Swamp； Lifeswallower； from Sarangrave Flat； from the Spoiled Plains and the bosk of the Ruinwash…raised up and demented with the power of the Illearth Stone。 In addition； the Giant…Raver had at his back a power of which the Lords of Revelstone had no conception。 Therefore he was willing to prolong his approach to the Keep； so that he could hasten its eventual and irreparable collapse。
Then； early on the twelfth day； a sky…shaking howl shot through his hordes as they caught their first sight of the mountain plateau of Revel…stone。 Thousands of his creatures started to rush madly toward it through the foothills； but he knocked them back with the flail of his power。 Ruling his army with a green scourge； he spent the whole day making his approach； placing his forces in position。 When daylight at last drained away into night； his army was wrapped around the entire promontory of Revel…stone； from the westmost edge of its south wall to the cliffs of the plateau on the northwest。 His encampment locked the Keep in a wide； round formation； sealing it from either flight or rescue； from forages for food or missions to unknown allies。 And that night； Satansfist feasted on the flesh of prisoners who had been captured during his long march from Landsdrop。
If any eyes in Revelstone had been able to penetrate the unbroken mass of clouds which frowned now constantly over the Land； they would have seen that this night was the dark of the moon on the middle night of spring。 The Despiser's preternatural winter had clenched the Land for forty…two days。
Satansfist had followed precisely the design which his master had given him for his march through the Upper Land。
The next morning； he went to face the watchtower which fronted the long walls of Revelstone at their wedge point。 He paid no attention to the intricate Giantish labor which had produced the pattern of coigns and oriels and walks and battlements in the smooth cliff…walls； that part of him which could have responded to the sight had long ago been extinguished by the occupying Raver。 Without a second glance at the walls； or at the warriors who sentried the crenellated parapets； he strode around the promontory until he stood before the great stone gates in the base of the tower on its southeast side…the only entrance into Lord's Keep。
He was not surprised to find that the gates were open。 Though the Giantish passion for stonework had been quelled in his blood； he retained his knowledge of the Keep。 He knew that as long as those massive； interlocking gates remained intact； they could close upon mand； trapping anyone who dared enter the tunnel under the tower。 While in the tunnel； attackers would be exposed to counterattack from defensive windows built into the roof of the passage。 And beyond the tunnel was nothing but a courtyard； open only to the sky； and then another set of gates even stronger than the first。 The tower itself could not be entered except by suspended crosswalks from the main
