rj.thegreathunt-第122部分

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　　　　　　　Nynaeve　booted　the　mare　to　a　quick　trot；　and　Elayne　yelped　and　caught　at　her　cloak。　Nynaeve　told　herself　that　she　would　take　a　turn　riding　behind　and　not　plain　if　Elayne　put　the　horse　to　a　gallop；　but　for　the　most　part　she　ignored　the　gasps　of　the　woman　bouncing　behind　her。　She　was　too　busy　hoping　that　by　the　time　they　reached　Falme；　she　could　stop　being　afraid　and　start　being　angry。
　　　　　　　The　breeze　freshened；　cool　and　brisk　with　a　hint　of　cold　yet　to　e。　

Chapter　41
（Ruby…Hilted　Dagger）
Disagreements

　　　　　　　Thunder　rumbled　across　the　slate…dark　afternoon　sky。　Rand　pulled　the　hood　of　his　cloak　further　up；　hoping　to　keep　at　least　some　of　the　cold　rain　off。　Red　stepped　through　muddy　puddles　doggedly。　The　hood　hung　sodden　around　Rand's　head；　as　the　rest　of　the　cloak　did　around　his　shoulders；　and　his　fine　black　coat　was　just　as　wet；　and　as　cold。　The　temperature　would　not　have　far　to　drop　before　snow　or　sleet　came　down　instead　of　rain。　Snow　would　fall　soon；　again；　the　people　in　the　village　they　had　passed　through　said　two　snows　had　already　e　this　year。　Shivering；　Rand　almost　wished　it　was　snowing。　Then；　at　least；　he　would　not　be　soaked　to　the　skin。
　　　　　　　The　column　plodded　along；　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　the　rolling　country。　Ingtar's　Gray　Owl　hung　heavily　even　when　the　wind　gusted。　Hurin　sometimes　pulled　his　cowl　back　to　sniff　the　air；　he　said　neither　rain　nor　cold　had　any　effect　on　a　trail；　certainly　not　on　the　kind　of　trail　he　was　seeking；　but　so　far　the　sniffer　had　found　nothing。　Behind　him；　Rand　heard　Uno　mutter　a　curse。　Loial　kept　checking　his　saddlebags；　he　did　not　seem　to　mind　getting　wet　himself；　but　he　worried　continually　about　his　books。　Everyone　was　miserable　except　for　Verin；　who　appeared　too　lost　in　thought　to　even　notice　that　her　hood　had　slid　back；　exposing　her　face　to　the　rain。
　　　　　　　〃Can't　you　do　something　about　this？〃　Rand　demanded　of　her。　A　small　voice　in　the　back　of　his　head　told　him　he　could　do　it　himself。　All　he　need　do　was　embrace　saidin。　So　sweet；　the　call　of　saidin。　To　be　filled　with　the　One　Power；　to　be　one　with　the　storm。　Turn　the　skies　to　sunlight；　or　ride　the　storm　as　it　raged；　whip　it　to　fury　and　scour　Toman　Head　clean　from　the　sea　to　the　plain。　Embrace　saidin。　He　suppressed　the　longing　ruthlessly。
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　gave　a　start。　〃What？　Oh。　I　suppose。　A　little。　I　couldn't　stop　a　storm　this　big；　not　by　myself　…　it　covers　too　much　area　…　but　I　could　lessen　it　some。　Where　we　are；　at　least。〃　She　wiped　rain　from　her　face；　seemed　to　realize　for　the　first　time　that　her　hood　had　slipped；　and　pulled　it　back　up　absently。
　　　　　　　〃Then　why　don't　you？〃　Mat　said。　The　shivering　face　peering　out　from　under　his　hood　looked　at　death's　door；　but　his　voice　was　vigorous。
　　　　　　　〃Because　if　I　used　that　much　of　the　One　Power；　any　Aes　Sedai　closer　than　ten　miles　would　know　someone　had　channeled。　We　don't　want　to　bring　these　Seanchan　down　on　us　with　some　of　their　damane。〃　Her　mouth　tightened　angrily。
