rj.thegreathunt-第103部分

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　crowns。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　tried　to　pull　his　head　away　from　the　knife　in　Thom's　hand；　and　Thom　pushed　him　harder　against　the　wall。　〃What　Andoran　lord？〃　But　he　knew。　The　Light　help　him；　he　knew。
　　　　　　　〃Rand。　Of　House　al'Thor。　Tall。　Young。　A　blademaster；　or　at　least　he　wears　the　sword。　I　know　he　came　to　see　you。　Him　and　an　Ogier；　and　you　talked。　Tell　me　what　you　know。　I　might　even　throw　in　a　crown　or　two；　myself。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　fool；〃　Thom　breathed。　Dena　died　for　this？　Oh；　Light；　she's　dead。　He　felt　as　if　he　wanted　to　cry。　〃The　boy's　a　shepherd。〃　A　shepherd　in　a　fancy　coat；　with　Aes　Sedai　around　him　like　bees　around　honeyroses。　〃Just　a　shepherd。〃　He　tightened　his　grip　in　the　man's　hair。
　　　　　　　〃Wait！　Wait！　You　can　make　more　than　any　five　crowns；　or　even　ten。　A　hundred；　more　like。　Every　House　wants　to　know　about　this　Rand　al'Thor。　Two　or　three　have　approached　me。　With　what　you　know；　and　my　knowing　who　wants　to　know　it；　we　could　both　fill　our　pockets。　And　there　has　been　a　woman；　a　lady；　I　have　seen　more　than　once　while　asking　after　him。　If　we　can　find　out　who　she　is　。。。　why；　we　could　sell　that；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃You've　made　one　real　mistake　in　it　all；〃　Thom　said。
　　　　　　　〃Mistake？〃　The　man's　far　hand　was　beginning　to　slide　down　toward　his　belt。　No　doubt　he　had　another　dagger　there。　Thom　ignored　it。
　　　　　　　〃You　should　never　have　touched　the　girl。〃
　　　　　　　The　man's　hand　darted　for　his　belt；　then　he　gave　one　convulsive　start　as　Thom's　knife　went　home。
　　　　　　　Thom　let　him　fall　over　away　from　the　door　and　stood　a　moment　before　bending　tiredly　to　tug　his　blades　free。　The　door　banged　open；　and　he　whirled　with　a　snarl　on　his　face。
　　　　　　　Zera　jerked　back；　a　hand　to　her　throat；　staring　at　him。　〃That　fool　Ella　just　told　me；〃　she　said　unsteadily；　〃that　two　of　Barthanes's　men　were　asking　after　you　last　night；　and　with　what　I've　heard　this　morning　。。。　I　thought　you　said　you　didn't　play　in　the　Game　anymore。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　found　me；〃　he　said　wearily。
　　　　　　　Her　eyes　dropped　from　his　face　and　widened　as　they　took　in　the　bodies　of　the　two　men。　Hastily　she　stepped　into　the　room；　shutting　the　door　behind　her。　〃This　is　bad；　Thom。　You'll　have　to　leave　Cairhien。〃　Her　gaze　fell　on　the　bed；　and　her　breath　caught。　〃Oh；　no。　Oh；　no。　Oh；　Thom；　I'm　so　sorry。〃〃I　cannot　leave　yet；　Zera。〃　He　hesitated；　then　tenderly　drew　a　blanket　over　Dena；　covering　her　face。　〃I　have　another　man　to　kill；　first。〃
　　　　　　　The　innkeeper　gave　herself　a　shake　and　pulled　her　eyes　away　from　the　bed。　Her　voice　was　more　than　a　little　breathy。　〃If　you　mean　Barthanes；　you're　too　late。　Everybody's　talking　about　it　already。　He　is　dead。　His　servants　found　him　this　morning；　torn　to　pieces　in　his　bedchamber。　The　only　way　they　knew　it　was　him　was　his　head　stuck　on　a　spike　over　the　fireplace。〃　She　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm。　〃Thom；　you　can't　hide　that　you　were　there　last　night；　not　from　anybody　who　wants　to　know。　Add　these　two　in；　and　there's　nobody　in　Cairhien　who　won't　believe　you　were　involved。〃　There　was　a　slight　questioning　note　in　her　last　words；　as　if　she；　too；　were　wondering。
　　　　　　　〃It　doesn't　matter；　I　suppose；〃　he　said　dully。　He　could　not　stop　looking　down　at　the　blanket…covered　shape　on　the　bed。　〃Perhaps　I　will　go　back　to　Andor。　To　Caemlyn。〃
