rj.thegreathunt-第110部分

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e　that　anyone　could　hear。　She　muttered　to　herself　instead；　shaking　her　head　as　if　arguing　with　herself。
　　　　　　　〃What　we　need；〃　Hurin　said　diffidently；　〃is　one　of　those　Portal　Stones。〃　He　looked　to　Alar；　then　Verin；　and　when　neither　told　him　to　stop；　he　went　on；　sounding　increasingly　confident。　〃The　Lady　Selene　said　those　old　Aes　Sedai　had　studied　those　worlds；　and　that　was　how　they　knew　how　to　make　the　Ways。　And　that　place　we　were　。。。　well；　it　only　took　us　two　days　less　to　travel　a　hundred　leagues。　If　we　could　use　a　Portal　Stone　to　go　to　that　world；　or　one　like　it；　why；　it'd　take　no　more　than　a　week　or　two　to　reach　the　Aryth　Ocean；　and　we　could　e　back　right　on　Toman　Head。　Maybe　it　isn't　so　quick　as　the　Ways；　but　it's　a　long　sight　quicker　than　riding　off　west。　What　do　you　say；　Lord　Ingtar？　Lord　Rand？〃
　　　　　　　Verin　answered　him。　〃What　you　suggest　might　be　possible；　sniffer；　but　as　well　hope　to　open　this　Waygate　again　and　find　Machin　Shin　gone　as　hope　to　find　a　Portal　Stone。　I　know　none　closer　than　the　Aiel　Waste。　Though　we　could　go　back　into　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　if　you；　or　Rand；　or　Loial　think　you　could　find　that　Stone　again。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　at　Mat。　His　friend　had　lifted　his　head　hopefully　at　this　talk　of　the　Stones。　A　few　weeks；　Verin　had　said。　If　they　simply　rode　west；　Mat　would　never　live　to　see　Toman　Head。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　find　it；〃　Rand　said　reluctantly。　He　felt　ashamed。　Mat's　going　to　die；　Darkfriends　have　the　Horn　of　Valere；　Fain　will　hurt　Emond's　Field　if　you　don't　follow　him；　and　you're　afraid　to　channel　the　Power。　Once　to　go　and　once　to　e　back。　Twice　more　won't　drive　you　mad。　What　really　made　him　afraid；　though；　was　the　eagerness　that　leaped　inside　him　at　the　thought　of　channeling　again；　of　feeling　the　Power　fill　him；　of　feeling　truly　alive。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　understand　this；〃　Alar　said　slowly。　〃The　Portal　Stones　have　not　been　used　since　the　Age　of　Legends。　I　did　not　think　there　was　anyone　who　still　knew　how　to　use　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Brown　Ajah　knows　many　things；〃　Verin　said　dryly；　〃and　I　know　how　the　Stones　may　be　used。〃
　　　　　　　The　Eldest　nodded。　〃Truly　there　are　wonders　in　the　White　Tower　of　which　we　do　not　dream。　But　if　you　can　use　a　Portal　Stone；　there　is　no　need　for　you　to　ride　to　Kinslayer's　Dagger。　There　is　a　Stone　not　far　from　where　we　stand。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；　and　the　Pattern　provides　what　is　needful。〃　The　absent　look　dropped　from　Verin's　face　altogether。　〃Take　us　to　it；〃　she　said　briskly。　〃We　have　lost　more　than　enough　time　already。〃　

Chapter　37
（Portal　Stone）
What　Might　Be

　　　　　　　Alar　led　them　away　from　the　Waygate　at　a　dignified　pace；　though　Juin　seemed　more　than　anxious　to　leave　the　Waygate　behind。　Mat；　at　least；　looked　ahead　eagerly；　and　Hurin　seemed　confident；　while　Loial　appeared　concerned　more　that　Alar　might　change　her　mind　about　his　going　than　about　anything　else。　Rand　did　not　hurry　as　he　pulled　Red　along　by　the　reins。　He　did　not　think　Verin　meant　to　use　the　Stone　herself。
　　　　　　　The　gray　stone　column　stood　upright　near　a　beech　almost　a　hundred　feet　tall　and　four　paces　thick；　Rand　would　have　thought　it　a　big　tree　before　he　saw　the　Great　Trees。　There　was　no　warning　coping　here；　only　a　few　wildflowers　pushing　through　the　leafy　mulch　of　the　forest　floor。　The　Portal　Stone　itself　was　weathered；　but　the　symbols　covering　it　were　still　clear　enough　to　make　out。
　　　　　　　The　mounted　Shienaran　soldiers　spread　out　in　a　loose　circle　around　the　Stone　and　those　afoot。
