rj.acrownofswords-第106部分

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　　　〃Everybody　es；〃　Perrin　said。　〃Let's　be　gone　before　we　are　seen。〃　Faile　sniffed。
　　　Grady　and　Neald　saluted　again　and　strode　out　to　the　middle　of　the　treeless　area。　Perrin　had　no　idea　which　of　them　did　what　was　necessary；　but　suddenly　the　now…familiar　silvery　vertical　flash　in　the　air　rotated　into　a　gateway　not　quite　tall　enough　to　ride　through。　Trees　showed　beyond　the　opening；　not　that　much　different　from　those　on　the　surrounding　hills。　Grady　strode　through　immediately；　but　even　so　he　was　nearly　knocked　down　by　Sulin　and　a　small　horde　of　veiled　Maidens。　They　seemed　to　have　taken　the　honor　of　being　first　through　a　gateway　for　themselves；　and　were　not　about　to　let　anyone　usurp　it。
　　　Foreseeing　a　hundred　problems　he　had　not　thought　of；　Perrin　led　Stepper　through　into　a　land　not　so　hilly。　There　was　no　clearing；　but　it　was　not　so　thickly　treed　as　the　hollow　back　in　Cairhien；　either。　The　scattered　trees　were　taller；　but　just　as　sere；　even　the　pines。　He　did　not　recognize　much　else　except　for　oak　and　leatherleaf。　The　air　seemed　a　little　hotter。
　　　Faile　followed　him；　but　when　he　turned　to　the　left；　she　took　Swallow　right。　Aram's　head　swung　worriedly　between　them　until　Perrin　nodded　toward　his　wife。　The　onetime　Tinker　hauled　his　gelding　after　her；　but　quick　as　he　was；　he　was　not　before　Bain　and　Chiad；　still　veiled；　and；　for　all　Perrin's　orders　that　the　Two　Rivers　men　were　to　be　next；　Selande　and　a　good　two　dozen　young　Cairhienin　and　Tairens　poured　out　of　the　gateway　drawing　their　horses　along。　Two　dozen！　Shaking　his　head；　Perrin　stopped　beside　Grady；　who　turned　this　way　and　that；　studying　the　sparse　woodland。
　　　Gaul　came　stalking　up　as　Dannil　finally　began　leading　the　Two　Rivers　men　out　at　a　run；　pulling　their　horses。　Those　bloody　banners　appeared　right　behind　Dannil；　going　up　as　soon　as　they　were　clear。　The　man　ought　to　shave　those　fool　mustaches。
　　　〃Women　are　beyond　any　belief；〃　Gaul　muttered。
　　　Perrin　opened　his　mouth　to　defend　Faile　before　he　realized　it　must　be　Bain　and　Chiad　the　man　was　glaring　at。　To　cover；　he　said；　〃Do　you　have　a　wife；　Grady？〃
　　　〃Sora；〃　Grady　answered　absently；　his　attention　still　on　the　surrounding　trees。　Perrin　would　have　wagered　he　held　the　Power　now；　for　sure。　Anyone　could　see　a　long　way　in　this；　pared　to　any　woods　back　home；　but　someone　could　still　sneak　up　on　you。　〃She's　missing　me；〃　Grady　went　on；　almost　to　himself。　〃You　learn　to　recognize　that　one　right　off。　I　wish　I　knew　why　her　knee　hurts；　though。〃
　　　〃Her　knee　hurts；〃　Perrin　said　flatly。　〃Right　this　minute；　it　hurts。〃
　　　Grady　seemed　to　realize　he　was　staring；　and　Gaul　was　too。　He　blinked；　but　went　right　back　to　his　study。　〃Forgive　me；　Lord　Perrin。　I　need　to　keep　a　watch。〃　For　a　long　moment　he　said　nothing；　then　began　slowly；　〃It's　something　a　fellow　named　Canler　worked　out。　The　M'Hael　doesn't　like　us　trying　to　figure　out　things　on　our　own；　but　once　it　was　done。。。　〃　His　slight　grimace　said　perhaps　Taim　had　not　been　all　that　easy　about　it　even　then。　〃We　think　maybe　it's　something　like　the　bond　between　Warders　and　Aes　Sedai。　Maybe　one　in　three　of　us　is　married；　anyway；　that's　how　many　wives　stayed　instead　of　running　off　when　they　learned　what　their　husbands　were。　This　way；　when　you're　apart　from　her；　you　know　she's　all　right；　and　she　knows　you　are。　A　man　likes　to　know　his　wife's　safe。〃
