按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The Giant looked down sharply and his face darkened。 〃They fight for their homes；〃 he said dangerously。 〃If you cannot aid； at least forbear to ridicule。〃 With a manding gesture； he strode away between the nearest houses。
Groaning at the Giant's unfamiliar ire； Covenant followed him into the Stonedown。 Most of the people had stopped moving now and were stealthily crouched behind the houses around that side of the village。 They seemed to ignore Covenant； and he went by them after Foamfollower as if he were on his way to bait their trap for the marauders。
Foamfollower halted at the back of one of the inner houses。 It was flat…roofed； like most of the buildings around it； and its stone eaves reached as high as the Giant's throat。 When Covenant joined him； he picked up the Unbeliever and tossed him lightly onto the roof。
Covenant landed facedown in the snow。 At once； he lurched sputtering to his knees； and turned angrily back toward the Giant。
〃You will be safer there；〃 Foamfollower said。 He nodded toward a neighboring house。 〃I will ward you from here。 Stay low。 They are almost upon us。〃
Instinctively； Covenant dropped to his belly。
As if on signal； he felt a hushed silence spring up around him。 No sound touched the Stonedown except the low； dislocated whistle of the wind。 He felt acutely exposed on the roof。 But even this height made him dizzy； he could not look or jump down。 Hastily； he skittered back from the edge； then froze as he heard the noise he made。 Though his movements were muffled by the snow； they sounded as loud as betrayal in the stillness。 For a moment； he could not muster the courage to turn around。 He feared to find cruel faces leering at him over the roof edge。
But slowly the apprehension beating in his temples eased。 He began to curse himself。 Spread…eagled on the roof； he worked slowly around until he was facing in toward the center of the Stonedown。
Across the valley； light bled into the air through the gray packed clouds。 The clouds shut out any other sky pletely； and under their cold weight the day dawned bleak and cheerless； irremediably aggrieved。 The sight chilled Covenant more than black night。 He could see now more clearly than he had from Kevin's Watch that this shrouded； constant gloom was unnatural； wrong…the pall of Lord Foul's maddest malice。 And he was aghast at the power it implied。 Foul had the might to distort the Earth's most fundamental orders。 It would not exhaust him to crush one ineffectual leper。 Any purpose to the contrary was mere witless buffoonery。
Covenant's hand moved toward the knife as if its stone edge could remind him of fortitude； tighten the moorings of his endurance。 But a distant； clashing sound； uncertain in the wind； cast all other thoughts from his mind。 After straining his ears briefly； he knew that he was hearing the approach of the marauders。
He began to shiver as he realized that they were making no effort to move quietly。 The whole valley lay open before them； and they had the hungry confidence of numbers； they came up along the river clattering their weapons； defying the Stonedownors to oppose them。 Cautiously； Covenant slid into a better position to see over the edge of the roof。 His muscles trembled； but he locked his jaws； pressed himself flat in the snow； and peered through the dim air toward the center of the village with an intensity of concentration that made his head ache。
Soon he heard guttural shouts and the clang of iron on stone as the marauders rushed to search the first houses。 Still he could see nothing； the roof line of the village blocked his view。 He tried to keep his breathing low； so that exhaled vapor would not obscure his sight or reveal his position。 When he turned his head to look in other directions； he found that he was clenching fistfuls of snow； squeezing them into ice。 He opened his hands； forced his fingers to unclaw themselves； then braced his palms flat on the stone so that he would be ready to move。
The loud approach spread out over the far side of the village and began to move inward； working roughly parallel to the river。 Instead of trying to surround and trap the Stonedownors； the marauders were performing a slow sweep of the village； disdaining surprise； they maneuvered so that the people would be forced to flee toward the narrow end of the valley。 Covenant could think of no explanation for these tactics but red…eyed confidence and contempt。 The marauders wanted to drive the people into the final trap of the valley's end； thus prolonging and sharpening the anticipated slaughter。 Such malicious surety was frightening； but Covenant found relief in it。 It was not an approach designed to capture something as reputedly powerful as white gold。
But he soon learned another explanation。 As he strained his eyes to peer through the dawn； he saw a sharp flash of green light from the far side of the village。 It lasted only an instant； and in its wake a crumbling noise filled the air…a noise like the sound of boulders crushing each other。 It startled him so much that he almost leaped to his feet to see what had happened。 But he caught himself when he saw the first creatures enter the center of the Stonedown。
Most of them were vaguely human in outline。 But their features were tormented； grotesquely arranged； as if some potent fist had clenched them at birth； twisting them beyond all recognition。 Eyes were out of place； malformed； noses and mouths bulged in skin that was contorted like clay which had been squeezed between strong fingers； and in some cases all the flesh of face and scalp oozed fluid as if the entire head were a running sore。 And the rest of their forms were no healthier。 Some had backs bent at demented angles； others bore extra arms or legs； still others wore their heads between their shoulder blades or in the center of their chests。 But one quality they shared： they all reeked of perversion as if it were the very lifeblood of their existence； and a hatred of everything hale or well curdled their sight。
Naked except for food sacks and bands to hold weapons； they came snarling and spitting into the open core of Mithil Stonedown。 There they stopped until the shouts of their fellows told them that the first half of the village was under their control。 Then a tall figure with a knuckled face and three massive arms barked a mand to the marauders behind her。 In response； a group moved into the open circle； bringing with it three prodigious creatures unlike the others。
These three were as blind and hairless as if they had been spawned from ur…viles； but they had neither ears nor noses。 Their small heads sat necklessly on their immense shoulders。 At the bottom of trunks as big as hogsheads； their short legs protruded like braces； and their heavy arms were long enough to reach the ground。 From shoulder to fingertip； the inner surfaces of their arms were covered with suckers。 Together； they seemed to ripple in Covenant's sight； as if within them they carried so much ill might that his unwarped eyes could not discern their limits。
On mand； the marauders led the three to a house at the edge of the circle。 They were positioned around the b