　　　　　　　She　took　his　shoulders；　turning　him　away　from　the　bed。　〃You　men；〃　she　sighed；　〃always　thinking　with　either　your　muscles　or　your　hearts；　and　never　your　heads。　Caemlyn　is　as　bad　as　Cairhien；　for　you。　Either　place；　you'll　end　up　dead；　or　in　prison。　Do　you　think　she'd　want　that？　If　you　want　to　honor　her　memory；　stay　alive。〃
　　　　　　　〃Will　you　take　care　of　。。。〃　He　could　not　say　it。　Growing　old；　he　thought。　Going　soft。　He　pulled　the　heavy　purse　from　his　pocket　and　folded　her　hands　around　it。　〃This　should　take　care　of　。。。　everything。　And　help　when　they　start　asking　questions　about　me；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　see　to　everything；〃　she　said　gently。　〃You　must　go；　Thom。　Now。〃
　　　　　　　He　nodded　reluctantly；　and　slowly　began　stuffing　a　few　things　in　a　set　of　saddlebags。　While　he　worked；　Zera　got　her　first　close　look　at　the　fat　man　sprawled　partway　in　the　wardrobe；　and　she　gave　a　loud　gasp。　He　looked　at　her　inquiringly；　as　long　as　he　had　known　her；　she　had　never　been　one　to　go　faint　over　blood。
　　　　　　　〃These　aren't　Barthanes's　men；　Thom。　At　least；　that　one　isn't。〃　She　nodded　toward　the　fat　man。　〃It's　the　worst　kept　secret　in　Cairhien　that　he　works　for　House　Riatin。　For　Galldrian。〃
　　　　　　　〃Galldrian；〃　he　said　flatly。　What　has　that　bloody　shepherd　gotten　me　into？　What　have　the　Aes　Sedai　gotten　us　both　into？　But　it　was　Galldrian's　men　murdered　her。
　　　　　　　There　must　have　been　something　of　his　thoughts　on　his　face。　Zera　said　sharply；　〃Dena　wants　you　alive；　you　fool！　You　try　to　kill　the　King；　and　you'll　be　dead　before　you　get　within　a　hundred　spans　of　him；　if　you　e　that　close！〃
　　　　　　　A　roar　came　from　the　city　walls；　as　if　half　of　Cairhien　were　shouting。　Frowning；　Thom　peered　from　his　window。　Beyond　the　top　of　the　gray　walls　above　the　rooftops　of　the　Foregate；　a　thick　column　of　smoke　was　rising　into　the　sky。　Far　beyond　the　walls。　Beside　the　first　black　pillar；　a　few　gray　tendrils　quickly　grew　into　another；　and　more　wisps　appeared　further　on。　He　estimated　the　distance　and　took　a　deep　breath。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　you　had　better　think　about　leaving；　too。　It　looks　as　if　someone　is　firing　the　granaries。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　lived　through　riots　before。　Go　now；　Thom。〃　With　a　last　look　at　Dena's　shrouded　form；　he　gathered　his　things；　but　as　he　started　to　leave；　Zera　spoke　again。　〃You　have　a　dangerous　look　in　your　eyes；　Thom　Merrilin。　Imagine　Dena　sitting　here；　alive　and　hale。　Think　what　she　would　say。　Would　she　let　you　go　off　and　get　yourself　killed　to　no　purpose？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　only　an　old　gleeman；〃　he　said　from　the　door。　And　Rand　al'Thor　is　only　a　shepherd；　but　we　both　do　what　we　must。　〃Who　could　I　possibly　be　dangerous　to？〃
　　　　　　　As　he　pulled　the　door　to；　hiding　her；　hiding　Dena；　a　mirthless；　wolfish　grin　came　onto　his　face。　His　leg　hurt；　but　he　barely　felt　it　as　he　hurried　purposefully　down　the　stairs　and　out　of　the　inn。
　
　　　　　　　Padan　Fain　reined　in　his　horse　atop　a　hill　above　Falme；　in　one　of　the　few　sparse　thickets　remaining　on　the　hills　outside　the　town。　The　packhorse　bearing　his　precious　burden　bumped　his　leg；　and　he　kicked　it　in　the　ribs　without　looking；　the　animal　snorted　and　jerked　back　to　the　end　of　the　lead　he　had　tied　to　his　saddle。　The　woman　had　not　wanted　to　give　up　her　horse；　no　more　than　any　of　the　Darkfriends　who　had　followed　him　had　wanted　to　be　left　alone　in　the　hills　with　the　Trollocs；　without　Fain's　protecting　presence。　He　had　solved　both　problems　easily。　Meat　in　a　Trolloc　cookpot　had　no　need　of　a　horse。　The　woman's　panions　had　been　shaken　by　the　journey　along　the　Ways；　to　a　Waygate　outside　a　long…abandoned　stedding　on　Toman　Head；　and　watching　the　Trollocs　prepare　their　dinner　had　made　the　surviving　Darkfriends　extremely　biddable。