　　　　　　　They　had　learned　a　little　of　the　invaders　in　that　village；　called　Atuan's　Mill；　though　most　of　what　they　had　heard　hatched　more　questions　than　it　answered。　The　people　had　babbled　one　moment　and　clamped　their　mouths　shut　the　next；　trembling　and　looking　over　their　shoulders。　They　all　shook　with　fear　that　the　Seanchan　would　return　with　their　monsters　and　their　damane。　That　women　who　should　have　been　Aes　Sedai　were　instead　leashed　like　animals　frightened　the　villagers　even　more　than　the　strange　creatures　the　Seanchan　manded；　things　the　folk　of　Atuan's　Mill　could　only　describe　in　whispers　as　ing　from　nightmares。　And　worst　of　all；　the　examples　the　Seanchan　had　made　before　leaving　still　chilled　the　people　to　their　marrow。　They　had　buried　their　dead；　but　they　feared　to　clean　away　the　large　charred　patch　in　the　village　square。　None　of　them　would　say　what　had　happened　there；　but　Hurin　had　vomited　as　soon　as　they　entered　the　village；　and　he　would　not　go　near　the　blackened　ground。
　　　　　　　Atuan's　Mill　had　been　half　deserted。　Some　had　fled　to　Falme；　thinking　the　Seanchan　would　not　be　so　harsh　in　a　town　they　held　fast；　and　others　had　gone　east。　More　had　said　they　were　thinking　of　it。　There　was　fighting　on　Almoth　Plain；　Taraboners　battling　Domani　it　was　said；　but　such　houses　and　barns　as　were　burned　there　were　kindled　by　torches　in　the　hands　of　men。　Even　a　war　was　easier　to　face　than　what　the　Seanchan　had　done；　what　they　might　do。
　　　　　　　〃Why　did　Fain　bring　the　Horn　here？〃　Perrin　muttered。　The　question　had　been　asked　by　each　of　them　at　one　time　or　another；　and　no　one　had　an　answer。　〃There's　war；　and　these　Seanchan；　and　their　monsters。　Why　here？〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　turned　in　his　saddle　to　look　back　at　them。　His　face　appeared　almost　as　haggard　as　Mat's。　〃There　are　always　men　who　see　chances　for　their　own　advantage　in　the　confusion　of　war。　Fain　is　one　like　that。　No　doubt　he　thinks　to　steal　the　Horn　again；　from　the　Dark　One　this　time；　and　use　it　for　his　own　profit。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Father　of　Lies　never　lays　simple　plans；〃　Verin　said。　〃It　may　be　that　he　wants　Fain　to　bring　the　Horn　here　for　some　reason　known　only　in　Shayol　Ghul。〃
　　　　　　　〃Monsters；〃　Mat　snorted。　His　cheeks　were　sunken；　now；　his　eyes　hollow。　That　he　sounded　healthy　only　made　it　worse。　〃They　saw　some　Trollocs；　or　a　Fade；　if　you　ask　me。　Well；　why　not？　If　the　Seanchan　have　Aes　Sedai　fighting　for　them；　why　not　Fades　and　Trollocs？〃　He　caught　Verin　staring　at　him　and　flinched。　〃Well；　they　are；　on　leashes　or　not。　They　can　channel；　and　that　makes　them　Aes　Sedai。　〃　He　glanced　at　Rand　and　gave　a　ragged　laugh。　〃That　makes　you　Aes　Sedai；　the　Light　help　us　all。〃
　　　　　　　Masema　came　galloping　from　ahead；　through　the　mud　and　the　steady　rain。　〃There　is　another　village　ahead；　my　Lord；〃　he　said　as　he　pulled　in　beside　Ingtar。　His　eyes　only　swept　past　Rand；　but　they　tightened；　and　he　did　not　look　at　Rand　again。　〃It's　empty；　my　Lord。　No　villagers；　no　Seanchan；　nobody　at　all。　The　houses　all　look　sound；　though；　except　for　two　or　three　that　。。。　well；　they　aren't　there　anymore；　my　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　raised　his　hand　and　signaled　for　a　trot。
　　　　　　　The　village　Masema　had　found　covered　the　slopes　of　a　hill；　with　a　paved　square　at　the　top　around　a　circle　of　stone　walls。　The　houses　were　of　stone；　all　flat…roofed　and　few　more　than　a　single　story。　Three　that　had　been　larger；　along　one　side　of　the　square；　were　only　heaps　of　blackened　rubble；　shattered　chunks　of　stone　and　roof　beams　lay　scattered　across　the　square。　A　few　shutters　banged　when　the　wind　gusted。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　dismounted　in　front　of　the　only　large　building　still　standing。　The　creaking　sign　above　its　door　bore　a　woman　juggling　stars；　but　no　name；　rain　came　off　the　corners　in　two　steady　drizzles。　Verin　hurried　inside　while　Ingtar　spoke。　〃Uno；　search　every　house。　If　there　is　anyone　left；　perhaps　they　can　tell　us　what　happened　here；　and　maybe　a　little　more　about　these　Seanchan。　And　if　there's　any　food；　bring　that；　too。　And　blankets。〃　Uno　nodded　and　began　telling　off　men。　Ingtar　turned　to　Hurin。　〃What　do　you　smell？　Did　Fain　e　through　here？〃
