rj.thegreathunt-第106部分

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！


　　　　　　　Frowning；　Rand　looked　around。　He　had　expected　a　stedding　to　be　somehow　different；　but　except　for　that　one　chill；　the　forest　was　the　same　as　what　they　had　been　riding　through　all　day。　There　was　the　sudden　sense　of　being　rested；　of　course。　Then　an　Ogier　stepped　out　from　behind　an　oak。
　　　　　　　She　was　shorter　than　Loial　…　which　meant　she　stood　head　and　shoulders　taller　than　Rand　…　but　with　the　same　broad　nose　and　big　eyes；　the　same　wide　mouth　and　tufted　ears。　Her　eyebrows　were　not　so　long　as　Loial's；　though；　and　her　features　seemed　delicate　beside　his；　the　tufts　on　her　ears　finer。　She　wore　a　long　green　dress　and　a　green　cloak　embroidered　with　flowers；　and　carried　a　bunch　of　silverbell　blossoms　as　if　she　had　been　gathering　them。　She　looked　at　them　calmly；　waiting。
　　　　　　　Loial　scrambled　down　from　his　tall　horse　and　bowed　hastily。　Rand　and　the　others　did　the　same；　if　not　so　quickly　as　Loial；　even　Verin　inclined　her　head。　Loial　gave　their　names　formally；　but　he　did　not　mention　the　name　of　his　stedding。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　the　Ogier　girl　…　Rand　was　sure　she　was　no　older　than　Loial　…　studied　them；　then　smiled。　〃Be　wele　to　Stedding　Tsofu。〃　Her　voice　was　a　lighter　version　of　Loial's；　too；　the　softer　rumble　of　a　smaller　bumblebee。　〃I　am　Erith；　daughter　of　Iva　daughter　of　Alar。　Be　wele。　We　have　had　so　few　human　visitors　since　the　stonemasons　left　Cairhien；　and　now　so　many　at　once。　Why；　we　even　had　some　of　the　Traveling　People；　though；　of　course；　they　left　when　the。。。　Oh；　I　talk　too　much。　I　will　take　you　to　the　Elders。　Only　。。。〃　She　searched　among　them　for　the　one　in　charge；　and　settled　finally　on　Verin。　〃Aes　Sedai；　you　have　so　many　men　with　you；　and　armed。　Could　you　please　leave　some　of　them　Outside？　Forgive　me；　but　it　is　always　unsettling　to　have　very　many　armed　humans　in　the　stedding　at　once。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；　Erith；〃　Verin　said。　〃Ingtar；　will　you　see　to　it？〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　gave　orders　to　Uno；　and　so　it　was　that　he　and　Hurin　were　the　only　Shienarans　to　follow　Erith　deeper　into　the　stedding。
　　　　　　　Leading　his　horse　like　the　others；　Rand　looked　up　as　Loial　came　closer；　with　many　glances　at　Erith　up　ahead　with　Verin　and　Ingtar。　Hurin　walked　midway　between；　staring　around　in　amazement；　though　Rand　was　not　sure　at　what　exactly。　Loial　bent　to　speak　quietly。　〃Is　she　not　beautiful；　Rand？　And　her　voice　sings。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　snickered；　but　when　Loial　looked　at　him　questioningly；　he　said；　〃Very　pretty；　Loial。　A　little　tall　for　my　taste；　you　understand；　but　very　pretty；　I'm　sure。〃
　　　　　　　Loial　frowned　uncertainly；　but　nodded。　〃Yes；　she　is。〃　His　expression　lightened。　〃It　does　feel　good　to　be　back　in　a　stedding。　Not　that　the　Longing　was　taking　me；　you　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Longing？〃　Perrin　said。　〃I　do　not　understand；　Loial。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　Ogier　are　bound　to　the　stedding；　Perrin。　It　is　said　that　before　the　Breaking　of　the　World；　we　could　go　where　we　wished　for　as　long　as　we　wished；　like　you　humans；　but　that　changed　with　the　Breaking。　Ogier　were　scattered　like　every　other　people；　and　they　could　not　find　any　of　the　stedding　again。　Everything　was　moved；　everything　changed。　Mountains；　rivers；　even　the　seas。〃
