srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第5章

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nt　took　the　remaining　seat　and　tucked　himself　close　to　the　table；　to　reduce　the　risk　of　being　struck　by　anyone　passing　between　the　tables。
　The　unaccustomed　press　of　people　afflicted　him　with　anxiety。　He　sat　still；　huddling　into　himself。　A　fear　of　exposure　beat　on　his　pulse；　and　he　gripped　himself　hard；　breathing　deeply　as　if　resisting　an　attack　of　vertigo；　surrounded　by　people　who　took　no　notice　of　him；　he　felt　vulnerable。　He　was　taking　too　big　a　chance。　But　they　were　people；　superficially　like　himself。　He　repulsed　the　urge　to　flee。　Gradually；　he　realized　that　his　panion　was　waiting　for　him　to　order。
　Feeling　vaguely　ill　and　defenseless；　he　raised　his　arm　and　attracted　the　waiter's　attention。　The　driver　ordered　a　double　Scotch　on　the　rocks。　Apprehension　momentarily　paralyzed　Covenant's　voice；　but　then　he　forced　himself　to　request　a　gin　and　tonic。　He　regretted　the　order　at　once；　gin　and　tonic　had　been　Joan's　drink。　But　he　did　not　change　it。　He　could　hardly　help　sighing　with　relief　when　the　waiter　moved　away。
　Through　the　clutch　of　his　tension；　he　felt　that　the　order　came　with　almost　miraculous　promptitude。　Swirling　around　the　table；　the　waiter　deposited　three　drinks；　including　a　glass　of　something　that　looked　like　raw　alcohol　for　the　middle…aged　man。　Raising　his　glass；　the　driver　downed　half　his　drink；　grimaced；　and　muttered；　〃Sugar　water。〃　The　solemn　man　poured　his　alcohol　past　his　jumping　Adam's　apple　in　one　movement。
　A　part　of　Covenant's　mind　wondered　if　he　were　going　to　end　up　paying　for　all　three　of　them。
　Reluctantly；　he　tasted　his　gin　and　tonic；　and　almost　gagged　in　sudden　anger。　The　lime　in　the　drink　reminded　him　intensely　of　aliantha。　Pathetic！　he　snarled　at　himself。　For　punishment；　he　drank　off　the　rest　of　the　gin；　and　signaled　to　the　waiter　for　more。　Abruptly　he　determined　to　get　drunk。
　When　the　second　round　came；　the　waiter　again　brought　three　drinks。　Covenant　looked　stiffly　at　his　panions。　Then　the　three　of　them　drank　as　if　they　had　tacitly　engaged　each　other　in　a　contest。
　Wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　the　driver　leaned　forward　and　said；　〃Buddy；　I　got　to　warn　you。　It's　your　dough。　I　can　drink　you　under　the　table。〃
　To　give　the　third　man　an　opening；　Covenant　replied；　〃I　think　our　friend　here　is　going　to　last　longer　than　both　of　us。〃
　〃What；　a　little　guy　like　him？〃　There　was　humor　in　the　trucker's　tone；　an　offer　of　radeship。　〃No　way。　No　way　at　all。〃
　But　the　solemn　man　did　not　recognize　the　driver's　existence　with　even　a　flick　of　his　eyes。　He　kept　staring　into　the　stage　as　if　it　were　an　abyss。
　For　a　while；　his　gloom　presided　over　the　table。　Covenant　ordered　again；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　waiter　brought　out　a　third　round…three　more　drinks。　This　time；　the　trucker　stopped　him。　1n　a　jocose　way　as　if　he　were　assuming　responsibility　for　Covenant；　he　jerked　his　thumb　at　the　middle…aged　man　and　said；　〃I　hope　you　know　we　ain't　payin'　for　him。〃
　〃Sure。〃　The　waiter　was　bored。　〃He　has　a　standing　order。　Pays　in　advance。〃　Disdain　seemed　to　tighten　his　face；　pulling　it　together　like　the　closing　of　a　fist　around　his　nose。　〃es　here　every　night　just　to　watch　her　and　drink　himself　blind。〃　Then　someone　else　signaled　to　him；　and　he　was　gone。
　For　a　moment；　the　third　man　said　nothing。　Slowly；　the　houselights　went　down；　and　an　expectant　hush　dropped　like　a　shroud　over　the　packed　club。　Then　into　the　silence　the　man　croaked　quietly；　〃My　wife。〃
　A　spotlight　centered　on　the　stage；　and　the　club　MC　came　out　of　the　wings。　Behind　him；　musicians　took　their　places…a　small　bo；　casually　dressed。
　The　MC　flashed　out　a　smile；　started　his　spiel。　〃It　makes　me　personally　sad　to　introduce　our　little　lady　tonight；　because　this　is　the　last　time　she'll　be　with　us　for　a　while；　at　least。　She's　going　on　from　here　to　the　places　where　famous　people　get　famouser。　We　at　The　Door　won't　soon　forget　her。　Remember；　you　heard　her　here　first。　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　Miss　Susie　Thurston！〃