　　　　　　　From　the　edge　of　the　trees；　Fain　studied　the　unwalled　town　and　sneered。　One　short　merchant　train　was　rumbling　in　among　the　stables　and　horse　lots　and　wagon　yards　that　bordered　the　town；　while　another　rumbled　out；　raising　little　dust　from　dirt　packed　by　many　years　of　such　traffic。　The　men　driving　the　wagons　and　the　few　riding　beside　them　were　all　local　men　by　their　clothing；　yet　the　mounted　men；　at　least；　had　swords　on　baldrics；　and　even　a　few　spears　and　bows。　The　soldiers　he　saw；　and　there　were　few；　did　not　seem　to　be　watching　the　armed　men　they　had　supposedly　conquered。
　　　　　　　He　had　learned　something　of　these　people；　these　Seanchan；　in　his　day　and　a　night　on　Toman　Head。　At　least；　as　much　as　the　defeated　folk　knew。　It　was　never　hard　to　find　someone　alone；　and　they　always　answered　questions　properly　put。　Men　gathered　more　information　on　the　invaders；　as　if　they　actually　believed　they　would　eventually　do　something　with　what　they　knew；　but　they　sometimes　tried　to　hold　back。　Women；　by　and　large；　seemed　interested　in　going　on　with　their　lives　whoever　their　rulers　were；　yet　they　noted　details　men　did　not；　and　they　talked　more　quickly　once　they　stopped　screaming。　Children　talked　the　quickest　of　all；　but　they　seldom　said　much　that　was　worthwhile。
　　　　　　　He　had　discarded　three　quarters　of　what　he　had　heard　as　nonsense　and　rumors　growing　into　fables；　but　he　took　some　of　those　conclusions　back；　now。　Anyone　at　all　could　enter　Falme；　it　appeared。　With　a　start；　he　saw　the　truth　of　a　little　more　〃nonsense〃　as　twenty　soldiers　rode　out　of　the　town。　He　could　not　make　out　their　mounts　clearly；　but　they　were　certainly　not　horses。　They　ran　with　a　fluid　grace；　and　their　dark　skins　seemed　to　have　a　glint　in　the　morning　sun；　as　of　scales。　He　craned　his　neck　to　watch　them　disappear　inland；　then　booted　his　horse　toward　the　town。
　　　　　　　The　local　folk　among　the　stables　and　parked　wagons　and　fenced　horse　lots　gave　him　no　more　than　a　glance　or　two。　He　had　no　interest　in　them；　either；　he　rode　on　into　the　town；　onto　its　cobblestone　streets　sloping　down　to　the　harbor。　He　could　see　the　harbor　clearly；　and　the　large；　oddly　shaped　Seanchan　ships　anchored　there。　No　one　bothered　him　as　he　searched　streets　that　were　neither　crowded　nor　empty。　There　were　more　Seanchan　soldiers　here。　The　people　hurried　about　their　business　with　eyes　down；　bowing　whenever　soldiers　passed；　but　the　Seanchan　paid　them　no　mind。　It　all　seemed　peaceful　on　the　surface；　despite　the　armored　Seanchan　in　the　streets　and　the　ships　in　the　harbor；　but　Fain　could　sense　the　tension　underneath。　He　always　did　well　where　men　were　tense　and　afraid。
　　　　　　　He　came　to　a　large　house　with　more　than　a　dozen　soldiers　standing　guard　before　it。　Fain　stopped　and　dismounted。　Except　for　one　obvious　officer；　most　wore　armor　of　unrelieved　black；　and　their　helmets　made　him　think　of　locusts'　heads。　Two　leathery…skinned　beasts　with　three　eyes　and　horny　beaks　instead　of　mouths　flanked　the　front　door；　squatting　like　crouching　frogs；　the　soldier　standing　by　each　of　the　creatures　had　three　eyes　painted　on　the　breast　of　his　armor。　Fain　eyed　the　blue…bordered　banner　flapping　above　the　roof；　the　spread…winged　hawk　clutching　lightning　bolts；　and　chortled　inside　himself。
　　　　　　　Women　went　in　and　out　of　a　house　across　the　street；　women　linked　by　silver　leashes；　but　he　ignored　them。　He　knew　about　damane　from　the　villagers。　Th