　　　　　　　〃Everybody　knows　about　the　Breaking；〃　Mat　said　impatiently。　〃What　does　it　have　to　do　with　this　…　this　Longing？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　during　the　Exile；　while　we　wandered　lost；　that　the　Longing　first　came　on　us。　The　desire　to　know　the　stedding　once　more；　to　know　our　homes　again。　Many　died　of　it。〃　Loial　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃More　died　than　lived。　When　we　finally　began　to　find　the　stedding　again；　one　at　a　time；　in　the　years　of　the　Covenant　of　the　Ten　Nations；　it　seemed　we　had　defeated　the　Longing　at　last；　but　it　had　changed　us；　put　seeds　in　us。　Now；　if　an　Ogier　is　Outside　too　long；　the　Longing　es　again；　he　begins　to　weaken；　and　he　dies　if　he　does　not　return。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　need　to　stay　here　awhile？〃　Rand　asked　anxiously。　〃There's　no　need　to　kill　yourself　to　go　with　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　know　it　when　it　es。〃　Loial　laughed。　〃It　will　be　long　before　it　is　strong　enough　to　cause　harm　to　me。　Why；　Dalar　spent　ten　years　among　the　Sea　Folk　without　ever　seeing　a　stedding；　and　she　came　safely　home。〃
　　　　　　　An　Ogier　woman　appeared　out　of　the　trees；　pausing　a　moment　to　speak　with　Erith　and　Verin。　She　looked　Ingtar　up　and　down　and　seemed　to　dismiss　him；　which　made　him　blink。　Her　eyes　swept　across　Loial；　flicked　over　Hurin　and　the　Emond's　Fielders；　before　she　went　off　into　the　forest　again；　Loial　seemed　to　be　trying　to　hide　behind　his　horse。　〃Besides；〃　he　said；　peering　cautiously　across　his　saddle　after　her；　〃it　is　a　dull　life　in　the　stedding　pared　to　traveling　with　three　ta'veren。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　are　going　to　start　that　again；〃　Mat　muttered；　and　Loial　spoke　up　quickly。　〃Three　friends；　then。　You　are　my　friends；　I　hope。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am；〃　Rand　said　simply；　and　Perrin　nodded。
　　　　　　　Mat　laughed。　〃How　could　I　not　be　friends　with　somebody　who　dices　so　badly？〃　He　threw　up　his　hands　when　Rand　and　Perrin　looked　at　him。　〃Oh；　all　right。　I　like　you；　Loial。　You're　my　friend。　Just　don't　go　on　about　。。。　Aaah！　Sometimes　you're　as　bad　to　be　around　as　Rand。〃　His　voice　sank　to　a　mutter。　〃At　least　we're　safe　here　in　a　stedding。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　grimaced。　He　knew　what　Mat　meant。　Here　in　a　stedding；　where　I　can't　channel。
　　　　　　　Perrin　punched　Mat's　shoulder；　but　looked　sorry　that　he　had　when　Mat　grimaced　at　him　with　that　gaunt　face。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　music　Rand　became　aware　of　first；　unseen　flutes　and　fiddles　in　a　jolly　tune　that　floated　through　the　trees；　and　deep　voices　singing　and　laughing。

〃Clear　the　field；　smooth　it　low。
Let　no　weed　or　stubble　stand。
Here　we　labor；　here　we　toil；
here　the　towering　trees　will　grow。〃

　　　　　　　Almost　at　the　same　moment　he　realized　that　the　huge　shape　he　was　seeing　through　the　trees　was　itself　a　tree；　with　a　ridged；　buttressed　trunk　that　must　have　been　twenty　paces　thick。　Gaping；　he　followed　it　up　with　his　eyes；　up　through　the　forest　canopy；　to　branches　spreading　like　the　top　of　a　gigantic　mushroom　a　good　hundred　paces　above　the　ground。　And　beyond　it　were　taller　still。
　　　　　　　〃Burn　me；〃　Mat　breathed。　〃You　could　build　ten　houses　from　just　one　of　those。　Fifty　houses。〃
　　　　　　　〃Cut　down　a　Great　Tree？〃　Loial　sounded　scandalized；　and　more　than　a　little　angry。　His　ears　were　stiff　and　still；　his　long　eyebrows　down　on　his　cheeks。　〃We　never　cut　down　one　of　the　Great　Trees；　not　unless　it　dies；　and　they　almost　never　do。　Few　survived　the　Breaking；　but　some　of　the　largest　were　seedlings　during　the　Age　of　Legends。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Mat　said。　〃I　was　just　saying　how　big　they　are。　I　won't　hurt　your　trees。〃　Loial　nodded；　seeming　mollified。