　　　〃That　he　does；〃　Perrin　said。　What　was　Faile　up　to　with　those　fools？　She　was　mounted　on　Swallow　now；　and　they　were　all　standing　close　around；　looking　up　at　her。　He　would　not　put　it　past　her　to　leap　into　this　ji'e'toh　nonsense　herself。
　　　Seonid　and　Masuri　glided　behind　the　last　of　the　Two　Rivers　men　with　the　three　Warders　they　had　between　them；　and　the　Wise　Ones　right　behind　them；　which　was　no　surprise。　They　were　along　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　Aes　Sedai。　Seonid　gathered　her　reins　as　if　to　mount；　but　Edarra　said　something　in　a　low　voice；　pointing　to　a　fat　lopsided　oak；　and　the　two　Aes　Sedai　looked　at　her；　heads　swiveling　as　one；　then　exchanged　glances　and　led　their　horses　to　the　tree。　Matters　would　go　a　deal　smoother　if　that　pair　was　always　so　meek　…　well；　not　meek　exactly；　Seonid's　neck　was　stiff　as　a　rod。
　　　After　that　came　the　remounts；　a　herd　of　spare　horses　tied　ten　to　a　lead；　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　folk　from　Dobraine's　estates　who　supposedly　knew　what　they　were　about。　Perrin　automatically　picked　out　Stayer；　on　a　lead　by　himself；　the　woman　taking　care　of　him　better　know　what　she　was　doing。　A　great　many　high…wheeled　supply　carts　came　through；　drivers　tugging　the　horses　and　shouting　as　if　they　feared　the　gateway　might　close　on　them　…　a　great　many　because　carts　could　not　carry　as　much　as　wagons；　and　carts　because　a　wagon　and　team　would　not　fit　through　the　gateway。　It　seemed　neither　Neald　nor　Grady　could　make　one　as　big　as　Rand　could；　or　Dashiva。
　　　When　the　last　cart　finally　trundled　out　on　a　squealing　axle；　Perrin　considered　ordering　the　gateway　closed　right　then；　but　Neald　was　the　man　holding　the　thing　open；　and　him　on　the　other　side　of　it　back　in　Cairhien。　A　moment　later；　it　was　too　late。
　　　Berelain　strode　through　leading　a　mare　as　white　as　Swallow　was　black；　and　he　offered　up　small　thanks　that　her　gray　riding　dress　had　a　neck　right　to　her　chin。　On　the　other　hand；　from　the　waist　up；　it　fit　as　snugly　as　any　Taraboner　dress。　Perrin　groaned。　With　her　came　Nurelle　and　Bertain　Gallenne；　the　Lord　Captain　of　her　Winged　Guards；　a　gray…haired　fellow　who　wore　his　black　eyepatch　as　another　man　might　a　plume　in　his　hat；　and　then　the　red…armored　Winged　Guards　themselves；　more　than　nine　hundred　of　them。　Nurelle　and　the　rest　who　had　been　at　Dumai's　Wells　wore　a　yellow　cord　tied　high　on　the　left　arm。
　　　Climbing　onto　her　mare；　Berelain　rode　off　to　one　side　with　Gallenne　while　Nurelle　formed　the　Winged　Guards　among　the　trees。　There　must　have　been　fifty　paces　between　her　and　Faile；　and　dozens　of　trees；　but　she　placed　herself　where　they　could　stare　at　each　other。　Stare　with　so　little　expression　that　Perrin's　skin　crawled。　Putting　Berelain　at　the　rear；　as　far　from　Faile　as　he　could　manage；　had　seemed　a　good　notion；　but　he　was　going　to　face　this　every　bloody　evening。　Burn　Rand！
　　　Now　Neald　popped　out　of　the　gateway；　stroking　his　ridiculous　mustache　and　preening　for　anyone　who　might　be　watching　as　the　opening　vanished。　No　one　was；　and　he　climbed　onto　his　horse　with　a　disgruntled　expression。
　　　Mounting　Stepper；　Perrin　rode　to　a　slight　rise。　Not　everyone　could　see　him　because　of　the　trees；　but　it　was　enough　they　could　hear。　A　stir　ran　through　the　assemblage　as　he　reined　in；　people　shifting　for　a　better　look。
　　　〃As　far　as　anyone's　eyes…and…ears　back　in　Cairhien　know；〃　he　said　loudly；　〃I've　been　banished；　the　First　of　Mayene　is　on　her　way　back　home；　and　the　rest　of　you　have　just　disappeared　like　fog　in　the　sun。〃