　The　spotlight　picked　up　the　singer　as　she　came　out；　carrying　a　hand　microphone。　She　wore　a　leather　outfit　…a　skirt　that　left　most　of　her　legs　bare　and　a　sleeveless　vest　with　a　fringe　across　her　breasts；　emphasizing　their　movement。　Her　blond　hair　was　bobbed　short；　and　her　eyes　were　dark；　surrounded　by　deep　hollow　circles　like　bruises。　She　had　a　full　and　weling　figure；　but　her　face　denied　it；　she　wore　the　look　of　an　abandoned　waif。　In　a　pure；　frail　voice　that　would　have　been　good　for　supplication；　she　sang　a　set　of　love　ballads　defiantly；　as　if　they　were　protest　songs。　The　applause　after　each　number　was　thunderous；　and　Covenant　quaked　at　the　sound。　When　the　set　was　over　and　Susie　Thurston　retired　for　a　break；　he　was　sweating　coldly。
　The　gin　seemed　to　be　having　no　effect　on　him。　But　he　needed　some　kind　of　help。　With　an　aspect　of　desperation；　he　signaled　for　another　round。　To　his　relief；　the　waiter　brought　the　drinks　soon。
　After　he　had　downed　his　Scotch；　the　driver　hunched　forward　purposefully；　and　said；　〃I　think　I　got　this　bastard　figured　out。〃
　The　solemn　man　was　oblivious　to　his　tablemates。　Painfully；　he　croaked　again；　〃My　wife。〃
　Covenant　wanted　to　keep　the　driver　from　talking　about　the　third　man　so　openly；　but　before　he　could　distract　him；　his　guest　went　on；　〃He's　doing　it　out　of　spite；　that's　what。〃
　〃Spite？〃　echoed　Covenant　helplessly。　He　missed　the　connection。　As　far　as　he　could　tell；　their　panionns　doubt　happily　or　at　least　doggedly　married；　no　doubt　childless…had　somehow　conceived　a　hopeless　passion　for　the　waifwoman　behind　the　microphone。　Such　things　happened。　Torn　between　his　now…grim　fidelity　and　his　obdurate　need；　he　could　do　nothing　but　torment　himself　in　search　of　release；　drink　himself　into　stupefaction　staring　at　the　thing　he　wanted　and　both　could　not　and　should　not　have。
　With　such　ideas　about　their　tablemate；　Covenant
　was　left　momentarily　at　sea　by　the　driver's　ment。　But　the　big　man　went　on　almost　at　once。　〃Course。　What'd　you　think；　being　a　leper　is　fun？　He's　thinking　he'll　just　sort　of　share　it　around。　Why　be　the　only　one；　you　know　what　I　mean？　That's　what　this　bastard　thinks。　Take　my　word；　buddy。　I　got　him　figured　out。〃　As　he　spoke；　his　cobbled　face　loomed　before　Covenant　like　a　pile　of　thetic　rubble。　〃What　he　does；　he　goes　around　where　he　ain't　known；　and　he　hides　it；　like；　so　nobody　knows　he's　sick。　That　way　he　spreads　it；　nobody　knows　so　they　don't　take　care；　and　all　of　a　sudden　we　got　us　an　epidemic。　Which　makes　Covenant　laugh　hisself　crazy。　Spite；　like　I　tell　you。　You　take　my　word。　Don't　go　shaking　hands　when　you　don't　know　the　guy　you're　shaking　with。〃
　Dully；　the　third　man　groaned；　〃My　wife。〃
　Gripping　his　wedding　band　as　if　it　had　the　power　to　protect　him；　Covenant　said　intently；　〃Maybe　that　isn't　it。　Maybe　he　just　needs　people。　Do　you　ever　get　lonely　…driving　that　rig　all　alone；　hour　after　hour？　Maybe　this　Thomas　Covenant　just　can't　stand　to　go　on　living　without　seeing　other　faces　once　in　a　while。　Did　you　think　about　that？〃
　〃So　let　him　stick　to　lepers。　What　call　is　he　got　to　bother　decent　folks？　Use　your　head。〃
　Use　my　head？　Covenant　almost　shouted。　Hellfire！　What　do　you　think　I'm　doing？　Do　you　think　I　like　doing　this；　being　here？　A　grimace　that　he　could　not　control　clutched　his　face；　Fuming；　he　waved　for　more　drinks。　The　alcohol　seemed　to　be　working　in　reverse；　tightening　his　tension　rather　than　loosening　it。　But　he　was　too　angry　to　know　whether　or　not　he　was　getting　drunk。　The　air　swarmed　with　the　noise　of　The　Door's　patrons。　He　was　conscious　of　the　people　behind　him　as　if　they　lurked　there　like　ur…viles。
　When　the　drinks　came；　he　leaned　forward　to　refute　the　driver's　arguments。　But　he　was　stopped　by　the　dimming　of　the　lights　for　Susie　Thurston's　second　set。
　Bleakly；　their　tablemate　groaned；　〃My　wife。〃　His　voice　was　starting　to　blur　around　the　edges；　whatever　he　was　drinking　was　finally　affecting　him。
　In　the　moment　of　darkness　before　the　MC　came　on；　the　driver　responded；　〃You　mean　that　broad's　your　wife？〃
　At　that；　the　man　moaned　as　though　in　anguish。
　After　a　quick　introduction；　Susie　Thurston　reseated　herself　within　the　spotlight。　Over　a　querulous　acpaniment　from　her　bo；　she　put　some　sting　into　her　voice；　and　sang　about　the　infidelities　of　men。　After　two　numbers；　there　were　sl