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