　　　To　his　surprise；　they　laughed。　A　cry　of　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes〃　went　up；　and　not　just　from　the　Two　Rivers　folk。　He　waited　for　it　to　quiet；　that　took　a　while。　Faile　neither　laughed　nor　shouted；　nor　did　Berelain。　Each　woman　shook　her　head；　neither　believed　he　should　tell　as　much　as　he　intended　to。　Then　they　saw　each　other；　and　those　shaking　heads　froze　as　if　trapped　in　amber。　They　did　not　like　agreeing。　It　was　no　surprise　when　their　eyes　swung　to　him　with　identical　expressions。　There　was　an　old　saying　in　the　Two　Rivers；　though　how　you　said　it　and　what　you　meant　depended　on　circumstance　and　who　you　were。　〃It's　always　a　man's　fault。〃　One　thing；　he　had　learned；　women　were　better　at　than　anything　else：　teaching　a　man　to　sigh。
　　　〃Some　of　you　may　be　wondering　where　we　are；　and　why；〃　he　went　on　when　silence　fell　at　last。　A　smaller　ripple　of　laughter。　〃This　is　Ghealdan。〃　Murmurs　of　awe；　and　maybe　disbelief；　at　having　crossed　fifteen　hundred　miles　or　more　in　a　step。　〃The　first　thing　we　have　to　do　is　convince　Queen　Alliandre　we　aren't　here　to　invade。〃　Berelain　was　supposed　to　talk　to　Alliandre；　and　Faile　was　going　to　give　him　fits　for　it。　〃Then　we're　going　to　find　a　fellow　who　calls　himself　the　Prophet　of　the　Lord　Dragon。〃　That　would　not　be　much　pleasure；　either；　Masema　had　been　no　joy　before　he　tipped　over　the　edge。　〃This　Prophet　has　been　causing　some　problems；　but　we're　going　to　let　him　know　Rand　al'Thor　doesn't　want　anybody　frightened　into　following　him；　and　we'll　take　him　and　any　of　his　people　who　want　to　e　back　to　the　Lord　Dragon。〃　And　we'll　frighten　the　breeches　off　Masema　to　do　it　if　need　be；　he　though　wryly。
　　　They　cheered。　They　whooped　and　shouted　that　they　would　march　this　Prophet　back　to　Cairhien　for　the　Lord　Dragon　till　Perrin　hoped　this　spot　was　even　farther　from　any　village　than　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Even　the　cart　drivers　and　horse　handlers　joined　in。　More　than　that；　he　prayed　that　everything　went　smoothly；　and　quickly。　The　sooner　he　could　put　as　much　distance　as　possible　between　Berelain　and　himself　and　Faile；　the　better。　No　surprises；　that　was　what　he　wanted　once　they　rode　south。　It　was　about　time　his　being　ta'veren　showed　itself　good　for　something。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　28　
（Dice）　
Bread　and　Cheese　
　　　
　　　Mat　knew　he　was　in　trouble　from　the　day　he　moved　into　the　Tarasin　Palace。　He　could　have　refused。　Just　because　the　flaming　dice　started　or　stopped　did　not　mean　he　had　to　do　anything；　usually　when　they　stopped　spinning；　it　was　too　late　not　to　do　something。　The　problem　was；　he　wanted　to　know　why。　Before　very　many　days；　he　wished　he　had　taken　his　curiosity　by　the　throat　and　throttled　it。
　　　After　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　left　his　room；　once　he　could　manage　to　reach　his　feet　without　his　head　falling　off；　he　spread　the　word　among　his　men。　Nobody　seemed　to　see　the　disadvantages。　He　just　wanted　to　prepare　them；　but　nobody　listened。
　　　〃Very　good；　my　Lord；〃　Nerim　murmured；　tugging　Mat's　boot　onto　his　foot。　〃My　Lord　will　finally　have　decent　rooms。　Oh；　very　good。〃　For　a　moment；　he　seemed　to　lose　his　mournful　expression。　For　just　a　moment。　〃I　will　brush　the　red　silk　coat　for　my　Lord；　my　Lord　has　stained　the　blue　rather　badly　with　wine。〃　Mat　waited　impatiently；　put　on　the　coat；　and　headed　down　the　hall。
　　　〃Aes　Sedai？〃　Nalesean　muttered　as　his　head　popped　out　at　the　top　of　a　clean　shut。　His　round…bellied　manservant；　Lopin；　was　hovering　behind　him。　〃Burn　my　soul；　I　don't　much　like　Aes　S