srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第4部分

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t　reach　his　face；　but　the　glow　of　the　cigar　coal　illuminated　massive　features　whenever　he　inhaled。　In　the　surging　red；　his　face　looked　like　a　pile　of　boulders。
　With　his　new　smoke　going；　he　rested　his　arm　on　the　wheel　like　a　sphinx；　and　abruptly　began　talking。　He　had　something　on　his　mind。
　〃You　live　around　here？〃
　Covenant　said　nonmittally；　〃Yes〃
　〃How　long？　You　know　the　people？〃
　〃After　a　fashion。〃
　〃You　know　this　leper…this　Thomas　something…or…other　Thomas　Covenant？〃
　Covenant　flinched　in　the　gloom　of　the　cab。　To　disguise　his　distress；　he　shifted　his　position　on　the　seat。　Awkwardly；　he　asked；　〃What's　your　interest？〃
　〃Me？　I　got　no　interest。　Just　passing　through…hauling　my　ass　where　they　give　me　a　load　to　go。　I　never　even　been　around　here　before。　But　where　I　et　at　back　in　town　I　heard　talk　about　this　guy。　So　I　ask　the　broad　at　the　counter；　and　she　damn　near　yaks　my　ear　off。　One　question…and　I　get　instant　mouth　with　everything　I　eat。　You　know　what　a　leper　is？〃
　Covenant　squirmed。　〃After　a　fashion。〃
　〃Well；　it's　a　mess；　let　me　tell　you。　My　old　lady　reads　about　this　stuff　all　the　time　in　the　Bible。　Dirty　beggars。　Unclean。　I　didn't　know　there　was　creeps　like　that　in　America。　But　that's　what　we're　ing　to。　You　know　what　I　think？〃
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　Covenant　asked　dimly。
　〃I　think　them　lepers　ought　to　leave　decent　folks　alone。　Like　that　broad　at　the　counter。　She's　okay；　even　with　that　motor　mouth；　but　there　she　is；　juiced　to　the　gills　on　account　of　some　sick　bastard。　That　Covenant　guy　ought　to　stop　thinking　of　his　self。　Other　folks　don't　need　that　aggravation。　He　ought　to　go　away　with　every　other　leper　and　stick　to　his　self；　leave　decent　folks　alone。　It's　just　selfishness；　expecting　ordinary　guys　like　you　and　me　to　put　up　with　that。　You　know　what　I　mean？〃
　The　cigar　smoke　in　the　cab　was　as　thick　as　incense；　and　it　made　Covenant　feel　light…headed。　He　kept　shifting　his　weight；　as　if　the　falseness　of　his　position　gave　him　an　unfortable　seat。　But　the　talk　and　his　vague　vertigo　made　him　feel　vengeful。　For　a　moment；　he　forgot　his　sympathy。　He　turned　his　wedding　ring　forcefully　around　his　finger。　As　they　neared　the　city　limits；　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　a　nightclub　just　up　the　road　here。　How　about　joining　me　for　a　drink？〃
　Without　hesitation；　the　trucker　said；　〃Buddy；　you're　on。　I　never　pass　up　a　free　drink。〃
　But　they　were　still　several　stoplights　from　the　club。　To　fill　the　silence；　and　satisfy　his　curiosity；　Covenant　asked　the　driver　what　had　happened　to　his　arm。
　〃Lost　it　in　the　war。〃　He　brought　the　truck　to　a　stop　at　a　light　while　adjusting　his　cigar　in　his　lips　and　steering　with　his　paunch。　〃We　was　on　patrol；　and　walked　right　into　one　of　them　antipersonnel　mines。　Blew　the　squad　to　hell。　I　had　to　crawl　back　to　camp。　Took　me　two　days…I　sort　of　got　unhinged；　you　know　what　I　mean？　Didn't　always　know　what　I　was　doing。　Time　I　got　to　the　doc；　it　was　too　late　to　save　the　arm。
　〃What　the　hell；　I　don't　need　it。　Least　my　old　lady　says　I　don't…and　she　ought　to　know　by　now。〃　He　chuckled。　〃Don't　need　no　two　arms　for　that。〃
　Ingenuously；　Covenant　asked；　〃Did　you　have　any　trouble　getting　a　license　to　drive　this　rig？〃
　〃You　kidding？　I　can　handle　this　baby　better　with　my　gut　than　you　can　with　four　arms　and　sober。〃　He　grinned　around　his　cigar；　relishing　his　own　humor。
　The　man's　geniality　touched　Covenant。　Already　he　regretted　his　duplicity。　But　shame　always　made　him　angry；　stubborn…a　leper's　conditioned　reflex。　When　the　truck　was　parked　behind　the　nightclub；　he　pushed　open　the　door　of　the　cab　and　jumped　to　the　ground　as　if　he　were　in　a　hurry　to　get　away　from　his　panion。
　Riding　in　the　darkness；　he　had　forgotten　how　far　off　the　ground　he　was。　An　instant　of　vertigo　caught　him。　He　landed　awkwardly；　almost　fell。　His　feet　felt　nothing；　but　the　jolt　gave　an　added　throb　to　the　ache　of　his　ankles。
　Over　his　moment　of　dizziness；　he　heard　the　driver　say；　〃You　know；　I　figured　you　got　a　head　start　on　the　booze。〃
　To　avoid　meeting　the　man's　stony；　speculative　stare；　Covenant　went　ahead　of　him　around　toward　the　front　of　the　nightclub。