　　　　　　　More　Ogier　appeared　now；　walking　among　the　trees。　Most　seemed　intent　on　whatever　they　were　about；　though　all　looked　at　the　newers；　and　even　gave　a　friendly　nod　or　a　small　bow；　none　stopped　or　spoke。　They　had　a　curious　way　of　moving；　in　some　manner　blending　a　careful　deliberateness　with　an　almost　childlike　carefree　joyfulness。　They　knew　and　liked　who　and　what　they　were　and　where　they　were；　and　they　seemed　at　peace　with　themselves　and　everything　around　them。　Rand　found　himself　envying　them。
　　　　　　　Few　of　the　Ogier　men　were　any　taller　than　Loial；　but　it　was　easy　to　pick　out　the　older　men；　one　and　all　they　wore　mustaches　as　long　as　their　dangling　eyebrows　and　narrow　beards　under　their　chins。　All　of　the　younger　were　smooth…shaven；　like　Loial。　Many　of　the　men　were　in　their　shirtsleeves；　and　carried　shovels　and　mattocks　or　saws　and　buckets　of　pitch；　the　others　wore　plain　coats　that　buttoned　to　the　neck　and　flared　about　their　knees　like　kilts。　The　women　seemed　to　favor　embroidered　flowers；　and　many　wore　flowers　in　their　hair；　too。　The　embroidery　was　limited　to　the　cloaks　of　the　younger　women；　the　older　women's　dresses　were　embroidered；　as　well；　and　some　women　with　gray　hair　had　flowers　and　vines　from　neck　to　hem。　A　handful　of　the　Ogier；　women　and　girls　for　the　most　part；　did　seem　to　take　special　notice　of　Loial；　he　walked　staring　straight　ahead；　ears　twitching　more　wildly　the　further　they　went。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　startled　to　see　an　Ogier　apparently　walking　up　out　of　the　ground；　out　of　one　of　the　grassy；　wildflower…covered　mounds　that　lay　scattered　all　among　the　trees　here。　Then　he　saw　windows　in　the　mounds；　and　an　Ogier　woman　standing　at　one　apparently　rolling　a　piecrust；　and　realized　he　was　looking　at　Ogier　houses。　The　window　frames　were　stone；　but　they　not　only　seemed　natural　formations；　they　appeared　to　have　been　sculpted　by　wind　and　water　over　generations。
　　　　　　　The　Great　Trees；　with　their　massive　trunks　and　spreading　roots　as　thick　as　horses；　needed　a　great　deal　of　room　between　them；　but　several　grew　right　in　the　town。　Dirt　ramps　took　the　paths　over　the　roots。　In　fact；　aside　from　the　pathways；　the　only　way　to　tell　town　from　forest　at　a　glance　was　a　large　open　space　in　the　center　of　the　town；　around　what　could　only　be　the　stump　of　one　of　the　Great　Trees。　Nearly　a　hundred　paces　across；　its　surface　was　polished　as　smooth　as　any　floor；　and　there　were　steps　built　up　to　it　at　several　places。　Rand　was　imagining　how　tall　that　tree　had　been　when　Erith　spoke　loudly　enough　for　them　all　to　hear。
　　　　　　　〃Here　e　our　other　guests。〃
　　　　　　　Three　human　women　came　walking　around　the　side　of　the　huge　stump。　The　youngest　was　carrying　a　wooden　bowl。
　　　　　　　〃Aiel；〃　Ingtar　said。　〃Maidens　of　the　Spear。　As　well　I　did　leave　Masema　with　the　others。〃　Yet　he　stepped　away　from　Verin　and　Erith；　and　reached　over　his　shoulder　to　loosen　his　sword　in　its　scabbard。
　　　　　　　Rand　studied　the　Aiel　with　an　uneasy　curiosity。　They　were　what　too　many　people　had　tired　to　tell　him　he　was。　Two　of　the　women　were　mature；　the　other　little　more　than　a　girl；　but　all　three　were　tall　for　women。　Their　short…cut　hair　ranged　from　a　reddish　brown　to　almost　golden；　with　a　narrow；　shoulder…length　tail　left　long　at　the　back。　They　wore　loose　breeches　tucked　into　soft　boots；　and　all　their　clothes　were　some　shade　of　brown　or　gray　or　green；　he　thought　the　garments　would　fade　into　rock　or　woods　almost　as　well　as　a　Warder's　cloak。　Short　bows　poked　over　their　shoulders；　quivers　and　long　knives　hung　at　their　belts；　and　each　carried　a　small；　round　shield　of　hide　and　a　cluster　of　spears　with　short　shafts　and　long　points。　Even　the　youngest　moved　with　a　grace　that　suggested　she　knew