　　　　　　　Hurin；　rubbing　his　nose；　shook　his　head。　〃Not　him；　my　Lord；　and　not　the　Trollocs；　neither。　Whoever　did　that　left　a　stench；　though。〃　He　pointed　to　the　wreckage　that　had　been　houses。　〃It　was　killing；　my　Lord。　There　were　people　in　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃Seanchan；〃　Ingtar　growled。　〃Let's　get　inside。　Ragan；　find　some　sort　of　stable　for　the　horses。〃
　　　　　　　Verin　already　had　fires　going　in　both　of　the　big　fireplaces；　at　either　end　of　the　mon　room；　and　was　warming　her　hands　at　one；　her　sodden　cloak　spread　out　on　one　of　the　tables　dotting　the　tiled　floor。　She　had　found　a　few　candles；　too；　now　burning　on　a　table　stuck　in　their　own　tallow。　Emptiness　and　quiet；　except　for　the　occasional　grumble　of　thunder；　added　to　the　flickering　shadows　to　give　the　place　a　cavernous　feel。　Rand　tossed　his　equally　wet　cloak　and　coat　on　a　table　and　joined　her。　Only　Loial　seemed　more　interested　in　checking　his　books　than　in　warming　himself。
　　　　　　　〃We　will　never　find　the　Horn　of　Valere　this　way；〃　Ingtar　said。　〃Three　days　since　we　。。。　since　we　arrived　here〃　…　he　shuddered　and　scrubbed　a　hand　through　his　hair；　Rand　wondered　what　the　Shienaran　had　seen　in　his　other　lives　…　〃another　two；　at　least；　to　Falme；　and　we　have　not　found　so　much　as　a　hair　of　Fain　or　Darkfriends。　There　are　scores　of　villages　along　the　coast。　He　could　have　gone　to　any　of　them　and　taken　ship　anywhere　by　now。　If　he　was　ever　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　is　here；〃　Verin　said　calmly；　〃and　he　went　to　Falme。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　he's　still　here；〃　Rand　said。　Waiting　for　me。　Please；　Light；　he's　still　waiting。
　　　　　　　〃Hurin　still　hasn't　caught　a　whiff　of　him；〃　Ingtar　said。　The　sniffer　shrugged　as　if　he　felt　himself　at　fault　for　the　failure。　〃Why　would　he　choose　Falme？　If　those　villagers　are　to　be　believed；　Falme　is　held　by　these　Seanchan。　I　would　give　my　best　hound　to　know　who　they　are；　and　where　they　came　from。〃
　　　　　　　〃Who　they　are　is　not　important　to　us。〃　Verin　knelt　and　unfastened　her　saddlebags；　pulling　out　dry　clothes。　〃At　least　we　have　rooms　in　which　to　change　our　clothes；　though　it　will　do　us　little　good　unless　the　weather　changes。　Ingtar；　it　may　well　be　that　what　the　villagers　told　us　is　right；　that　they　are　the　descendants　of　Artur　Hawkwing's　armies　e　back。　What　matters　is　that　Padan　Fain　has　gone　to　Falme。　The　writings　in　the　dungeon　at　Fal　Dara　…〃
　　　　　　　〃…　never　mentioned　Fain。　Forgive　me；　Aes　Sedai；　but　that　could　have　been　a　trick　as　easily　as　dark　prophecy。　I　can't　believe　even　Trollocs　would　be　stupid　enough　to　tell　us　everything　they　were　going　to　do　before　they　did　it。〃
　　　　　　　She　twisted　to　look　up　at　him。　〃And　what　do　you　mean　to　do；　if　you　will　not　take　my　advice？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　mean　to　have　the　Horn　of　Valere；〃　Ingtar　said　firmly。　〃Forgive　me；　but　I　have　to　trust　my　own　senses　before　some　words　scrawled　by　a　Trolloc　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　Myrddraal；　surely；〃　Verin　murmured；　but　he　did　not　even　pause。
　　　　　　　〃　。。。　or　a　Darkfriend　seeming　to　betray　himself　out　of　his　own　mouth。　I　mean　to　quarter　the　ground　until　Hurin　smells　a　trail　or　we　find　Fain　in　the　flesh。　I　must　have　the　Horn；　Verin　Sedai。　I　must！〃
　　　　　　　〃That　isn't　the　way；〃　Hurin　said　softly。　〃Not　'must。'　What　happens；　happens。〃　No　one　paid　him　any　mind。
　　　　　　　〃We　all　must；〃　Verin　murmured；　peering　into　her　saddlebag