srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第6章

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　some　sting　into　her　voice；　and　sang　about　the　infidelities　of　men。　After　two　numbers；　there　were　slow　tears　running　from　the　dark　wounds　of　her　eyes。
　The　sound　of　her　angry　laments　made　Covenant's　throat　hurt。　He　regretted　fiercely　that　he　was　not　drunk。　He　would　have　liked　to　forget　people　and　vulnerability　and　stubborn　survival…forget　and　weep。
　But　her　next　song　burned　him。　With　her　head　back　so　that　her　white　throat　gleamed　in　the　light；　she　sang　a　song　that　ended；
　Let　go　my　heart　Your　love　makes　me　look　small　to　myself。　Now；　I　don't　want　to　give　you　any　hurt；　But　what　I　feel　is　part　of　myself：　What　you　want　turns　what　I've　got　to　dirt　so　let　go　of　my　heart。
　Applause　leaped　on　the　heels　of　her　last　note；　as　if　the　audience　were　perversely　hungry　for　her　pain。　Covenant　could　not　endure　any　more。　Buffeted　by　the　noise；　he　threw　dollars…did　not　count　them…on　the　table；　and　shoved　back　his　chair　to　escape。
　But　when　he　moved　around　the　table；　he　passed　within　five　feet　of　the　singer。　Suddenly　she　saw　him。　Spreading　her　arms；　she　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃Berek！〃
　Covenant　froze；　stunned　and　terrified。　No！
　Susie　Thurston　was　transported。　〃Hey！〃　she　called；　waving　her　arms　to　silence　the　applause；　〃Get　a　spot　out　here！　On　him！　Berek！　Berek；　honey！〃
　From　over　the　stage；　a　hot　white　light　spiked　down　at　Covenant。　Impaled　in　the　glare；　he　turned　to　face　the　singer；　blinking　rapidly　and　aching　with　fear　and　rage。
　No！
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　kind　people；　I　want　you　to　meet　an　old　friend　of　mine；　a　dear　man。〃　Susie　Thurston　was　excited　and　eager。　〃He　taught　me　half　the　songs　I　know。　Folks；　this　is　Berek。〃　She　began　clapping　for　him　as　she　said；　〃Maybe　he'll　sing　for　us：〃　Good…naturedly；　the　audience　joined　her　applause。
　Covenant's　hands　limped　about　him；　searching　for　support。　In　spite　of　his　efforts　to　control　himself；　he　stared　at　his　betrayer　with　a　face　full　of　pain。　The　applause　reverberated　in　his　ears；　made　him　dizzy。
　No！
　For　a　long　moment；　he　cowered　under　Susie　Thurston's　look。　Then；　like　a　wash　of　revelation；　all　the　houselights　came　on。　Over　the　bewildered　murmurs　and　rustlings　of　the　audience；　a　manding　voice　snapped；　〃Covenant。〃
　Covenant　spun　as　if　to　ward　off　an　attack。　In　the　doorway；　he　saw　two　men。　They　both　wore　black　hats　and　khaki　uniforms；　pistols　in　black　holsters；　silver　badges；　but　one　of　them　towered　over　the　other。　Sheriff　Lytton。　He　stood　with　his　fists　on　his　hips。　As　Covenant　gaped　at　him；　he　beckoned　with　two　fingers。　〃You；　Covenant。　e　here。〃
　〃Covenant？〃　the　trucker　yelped。　〃You're　really　Covenant？〃
　Covenant　heeled　around　awkwardly；　as　if　under　tattered　canvas；　to　meet　this　fresh　assault。　As　he　focused　his　eyes　on　the　driver；　he　saw　that　the　big　man's　face　was　flushed　with　vehemence。　He　met　the　red　glare　as　bravely　as　he　could。　〃I　told　you　I　was。〃
　〃Now　I'm　going　to　get　it！〃　the　driver　grated。　〃We're　all　going　to　get　it！　What　the　hell's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　The　patrons　of　The　Door　were　thrusting　to　their　feet　to　watch　what　was　happening。　Over　their　heads；　the　sheriff　shouted；　〃Don't　touch　him！〃　and　began　wading　through　the　crowd。
　Covenant　lost　his　balance　in　the　confusion。　He　tripped；　caught　something　like　a　thumb　or　the　corner　of　a　chair　in　his　eye；　and　sprawled　under　a　table。
　People　yelled　and　milled　around。　The　sheriff　roared　orders　through　the　din。　Then　with　one　heave　of　his　arm；　he　knocked　away　the　table　over　Covenant。
　Covenant　looked　gauntly　up　from　the　floor。　His　bruised　eye　watered　thickly；　distorting　everything　over　him。　With　the　back　of　his　hand；　he　pushed　away　the　tears。　Blinking　and　concentrating　fiercely；　he　made　out　two　men　standing　above　him…the　sheriff　and　his　former　tablemate。
　Swaying　slightly　on　locked　knees；　the　solemn　man　looked　dispassionately　down　at　Covenant。　In　a　smudged　and　expended　voice；　he　delivered　his　verdict。　〃My　wife　is　the　finest　woman　in　the　world。〃
　The　sheriff　pushed　the　man　away；　then　bent　over　Covenant；　brandishing　a　face　full　of　teeth。　〃That's　enough。　I'm　just　looking　for　something　to　charge　you　with；　so　don't　give　me　any　trouble。　You　hear　me？　Get　up。　〃