　　　　　　　〃We　stood　it　upright；〃　Alar　said；　〃when　we　found　it　many　years　ago；　but　we　did　not　move　it。　It　。。。　seemed　to　。。。　resist　being　moved。〃　She　went　right　up　to　it；　and　laid　a　big　hand　on　the　Stone。　〃I　have　always　thought　of　it　as　a　symbol　of　what　has　been　lost；　what　has　been　forgotten。　In　the　Age　of　Legends；　it　could　be　studied　and　somewhat　understood。　To　us；　it　is　only　stone。〃
　　　　　　　〃More　than　that；　I　hope。〃　Verin's　voice　grew　brisker。　〃Eldest；　I　thank　you　for　your　help。　Forgive　us　for　our　lack　of　ceremony　in　leaving　you；　but　the　Wheel　waits　for　no　woman。　At　least　we　will　no　longer　disturb　the　peace　of　your　stedding。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　called　the　stonemasons　back　from　Cairhien；〃　Alar　said；　〃but　we　still　hear　what　happens　in　the　world　Outside。　False　Dragons。　The　Great　Hunt　of　the　Horn。　We　hear；　and　it　passes　us　by。　I　do　not　think　Tarmon　Gai'don　will　pass　us　by；　or　leave　us　in　peace。　Fare　you　well；　Verin　Sedai。　All　of　you；　fare　well；　and　may　you　shelter　in　the　palm　of　the　Creator's　hand。　Juin。〃　She　paused　only　for　a　glance　at　Loial　and　a　last　admonitory　look　at　Rand；　and　then　the　Ogier　were　gone　among　the　trees。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　creaking　of　saddles　as　the　soldiers　shifted。　Ingtar　looked　around　the　circle　they　made。　〃Is　this　necessary；　Verin　Sedai？　Even　if　it　can　be　done。。。　We　do　not　even　know　if　the　Darkfriends　really　have　taken　the　Horn　to　Toman　Head。　I　still　believe　I　can　make　Barthanes　…〃
　　　　　　　〃If　we　cannot　be　sure；〃　Verin　said　mildly；　cutting　him　off；　〃then　Toman　Head　is　as　good　a　place　to　look　as　any　other。　More　than　once　I've　heard　you　say　you　would　ride　to　Shayol　Ghul　if　need　be　to　recover　the　Horn。　Do　you　hold　back　now；　at　this？〃　She　gestured　to　the　Stone　under　the　smoothbarked　tree。
　　　　　　　Ingtar's　back　stiffened。　〃I　hold　back　at　nothing。　Take　us　to　Toman　Head　or　take　us　to　Shayol　Ghul。　If　the　Horn　of　Valere　lies　at　the　end；　I　will　follow　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　well；　Ingtar。　Now；　Rand；　you　have　been　transported　by　a　Portal　Stone　more　recently　than　I。　e。〃　She　motioned　to　him；　and　he　led　Red　over　to　her　at　the　Stone。
　　　　　　　〃You've　used　a　Portal　Stone？〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　to　make　sure　no　one　else　was　close　enough　to　hear。　〃Then　you　don't　mean　for　me　to。〃　He　gave　a　relieved　shrug。
　　　　　　　Verin　looked　at　him　blandly。　〃I　have　never　used　a　Stone；　that　is　why　your　use　is　more　recent　than　mine。　I　am　well　aware　of　my　limits。　I　would　be　destroyed　before　I　came　close　to　channeling　enough　Power　to　work　a　Portal　Stone。　But　I　know　a　little　of　them。　Enough　to　help　you；　a　bit。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　I　don't　know　anything。〃　He　led　his　horse　around　the　Stone；　looking　it　up　and　down。　〃The　one　thing　I　remember　is　the　symbol　for　our　world。　Selene　showed　me；　but　I　don't　see　it　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　not。　Not　on　a　Stone　in　our　world；　the　symbols　are　aids　in　getting　to　a　world。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃What　would　I　not　give　to　talk　with　this　girl　of　yours？　Or　better；　to　put　my　hands　on　her　book。　It　is　generally　thought　that　no　copy　of　Mirrors　of　the　Wheel　survived　the　Breaking　whole。　Serafelle　always　tells　me　there　are　more　books　that　we　believe　lost　than　I　could　credit　waiting　to　be　found。　Well；　no　use　in　worrying　over　what　I　don't　know。　I　do　know　some　things。　The　symbols　on　the　top　half　of　the　Stone　stand　for　worlds。　Not　all　the　Worlds　That　Might　Be；　of　course。　Apparently；　not　every　Stone　connects　to　every　world；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　of　the　Age　of　Legends　believed　that　there　were　possible　worlds　no　Stones　at　all　touched。　Do　you　see　nothing　that　sparks　a　memory？〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing。〃　If　he　found　the　right　symbol；　he　could　use　it　to　find　Fain　and　the　Horn；　to　save　Mat；　to　stop　Fain　hurting　Emond's　Field。　If　he　found　the　symbol；　he　would　have　to　touch　saidin。　He　wanted　to　save　Mat　and　stop　Fain；　but　the　did　not　want　to　touch　saidin。　He　was　afraid　to　channel；　and　he　hungered　for　it　like　a　starving　man　for　food。　〃I　don't　remember　anything。〃