　As　he　rounded　the　corner；　Covenant　nearly　collided　with　a　battered　old　man　wearing　dark　glasses。　The　old　man　stood　with　his　back　to　the　building；　extending　n　bruised　tin　cup　toward　the　passersby；　and　following　their　movements　with　his　ears。　He　held　his　head　high；　but　it　trembled　slightly　on　his　thin　neck；　and　he　was　singing　〃Blessed　Assurance〃　as　if　it　were　a　dirge。　Under　one　arm　he　carried　a　white…tipped　cane。　When　Covenant　veered　away　from　him；　he　waved　his　cup　vaguely　in　that　direction。
　Covenant　was　leery　of　beggars。　He　remembered　the　tattered　fanatic　who　had　accosted　him　like　an　introduction　or　preparation　just　before　the　onset　of　his　delusion。　The　memory　made　him　alert　to　a　sudden　tension　in　the　night。　He　stepped　close　to　the　blind　man　and　peered　into　his　face。
　The　beggar's　song　did　not　change　inflection；　but　he　turned　an　ear　toward　Covenant；　and　poked　his　cup　at　Covenant's　chest。
　The　truck　driver　stopped　behind　Covenant。　〃Hell；〃　he　growled；　〃they're　swarming。　It's　like　a　disease。　e　on。　You　promised　me　a　drink。〃
　1n　the　light　of　the　streetlamp；　Covenant　could　see　that　this　was　not　that　other　beggar；　the　fanatic。　But　still　the　man's　blindness　affected　him。　His　sympathy　for　the　maimed　rushed　up　in　him。　Pulling　his　wallet　out　of　his　jacket；　he　took　twenty　dollars　and　stuffed　them　in　the　tin　cup。
　〃Twenty　bucks！〃　ejaculated　the　driver。　〃Are　you　simple；　or　what？　You　don't　need　no　drink；　buddy。　You　need　a　keeper。〃
　Without　a　break　in　his　song；　the　blind　man　put　out　a　gnarled　hand；　crumpled　the　bills；　and　hid　them　away　somewhere　in　his　rags。　Then　he　turned　and　went　tapping　dispassionately　away　down　the　sidewalk；　secure　in　the　private　mysticism　of　the　blind…singing　as　he　moved　about　〃a　foretaste　of　glory　divine。〃
　Covenant　watched　his　back　fade　into　the　night；　then　swung　around　toward　his　panion。　The　driver　was　a　head　taller　than　Covenant；　and　carried　his　bulk　solidly　on　thick　legs。　His　cigar　gleamed　like　one　of　Drool　Rockworm's　eyes。
　Drool；　Covenant　remembered；　Lord　Foul's　mad；　Cavewightish　servant　or　pawn。　Drool　had　found　the　Staff　of　Law；　and　had　been　destroyed　by　it　or　because　of　it。　His　death　had　released　Covenant　from　the　Land。
　Covenant　poked　a　numb　finger　at　the　trucker's　chest；　trying　vainly　to　touch　him；　taste　his　actuality。　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　serious　about　that　drink。　But　I　should　tell　you〃…he　swallowed；　then　forced　himself　to　say　it　〃I'm　Thomas　Covenant。　That　leper。〃
　The　driver　snorted　around　his　cigar。　〃Sure；　buddy。　And　I'm　Jesus　Christ。　If　you　blew　your　wad；　say　so。　But　don't　give　me　that　leper　crap。　You're　just　simple；　is　all。〃
　Covenant　scowled　up　at　the　man　for　a　moment　longer。　Then　he　said　resolutely；　〃Well；　in　any　case；　I'm　not　broke。　Not　yet。　e　on。〃
　Together；　they　went　on　to　the　entrance　of　the　nightclub。　It　was　called　The　Door。　In　keeping　with　its　name；　the　place　had　a　wide　iron　gate　like　a　portal　into　Hades。　The　gate　was　lit　in　a　sick　green；　but　spotlighted　whitely　at　its　center　was　a　large　poster　which　bore　the　words：
　Positively　the　last　night　America's　newest　singing　sensation　SUSIE　THURSTON
　Included　was　a　photograph　which　tried　to　make　Susie　Thurston　look　alluring。　But　the　flashy　gloss　of　the　print　had　aged　to　an　ambiguous　gray。
　Covenant　gave　himself　a　perfunctory　VSE；　adjured　his　courage；　and　walked　into　the　nightclub；　holding　his　breath　as　if　he　were　entering　the　first　circle　of　hell。
　Inside；　the　club　was　crowded；　Susie　Thurston's　farewell　performance　was　well　attended。　Covenant　and　his　panion　took　the　only　seats　they　could　find…at　a　small　table　near　the　stage。　The　table　was　already　occupied　by　a　middle…aged　man　in　a　tired　suit。　Something　about　the　way　he　held　his　glass　suggested　that　he　had　been　drinking　for　some　time。　When　Covenant　asked　to　join　him；　he　did　not　appear　to　notice。　He　stared　in　the　direction　of　the　stage　with　round　eyes；　looking　as　solemn　as　a　bird。
　The　driver　discounted　him　with　a　brusque　gesture。　He　turned　a　chair　around；　and　straddled　it　as　if　bracing　the　burden　of　his　belly　against　the　chair　back。　Covenant　took　the　remaining　seat　and　tucked　himself　close　to　the　table；　to　reduce　the　risk　of　being　struck