　Covenant　felt　too　weak　to　move；　and　he　could　not　see　clearly。　But　he　did　not　want　the　kind　of　help　the　sheriff　might　give　him。　He　rolled　over　and　pushed　himself　up　from　the　floor。
　He　reached　his　feet；　listing　badly　to　one　side；　but　the　sheriff　made　no　move　to　support　him。　He　braced　himself　on　the　back　of　a　chair；　and　looked　defiantly　around　the　hushed　spectators。　At　last；　the　gin　seemed　to　be　affecting　him。　He　pulled　himself　erect；　adjusted　his　tie　with　a　show　of　dignity。
　〃Get　going；〃　the　sheriff　manded　from　his　superior　height。
　But　for　one　more　moment　Covenant　did　not　move。　Though　he　could　not　be　sure　of　anything　he　saw；　he　stood　where　he　was　and　gave　himself　a　VSE。
　〃Get　going；〃　Lytton　repeated　evenly。
　〃Don't　touch　me。〃　When　his　VSE　was　done；　Covenant　turned　and　stalked　grayly　out　of　the　nightclub。
　Out　in　the　cool　April　night；　he　breathed　deeply；　steadying　himself。　The　sheriff　and　his　deputy　herded　him　toward　a　squad　car。　Its　red　warning　lights　flashed　balefully。　When　he　was　locked　into　the　back　seat　behind　the　protective　steel　grating；　the　two　officers　climbed　into　the　front。　While　the　deputy　drove　away　in　the　direction　of　Haven　Farm；　the　sheriff　spoke　through　the　grating。
　〃Took　us　too　long　to　find　you；　Covenant。　The
　Millers　reported　you　were　trying　to　hitch　a　ride；　and　we　figured　you　were　going　to　try　your　tricks　somewhere。　Just　couldn't　tell　where。　But　it's　still　my　county；　and　you're　walking　trouble。　There's　no　law　against　you…I　can't　arrest　you　for　what　you've　done。　But　it　sure　was　mean。　Listen；　you。　Taking　care　of　this　county　is　my　business；　and　don't　you　forget　it。　I　don't　want　to　hunt　around　like　this　for　you。　You　pull　this　stunt　again；　and　I'll　throw　you　in　the　can　for　disturbing　the　peace；　disorderly　conduct；　and　everything　else　I　can　think　of。　You　got　that？〃
　Shame　and　rage　struggled　in　Covenant；　but　he　could　find　no　way　to　let　them　out。　He　wanted　to　yell　through　the　grate；　It　isn't　catching！　It's　not　my　fault！　But　his　throat　was　too　constricted；　he　could　not　release　the　wail。　At　last；　he　could　only　mumble；　〃Let　me　out。　I'll　walk。〃
　Sheriff　Lytton　regarded　him　closely；　then　said　to　the　deputy；　〃All　right。　We'll　let　him　walk。　Maybe　he'll　have　an　accident。〃　Already　they　were　well　out　of　town。
　The　deputy　drove　to　a　halt　on　the　beret；　and　the　sheriff　let　Covenant　out。　For　a　moment；　they　stood　together　in　the　night。　The　sheriff　glared　at　him　as　if　trying　to　measure　his　capacity　to　do　harm。　Then　Lytton　said；　〃Go　home。　Stay　home。〃　He　got　back　into　the　car。　It　made　a　loud　squealing　turn　and　fled　back　toward　town。　An　instant　later；　Covenant　sprang　into　the　road　and　cried　after　the　taillights；　〃Leper　outcast　unclean！〃　They　looked　as　red　as　blood　in　the　darkness。
　His　shout　did　not　seem　to　dent　the　silence。　Before　long；　he　turned　back　toward　Haven　Farm；　feeling　as　small　as　if　the　few　stars　in　the　dense　black　sky　were　deriding　him。　He　had　ten　miles　to　walk。
　The　road　was　deserted。　He　moved　in　empty　stillness　like　a　hiatus　in　his　surroundings；　though　he　was　retreating　into　open　countryside；　he　could　hear　no　sounds；　no　night　talk　of　birds　or　insects。　The　silence　made　him　feel　deaf　and　alone；　vulnerable　to　the　hurrying　vultures　at　his　back。
　It　was　a　delusion！　He　raised　his　protest　like　a　defiance；　but　even　to　his　ears；　it　had　the　hollow　ring　of　despair；　posed　equally　of　defeat　and　stubbornness。　Through　it；　he　could　hear　the　girl　shouting　Berek！　like　the　siren　of　a　nightmare。
　Then　the　road　went　through　a　stand　of　trees　which　cut　out　the　dim　light　of　the　stars。　He　could　not　feel　the　pavement　with　his　feet；　he　was　in　danger　of　missing　his　way；　of　falling　into　a　ditch　or　injuring　himself　against　a　tree。　He　tried　to　keep　up　his　pace；　but　the　risk　was　too　great；　and　finally　he　was　reduced　to　waving　his　arms　before　him　and　testing　his　footing　like　a　blind　man。　Until　he　reached　the　end　of　the　woods；　he　moved　as　if　he　were　wandering　lost　in　a　dream；　damp　with　sweat；　and　cold。
　After　that；　he　set　a　hard　pace　for　himself。　He　was　spurred　on　by　the　cries　that　rushed　after　him；　Berek！　Berek！　When　at　last；　long　miles　later；　he　reached　the