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he cold in his bones。 His shivering mounted。 Dizziness dismembered his balance； made him reel through the woods as if he were being driven by a tattered gale。 Whenever he stepped on a pointed rock or branch； it gouged far enough up into his arches to hurt him。 Several times； his joints folded sharply； and he plunged to his knees。 But each time； the dark wound he carried pulled him upright again； and sent him forward； mumbling past his thick lip； 〃Help me。〃
His own swelling seemed to take over his face like a tumor。 Hot lances of pain thrust from it through his head every time the ground jarred him。 As time passed； he could feel his heart itself trembling； quivering between each beat as it labored to carry the strain。 The haze of his fever thickened until at odd moments he feared that he had lost his sight。 In the blur； he quailed away from the dazzles of sunlight which sprang at him off the stream； but when the creek passed through shadows； it looked so cool and healing that he could hardly restrain himself from stumbling into it； burying his face in its anodyne。
Yet all the while he knew he could not deviate from the strait path of his trek。 If he failed to find help for the child； then everything he had already done for her would be useless； bereft of meaning。 He could not stop。 Her wound would not tolerate his futility。 He saw too much of his lost son Roger in her bare shin。 Despite the nails of pain which crucified him； he lurched onward。
Then in the distance he heard shouts； like people wailing for someone lost。 He jerked to a swaying halt on stiff legs； and tried to look around。 But he seemed to have lost control of his head。 It wobbled vainly on his neck； as if the weight of his swelling threw it out of joint； and he was unable to face it in the direction of the shouts。
In his arms； the girl whimpered pitifully； 〃Mommy。 Daddy。〃
He fought his black tight pain to frame the word； Help。 But no sound came between his lips。 He forced his vocal cords to make some kind of noise。
〃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 atrocio