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As the pany of the Lords moved through the early part of the afternoon； the country around them changed。 Piles 'of tumbled rock began to appear among the trees and through the greensward； rugged boulders several times taller than the riders thrust their heads out of the ground； and smaller stones overgrown with moss and lichen lay everywhere。 Soon the pany seemed to be riding within the ancient rubble of a shattered mountain； a tall； incongruous peak which had risen out of the hills of Kurash Plenethor until some immense force had blasted it to bits。
They were approaching the rock gardens of the Maerl。
Troy had never taken the time to study the gardens； but he knew that they were said to be the place where the best suru…pa…maerl Craftmasters of the rhadhamaerl did their boldest work。 Though in the past few years he had ridden along this road through the bristling rocks many times； he could not say where the gardens themselves began。 Except for a steady increase in the amount of rubble lying on or sticking through the grass； he could locate no specific changes or boundaries until the pany crested a hill above a wide valley。 Then at least he was sure that he was in one of the gardens。
Most of the long； high hillside facing the valley was thickly covered with stones； as if it had once been the heart of the ancient shattered peak。 The rocks clustered and bulged on all sides； raising themselves up in huge piles or massive single boulders； so that virtually the only clear ground on the steep slope was the roadway。
None of these rocks and boulders was polished or chipped or shaped in any way； though scattered individual stones and clusters of stones appeared to have had their moss and lichen cleaned away。 And they all seemed to have been chosen for their natural grotesquerie。 Instead of sitting or resting on the ground； they jutted and splintered and scowled and squatted and gaped； reared and cowered and blustered like a mad； packed throng of troglodytes terrified or ecstatic to be breathing open air。 On its way to the valley； the road wandered among the weird shapes as if it were lost in a garish forest； so that as they moved downward the riders were constantly in the shadow of one tormented form or another。
Troy knew that the jumbled amazement of that hillside was not natural； it had been made by men for some reason which he did not grasp。
On past journeys； he had never been interested enough in it to ask about its significance。 But now he did not object when High Lord Elena suggested that the pany go to look at the work from a distance。 Across the grassy bottom of the valley was another hill； even steeper and higher than the one it faced。 The road turned left； and went away along the bottom of the valley； ignoring the plainer hill。 Elena suggested that the riders climb this hill to look back at the gardens。
She spoke to her panions generally； but her gaze was on Covenant。 When he acquiesced with a vague shrug； she responded as if he had expressed the willingness of all the riders。
The front of the hill was too steep for the horses； so they turned right and cantered up the valley until they found a place where they could swing around and mount the hill from behind。 As they rode； Troy began to feel mildly expectant。 The High Lord's eagerness to show the view to Covenant invested it with interest。 He remembered other surprises…like the Hall of Gifts； which had not interested him until Mhoram had practically dragged him to it。
At the top； the hill bulged into a bare knoll。 The riders left their mounts behind； and climbed the last distance on foot。 They moved quickly； sharing Elena's mood； and soon reached the crest。
Across the valley； the rock garden lay open below them； displayed like a bas…relief。 From this distance； they could easily see that all its jumbled rock formed a single pattern。
Out of tortured stone；； the makers of the garden had designed a wide face…a broad countenance with lumped gnarled and twisted features。 The unevenness of the rock made the face appear bruised and contorted； its eyes were as ragged as deep wounds； and the roadway cut' through it like an aimless scar。 But despite all this； the face was stretched with a grin of immense cheerfulness。 The unexpectedness of it startled Troy into a low； glad burst of laughter。
Though the Lords and Lorewardens were obviously familiar with the garden； all their faces shared a look of joy； as if the displayed hilarious grin were contagious。 High Lord Elena clasped her hands together to contain a surge of happiness； and Lord Mhoram's eyes glittered with keen pleasure。 Only Covenant did not smile or nod； or show any other sign of gladness。 His face was as gaunt as a shipwreck。 His eyes held a restless； haggard look of their own； and his right hand fumbled at his ring in a way that emphasized his two missing fingers。 After a moment； he muttered through the pany's murmuring； 〃Well； the Giants certainly must be proud of you。〃
His tone was ambiguous； as if he were trying to say two contradictory things at once。 But his reference to the Giants overshadowed anything else he might have meant。 Lord Amatin's smile faltered； and a sudden scrutinizing gleam sprang from under Mhoram's brows。 Elena moved toward him； intending to speak； but before she could begin； he went on； 〃I knew a woman like that once。〃 He was striving to sound casual； but his voice was awkward。 〃At the leprosarium。〃
Troy groaned inwardly； but held himself still。
〃She was beau… Of course； I didn't know her then。 And she didn't have any pictures of herself； or if she did she didn't show them。 I don't think she could even stand to look in the mirror anymore。 But the doctors told me that she used to be beautiful。 She had a smile… Even when I knew her； she could still smile。 It looked just like that。〃 He nodded in the direction of the rock garden； but he did not look at it。 He was concentrating on his memory。
〃She was a classic case。〃 As he continued； his tone became harsher and more bitter。 He articulated each word distinctly； as if it had jagged edges。 〃She was exposed to leprosy as a kid in the Philippines or somewhere…her parents were stationed there in the military； I suppose…and it caught up with her right after she got married。 Her toes went numb。 She should have gone to a doctor right then； but she didn't。 She was one of those people whom you can't interrupt。 She couldn't take time away from her husband and friends to worry about cold toes。
〃So she lost her toes。 She finally went to a doctor when her feet began to cramp so badly that she could hardly walk； and eventually he figured out what was wrong with her； and sent her to the leprosarium； and the doctors there had to amputate。 That gave her some trouble…it's hard to walk when you don't have any toes…but she was irrepressible。 Before long she was back with her husband。
〃But she couldn't have any kids。 It's just criminal folly for lepers who know better to have any kids。 Her husband understood that…but he still wanted children； and so in due course he divorced her。 That hurt her； but she survived it。 Before long； she had a job and new friends and a new life。 And she was back in the leprosarium。 She was just too full of vitality and optimism to take care of herself。 This time； two of her fingers were numb。
〃That cost her her job。 She was a secretary； and needed her fingers。 And of course her boss didn't want any lepers working for him。 But once her disease was arrested again； she learned how to type without using those dead fingers。 Then she moved to a new area； got another job； more new friends； and went right on living as if absolutely nothing had happened。
〃At about this time…or so they told me…she conceived a passion for folk dancing。 She'd learned something about it in her travels as a kid； and now it became her hobby； her way of making new friends and telling them that she loved them。 With her bright clothes and her smile； she was…〃
He faltered； then went on almost at once： 〃But she was back in the leprosarium two years later。 She didn't have very good footing； and she took too many falls。 And not enough medication。 This time she lost her right leg below the knee。 Her sight was starting to blur； and her right hand was pretty much crippled。 Lumps were growing in her face； and her hair was falling out。
〃As soon as she learned how to hobble around on her artificial limb； she started folk…dancing lessons for the lepers。
〃The doctors kept her a long time； but finally she convinced them to let her out。 She swore she was going to take better care of herself this time。 She'd learned her lesson； she said； and she wasn't ever ing back。
〃For a long time； she didn't e back。 But it wasn't because she didn't need to。 Bit by bit； she was whittling herself away。 When I met her； she was back at the leprosarium because a nursing home had thrown her out。 She didn't have anything left except her smile。
〃I spent a lot of time in her room； watching her lie there in bed…listening to her talk。 I was trying to get used to the stench。 Her face looked as if the doctors hit her with clubs every morning； but she still had that smile。 Of course； most of her teeth were gone but her smile hadn't changed。
〃She tried to teac