As this chapter begins, once again Thomas Covenant has been attacked, knocked unconscious, and his companions lost to him. Once again he lies “Like a sacrifice on the floor”. As in the wightbarren in his very first summoning; as on Kevin’s Watch; as on the rocks behind Haven Farm; as in the Sandhold cell.
And again he forgets where he is, thinking he is back in “the real world”, and while dozing considers his plight. Though he has become the weakest of men through leprosy, he has known nothing but violence in his attempts to find peace. He contemplates the paradoxes of strength and violence, of heroism and humility:
“Though he wanted nothing but peace and salvation, he had become what he was by violence – the consequence of his own acts.”
“He should have known better. God knew he had been given every conceivable opportunity to outgrow his arrogance.”
(Purblind: “dull in discernment or understanding”)“Real heroes were not arrogant. Berek, Mhoram, Foamfollower, all of them humble. Even Hile Troy had given up on his pride. Only people like Covenant….and Lord Foul…were arrogant enough to believe that the outcome of the Earth depended on their purblind and fallible choices.”
He finally awakens from his daze, and realizes where he is – in a cave, lit by rocklight, surrounded by the Cavewights that have attacked him. As he surveys himself, the scene, and Linden, he realizes that their appearances are starting to mimic their appearances in the “real world”, thus their time in the Land must be drawing to a close.
The chapter continues to review the entire saga with Covenant recalling the events with Drool Rockworm, the Cavewight that first summoned him to the land and wielded the Staff of Law.
Linden now awakens, and alerts Covenant to their most acute threat; the Cavewights are using Earthpower to awaken some evil force in a huge collection of bones they have collected in the wightbarren. A Cavewight mocks Covenant as the bones are given power, reminding him of the breaking of the Law of Death.
Yet again Covenant is told that he is doomed to failure:
Once again Covenant is prepared for the shedding of his blood. How many times have Foul’s servants craved his blood? The cult members behind Haven Farm, the Clave, now the cavewights.“You are the accursed. Bringer of Ruin!”.
In charges the cavalry! – The First and Pitchwife run into the cave; Linden warns them about the bones, and by taking up one of them they are able to hold the Cavewights at bay.
Once again we are treated to the incredible love between the mighty, but female, First of the Search, and her humble but crafty husband Pitchwife. With no way to stave off the Cavewights but to hold their bones hostage, The First orders everyone, including Pitchwife, to leave: “I am the First of the Search – I command!”, only to be defeated by Pitchwife’s gentle but courageous reply :
Such incredible contrasts of strength, gentleness, masculinity and femininity , all in one paragraph!“You are Gossamer Glowlimn, the spouse of my heart. I am sworn to you in love and fealty, and I remain!”.
Covenant reassures the Giants that they need not hold the Cavewights long; he feels his confrontation with Foul is imminent and that soon everything will be over, one way or another.
Another review of the past, of personality, as Covenant considers Linden;
Covenant explains to Linden that their time together is nearly over. She is desperate to find a way to avoid it, perhaps by going back to the real world to heal him. In response, Covenant offers her his ring, but she declines the offer.“The sad legacy of her parents had led her to what she was – but the saddest thing about her was the she did not understand how completely she transformed that legacy, had made of herself something necessary and admirable. She deserved a better outcome than this.”
Spoiler
This could be one reason why Linden may justify her later keeping Covenant's ring - it had been freely offered to her
And finally, perhaps the most appalling of fates described in this entire saga comes upon Linden : She mutters a single word, more horrific to her than anyone else in the land, a word that brings back everything that is repulsive, terrifying, and destructive of hope; to be possessed, and to be possessed, by evil :
“Ravers”.
As with so many evil acts, the action of the Raver mimics that of goodness and love; he gently unbuttons Linden’s shirt. Linden is too paralyzed with dismay, sick with Despite, to resist. Covenant, however, is not yet paralyzed – he threatens the Raver with his power, with his white gold, even to destroy the Arch of Time.
Before he has a chance to answer, his worst fear is realized: Linden responds to him with the voice of a Raver. She laughs with the laughter of a ghoul, mirthless and cruel:
Covenant has reached his lowest point: the consequence of his leprosy, weakness, and actions is this: the one he loves has been subjected to her greatest fear, to be possessed by evil.“Slay me then groveler! Rip my soul to atoms! Perchance it will pleasure you to savage the woman you love as well!"
He has no power available to him that can be used; he cannot control the white gold and thus cannot use it without destroying the Arch of Time.
Now there was no other way.
No way except surrender.“Take me to Foul. I’ll give him the ring”
Can you remember how it felt to read this chapter when it was published over 20 years ago? Did you side with those who felt Covenant was about to betray the Land, to give in to Despite (the Haruchai, Findail, and so many others?!).
SRD does a great job of putting his characters into seemingly hopeless situations: Foul’s undefeatable army in the Illearth War; the imprisonment in the Sandhold; but none compare to this scene where all seems hopelessly lost.
He also does a incredible job of showing his characters subjected to their greatest fears; Covenant’s fear of his weakness and of hurting or losing his friends; Linden’s fear of possession and of evil.
So, we read this chapter with our own trepidation and fear of what might be coming next. Are we about to witness another Desecration of the Land as the Haruchai did with Kevin?
Senor Trout
srtrout@yahoo.com
