srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第106部分
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herrin； would be undone in an instant。 He would be alone against the full defenses of Ridjeck Thome。
Damnation！ he panted to himself。 e on； Covenant！ You're a leper…you ought to be used to this by now。
Foul's Creche was a big place。 If he could get past the warder； he might be able to avoid capture for a while； might even be able to find the secret door of which the jheherrin had spoken。 This was no greater than any other。 He was trapped between mortal inadequacy and irrefusable need； he had long ago lost the capacity to count costs； measure chances。
He braced his hands on the stone； breathed deeply for a moment。
Before he could move； something crashed into him； slammed him down。 He struggled； but a grip as hard as iron locked his arms behind his back。 Weight pinned his legs。 In fury and fear； he tried to yell。 A hand clamped over his face。
He was helpless。 His attacker could have broken his back with one swift wrench。 But the hands only held him still…asserting their mastery over him； waiting for him to relax； submit。
With an effort； he forced his muscles to unclench。
The hand did not uncover his mouth； but he was suddenly flipped onto his back。
He found himself looking up into the warm； clean face of Saltheart Foamfollower。
The Giant made a silencing gesture； then released him。
At once； Covenant flung his arms around Foamfollower's neck； hugged him； clung to his strong neck like a child。 A joy like sunrise washed the darkness out of him； lifted him up into hope as if it were the pure； clear dawn of a new day。
Foamfollower returned the embrace for a moment； then disentangled ！t and moved stealthily away。 Covenant followed； though his eyes were so full of tears that he could hardly see where he was going。 The Giant led him from the abutment to the far side of one of the towers。 There they were hidden from the warder； and the rumble of the waves covered their voices Grinning happily； Foamfollower whispered； 〃Please pardon me。 I hope I have not harmed you。 I have been watching for you； but did not see you。 When you gained the parapet； I could not call without alerting that Foul…spawn。 And I feared that in your surprise； you might betray your presence。〃
Covenant blinked back his tears。 His voice shook with joy and relief as he said； 〃Pardon you？ You scared me witless。〃
Foamfollower chuckled softly； hardly able to contain his own pleasure。 〃Ah； my friend； I am greatly glad to see you once again。 I feared I had lost you in Hotash Slay…feared you had been taken prisoner… feared…ah！ I had a host of fears。〃
〃I thought you were dead。'' Covenant sobbed once； then caught hold of himself； steadied himself。 Brusquely； he wiped his eyes so that he could look at the Giant。
Foamfollower appeared beautifully healthy。 He was naked…he had lost his raiment in the fires of the Slay…and from head to foot his flesh was clean and well。 The former extremity of his gaze had been replaced by something haler； something serene； his eyes gleamed with laughter out of their cavernous sockets。 The alabaster strength of his limbs looked as solid as marble； and except for a few recent scrapes received while scrambling from Hotash Slay to the Creche； even his old battle…scars were gone； effaced by a fire which seemed to have refined him down to the marrow of his bones。 Nothing about him showed that he had been through agony。
Yet Covenant received an impression of agony； of a transcending pain which had fundamentally altered the Giant。 Somehow in Hotash Slay； Foamfollower had carried his most terrible passions through to their apocalypse。
Covenant steadied himself with sea air； and repeated； 〃I thought you were dead。〃
The Giant's happiness did not falter。 〃As did I。 This oute is an amazement to me； just as it is to you。 Stone and Sea！ I would have sworn that I would die。 Covenant； the Despiser can never triumph entirely over a world in which such things occur。〃
That's true； Covenant said to himself。 In that kind of world。 Aloud； he asked； 〃But how…how did you do it？ What happened？〃
〃I am not altogether certain。 My friend； I think you have not forgotten the Giantish caamora； the ritual fire of grief。 Giantish flesh is not harmed by ordinary fire。 The pain purges； but does not burn。 In that way the Unhomed from time to time found relief from the extravagance of their
hearts。
〃In addition…it will surprise you to hear that I believe your wild magic succored me in some degree。 Before I threw you from my shoulders； j feltsome power sharing strength with me； just as I shared strength with
you。〃
〃Hellfire。〃 Covenant gaped at the blind argent band on his finger。
Hellfire and bloody damnation。 Again he remembered Mhoram's assertion； You are the white gold。 But still he could not grasp what the High Lord had meant。
〃And…in addition；〃 the Giant continued； 〃there are mysteries alive in the Earth of which Lord Foul； Satansheart and Soulcrusher； does not dream。 The Earthpower which spoke to befriend Berek Halfhand is not silent now。 It speaks another tongue； perhaps…perhaps its ways have been forgotten by the people who live upon the Earth…but it is not quenched。 The Earth could not exist if it did not contain good to match such banes as the lllearth Stone。〃
〃Maybe；'' Covenant mused。 He hardly heard himself。 The thought of his ring had triggered an entirely different series of ideas in him。 He did not want to recognize them； hated to speak of them； but after a moment he forced himself to say； 〃Are you…are you sure you haven't been… resurrected…like Elena？〃
A look of laughter brightened the Giant's face。 〃Stone and Sea！ That has the sound of the Unbeliever in it。〃
〃Are you sure？〃
〃No； my friend；〃 Foamfollower chuckled； 〃I am not sure。 I neither know nor care。 I am only glad that I have been given one more chance to aid you。〃
Covenant consumed Foamfollower's answer； then found his response。 He did his best to measure up to the Giant as he said； 〃Then let's do something about it while we still can。〃
'' Yes。'' Gravity slowly entered Foamfollower's expression； but it did not lessen his aura of ebullience and pain。 〃We must。 At our every delay； more lives are lost in the Land。〃
〃I hope you have a plan。〃 Covenant strove to repress his anxiety。 〃I don't suppose that warder is just going to wave us through if we ask it nicely。〃
〃I have given some thought to the matter。'' Carefully； Foamfollower outlined the results of his thinking。
Covenant considered for a moment； then said； 〃That's all very well。 But what if they know we're ing？ What if they're waiting for us…inside there？〃
The Giant shook his head； and explained that he had spent some time listening through the rock of the towers。 He had heard nothing which would indicate an ambush； nothing to show that the towers were occupied at all。 〃Perhaps Soulcrusher truly does not believe that he can be approached in this way。 Perhaps this warder is the only guard。 We will soon know。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 Covenant muttered。 〃Only I hate surprises。 You never know when one of them is going to ruin your life。〃
Grimly； Foamfollower replied； 〃Perhaps now we will be able to return a measure of ruin to the miner。〃
Covenant nodded。 〃I certainly hope so。〃
Together； they crept back toward the entrance； then separated。 Following the Giant's instructions； Covenant worked his way down among the boulders and rubble； trying to get as close as he could to the front of the cave without being seen。 He moved with extreme caution； took a circuitous route。 When he was done； he was still at least forty yards from the abutment。 The distance distressed him； but he could find no alternative。 He was not trying to sneak past the warder； he only wanted to make it hesitate。
e on； Covenant； he snarled。 Get on with it。 This is no place for cowards。
He took a deep breath； cursed himself once more as if this were his last chance； and stepped out of his hiding place。
At once； he felt the warder's gaze spring at him； but he tried to ignore it； strove to pick his way up toward the cave with at least a semblance of nonchalance。 Gripping his