　　　　　　　Verin　sighed。　〃The　symbols　at　the　bottom　indicate　Stones　at　other　places。　If　you　know　the　trick　of　it；　you　could　take　us；　not　to　this　same　Stone　in　another　world；　but　to　one　of　those　others　there；　or　even　to　one　of　them　here。　It　was　something　akin　to　Traveling；　I　think；　but　just　as　no　one　remembers　how　to　Travel；　no　one　remembers　the　trick。　Without　that　knowledge；　trying　it　might　easily　destroy　us　all。〃　She　pointed　to　two　parallel　wavy　lines　crossed　by　an　odd　squiggle；　carved　low　on　the　column。　〃That　indicates　a　Stone　on　Toman　Head。　It　is　one　of　three　Stones　for　which　I　know　the　symbol；　the　only　one　of　those　three　I've　visited。　And　what　I　learned　…　after　nearly　being　caught　by　the　snows　in　the　Mountains　of　Mist　and　freezing　my　way　across　Almoth　Plain　…　was　absolutely　nothing。　Do　you　play　at　dice；　or　cards；　Rand　al'Thor？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat's　the　gambler。　Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　Well；　we'll　leave　him　out　of　this；　I　think。　These　other　symbols　are　also　known　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　With　one　finger　she　outlined　a　rectangle　containing　eight　carvings　that　were　much　alike；　a　circle　and　an　arrow；　but　in　half　the　arrow　was　contained　inside　the　circle；　while　in　the　others　the　point　pierced　the　circle　through。　The　arrows　pointed　left；　right；　up　and　down；　and　surrounding　each　circle　was　a　different　line　of　what　Rand　was　sure　was　script；　though　in　no　language　he　knew；　all　curving　lines　that　suddenly　became　jagged　hooks；　then　flowed　on　again。
　　　　　　　〃At　least；〃　Verin　went　on；　〃I　know　this　much　about　them。　Each　stands　for　a　world；　the　study　of　which　led　eventually　to　the　making　of　the　Ways。　These　are　not　all　of　the　worlds　studied；　but　the　only　ones　for　which　I　know　the　symbols。　This　is　where　gambling　es　in。　I　don't　know　what　any　of　these　worlds　is　like。　It　is　believed　there　are　worlds　where　a　year　is　only　a　day　here；　and　others　where　a　day　is　a　year　here。　There　are　supposed　to　be　worlds　where　the　very　air　would　kill　us　at　a　breath；　and　worlds　that　barely　have　enough　reality　to　hold　together。　I　would　not　speculate　on　what　might　happen　if　we　found　ourselves　in　one　of　those。　You　must　choose。　As　my　father　would　have　said；　it's　time　to　roll　the　dice。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　could　kill　all　of　us；　whatever　I　choose。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　not　willing　to　take　that　risk？　For　the　Horn　of　Valere？　For　Mat？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　are　you　so　willing　to　take　it？　I　don't　even　know　if　I　can　do　it。　It　…　it　doesn't　work　every　time　I　try。〃　He　knew　no　one　had　e　any　closer；　but　he　looked　anyway。　All　of　them　waited　in　a　loose　circle　around　the　Stone；　watching；　but　not　close　enough　to　eavesdrop。　〃Sometimes　saidin　is　just　there。　I　can　feel　it；　but　it　might　as　well　be　on　the　moon　as　far　as　touching　it。　And　even　if　it　does　work；　what　if　I　take　us　someplace　we　can't　breathe？　What　good　will　that　do　Mat？　Or　the　Horn？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　the　Dragon　Reborn；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Oh；　you　can　die；　but　I　don't　think　the　Pattern　will　let　you　die　until　it　is　don